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Charged the AC. Boy what a treat to have Ice Cold AC again! It's just enough to take the edge off of a 95º day with the top down.
My sway bar bushings came today so I got that off and cleaned and ready to go back on in the morning. Had a little squall come through right as I dumped all the hardware into a bin so I could soak the grime off. Looked up to see the awning of my RV about to rip out of it's mounts so I jumped up the close it up and the hardware went flying. Thank goodness my brother had a metal detector. We found every single nut, bolt, and washer!
The end bushings went on easier than I though they would. Silicone grease is such a wonder! I just cut the flanges off the old ones and pushed them through.It took some grunt and some grease but I got the new ones through.
eta: Boy I had no idea what a difference new sway bar bushings would make. With that FR one missing, I suspected my new-ish shock was bad. With four new bushing in their, I’m not dodging manhole covers any more.
Last edited by dlearl476; Jul 22, 2025 at 05:36 PM.
I honestly couldn't believe the improvement. Akin to putting new shocks/struts on. Granted, my passenger side bush had swollen due to a ATF leak and popped out of its bracket, but the other one and the end bushes were 33 years old. The end bushes were hard as rocks. Can's say you'll experience the same gain going to a thicker bar, but you're you're still riding on your original bushes, I suspect you'll notice the difference.
When I put shocks/struts on in 2017 (?) they replaced both rear bushings (not the outers) but said the fronts were fine. Of course that’s before I put synthetic power steering fluid and developed the leak. Directly before as a matter of fact. It was on the 1,000 mile road trip I went on right after the install to pick up Alfie that I stopped at an Autozone in middle of nowhere four corners and bought the PSF that caused my PS to develop a leak.
Been on a roll lately so I dropped the fuel pump yesterday and installed the new harness that had boots that were soft enough to fit over the terminals. I can sleep easy now.
@dlearl476 this is good to hear—just installed m30 bars front and rear but haven't driven yet—can't wait.
My Sport came factory installed M030 sway bars. However, someone (thinking track set up is best) set them up at at their hardest setting (end hole). Now reset halfway and feels less 'rock hard' for just fast twisties and sprints - bit more predictable.
A couple of weeks ago I was admiring the beauty of my cab when I noticed that the sidewalls of my rear tires were noticeably shorter than the fronts.
Somehow, I mistakenly got 245/40-17s installed!
Oh well, I have an appt to get a new pair of 255s installed on Monday. And boy did I get my money’s worth out of those tires, and my last 4 wheel alignment. Both rears are worn evenly across the thread, All the way down to the wear bars!!
The bad news? They’ve gone up $40 since my last pair. They were $180/ea. pretty sure they were $140 last time. (although I may be confusing them with the 225s I put on the front last summer)
Last edited by dlearl476; Jul 25, 2025 at 09:10 AM.
A couple of weeks ago I was admiring the beauty of my cab when I noticed that the sidewalls of my rear tires were noticeably shorter than the fronts.
Somehow, I mistakenly got 245/40-17s installed!
Oh well, I have an appt to get a new pair of 255s installed on Monday. And boy did I get my money’s worth out of those tires, and my last 4 wheel alignment. Both rears are worn evenly across the thread, All the way down to the wear bars!!
The bad news? They’ve gone up $40 since my last pair. They were $180/ea. pretty sure they were $140 last time. (although I may be confusing them with the 225s I put on the front last summer)
You mentioned the tire size, but not the tire?
-Yogii
AKA 968 Novice
PS I do not mind the expense of new tires. It just proves to me that I got my moneys worth with the older set.
PS I do not mind the expense of new tires. It just proves to me that I got my moneys worth with the older set.
I’ve been running Hankook Ventus V12 Evo2s for a while now. Since “Evo 1” in fact. IIRC, I think the first set I bought was ~$400. $80 for the fronts and $110 for the rears. These two rears cost more than $400 for the pair, mounted and balanced.
I replaced a set of Pilot Sports with the first set and I couldn’t believe how well they compared. They don’t last as long, but who cares. I think this set of rears is the first pair of worn out tires I’ve ever replaced. They usually age out with 50% of their tread left.
While I’m waiting for my oil to arrive and my tire appt on Monday, I decided to clay bar the car and give it another dose of HyperSeal. It was pretty well shot from using the Eulex to get all the tree sap off of it.
Last edited by dlearl476; Jul 25, 2025 at 11:45 PM.
Sap season is over, and it was just there for the shade. It's safely under its cover now. Sadly, being a DD for going on 18 months has taken a toll on the paint. It really could use a color correction and some PDR, but since I have a diesel pusher motorhome to support, I really don't have the discretionary funds for a vanity project. Not until I get a tankless water heater installed, anyway.
Speaking of tires, while I was shopping I noticed Vredestein has an "Ultra High Performance All-Season" tire in (kinda) 968 sizes. (215/45+245/40)Roughly the same price (I think $5-$10 more per tire at most) If I was in the market for four tires, I think I would have tried them, but thanks to a crackhead that slit one of my rear tires at my apt. several years ago, I'm on a front tire, rear tire schedule like a motorcycle, so I buy front tires every 2-3 years and rear tires alternating 2-3 years. I put these rears on in 2019, but my car was a summer only garage queen until last April. Only getting about 2500-3,000 miles a year.
Last edited by dlearl476; Jul 25, 2025 at 11:40 PM.
