SVT Suspen Install Help Wanted - Labor Swap or Beer?

[MAT]

Anyone out there willing to help me put on an SVT suspension kit? I can fix most anything but I am not familiar with car suspension (I'm a motorcycle/outboard motor/snowmobile type of guy). Willing to trade labor or beer or $. The local "cheapo" repair shop wants $300 which is too much for me. Any advice on shortcuts or tips appreciated too. I can do it but it would probably take me more time than I have. My car has one been through 1 winter so it shouldn't be too tough to get apart.

Note - I don't have the kit yet but I plan to order one soon. I don't need the swaybar so maybe I can do the individual parts. Thanks.

[sc0tty8]

buy a case of This and get ahold of Rod.

[Louis Zerr]

If it is rust free it is gravy work. You have to come to me though, i can do it, beer is always good payment.

nblume and i just installed the SVT set up on his car yesterday. i'm sure he'll chime in here. rusted parts are no fun to deal with, one winter i think we can handle though.

Rod

[umdivx]

If it is rust free it is gravy work. You have to come to me though, i can do it, beer is always good payment.

nblume and i just installed the SVT set up on his car yesterday. i'm sure he'll chime in here. rusted parts are no fun to deal with, one winter i think we can handle though.

Rod

Also rubber inserts with rusted threaded bolts in lower control arm aint fun either, just ask Rod about that one on my old car.

Luckily my massive experience and college edumacation helped us out so that I could jerry rig a new bushing for the lower control are out of heavy duty epoxy and some threadless pipe. To my suprise it actually worked quiet well and has a 20,000 lbs tinsel strenth so it was actually stronger than the stock bushing.

- Josh

[focinite]

just start ripin and tearing. the only thin you need to worry about is the rear spring, if you have ever done springs on an old x-body(nova,apollo,cammaro,firebird) its pretty much the same . put the car up high un four jack stands then put a floor jack under the spring bucket, jack it up till you have load the spring alittle then losen the stabalizer links and then the bolt that ataches the trailing arm to the contoll arm( the one with the spring perch) remove lower rear shock bolt, lower the jack while staying clear of the springs exit path may it chose to come out. to assemble revers steps. the fronts you may have to bring to a shop , it requires compressin the strut . but to remove the strut is easy. remove tire, then using a t-40 i think, remove caliper, then let it hang or bungy out of way. then use wd-40 soak the knuckle pinch bolt ( warm up using propane or oxy torch, i said warm not hot, the heat helps the penetrent oil soak in) and strut bottom, remove bolt. take hammer and pound firmly and squarly on the flat area ontop of knucle or use air hammer with a flat anvil bit, once the knucle has gone down a good amount start yanking lightly on strut, once the knucle is free use 13mm socket to remove three , not the center or you will need to call 911, strut nuts. same for the other side.

[Louis Zerr]

just start ripin and tearing. the only thin you need to worry about is the rear spring, if you have ever done springs on an old x-body(nova,apollo,cammaro,firebird) its pretty much the same . put the car up high un four jack stands then put a floor jack under the spring bucket, jack it up till you have load the spring alittle then losen the stabalizer links and then the bolt that ataches the trailing arm to the contoll arm( the one with the spring perch) remove lower rear shock bolt, lower the jack while staying clear of the springs exit path may it chose to come out. to assemble revers steps. the fronts you may have to bring to a shop , it requires compressin the strut . but to remove the strut is easy. remove tire, then using a t-40 i think, remove caliper, then let it hang or bungy out of way. then use wd-40 soak the knuckle pinch bolt ( warm up using propane or oxy torch, i said warm not hot, the heat helps the penetrent oil soak in) and strut bottom, remove bolt. take hammer and pound firmly and squarly on the flat area ontop of knucle or use air hammer with a flat anvil bit, once the knucle has gone down a good amount start yanking lightly on strut, once the knucle is free use 13mm socket to remove three , not the center or you will need to call 911, strut nuts. same for the other side.

Goodness that is complicated, why would you remove the caliper if it is not necessary?? And how about the end link on the fronts? A 5mm allen and a 15mm ratcheting wrench to get that off. There are 5 bolts to get the strut to drop out. A set of spring compressors that you can borrow from auto parts stores will get the springs compressed and you only need that in the front. the rears are not under much tension after you get the proper bolts out. I think it is 2 bolts and the swaybar loosened int he back to get each spring and shock off the back. The only thing i do not have is spring compressors.

[umdivx]

just start ripin and tearing. the only thin you need to worry about is the rear spring, if you have ever done springs on an old x-body(nova,apollo,cammaro,firebird) its pretty much the same . put the car up high un four jack stands then put a floor jack under the spring bucket, jack it up till you have load the spring alittle then losen the stabalizer links and then the bolt that ataches the trailing arm to the contoll arm( the one with the spring perch) remove lower rear shock bolt, lower the jack while staying clear of the springs exit path may it chose to come out. to assemble revers steps. the fronts you may have to bring to a shop , it requires compressin the strut . but to remove the strut is easy. remove tire, then using a t-40 i think, remove caliper, then let it hang or bungy out of way. then use wd-40 soak the knuckle pinch bolt ( warm up using propane or oxy torch, i said warm not hot, the heat helps the penetrent oil soak in) and strut bottom, remove bolt. take hammer and pound firmly and squarly on the flat area ontop of knucle or use air hammer with a flat anvil bit, once the knucle has gone down a good amount start yanking lightly on strut, once the knucle is free use 13mm socket to remove three , not the center or you will need to call 911, strut nuts. same for the other side.

Goodness that is complicated, why would you remove the caliper if it is not necessary?? And how about the end link on the fronts? A 5mm allen and a 15mm ratcheting wrench to get that off. There are 5 bolts to get the strut to drop out. A set of spring compressors that you can borrow from auto parts stores will get the springs compressed and you only need that in the front. the rears are not under much tension after you get the proper bolts out. I think it is 2 bolts and the swaybar loosened int he back to get each spring and shock off the back. The only thing i do not have is spring compressors.

On the rear its not hte sway bar, its the lower control arm

Also them damn ford mechanics don't know squat. They need to know how to fix all sorts of different cars, if someone worked on the font end of a focus as much as you and I have I think he'd re-think his methods.

- Josh

[nblume]

Yeah rust sucks, 3 hours for one pinch nut kind of sucks.. good thing I buy replacement brand new parts all the time just in case.. ugh.

My knee has an awesome bruise on it, but I can walk on it just fine.

I had to call in sick monday because I had a huge hangover from not drinking any water when we were working on the car, I'll have to drink water next time.

Everything is still running smooth, if you need to borrow my spring compressors let me know and we can meet somewhere and you can borrow em, just don't let them shoot you in the knee, it hurts!

A mostly rust free car should take you and Rod like.. 2 hours max to do.

-Nick

[Louis Zerr]

Yeah rust sucks, 3 hours for one pinch nut kind of sucks.. good thing I buy replacement brand new parts all the time just in case.. ugh.

My knee has an awesome bruise on it, but I can walk on it just fine.

I had to call in sick monday because I had a huge hangover from not drinking any water when we were working on the car, I'll have to drink water next time.

Everything is still running smooth, if you need to borrow my spring compressors let me know and we can meet somewhere and you can borrow em, just don't let them shoot you in the knee, it hurts!

A mostly rust free car should take you and Rod like.. 2 hours max to do.

-Nick

What do you mean, we need someone to aim the springs at!!!! I am glad to hear that the car is running good. Even though it wasn't that hot i was sweating bad. I went in and drank a bottle of powerade and about 3 glasses of water with dinner. And I was drinking water along the way a bit. I felt sore in the arms and legs a bit, but beyond that i was fine. Up and down with a big fat ass like mine is tough on the legs and knees.

[MAT]

Thanks for the offers. Now I just have to get the kit and set it up. The repair progams the shops have estimate it's a 3 hour job plus the alingment. That's what scared me.

I was expecting a requirement for some fancy import beer but Leinies all the better! BTW - one should consider a smoky and the bandit run out west with a truck full, seems it's popular where it's not sold. Instead of a T/A maybe we could use a GT as a chase car?

[Louis Zerr]

Thanks for the offers. Now I just have to get the kit and set it up. The repair progams the shops have estimate it's a 3 hour job plus the alingment. That's what scared me.

I was expecting a requirement for some fancy import beer but Leinies all the better! BTW - one should consider a smoky and the bandit run out west with a truck full, seems it's popular where it's not sold. Instead of a T/A maybe we could use a GT as a chase car?

I went to Spokane, WA in April and took 2 cases on the train with me. One of light and one regular. A T/A could be done A couple hours is not out of the ordinary.

[sc0tty8]

LOL@Nick and the hangover...

Gatorade or pedialite FTW.

[focinite]

just start ripin and tearing. the only thin you need to worry about is the rear spring, if you have ever done springs on an old x-body(nova,apollo,cammaro,firebird) its pretty much the same . put the car up high un four jack stands then put a floor jack under the spring bucket, jack it up till you have load the spring alittle then losen the stabalizer links and then the bolt that ataches the trailing arm to the contoll arm( the one with the spring perch) remove lower rear shock bolt, lower the jack while staying clear of the springs exit path may it chose to come out. to assemble revers steps. the fronts you may have to bring to a shop , it requires compressin the strut . but to remove the strut is easy. remove tire, then using a t-40 i think, remove caliper, then let it hang or bungy out of way. then use wd-40 soak the knuckle pinch bolt ( warm up using propane or oxy torch, i said warm not hot, the heat helps the penetrent oil soak in) and strut bottom, remove bolt. take hammer and pound firmly and squarly on the flat area ontop of knucle or use air hammer with a flat anvil bit, once the knucle has gone down a good amount start yanking lightly on strut, once the knucle is free use 13mm socket to remove three , not the center or you will need to call 911, strut nuts. same for the other side.

Goodness that is complicated, why would you remove the caliper if it is not necessary?? And how about the end link on the fronts? A 5mm allen and a 15mm ratcheting wrench to get that off. There are 5 bolts to get the strut to drop out. A set of spring compressors that you can borrow from auto parts stores will get the springs compressed and you only need that in the front. the rears are not under much tension after you get the proper bolts out. I think it is 2 bolts and the swaybar loosened int he back to get each spring and shock off the back. The only thing i do not have is spring compressors.

i take the caliper off to stay out of trouble, i for got about the end link i normaly replace those cus the wear out, if not put a 17mm on the back side and impact it off , the torqx part of it is worthless.....unless you have ALL!!! week to do it isnt yer car up on stands mr zer???

[Louis Zerr]

Yes my car is on stands, but wait, the time will come for it to reveal itself, oh and the end link nut is a 15mm, not 17, that'll just spin a while.

[focinite]

Yes my car is on stands, but wait, the time will come for it to reveal itself, oh and the end link nut is a 15mm, not 17, that'll just spin a while.

look at it very close. the factory link has two little flat spots on the back side for a 17,16mm wrench.... and i wanna see yer ride when its done! ive heard not much about it.