Kamron Posted April 29, 2014 Author Share Posted April 29, 2014 Thanks Elmo. Will have a butchers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Now then, this weekend I have replaced my rear shocks, springs & drop links, it was a complete PITA to do but it's done, just gotta get the fronts sorted now, but I don't think I will be doing it! Just been for a spin and the good news is the rattles & knocks have gone, the only thing is I don't what was to blame for the noises, but I'm just glad they've disappeared Over to you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamron Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 Now then, this weekend I have replaced my rear shocks, springs & drop links, it was a complete PITA to do but it's done, just gotta get the fronts sorted now, but I don't think I will be doing it! Just been for a spin and the good news is the rattles & knocks have gone, the only thing is I don't what was to blame for the noises, but I'm just glad they've disappeared Over to you Top job fella! I saw your other post earlier. Insightful read! Pleased to hear the issue's finally sorted. Quite positive mine is a similar fix. Luckily I'll be roping in a seasoned mech. to oversee (read: he does work. I make teas...), so hopefully I can share any dramas encountered! Look forward to seeing how you get on with the fronts. (I've managed to source donor rear diff and a set of control arms. Just need to order drop links and find replacement coils to swap the current ones. Watch this space. Can't wait... ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Top job fella! I saw your other post earlier. Insightful read! Pleased to hear the issue's finally sorted. Quite positive mine is a similar fix. Luckily I'll be roping in a seasoned mech. to oversee (read: he does work. I make teas...), so hopefully I can share any dramas encountered! Look forward to seeing how you get on with the fronts. (I've managed to source donor rear diff and a set of control arms. Just need to order drop links and find replacement coils to swap the current ones. Watch this space. Can't wait... ) Cheers mate. Glad it's over though, I was dreading going through all that to find nothing had changed, thank god it solved the problem, it makes it all worth while! I still have an annoying squeak coming from the front end, it sounds like I have a budgie living under the bonnet, hopefully I can fix that too. Regards the drop links, the original ones are a real pain to get out, but I was quite impressed with the new ones. They have a 14mm nut on the shaft, its so much easier to tighten & loosen them, just stick a spanner on it while you loosen/tighten the securing nyloc nut, it would make life so much easier if Toyota had gone this route instead of putting a crappy allen key socket at the end of the thread, its pretty useless. Do you have any idea when you plan to do the work on yours? It sounds like your covering all bases Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamron Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 Cheers mate. Glad it's over though, I was dreading going through all that to find nothing had changed, thank god it solved the problem, it makes it all worth while! I still have an annoying squeak coming from the front end, it sounds like I have a budgie living under the bonnet, hopefully I can fix that too. Regards the drop links, the original ones are a real pain to get out, but I was quite impressed with the new ones. They have a 14mm nut on the shaft, its so much easier to tighten & loosen them, just stick a spanner on it while you loosen/tighten the securing nyloc nut, it would make life so much easier if Toyota had gone this route instead of putting a crappy allen key socket at the end of the thread, its pretty useless. Do you have any idea when you plan to do the work on yours? It sounds like your covering all bases Snap pal! I've had similar concerns that after all the work's done, the issue will still be there! Will have to wait and see. Nevertheless, your experience has given me a little hope...for now! Glad initial review/s of the drop links are positive. I'll be ordering my set tomorrow. And...straight forward tasks are never simple. It's a Supra, dammit!? I'm hoping to start work asap. Just waiting on a member to confirm offer for his BC coilovers. Once I get that sorted/ delivered etc. it'll be straight up on the ramp. Hope to get the job done over a couple of days. (Famous last words... ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Snap pal! I've had similar concerns that after all the work's done, the issue will still be there! Will have to wait and see. Nevertheless, your experience has given me a little hope...for now! Glad initial review/s of the drop links are positive. I'll be ordering my set tomorrow. And...straight forward tasks are never simple. It's a Supra, dammit!? I'm hoping to start work asap. Just waiting on a member to confirm offer for his BC coilovers. Once I get that sorted/ delivered etc. it'll be straight up on the ramp. Hope to get the job done over a couple of days. (Famous last words... ) Well good luck, and as you're fitting coilovers it will be easier than fitting regular shocks/springs. Yeah, when Toyota designed the Supra they made every part as difficult as possible to replace, to replace all shocks & springs on a Ford or Vauxhall would take a couple of hours tops! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamron Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 Cheers Elmo. Hope the tasks will be 'relatively' straightforward. Update/s to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 (edited) Kamron, sorry should of posted an update a couple of weeks ago. I finally replaced the front suspension & drop links and all the noises have gone, I can honestly say that my car is the quietest it has ever been, all suspension related noises have vanished, it's like having a new car! At first the front drop links were more troublesome than the rears, but I invested in a brazing torch which made the job sooo much easier, here is my idiots DIY guide to removing drop links with heat: 1) Thoroughly scrub the threads & nuts with a wire brush, I also used a good squirt of brake cleaner. Try and get as much rust off as you can it will make it easier to get the nut off. 2) Use a pair of long nose locking pliers (mole grips) to stop the shaft spinning when you try to unscrew the nut, there is a raised section of the shaft which is in between the nut and the rubber gator, clamp the mole grips on there as tight as you can, the tighter the better. 3) Use a blow torch to heat the nut. I used a brazing torch with swirl flame, I used it with Mapp gas as it burns hotter than propane. Heat the nut for a good couple of minutes, but try to keep the flame focused on the nut and don’t burn anything else! If you can get the nut red hot, the easier it will be to get off. 4) Once you are happy the nut is hot enough get a can of squirty stuff which has a red straw, put the straw inside the Allen Key hole at the end of the drop link thread and give it a good squirt, this will cool the thread and cause it to contract without cooling the nut - I used brake cleaner as it’s icy cold, but WD 40 or similar will be fine. 5) Get a socket on the drop link nut, and while holding the mole grips in the other hand begin to undo the nut. I used a cheap 12V impact wrench which got the nut off easily. If doing it by hand you may have to heat re-heat the nut. 6) Repeat for each nut. Job done, it's easy when you know how How are you getting on?? Edited June 4, 2014 by Elmo (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 If your replacing the drop links just cut the nut off hand grinder with thin cutting disc, takes seconds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 I didn't have a hand grinder. I used a Dremel on the rear's but it was too time consuming & noisy, I also went through a load for cutting discs! I personally preferred using heat, so much easier. Not sure you can use a hand grinder on the front lower drop link nut, it's in a tight space and right next to the shock absorber, you would possibly have to remove the shock first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Spraying brake cleaner on a red hot nut must (rather boringly) contravene some `elf `n` safety legislation somewhere I am glad you got it sorted. i would wager on the rear noise being the dampers, if you can call them that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Spraying brake cleaner on a red hot nut must (rather boringly) contravene some `elf `n` safety legislation somewhere I am glad you got it sorted. i would wager on the rear noise being the dampers, if you can call them that! Yeah probably, I didn't spray it on the nut though, just in the Allen Key hole at the end of the thread, with the nut red hot and the thread cooled down a bit I think it helps the nut move more freely. The dampers were original yellow Bilsteins, I had look at them after I took them off and they didn't look too bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Ooops, was getting you mixed up with Kamron and his Apexi units, sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamron Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 Forgot about this... Further to all the helpful pointers from the thread, thank you, and I can report back to say job's a good'un. Well...'ish'. Elmo, glad to hear your issues have been banished. Top man! Chris W...spot on mate. As mentioned; swapped the Apexis for (Sunny's) BCs as they were on the way out. Along with new upper control arms, drop links (cheers Elmo) and rear diff, it's been a dream to finally be 'noise free'. With geo-alignment and the coils set up for daily use, I actually started to enjoy driving again! Work was completed relatively stress free (shock!). No angle grinders and/ or burnt/ broken car/ body parts. Well...kept to a minimum anyway. BUT...unfortunately my respite was brief. I now have a squeaky front. (...steady.) Not a huge drama but after a few miles of driving it can get on the proverbial wick. Think squeaky bed springs when...well...you get the gist. Car was back up on the ramp today. Ran through various checks and closer inspection pointed to bushes. In particular on lower arm and showing signs of play. Gave a few squirts of WD40 on all main connecting points and left to soak overnight. Will see tomorrow if that will eliminate the annoying squeaks. If not I'll be on that search function looking for pointers Poly vs. OEM. To be continued... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 In case you missed them make sure the sub frame bolts are all torqued up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamron Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 In case you missed them make sure the sub frame bolts are all torqued up Noted. Added on the 'to do' list. Cheers Dnk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 So close, you must have been over the moon when you thought you'd cured it, seems strange that the front end has started to squeak, and considering you've replaced a lot of parts it's probably a bush or two, ARB bushes maybe? When I finished fitting the suspension & drop links in each corner, I gave all bushed areas a good squirt of PTFE lube, but a Silicone Lubricant is probably best. I had a front end squeak, sounded more like a budgie than bed springs, but that's gone now. Hope you suss it out, if you put it on axle stands and bounce up and down on the hub you might be able to find out exactly where the squeak is coming from. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamron Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 So close, you must have been over the moon when you thought you'd cured it, seems strange that the front end has started to squeak, and considering you've replaced a lot of parts it's probably a bush or two, ARB bushes maybe? When I finished fitting the suspension & drop links in each corner, I gave all bushed areas a good squirt of PTFE lube, but a Silicone Lubricant is probably best. I had a front end squeak, sounded more like a budgie than bed springs, but that's gone now. Hope you suss it out, if you put it on axle stands and bounce up and down on the hub you might be able to find out exactly where the squeak is coming from. Good luck Yup. Chuffed for all of one WHOLE week. Imagine that... 2nd inspection carried out this afternoon, including as you mentioned. It's definitely worn bushing. So, having to bite the bullet and commit to getting both front corners done. It'd be a shame not to after sorting out the rear. Common sense is saying get both upper and lower arms changed, but the (rapidly emptying) wallet is waving a white flag and crying out for short term fix, ie. SuperPros , Poly etc. Especially after the bashing it's taken over the last few months. Will use the weekend to ponder methinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPG Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Glad to read that the rear noise is now remedied K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamron Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 Glad to read that the rear noise is now remedied K Thanks Sunny. The BCs were spot on fella. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.