Need help making sure I installed my Saleen kit properly :)

[rgonyer]

Okay, so after much blood, sweat, and tears, my kit (and new discs and pads) are all on. It's a lot of work for one long weekend! I have a few questions and some notes.

On the front side - The sway bar was actually fairly easy. It was hard getting in to some of the bolts, but overall it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

The struts - Okay, I did one side with the spring compressor, and one without. It was easier for me without, but I guess I wouldn't recommend it.

1st question - Do you just reuse all the stock rubber stops, boots, etc on the struts? That's what I did, hope it's okay. Also, how in the heck do you tighten the top night on the strut? It sits down inside that bracket so far, it's impossible to get a end wrench on. I hit it with an impact gun and think it's pretty good.

On to the rear, and what I thought would be the easy part of the install. Cough.

At least on my car, the bottom control arm bolt WILL NOT COME OUT. It is fused to the rubber bushing. We heated the heck out of it, and finally broke it loose. But all it did was force the control arm apart and broke the nut off the back. I'll have to take it in to get this repaired.

So I got my rear springs on a different way. I took the trailing arm bolts off and the top control arm bolt, and pivoted things down. It was a bit hard on one of the brake lines, so again, be VERY careful, or plan on replacing your brake lines. I still had to help the spring in there quite a bit.

On the rear shocks - again, do I just reuse all the stock hardware? I had to take the plastic piece off the top of the Eibach in order for the plastic boot to be able to slide up and down the body of the shock. There's also a snap ring on the old shock. Is that important to transfer over? I basically didn't use any of the new rubber bump stops or washers that came with the kit, because they didn't really make sense.

So the final question - how the hell are the end links supposed to look on the new sway bar??? I had to remove the inch long metal spacer to even get the bolt to be long enough, but it doesn't seem right to me. When the car is sitting on the rear wheels, it's not going to be parallel. Attatched is a picture to give you an idea.

All in all, a nice kit. It would have really been nice if it had come with some general directions! I hate guessing on this stuff and wondering if it's put together properly. Any comments/help/advice is appreciated. Now that I have done it once, I wouldn't hesitate to take the shocks and/or struts off if something isn't right.

[Sponsor]

[runfocusrun]

Hi there, in answer to the rear swaybar. I put on mine the other day also without that spacer, drove for a few days but it didn't feel right in the back , not as stiff as I thought it would be. Dissambled the lot again, put in the spacer, pushed up the bar with a hydraulic crick to level it all, tightened it all and voilà, it's leveled, stiff and turns as on rails. Now must do the front sway and find time to install the suspension.

[K Dog]

Originally Posted by rgonyer

Okay, so after much blood, sweat, and tears, my kit (and new discs and pads) are all on. It's a lot of work for one long weekend! I have a few questions and some notes.

On the front side - The sway bar was actually fairly easy. It was hard getting in to some of the bolts, but overall it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

The struts - Okay, I did one side with the spring compressor, and one without. It was easier for me without, but I guess I wouldn't recommend it.

1st question - Do you just reuse all the stock rubber stops, boots, etc on the struts? That's what I did, hope it's okay. Also, how in the heck do you tighten the top night on the strut? It sits down inside that bracket so far, it's impossible to get a end wrench on. I hit it with an impact gun and think it's pretty good.

That was always works. Just be sure no to over tighten that nut.

Originally Posted by rgonyer

On to the rear, and what I thought would be the easy part of the install. Cough.

At least on my car, the bottom control arm bolt WILL NOT COME OUT. It is fused to the rubber bushing. We heated the heck out of it, and finally broke it loose. But all it did was force the control arm apart and broke the nut off the back. I'll have to take it in to get this repaired.

So I got my rear springs on a different way. I took the trailing arm bolts off and the top control arm bolt, and pivoted things down. It was a bit hard on one of the brake lines, so again, be VERY careful, or plan on replacing your brake lines. I still had to help the spring in there quite a bit.

We have found about 5 different ways fo getting the rear springs out. Its VERY common to have stuck hardware in many of the rear suspension components. Sounds like what you did is par for the course.

Originally Posted by rgonyer

On the rear shocks - again, do I just reuse all the stock hardware? I had to take the plastic piece off the top of the Eibach in order for the plastic boot to be able to slide up and down the body of the shock. There's also a snap ring on the old shock. Is that important to transfer over? I basically didn't use any of the new rubber bump stops or washers that came with the kit, because they didn't really make sense.

Yup. Reuse stock stuff. Snap ring not neccesary to swap.

Originally Posted by rgonyer

So the final question - how the hell are the end links supposed to look on the new sway bar??? I had to remove the inch long metal spacer to even get the bolt to be long enough, but it doesn't seem right to me. When the car is sitting on the rear wheels, it's not going to be parallel. Attatched is a picture to give you an idea.

Yeah. DEFINITELY need that spacer. The bolt is indeed long enough.

Originally Posted by rgonyer

All in all, a nice kit. It would have really been nice if it had come with some general directions! I hate guessing on this stuff and wondering if it's put together properly. Any comments/help/advice is appreciated. Now that I have done it once, I wouldn't hesitate to take the shocks and/or struts off if something isn't right.

Eibach nor any other suspension company includes instructions with any of their kits. Due to the relatively high level of danger associated with installing these types of components, I dont think they want to encourage the novice to install - they'd rather see it go to a professional.

That said, the Focus suspension is one of the easier to install. Looks like you did a great job!!!

[Chupathingy009]

hey, i'm having a few of those same problems too.
but actually, for those of u who would like to see instructions, ford has a pdf copy of the instructions for their SVT suspension kit online. I'll find the link and post it up for everyone. Doing the rear suspension with their method is SO easy, and the front is a piece of cake too.
i'm just coping with the joys of not having a spring compressor

[runfocusrun]

Hey Zac, If you can get a link to that pdf, that would be greatly appreciated. Need to install the suspension but have hardly time to get around it. Got a manual spring compressor but as mentionned no time to do the rest of the install.

[Chupathingy009]

http://www.fordracingparts.com/downl...M-3000-ZX3.pdf
enjoi!

[SVTfocus123]

Very Nice!