Info on DFW Get together tomorrow, Shock swap party?
03-17-2008, 02:06 AM
#46
Rennlist Member
Thanks again for the info.
03-17-2008, 02:14 AM
#47
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
the 4 bolts come out and the whole lower a-arm swings around towards the outside of the car. Its at this point ONLY attached by the ball joint itself. This prevents you from changing any suspension settings at the ball joint. Also once you get the hang of it you can get it out fairly easily. But you have to get the upper arm as high as you can go otherwise the coil over gets caught up. I think One coil over was removed as you do it on the OB's but i mentioned that you pull the whole thing from the bottom and thats the way they were all done from then on. On your car, its the way to go.
Re-aligning the lower a-arm is a bit tricky but the bolts are long enough that you can get a thread or two in and then slowly tighten them up to bring the lower a-arm back into position. I remember using a jack to do this because the whole assembly is quite heavy and you get tired quickly doing this. Also without a 3rd arm you cant really hold up the a-arm and thread the bolts, so use a jack to lift the lower a-arm up slightly to reattach.
Re-aligning the lower a-arm is a bit tricky but the bolts are long enough that you can get a thread or two in and then slowly tighten them up to bring the lower a-arm back into position. I remember using a jack to do this because the whole assembly is quite heavy and you get tired quickly doing this. Also without a 3rd arm you cant really hold up the a-arm and thread the bolts, so use a jack to lift the lower a-arm up slightly to reattach.
03-17-2008, 02:16 AM
#48
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
keep questions coming, this can be the new shock swap thread as all together we've done 4 cars and each probably presented different challenges such as the Koni's which i am glad we did because we can now report their slight differences in install technique.
The Bilsteins pretty much installed as the Boge and Koni's except for the step of pressing out the adjusting nut and collar. The Bilsteins have threaded housings so you dont do any of that.
But again, this is really pretty easy, it takes some muscle in places to just pull crap out or just lift things up so crap can fall out. But dont overthink this job, its really not incredibly technical, its just WORK.
when you do it you will have no doubt come to the same conclusions as i have after doing it. Its really pretty simple, dont put it off because all my tips will scare you off thinking it can only be done one way. Its really not hard. The most tedious part was compressing the springs and moving all the shock stuff from the old to the new. I didnt help on any of those cause i thought it was boring. Its tedious only because we ended up doing what 10 or 12 of them! After a couple it gets old fast!
By my 4th i had had enough.
Oh and don't forget the dust cover, i caught this guy named Tyson trying to sabotage one of them..... TWICE. But he was banished and then this nice guy named Roger showed up to take his place.
The Bilsteins pretty much installed as the Boge and Koni's except for the step of pressing out the adjusting nut and collar. The Bilsteins have threaded housings so you dont do any of that.
But again, this is really pretty easy, it takes some muscle in places to just pull crap out or just lift things up so crap can fall out. But dont overthink this job, its really not incredibly technical, its just WORK.
when you do it you will have no doubt come to the same conclusions as i have after doing it. Its really pretty simple, dont put it off because all my tips will scare you off thinking it can only be done one way. Its really not hard. The most tedious part was compressing the springs and moving all the shock stuff from the old to the new. I didnt help on any of those cause i thought it was boring. Its tedious only because we ended up doing what 10 or 12 of them! After a couple it gets old fast!
By my 4th i had had enough.
Oh and don't forget the dust cover, i caught this guy named Tyson trying to sabotage one of them..... TWICE. But he was banished and then this nice guy named Roger showed up to take his place.
03-17-2008, 02:18 AM
#49
Archive Gatekeeper
Rennlist Member
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I did exactly what Ryan describes. While I can make the simple jobs into tough ones, the front shocks were really quite easy. (With the caveat that I had air tools for the suspension bits and spring compressors, an impact driver for the rotor screws, and a pro to re-assemble the spring assemblies.....) With the LCA dropped and hanging from the spindle, one just rotates it towards the front of the car and out of the way, and support it on a jackstand. (I was afraid of tearing the boots, but it seems like you can rotate the LCA almost 180 degrees around without any ill effect.) Then you can lift the whole spindle by the wheel lugs with one hand up to vertical, and jiggle/rotate the spring down and through with the other. It's a real workout, but certainly do-able. During re-assembly, grab the bottom of the strut with your strong hand, lift the hub/spindle up with the other, and lift the strut into place. Once the strut is almost in place, you can lower the spindle and then there's enough clearance to lift and maneuver the strut up into the mounting holes while you start one of the three upper nuts with the other hand.
It might be worth a half hour with a pressure washer and/or a bristle brush and some simple green to de-crud everything before doing this, makes it a lot less unpleasant.
It might be worth a half hour with a pressure washer and/or a bristle brush and some simple green to de-crud everything before doing this, makes it a lot less unpleasant.
03-17-2008, 02:19 AM
#50
Three Wheelin'
Jim who?
Who said Ryan looks fat???
Your getting senile in your old age!
Sure is alot of **** talking from someone that wasnt even there.
Who said Ryan looks fat???
Your getting senile in your old age!
Sure is alot of **** talking from someone that wasnt even there.
Darn, sorry I missed the tech session. Looks like you guys had a good time and made reasonably good progress. We got back from our cruise on Saturday late afternoon, but my mother was house sitting for us and I had committed to do some work on her car on Sunday. Oh well, next time. Ryan, I would have liked to meet you, again maybe next time. Just a few comments on the pictures:
Ed, you look way to clean to be in attendance, was the beer the only thing you were lifting that day?
Justin, you need to lay off the wine, your the one who looks fat in the pictures, not Ryan, your making Roger look down right SVELT!
John (Soon-to-be-Red) Need a patch for those knees.
Ed, you look way to clean to be in attendance, was the beer the only thing you were lifting that day?
Justin, you need to lay off the wine, your the one who looks fat in the pictures, not Ryan, your making Roger look down right SVELT!
John (Soon-to-be-Red) Need a patch for those knees.
03-17-2008, 02:24 AM
#51
Rennlist Member
the 4 bolts come out and the whole lower a-arm swings around towards the outside of the car. Its at this point ONLY attached by the ball joint itself. This prevents you from changing any suspension settings at the ball joint. Also once you get the hang of it you can get it out fairly easily. But you have to get the upper arm as high as you can go otherwise the coil over gets caught up. I think One coil over was removed as you do it on the OB's but i mentioned that you pull the whole thing from the bottom and thats the way they were all done from then on. On your car, its the way to go.
Re-aligning the lower a-arm is a bit tricky but the bolts are long enough that you can get a thread or two in and then slowly tighten them up to bring the lower a-arm back into position. I remember using a jack to do this because the whole assembly is quite heavy and you get tired quickly doing this. Also without a 3rd arm you cant really hold up the a-arm and thread the bolts, so use a jack to lift the lower a-arm up slightly to reattach.
Re-aligning the lower a-arm is a bit tricky but the bolts are long enough that you can get a thread or two in and then slowly tighten them up to bring the lower a-arm back into position. I remember using a jack to do this because the whole assembly is quite heavy and you get tired quickly doing this. Also without a 3rd arm you cant really hold up the a-arm and thread the bolts, so use a jack to lift the lower a-arm up slightly to reattach.
03-17-2008, 02:26 AM
#52
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
I did exactly what Ryan describes. While I can make the simple jobs into tough ones, the front shocks were really quite easy. (With the caveat that I had air tools for the suspension bits and spring compressors, an impact driver for the rotor screws, and a pro to re-assemble the spring assemblies.....) With the LCA dropped and hanging from the spindle, one just rotates it towards the front of the car and out of the way, and support it on a jackstand. (I was afraid of tearing the boots, but it seems like you can rotate the LCA almost 180 degrees around without any ill effect.) Then you can lift the whole spindle by the wheel lugs with one hand up to vertical, and jiggle/rotate the spring down and through with the other. It's a real workout, but certainly do-able. During re-assembly, grab the bottom of the strut with your strong hand, lift the hub/spindle up with the other, and lift the strut into place. Once the strut is almost in place, you can lower the spindle and then there's enough clearance to lift and maneuver the strut up into the mounting holes while you start one of the three upper nuts with the other hand.
It might be worth a half hour with a pressure washer and/or a bristle brush and some simple green to de-crud everything before doing this, makes it a lot less unpleasant.
It might be worth a half hour with a pressure washer and/or a bristle brush and some simple green to de-crud everything before doing this, makes it a lot less unpleasant.
I forget who it was that asked John (Blue S4) if he wanted to put something down to catch all the oil spilling on the drive way. And I hate to repeat it cause it will never be as funny as it was coming out of his mouth, but he said "Oh no, its not my driveway" right in front of Sean!
These guys are hilarious! Ed caught some Brittney Spears tracks on Justin's Ipod, too. It was a good time if for no other reason then listening like a fly on the wall.
03-17-2008, 02:36 AM
#54
Archive Gatekeeper
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Hey now, we Perrier-swilling chino-wearing metrosexual Californicators get dirty now and again too...... 
Here's me and Matt (leperboy) after winning a clutch removal battle. Like my Groucho eyebrows made out of old clutch lining dust? Any asbestos in clutch linings anymore? (cough, cough...) Matt's tougher than me, he wouldn't put on the gloves.
Sounds like a great time with the DFW crew, wish I coulda been there. When are you coming back this way, Ryan?
Here's me and Matt (leperboy) after winning a clutch removal battle. Like my Groucho eyebrows made out of old clutch lining dust? Any asbestos in clutch linings anymore? (cough, cough...) Matt's tougher than me, he wouldn't put on the gloves.Sounds like a great time with the DFW crew, wish I coulda been there. When are you coming back this way, Ryan?
03-17-2008, 02:48 AM
#55
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
you guys could pass as brothers! anyone ever tell you that?
I should be out for a couple weeks come April 1. I just saw a southwest ad for $79 tickets each way from Austin to LAX with 14 day advance! Thats sounds pretty good to me!
Oh and Matt's got nothing on Roger! Ang even got dirty compliments of Justin!
I should be out for a couple weeks come April 1. I just saw a southwest ad for $79 tickets each way from Austin to LAX with 14 day advance! Thats sounds pretty good to me!
Oh and Matt's got nothing on Roger! Ang even got dirty compliments of Justin!
03-17-2008, 03:00 AM
#56
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
HA HA
Thats a good one Bob. I thought you were crazy cause i know i said AM, but i finally got what you were saying after reading it 3 times. Very subtle, but very good! It sounds like something the Coen Brothers would put in a movie and most people wouldnt get. I didnt get it until 2 days later
Thats a good one Bob. I thought you were crazy cause i know i said AM, but i finally got what you were saying after reading it 3 times. Very subtle, but very good! It sounds like something the Coen Brothers would put in a movie and most people wouldnt get. I didnt get it until 2 days later
03-17-2008, 08:05 AM
#57
Darn, sorry I missed the tech session. Looks like you guys had a good time and made reasonably good progress. We got back from our cruise on Saturday late afternoon, but my mother was house sitting for us and I had committed to do some work on her car on Sunday. Oh well, next time. Ryan, I would have liked to meet you, again maybe next time. Just a few comments on the pictures:
Ed, you look way to clean to be in attendance, was the beer the only thing you were lifting that day?
Justin, you need to lay off the wine, your the one who looks fat in the pictures, not Ryan, your making Roger look down right SVELT!
John (Soon-to-be-Red) Need a patch for those knees.
Ed, you look way to clean to be in attendance, was the beer the only thing you were lifting that day?
Justin, you need to lay off the wine, your the one who looks fat in the pictures, not Ryan, your making Roger look down right SVELT!
John (Soon-to-be-Red) Need a patch for those knees.
We've got more pics to post, I'ill put mine up later tonight and I'll think of more tips to add to Ryans extensive list, I think he's hit most of it.
03-17-2008, 11:11 AM
#58
Rennlist Member
thx Roger.....we've looked at quite a few houses on line to make the trip worth while but still have not finalised the trip.
This time of year is when cabin fever reaches high pitch........we're not so bad here in Western Canada; folks down East are still being hammered by snow storms etc.
By in touch soonest
03-17-2008, 01:40 PM
#59
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Malcolm,
Glad the snow plough is working again 8>)
You will have a place to stay when you come down - just get yourself prepared for a DFW session.
Roger
Glad the snow plough is working again 8>)
You will have a place to stay when you come down - just get yourself prepared for a DFW session.
Roger
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Does it have the "Do It Yourself" manual transmission, or the superior "Fully Equipped by Porsche" Automatic Transmission?
George Layton March 2014
928 Owners are ".....a secret sect of quietly assured Porsche pragmatists who in near anonymity appreciate the prodigious, easy going prowess of the 928."
Does it have the "Do It Yourself" manual transmission, or the superior "Fully Equipped by Porsche" Automatic Transmission?
George Layton March 2014928 Owners are ".....a secret sect of quietly assured Porsche pragmatists who in near anonymity appreciate the prodigious, easy going prowess of the 928."