random DIY info (long) (archive)

Today I finally replaced the upper control arms. Car was on jack stands in the driveway so the large bolt through the bushing was a bitch to get off - no room to get a breaker bar to turn. I wouldn't recommend it as a DIY job unless you can get your car up high. The cross brace bar just behind the tie rod has to come off to get a wrench in there, by the way if this brace were not tight it would make the control arm vibration MUCH worse.

Anyway, I got the new arms w/bushings from BAS, and when they arrived, I noticed that the bushing on one arm was rotated about 10 deg. from its proper location. I didn't think it was too far off, but now I'm not sure. I should have sent it back. Anyway, the shimmy at 60mph is gone, car drives straighter on the freeway, but bump steer is still bad and a slight brake shimmy now occurs at 50 mph instead.(rotors are new) Now I'm thinking that the tie rods and idler arm need to be replaced too.

Another find - a mysterious "exhaust" rattle (that I have not been able to fix after a new cat and hangers) turned out to be a cracked steel plate in the RH motor mount! BTW, to change motor mounts, I had to jack the oil pan until the weight of the car was 99% off the jack stands...sketchy! I still don't understand how it lifted the whole car. Be careful!

One more - a rotten vacuum hose to the fuel press. reg. may be responsible for a high speed stumble I have been getting. Seems like it's gone. Yeah, I know, it's the pump relay...

Hope this helps someone - Ted

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Re: random DIY info (long) Neil Deshpande 02:20 2/03/2002 (0)

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