Front end overhaul

[Diseazd]

I decided to start a thread on my front end overhaul since there is many items to replace. Started off by disassembling the suspension parts.....disconnected brake lines (lots of heat needed on some fittings) . Next, remove tie rod end ( tie rod fork and several good blows with a hammer).....then the two bolts attaching the torsion rods to the control arm....next, the two bolts holding the calipers (removed them) and the one nut under the grease cap and remove the rotor, then, the sway bar end link, then remove the three nuts holding the strut under the hood (get someone to help so as not to torque the ball joint connections too much) and lower the strut and remove the last two bolts holding the ball joint to the strut, and remove strut.

[Diseazd]

........I bought my new tie rod ends from Banzai Motorworks, and they look to be the exact dimensions as the OEM, so I broke loose the lock nut (passenger side is normal thread pattern, the driver side, I believe is reverse)......I counted 19 revolutions to remove, so I counted 19 on the way back on for the new one....will still get an alignment when done. (Picture above shows the new tie rod end with yellow paint like original). More to come.....

Edited April 2, 2017 by Diseazd

[240260280]

Eyeballing toe and taking it for drives then readjusting in an iterative fashion actually works nicely. Get an alignment after doing this and you may be surprised how well your eyes and driving feedback did!

 

[Diseazd]

.......I figured since I was installing new Wilwoods and had everything apart, I'd replace the bearings (and the dreaded races). Bought a set of bearing race and seal drifts for $25.00......amazing what the right tool does for this job. Drive out the races with a punch....seat em with the correct drift....saves a lot of cussing and destruction. BTW packing the bearings by hand sucks! Next....taking the struts to my machine shop to remove the gland nut....thanks Hardway for keeping me from doing things the hard way!

 

Edited April 2, 2017 by Diseazd

[S30Driver]

Very nice.    Which calipers & pads have you gone with?   I have a similar setup with the Dynalite forged calipers.   The standard street pads I find too soft, they dust too much for my taste.   Other than that, I love those brakes.

[Diseazd]

I went with street pads.....not much of a problem on the front brakes, but the rear have a slight dusting. I have Wilwoods all the way around on the green 72.....front only on the white 70, the gold 71 and the silver 73. I never notice any dust from the front brakes at all. Super brakes, vented rotors and lots of area.....for normal street driving, stock brakes are fine if kept up, but the Wilwoods look and work so nice!

[240260280]

Guy will you be at Zcon?

[Diseazd]

Don't think so Blue.....too many things going on this year.....would really like to meet all you guys sometime though!

[Chickenman]

I don'y know what I Luv more. Your cars or your garage. Jealous!!

[siteunseen]

15 minutes ago, Chickenman said:

I don'y know what I Luv more. Your cars or your garage. Jealous!!

Me too!  He makes higher education look like what I'd expect.

Guy's the Man. 

[Diseazd]

You guys are "the best"....I love you all!

[Diseazd]

Old vs new ball joints and tie rod ends.....castle nuts torqued 45 to 50 lbs. ........new Tokico shocks go in the strut tubes capped with Eibach performance springs. Next to installing the assembly then the new Wilwoods. 

Edited April 5, 2017 by Diseazd