My modifications

[mycologist]

nice bits- someone has a lot of work in the future

Yup. I could do the sways easily today, but might as well do the ALK while the subframe is off, but then I need an alignment so I might as well do the corners at the same time.... Looks like I need a whole weekend given my slow nature.

[RayfieldsWRX]

I'll need to confer with both of you sometime in the not-so-distant future. My car is quick enough now to where I feel like my suspension/brakes are no longer up to par.

[mycologist]

Sweet, finally made some progress and knocked off the worrisome bits for the suspension -

Trans. crossmember bushings - didn't realize those were important when doing the Group N mount....

Steering rack bushings - had to redo because somehow I squished the Noltecs out after something like 35K miles. I should take a pic the passenger side was destroyed. I think following the scooby mods thread that suggested the grease was optional was part of the problem. Also seems like the drivers side may have been kinked a tiny bit when I put it in. I dunno but the braskets were still closed and torqued. PITA.

Front sway bar - check. If only everything was that easy.

ALK is in except for torquing it back up and fitting in the subframe spacers. I put the car back on the ground and decided it would be fine to let it settle overnight first

I'll be in the beer thread if anyone need me

[Wade-0]

Steering rack bushings - had to redo because somehow I squished the Noltecs out after something like 35K miles. I should take a pic the passenger side was destroyed. I think following the scooby mods thread that suggested the grease was optional was part of the problem. Also seems like the drivers side may have been kinked a tiny bit when I put it in. I dunno but the braskets were still closed and torqued. PITA.

What were the symptoms that caused you to look at them?

[mycologist]

What were the symptoms that caused you to look at them?

Dirty oil.

I had to drive it like that for a bit after I noticed but between the driver's side being intact and what was left nothing was moving around much. It was probably gradual too so I never noticed any big change.

[Big Sky WRX]

I know you still have some work to do towards the other end of the car

[mycologist]

I should qualify they were hard miles but I think this is operator error on the previous install as noted above. The piece that looks missing is just curled under.

I know you still have some work to do towards the other end of the car

Hopefully the tool will come in tomorrow. It sounds entertaining at least.

[mycologist]

Rear trailing links with group N bushings from Big Sky, and the ones for the other ends are pressed into car with his very cool press.

[Big Sky WRX]

good deal

your making fast work of this mechanic'ng

[mycologist]

good deal

your making fast work of this mechanic'ng

LOL I thought I was going pretty slow (as usual)! I guess I've just been lucky for not getting stuck anywhere so far (knocks on wood).

Looks like the RCE's & Konis will have to wait a bit. I have to find somewhere with a vice where I can make a mess and school starts up tomorrow. Ah well, at least I will get to see what all this other stuff does on it's own.

[Big Sky WRX]

that's my pace too- anytime I try and speed things is usually where I make a mistake

you definitely want a vice for the Koni inserts, I saw pics of someone doing it in their driveway, but a vice makes it much easier (and probably adds to the precision )

[mycologist]

Hmmm. I got an alignment this AM and not sure on the caster #s.

I ended up with 3.1 & 3.6 with the ALK. Stock is supposed to be 3.35 +-.45. Bugger. Car hasn't ever hit anything in my possession which accounts for all but 250 miles. I need to check my last alignment as I never paid attention to caster before. I still have the Com Cs to install but that wont help with adjustment will it?.

[EJ257]

It's really coming along good, myco

I should really start working on dealing with my stuff soon, as it's getting pretty bad with the collection of parts I have sitting awaiting install (I have at least 18 parts to do still). It's tough because I don't have space to do it at home (I can only fit half my car in the garage), and I've been too lazy to drive 45-min each way for my cheap lift access ($10/hr).

[mycologist]

More on the caster - the last alignment fro 5/09 I had Left 3.3 and right 3.0. Now with the ALK I have Left 3.6 and right 3.1 - so delta = .3 for the left but only .1 for the right. I am starting to wonder if their caster measurement sucks or what is going on. On the way in I noted an increase in steering weight and I didn't even know that was an expected result so I think the caster actually went up (at least the dynamic effect is noticable). IDK what to think.

It's really coming along good, myco

I should really start working on dealing with my stuff soon, as it's getting pretty bad with the collection of parts I have sitting awaiting install (I have at least 18 parts to do still). It's tough because I don't have space to do it at home (I can only fit half my car in the garage), and I've been too lazy to drive 45-min each way for my cheap lift access ($10/hr).

Thanks Mathew - I am quite familiar with the guilty feeling for having a big pile of parts laying around!

In addition to the struts I have Ron's old TDO4, grimmspeed BCS and am waiting for a Perrin inlet too. Then I want to work on the tune a bit more etc., and get a big intercooler, mani & crosspipe etc. I'm honestly not sure whether the car will aver be in a state of "done" again LOL.

[mycologist]

Okay, so here is what I'm thinking - both the OEM brackets and the whitelines are slotted in the fore-aft direction. So although I torqued them back in with the car on the ground (literally), maybe they settled into a different position. BTW I checked again and they are installed correctly with regard to orientation.

Do I:

1) not worry about it

2) have them scootch the bracket a bit forward on the right side to increase the caster a bit and maybe scootch the left back a tad? Do you think I could get a few tenths in degrees of caster correction without moving it much or causing other problems?

3) Ditch the Com C's and get caster/camber plates instead?

4) install the com c and see if it improves (maybe a top hat issue)