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Slow&Rusty's 48hour Coilover Conversion \ Suspension Refresh
Well..I have a big weekend planned..refresh my entire front suspension, detail and convert the car to coilovers from Rebel S Racing (RSR Projects Home). I worked closely with Clint from Rebel S Racing and he was wonderful, patient and great \ honest to work with, his products speak for themselves.
The car is an '89 930 with 60K and has never had any suspension work. Car is a 100% street car that will never be tracked and the spring ratings on the coilovers were chosen to be progressive compliant and match this application. I have owned this car for 6+years and it has been (sadly) sitting for most of the past 2years, it will be driven after this project is completed hopefully this weekend...cross fingers! The plan is keep the stock sway bars - RSR bushings - New rubber sway bar bushings - New ball joints with all new OEM Lemforder wedge pins, catle nuts and lock washers - New tie rod kit with anti-rub spacer - New front RSR coilovers (250# Eibach with 200# Bilstein tender spring) with restored housings, reinforced (gusset plates welded) housings and revalved Bilsteins - New rear RSR coilovers (150# Eibach Spring) on new Bilstein Rear Sport Shock - Rennline dual bar strut brace - Sand and paint wheel wells - Powder coat - New stainless fasteners - Detail wheels The rear RSR coilovers will be used in conjunction with the stock and re-indexed torsion bars to address the squat issues these cars have a tendency to have under hard acceleration. The first set of pictures are the front suspension tear down from a previous weekend (you can see the tire rub on the inner fender). I had previously added the 993 Turbo brakes in the summer of 2007. Enjoy the pics. questions, comments, feedback please add. Wheels removed and 23years of driving, stock fender wheel wells: http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090399.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090400.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090402.jpg Underside of car: http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090403.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090404.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090405.jpg Front Torsion Bars coming out..easy: http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090406.jpg Separating the front ball joint from the strut housing..stubborn: http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090407.jpg A-Arms out, sway bar and shields: http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090408.jpg |
Front bushing Removal..fun with fire..and not that tough really:
http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090409.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090410.jpg Ball Joint Removal..little tricky but not bad: http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090411.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090412.jpg $15 4x4 Hub tool from Advance Auto Parts and my Impact Gun..life saver on this step: http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090414.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090415.jpg Sanding Down Wheels Wells and removing dirt..sweaty..wow! http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090416.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090417.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090418.jpg |
Primed:
http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090419.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090420.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090421.jpg Painted: http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090424.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090425.jpg All the hose brackets getting ready for sanding (wire brushing) and painting http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397090426.jpg |
Hey. Thanks for posting. I see something of this in my future.
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Outstanding Yasin. I will be converting to coilovers in the near future and will be watching with interest for any pointers you may have...
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Well yesterday's progress was not great (sadly)...had huge problems trying to remove the tie rods AND so decided to remove the rack, and then stripped the allen head bolts on the U-clamp in the Smugler's box. Hoping to use a bolt out to address that this morning and get back into it today! Looks like this project will spill over to next weekend.
Some pics of the new parts: I painted and clear coated each hose clamp: http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397103656.jpg All new stainless hardware and fasteners: http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397103655.jpg Rennline twin bar aluminum strut brace: http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397103653.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397103649.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397103643.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397103640.jpg Yasin |
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What a terrific project; love the pictures too. Keep up the good work.
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Got the rounded allen bolts out that secures the U-Clamp for the splined steering shaft in the Smugler's Box (yessss..sweet victory! thank-you bolt extractor!) and started reassembling the control arms (notice the rubber bung to seal the control arm end as the Torsion bars will not be going back in.
http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397106946.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397106947.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397106949.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397106950.jpg Yasin |
Very nice, clean work. Kudos! One issue though: did you powder coat the bushing surface on the a-arms? If so, you'll likely have trouble getting the new bushings on.
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Ok..so got the steering rack out of the car... http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397109831.jpg I fought and fought and fought with the tie rods and removing them using pipe wrenches, cheater bars, crescent wrenches, tie rod wrenchl from Smart Racing that I bought from our host, standing on the damn cheater bars and putting all my body weight on the cheater bars...and nothing..no budge..nada..I even heated the crap out of the tie rods..arghh!! By the end of it my T-shirt was drenched in sweat and I was riddled with frustration. 1+hours later still nothing..with being pissed off, in a last minute vain attempt I cracked out my angle grinder and put a fresh metal cutting wheel on it and then began some surgery... I cut the tie rod right at the point where it is mated to the rack, took a couple of minutes, my thinking was to use a drill and an easy (EZ Out) on the remaining threads into the rack and remove it that way..then to my surprise / shock after I cut the tie rod off the threaded section came off in my hand..sweet. http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397109832.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397109834.jpg I then reassembled the new boots on the tie rods, hint on this, easy too that takes 1 minute...use two plastic bicycle tire irons to slip the outer part of the boot against the rubber bung and a tie wrap to keep it all in place and prevent air from getting under the boot, analogous to changing a tire on a bike really just smaller, better than using a screwdriver and risking damage to the new boot or it slipping and taking some skin and flesh out of your fingers or hands!. http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397109836.jpg Making progress! Yasin |
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Well making some progress in the Texas heat today (98% humidity!!), if all goes well I might have it all done by tomorrow...pics coming.
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so how are supporting the front end while you are doing all the work? I didnt see any jack stands in any of the photos?
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slow&rusty,
Great thread! How's the progress?? I'll be very curious how you think it handles with the new suspension after you get it sorted out. PM sent with a question. Steve East Tennessee |
this is taking way longer then 48 hours,...lets go i need some more pics!
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^^^ +1
Bump for an update please! |
Ok Guys here it is...car is finally finished! It took waaay longer than 48hours..laughing, there is my optimism getting the best of me!
I cleaned up rack after removing the tie-rods (what a pain in the ass removing the tie rods were!) http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616901.jpg the powder coating was too thick to fit the RSR bushings, so I had to remove it. Word of caution for any of you guys powder coating your parts and trying to place these bushings on, it is a total precision fit. http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616908.jpg Then I mocked-up the RSR bushings and the control arms to check the "resistance" and fall of the control arms, to check how many shims (supplied by RSR) would be required between the underbody of the car and the top of the bushings. After chatting with Clint, about 5-ish lbs tied around the ball joint should make the control arms falls nice and smooth, no resistance, no binding is the key. Also the control arms should be in the same axial plane front to rear. http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616906.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616902.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616903.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616904.jpg Conical male and female washers required sandwiching the front bushings plus one flat washer http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616912.jpg |
Weltmeister rack spacers installed in the back ground of this picture, after this was mocked up, I took the rack out of the car and installed the new Tie Rods (yes I enjoy doing everything twice!).
http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616907.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616913.jpg Suspension Techniques 22mm poly urethane sway bar bushings that I bent gently in a vice to match the bend on the factory mounting brackets http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616910.jpg Part Number for you guys, for future reference: http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616911.jpg Coming together! http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616915.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616917.jpg Rennline twin bar strut tower brace also installed http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616926.jpg I even had some time to re-polish my wheels, really needed! Before: http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616916.jpg Before http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616918.jpg After: http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616919.jpg |
After the car was done I double, triple and quadruple checked the number of threads on the old tie rods that I removed and made sure that the new tie rods matched it, and with the car back on its wheels I pushed the car back and forth several feet with the front and rear control arm mounting bolts loose (VERY important) to ensure that the weight of the car settled on the new suspension, and then I torqued everything up with the car on the ground. I guess I must have done something right, as the car rolled very easily and freely and was very easy to push, there was no toe-in at all and just enough negative camber to improve handling.
This is the final ride height I settled on after playing with the adjustable collars on the coilovers. If I wanted I could go about 1inch lower (!!). http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616920.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616923.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616924.jpg http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL387.../397616925.jpg I have since put about 10miles on the car and it feels great, extremely well composed and very linear. The spring rating I chose with Clint's guidance is great for a street car and not too stiff. Hope this is a good guide for you guys attempting something like this at home. Be patient..it does take way more than 48hours! But so worth it. Yasin |
Great work... Those RSR bushings look SEXY!
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Yasin, everything you do is studied, well done and first class. Your car looks great!
Except.....for your decision to work in that humidity...:>) Does it ever cool off in Houston? :>) Karl 88 Targa |
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I would like to give a plug to Clint at Rebel Racing, as he was awesome for his technical support, guidance and suggestions. I had numerous questions and he was wonderful. He truly makes great products and beautifully engineered.
Yasin |
Nice job! Did you reinforce the crossmember to handle the extra forces the coilover shocks will exert or does Clint feel it unnecessary? I would have an alignment/corner balance done just to get her spot on, but that's me.
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Retirement is great. Still doing a few high voltage demo's, and a little training/consulting in Wyoming.
Give a call next time your in the Springs, we'll catch up over lunch and a cold beer! Again the car is excellent! Hope the rest of the fleet is treating you well. Thanks Karl |
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Just looked at this thread again.....damn, that is one beautiful car.:)
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What A Wheels, Wow!!!
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What wheels are those? They look great!
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Thanks guys, they are HRE 545
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Nice work!
What was the total spring rate then for each, 450 # front and 300 # each rear? Sounds like a good setup, is it still firm enough compared to TB? Thanks, Cliff |
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Spring Rates are: Front: 300# Rear: 450# Quite a bit firmer than the torsion bars and probably do not want to go any stiffer on a street driven car. Regards - Yasin |
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Do you have a chance to put it on scales? I was wondering what springs should I choose? You can see my thread about it http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/635148-rear-coilovers-68-swb.html What do you think? Regards, -Youri |
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