ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

Well as the title says, a friend and I changed the rear struts, wheel cylinders,shoes, and brake lines from cylinders to main line. Took us 12 hours including a few lunch breaks...mmm White Castle 30 cheeseburger Crave Case..anyway, what consumed the most time was running to my job to buy some tools we SHOULD have had and finding a certain tool to remove the cover to remove the cartrige from the assembly, we ended up buying a 14" monkey wrench and pounding on the top. As for the brakelines we had to bend em the way the original ones were, wasnt as bad as I thought it would be. The second MOST time consuming thing was the damn KYB strut boots, holy sh*t were those a pain to slide on. Well whether it took 2 hours or 12, I still think it was worth the damn time, my car no longer feels like a boat bobbing back and forth in the ocean

Is there a specific tool to remove that top piece of the strut assembly that holds the cartrige in place? cuz we asked people and everyone said there was no tool in specific for that.

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

as you saw, the strut nut (or whatever the name is) is just a big hex nut. i also used a monkey wrench on mine rather than try to find a giant open end wrench. as for the boot problems, i put kyb on my car and didn't have any problems with them. maybe you just needed to put some lube on it instead of doing it dry.

i haven't had a white castle since i moved away from 63rd & cicero many, many moons ago.

92 Max

Mmmmmmmmmmm, Sliders.

falseicon

iTrader: (2)

That nut was a serious pain, helped to have a bench vice (and some assurance from the org that it was, indeed, supposed to come off). Did you save the oil in it? Or put new stuff in?

Pervis Anathema

iTrader: (8)

Yes there is but I doubt that you can find it. AFAIK, it was a dealer only tool. People just seem to improvise as you did.

sublunary

iTrader: (2)

a plumbers pipe wrench works well and putting another longer pipe on the handle to get more leverage works even better

Phoenix

One of the best days of my life was when I flew from San Diego into Midway and my wife met me at the gate with a Crave Case. And I didn't even have to ask. I love her.

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

I did apply lube to the boot and it was still hard, the process we used to slide the boot on was for me to get the monkey wrench on the closed side holding the lil tube up while my friend pushed down with the boot, took us about 15 minutes each boot.

As for the oil in it..what oil lol? All I know is that when I took the old cartriges out, it squirted diarrhea look-a-like fluid..but I didnt put any oil in there that I know of.

Yes I did use a long tube, in fact I have 3 different size tubes for when I work on my car, I have the standard house plumbing pipe which is a 3/4 copper that is about 14 inches long and is reinforced with soldered pipe joints on 2 spots lol, my next tube comes off my jack which is longer and stronger, then the 3rd one came from a fence we used to have outside but dug it out, thats the one we used mainly for this job since my air compressor went out in the middle of the job so no more impact gun for us lol


63 & Cicero..dude you lived kinda far south didnt you? lol Was that Cicero?

Dougn

I used a big 18" plumber monkey wrench. The trick was bolt the other end of teh strut assembly back to a wheel to hold it in place for the torque.

Alex_V

Hey john glad you finaly got it done. sounds like you did it right with new brake lines and crap. Feels good to have all brand new parts and knowing you did it right doesnt it? I just finished putting all new pads on my grandpas caddie and it needed it in the back.

Did you check the shape of the fuel lines next to the brake lines? I know some times the brake and fuel lines get all corroded from getting salt and other corrosive garbage trapped in the plastic guard.

~Alex

falseicon

iTrader: (2)

I don't know the 93 gxe set-up, but on a 90se the rear struts sit in lightweight oil, i believe it works to disperse heat - not sure exactly how necessary it is

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

Well, I guess I didnt put any oil in there..dont know if I was supposed to, perhaps someone on here will know.

Alex, no I didnt check the fuel lines but I can only guess how they are right now..oh man I dont even wanna know.

On another note related to suspension, looks like I'm gonna have to change both control arms. Yesterday I went to carX to get a free estimate because my car has been "clicking" when I go forward and stop then reverse and stop..they lifted the car up and shook the front wheels and they werent exactly incredibly firm. They told me that it was the control arm..I asked if it was just bushings/ball joints and they said it was the whole thing, not sure why but does this make sense?

maxitech

iTrader: (7)

the bushings and ball joints are the only things that can go bad. it's a bit of a PITA but you should be able to do the job yourself.

eric93SE

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like wheel bearings...

When you install rear strut cartridges your supposed to use some of the old oil to fill the cartridge up about 3/4 way (when the strut is in the cartridge), so that it can disperse the heat. If they fail in the future you'll know why. After the oil, then reuse the rubber o-ring, to prevent the oil from splashing up to the piston.

eric93SE

iTrader: (1)

I don't understand why your strut boots were so hard to install, that should have been the easiest part!? Are you referring to the bump stops?

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

nah, Cicero is north side, Cermack Rd (22nd st). to a south sider, far south was like 111st.

Alex_V

John, you can get 4th gen ES bushings, they are poly which will be alot stiffer, and will make the max handle better. Theres some info around here some where.

~Alex

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

Yea thats what I been thinking about getting, Energy Suspension Poly bushings but they will run me a good 30-40 bucks for the front set and right now I'm a little broke, now 20 bucks more and I can get the entire control arm from Brian with bushing and ball joint. Alex do you know how to change control arm?

Alex_V

Its not that hard you just unbolt two big (19mm I think) nuts holding up the control arm and.....wait dont you have an FSM Its not that bad of a job at all.

Are you talking $20 more then the ES bushings for one control arm or both? Id rather keep the old ones as long as they are fine and get even stiffer then new bushings. But hey waste your money as you see fit

~Alex

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

As Vans did before:

Donate to "Save a Colombians Life" fund by donating straight from your heart to his paypal, it will save him and his car's life. There is no minimum amount required to donate, just donate what your heart tells you to donate. Paypal is Mr_Alvarez86@comcast.net








btw, I'm just kidding but if you guys are feeling generous, no one is holding you back :P

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

uh oh, now your email address can be spammed

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

Yea I already 47 emails since I posted here, you guys are *******s! Nah just kidding, perhaps I should remove it huh

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

it's the email spiders that are the problem

Stwodahorty

iTrader: (4)

hi i have a question, i took my kyb cartridges and eibach springs to the shop, and needed to install them for the rear. i was wonderin if you look inside where the rear wheels are, are you suppose to see the shocks? or does something cover over the shock. because the kyb cartridges are silver, and when i look inside the wheel, all i see is black and so im not sure if the shop is trying to **** me over and installed different ones, or does something cover over the shock, other then that i see the eibach pro springs. please message me asap. or IM me on aim: stwodahorty. thanks

Stwodahorty

iTrader: (4)

i had taken it to the shop and they sent me next door, and they said that the shop next door had that tool to take out the original cartridge. so now im just wondering does it cover the whole cartridge? cuz i was expecting to see silver. cuz the kybs are silver. just bein on the safe side, i dont wanna get fuked over.

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

Arent you the guy that IMed me on aim then blocked me?

The reason you see black is cuz the rear struts are cartriges that go INSIDE that black thing you see called Strut Assembly.

Stwodahorty

iTrader: (4)

i didnt block you lol, lemme check, if i blocked you it was by accident

Stwodahorty

iTrader: (4)

yea dude i didnt block you. haha

Stwodahorty

iTrader: (4)

thanks alot man, that helps. in my head i was just askin myself " is this guy tryin to *** me over" lol

Stwodahorty

iTrader: (4)

just recently droped my car:

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

damn dude, too many posts in the same thread in less than 40 minutes, why dont you just edit the thread instead of post whoring up the thread?

Maxpwer

iTrader: (7)

Thats what she said!!

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

haha my gf wont even let me get near her whether I got lube or not!



hey Maxpwer, where in Chicago are you located? I've never seen you around