[turbovation]

Today I decided to install my SVT suspension kit. I figured I would have no trouble finishing up the rear suspension today and maybe even the front. HOW wrong was I? Quite wrong indeed. I went to Kragen this morning at 11 to get the spring compressor. But the local Kragen did not have one, so I drove to the Kragen in Poway...not too far from my house and I managed to pick it up. So I went home and took off the rear right wheel. I then removed the shock..which took all in all about 5 minutes. This is where it got complicated. I then realized the shock compressor I got was no bueno..so I went to Kragen to get the other kind of shock compressor which they didn't have..nor did Poway. So I called Autozone in Mira Mesa and they clarified that they had plenty in stock so my buddy drove me there since my car was up on stands. When I got there they let me know they did not have any of what I was looking for...and called the Poway Autozone who said they did and put them on hold. So my buddy drove me all the way to poway (for two rubio's fish taco's) so we got there and they gave me the box which I opened up only to find out it was the spring compressor I had already gotten!!! By this point I was pissed..so I said I needed the other one..which the ass took about 10 minutes to find..but finally did. I took it home and by this time it was 3:30 and I had already spent "4 hours" on the first wheel. I had about 4 more hours of daylight to finish so we hauled ass home..through traffic..and I got home and started again!

I think I may have gotten stuck with a piece of shit compressor because it took me an hour and a half to get it off cause it kept slipping and I didn't want the 400 pounds of spring going off in my face. So I finally got that off..then I decided to do the cross bar after that..which was another fiasco because the stock rubber inserts in the clamps didn't fit back on the new bar cause it's wider.

Just to let you guys know I'm not mentally retarded..I have a busted middle finger on my good hand and its in a splint and screwing/unscrewing stuff and anything that requires some elbow grease was much more difficult.

So I finally got the spring off and the cross member back on and the sun was starting to get close to the horizon.

So now I had to get the new spring on there..and I tried to get the spring compressor to work but the black piece kept on sliding to the side and bending the spring sideways. I was really getting nervous that i'de have to find a ride to work tomorrow...then I decided to drop the bolt off and lower the holder down and then use my jack to compress the spring...and finally this worked. So I got the spring back into place and tightened every bolt down...and put the wheel back on...and lowered the car back down...

and it was no lower than it was with the old spring! My guess is that having one stock spring on the back and one SVT spring on the back probably made it even out. So anyways I took it for a quick spin to see if I noticed anything..and it felt a little bit better on the turns...but then I heard a rattle in the back and I had read in my manual that if you hear a rattle it means you're missing a sleeve or something. So now I have to remove the whole thing and figure out the rattle.

I'm INCHES from forking out the cash and getting a pro to finish this project for me...I think I rebroke my finger too.

Sorry bout the length just feelin' shitty! and covered in grease...[?|]

 

[charlieXS]

Do you even NEED a compressor for the rear springs???? I thought the SVT directions say support lower arm with jack and block of wood, unbolt lower arm knuckle bolt and slowly release jack until spring slowly decompresses and as lower control arm becomes more vertical, spring literally drops out?

 

[TM3]

A spring compressor is not required for the rear; only the fronts.

 

[turbovation]

yeah..but they didn't send me directions with the kit so I was stuck with chiltons

 

[turbovation]

and the funny thing is I thought of that after I had gotten the rear compressor and it worked much better when putting the shit back together.

 

[tfdmissmatch]

dude, that sucks really bad.


What the HELL were you thinking? Im jp. Good luck with those other springs. Did you also get the shocks and stuts from the SVT?

 

[turbovation]

thanks dude...ya I got the whole package.

 

[zal]

good to know, i think i'll get mine done profesionally

 

[Algorhythm]

How'd you put the rear sway bar on? Did you have to weld the brackets?

 

[airdrummer]

When I put springs on the other focus, I remember starting in daylight, and finishing well after it was dark. Boy, was that fun. I had to get it done because I had classes and work the next day. I can say I feel some of your pain.

Good luck on the rest though, hope it goes smoothly.

 

[boca202]

Doesn't need a pro installation, just a bit of pacience and a blowtorche for the rusted bolts, no compressor though for the rear, just front.

 

[charlieXS]

The rears can be done in 90 minutes... with practice. The fronts will take a while...

 

[turbovation]

I just took my car to a pro to get it done...it's gonna take all day today for him and they hooked me up with a real good deal on tires since I am paying an arm and a leg to finish the process. I recommend finishing the rears by yourself and having the front done if you don't think you can handle it. The pro finished the rear left side in under 10 minutes...of course he had ever pneumatic tool you can imagine and a 10 foot tall hydrolic lift so wtf do you expect. But anyways finish up the rears and save yourself some money. Just make sure you save the sway bar for last because otherwise you'll be unscrewing it over and over again. Also get a good floor jack for decompresing the rear springs. Back = not so bad.

 

[Algorhythm]

So how much are you spending on installation?

 

[elwood125]

I wish we had more fish taco stands out east

 

[Logan175]

aww u Need a Hug lol.

I have been around my uncle those days when he is working on his GTO. the answer is a few cold beers and to just take a break and let the problem work itself out in ur subconscious.
good luck.

Logan

PS how much is it to get it installed by a pro?

Questions about the subconscious mind...
Is the subconscious altogether inaccessible, or is it just hard to access? As some of the above examples indicate, material is constantly moving from the conscious mind to the unconscious and vice versa. The conscious mind only holds a small amount of information at any given time. In many cases information - especially easily accessible memories - can be called into awareness at will.
Some psychics also believe that the subconscious mind possesses a kind of "hidden energy" or "potential" that can realize dreams and thoughts, with minimal conscious effort or action from the individual. Some also believe that the subconscious has an "influencing power" in shaping one's destiny. All such claims, however have so far failed to stand up to scientific scrutiny.

 

[scottdurand]

I did my suspension in about 4 hours total front and rear but I did have pneumatic tools to help. The rears were very simple and I think just about anyone could do it if you take your time. Although my car is an 05 and had 18,000 miles on it so things weren't rusty at all. I will say pnematics really make the difference in making this job not be a knuckle buster.

 

[turbovation]

yeah pneumatic tools are the shit. Not only did I not have power tools I also only had a tiny ass ratchet with barely enough leverage for torque. All in all it was just a mess. I ended up buying some new 215 ZR17 tires and I got hooked up on those at about 89 a piece...so for tires plus whatever else costs...I spent almost 700 total.

I got my car back! I drove it all around town and the combination of suspension and VF rear motor mount has made my car a BEAST on the twisties!!!! I love this! I can't wait to put on my flex and header and my SVT wing and just rock it hard core.

Also when I went to the market some dude named Erwin from focaljet came by and i checked out his focus for a little bit...stock motor but some pretty cool yellow body kit...yellow ZX3 w/black rims and stuff. Anyways he gave me a set of free black angel eyes to put on my car. He said he paid 140 for them but he was willing to bite the bullet. So I took them off his hands. They seem kind of cheaply made and they are probably from e-bay so I am not sure if i'm even going to put them on Estella but if I get bored I might put 'em on to see how they look and how they fit. Over all I'm stoked with the way my car is lookin and handling! I'll get some pictures up at some point here.

O ya and I figured out how to fix the agony of yesterday's affairs....Booty call at 1 in the morning