dms
05-11-2009, 07:46 PM
Xa Street + Strut Tower Bar
This will be a photo essay of a G8 that I am going to do a Xa Street Xa Package (Xa coil overs, front radius rod bushings, rear diff bushings and rear cradle bushings) plus will be adding a front strut tower brace.
this project presents some challenges. The customer wants the G8 to be low like this one:
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e3037a8be.jpg
This G8 has 19s and was set up for 600mm front and 610mm rear. Heis desiers, however, are to get the vehicle level. Normally this is not a challenge. Here is the current pictures of the G8 GT:
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e156c966e.jpg
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e1584061e.jpg
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e1599fd4b.jpg
Notice the wheels are obviously different. The fronts are OE 19s, and the rears are fitted with 285/30ZR20. This again is not the concern. Besides the wheels being absolutely perfect looking for this sweet ride, the offsets are only 35mm. They really should be in the 42-43mm. But the customer did have the fenders rolled. so this is the challenge. Trying to get it really low and yet have tire to fender clearance. So we will shoot for a 623mm measurement from the lower wheel lip to the fender openings. We will do a preset of the strut heights to 33mm front and 36mm rear between lock rings. Time will tell how close I am.
Now to start. This job is not being done in a fancy shop with a lift. It is being done in a driveway with very well equipped tools!. So I jacked the front and rear and added jack stands. Here is the position of the stands
Front at the rear of the cradle:
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e8bd23b3d.jpg
Rear location
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e8bfdd626.jpg
Will do the fronts first. To start, I will remove the front strut assemblies.
complete OE assembly:
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e1a17ae4d.jpg
Remove ABS harness, and brake cable:
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e1a2dad30.jpg
With a 19mm wrench holding the bolt and a 22mm socket with an impact on the nut, I removed the clevis bolts.
Now the strut is disconnected from the knuckle.
To remove the strut, you have to disconnect the upper strut nut. Here is the strut plate as it appears completely assembled:
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e15c123a2.jpg
Using a 24mm socket, I impacted the locking nuts off while holding the struts so they do not drop. Then carefully removed the strut assemblies
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e1a43603f.jpg
Mark the struts left and right, knowing the brackets are rearward.
More tomorrow.
Please note there are very detailed procedures on our Pedders forum sites for all that I am going to do. This is going to be a shortened version. More to come tomorrow
mike
dms
This will be a photo essay of a G8 that I am going to do a Xa Street Xa Package (Xa coil overs, front radius rod bushings, rear diff bushings and rear cradle bushings) plus will be adding a front strut tower brace.
this project presents some challenges. The customer wants the G8 to be low like this one:
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e3037a8be.jpg
This G8 has 19s and was set up for 600mm front and 610mm rear. Heis desiers, however, are to get the vehicle level. Normally this is not a challenge. Here is the current pictures of the G8 GT:
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e156c966e.jpg
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e1584061e.jpg
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e1599fd4b.jpg
Notice the wheels are obviously different. The fronts are OE 19s, and the rears are fitted with 285/30ZR20. This again is not the concern. Besides the wheels being absolutely perfect looking for this sweet ride, the offsets are only 35mm. They really should be in the 42-43mm. But the customer did have the fenders rolled. so this is the challenge. Trying to get it really low and yet have tire to fender clearance. So we will shoot for a 623mm measurement from the lower wheel lip to the fender openings. We will do a preset of the strut heights to 33mm front and 36mm rear between lock rings. Time will tell how close I am.
Now to start. This job is not being done in a fancy shop with a lift. It is being done in a driveway with very well equipped tools!. So I jacked the front and rear and added jack stands. Here is the position of the stands
Front at the rear of the cradle:
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e8bd23b3d.jpg
Rear location
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e8bfdd626.jpg
Will do the fronts first. To start, I will remove the front strut assemblies.
complete OE assembly:
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e1a17ae4d.jpg
Remove ABS harness, and brake cable:
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e1a2dad30.jpg
With a 19mm wrench holding the bolt and a 22mm socket with an impact on the nut, I removed the clevis bolts.
Now the strut is disconnected from the knuckle.
To remove the strut, you have to disconnect the upper strut nut. Here is the strut plate as it appears completely assembled:
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e15c123a2.jpg
Using a 24mm socket, I impacted the locking nuts off while holding the struts so they do not drop. Then carefully removed the strut assemblies
http://forums.peddersusa.com/imagehosting/74a08e1a43603f.jpg
Mark the struts left and right, knowing the brackets are rearward.
More tomorrow.
Please note there are very detailed procedures on our Pedders forum sites for all that I am going to do. This is going to be a shortened version. More to come tomorrow
mike
dms