Drive Train Upgrade, S to S4: Project Thread Blog

[Landseer]

Mine too.

Xlot, thanks for the encouragement via data points on your install. Pete also!

Am getting some pressure to get this car out of the garage; it seems that I have the collars wound-down further than they were before beginning this, so maybe the 3 greens will give similar results. They have same force rating as 3 browns, but just 10 mm greater in overall starting length. Fingers crossed.

It gets pretty cold up here in Indiana, and snow flies soon.
Wife has traded my 85 no spoiler platinum car for my son's (was mine) Wrangler, at least for the winter. She refuses to be stuck in the house.

So the 85 just moved into the maintenance que with urgency.

[Landseer]

Later today we torque the bolts, remount the sway bar, and maybe get the hubs and brakes installed.

First, a shot that contrasts the S4 spindles with the S spindles they replaced.

Note the difference in lower ball joint orientation.
Also note that the caliper bolts mounts are in a different plane.

[AirtekHVAC]

Cool

[Landseer]

Torqued.Shields on.
Hubs are next.

Note that the brake rotor backing shield is larger so must be changed to the S4 version as shown.
They are painted steel on 86.5/S4 instead of aluminum on early S.

The aluminum S air deflecter that feeds the brake rotor cooling fins is also different.
The S version doesn't have the curl at the top.
Either appear to be usable in the conversion though.
86.5 version is shown installed.

See the federalization attempt? Carbon canister in upper right.
Will need to remove that for fender liners to fit.
Might not be a bad idea to transplant the 86.5 stock canister. Just in case.

[Mrmerlin]

Chris its looking great here....
quick while no one is looking remove the metal collars for the washer tank and the fill tube, rinse out the tank while your at it

[Landseer]

Bearings well-packed, hubs on, stabilizer bar remounted. Ready now for brakes and rotors.

Thanks, yes, now is the time to fix the windshield washers.
Iron sleeves are gone already, but more work to tank level detector needed.

Question. What is process for setting front suspension? Lower control arm mounts are barely snugged. Top control arm bushing nuts are also barely snugged.

Do I put on tires, lower the car, then torque them all? Not sure I can reach the top ones.

[Xlot]

Originally Posted by Landseer

Question. What is process for setting front suspension? Lower control arm mounts are barely snugged. Top control arm bushing nuts are also barely snugged.

Do I put on tires, lower the car, then torque them all? Not sure I can reach the top ones.

You can load up the lower control arm using a jack under the ball joint carrier while the car is in the air (jack until it *just* starts to lift the frame), and torque the upper and lower ball joints. I also find it handy to have a 2-foot pole as a lever to load the upper ball joint upwards (so it can't turn while torquing).

For the lower control arm - torque both front bolts. For the rear bolts at the alloy C clamp, the WSM states to leave the bolts loose - 2 threads exposed from memory (but check). If they're loose as specified, the suspension will settle almost immediately and you can check ride height quickly without driving the car 50 miles between adjustments (I usually drive 100m or so including a couple of bumps into/off our driveway, just to make sure).

[Landseer]

Calipers and rotors fitted.
Old ones are in pretty good shape
Will get new pads and rotors before driving season begins again.

Used Xlot's method for setting suspension and torquing the remaining bolts.

Next step is hydraulics. Removed and cleaned up all 8 bleeders. Started filling with ATE blue. Ready to bleed.

ABS may take a little more time.

[Xlot]

Originally Posted by Landseer

Used Xlot's method for setting suspension and torquing the remaining bolts.

I just re-read what I wrote - and its a little ambiguous on the rear bolts for the LCA. I mean leave the rear bolts loose and torque when the car is back on the ground, per the note on page 40-11 in the WSM (item 23 is the bolts), which is:

coat thread with optimoly HT (Optimoly HT on bolt shank is impermissible).* Screw in until only 2 threads are visible. Do not tighten to 120 Nm (88 ftlb) until assembly is completed and springs have settled

The bit about not getting copper antiseize on the shank is important because it passes through the alloy C-bracket, and will corrode badly (copper + steel bolt + aluminum bracket).

Is the car on the ground yet? Or still tidying up brakes etc.?

[Landseer]

I torqued it under load, then set it back on jackstands for the bleed.
Pictures were taken before torque was applied to the front lower control arms' rear bolts.
Fortunately I used the grey antisieze, not copper.


Can re loosten them, then lower it, and re torque.
But will save that for last.
I'll read the front suspension section of the manual again, too.

Thanks for helping me!


Remaining mechanical jobs:

Bleed.
Hookup emergency brake cable.
Torque the rear adapter spacer nuts.
Put four wheels on the car and lower it.
Break the mega-tight outer axle nuts free.
Raise car, remove wheels
Remove / flush clean (I hate that part)/ repack / refit 86.5 rear axles.
(One of outer boots looks like it split, maybe recently, but I have to assume grit entered.
I loosened all the inner flange bolts while the rear suspension unit was sitting in the driveway.)
Retorque the rear suspension.
Change the manual transmission lube.
Then refit the exhaust.
Lower car and torque lower control arms, rearmost mounts for settling.
Then have the car aligned.

This is a lengthy project.

NOTE --- the stainless steel aftermarket S brake lines on my car with rounded ends are the wrong ones for S4 brake calipers, which take a rectangular fitting that prevents rotation. The S ones do "fit". But due to orientation they can VERY POSSIBLY work loose at the caliper. I need to buy new lines safe and suitable for the S4 calipers that "lock" into place on the calipers. The donor car has them, but they are too old to use.

[Jadz928]

Did ya get it on the road today?

[Landseer]

Am close.
Changed the plan, as we discussed.

Bled brakes.
Just removed 86.5 axles.
Have a set of good 85 axles to slip on tomorrow night, temporarily.
Then exhaust.
Then drive to align.
I've got to get this car out of the garage bay.

Meanwhile, will repack the 86.5 axles for when I get into the antilock.

[Landseer]

Am very close now. I don't think front is going to settle. Looks like a Willy's gasser.
Going to check with Dr. Tyson on price / availability of Eibach front springs.
Else white /green S4 units.

[Jadz928]

Originally Posted by Landseer

Am very close now. I don't think front is going to settle. Looks like a Willy's gasser.
Going to check with Dr. Tyson on price / availability of Eibach front springs.
Else white /green S4 units.

Dumb question: Is it possible the front shocks are on the back and visa versa?

[dtw]

What did you do about wiring up the ABS and pad wear sensors? That's an open issue on mine.

[Xlot]

Originally Posted by Jadz928

Dumb question: Is it possible the front shocks are on the back and visa versa?

Can't be done - the lower end of the rear shocks is canted where they align with the shock pin. The bottom of the front shocks is horizontal.

You *might* be able to fit a front shock on the rear with a lot of brute force, but no way you could get a rear shock on the front.

[Xlot]

Originally Posted by Landseer

Am very close now. I don't think front is going to settle. Looks like a Willy's gasser.
Going to check with Dr. Tyson on price / availability of Eibach front springs.
Else white /green S4 units.

The fronts should settle as soon as you put it back on the ground, as long as you've left the rear bolts for the lower control arm loose.

The reason they take a while to settle normally is that large rubber bushing which is held captive against the crossmember by the alloy C-bracket rotates and binds.

When the rear bolts of the LCA are loose, it can rotate fairly easily to the settled position - although I usually roll the car and dab the brakes to make sure its down.

[Jadz928]

Originally Posted by Xlot

Can't be done - the lower end of the rear shocks is canted where they align with the shock pin. The bottom of the front shocks is horizontal.

You *might* be able to fit a front shock on the rear with a lot of brute force, but no way you could get a rear shock on the front.

Thanks Hilton. Just another datapoint for me. So you can't assemble the shocks into the coil backwards.

[Landseer]

Drove a little bit last night.
Well, major success overall.
Its been a long time since "Chewy" could accomodate a 3-2 or 2-1 downshift.

Suspension is going to settle pretty high. Driving around neighborhood with bolts loose. Will show pictures.

A set of used Eibach springs is on the way which can be swapped-in if necessary.

Originally Posted by dtw

What did you do about wiring up the ABS and pad wear sensors? That's an open issue on mine.

Great question, that will be a winter project.
Am inclinded to swap-in the full ABS car harness.
But I think the sensors could be spliced into the original harness instead.
The brain has been swapped but is not plugged up.
I've got to map the wires, pin outs and especially fuse box connections yet.
Will document that. I want to fix it.

[AirtekHVAC]

Good work Chris....great write up.