Rear suspension is done....another busy weekend

[Intlcutlass]

Installed the Birchmount, KYB GR2's, did the 94+ brake updrade, and Stainless steel brake lines in the rear.

 

When I did the birchmount , I took off the top most leaf.... So instead of 4 steel leaves... I have 3... I am judging the results by comparison to Pabz's car... And I do NOT think removing the additional leaf lowered it any more than his.... HOWEVER, because I have never been in another car that had this spring I have no way to judge how it rides. It's about as stiff in the rear as the intrax are in the front., but that may not be a fair comparison because there is no weight in the back vs the engine in the front.... Overall, I am very happy though. it is sitting just slightly to one side, and I may put in a different bushing in the knuckle if it doesn't settle down with time. Icut the old rubber mount (things) off the old bracket, and just used tapre to hold them in place on the new leaf until I tightened them down.... That worked well, because once tight, they will not move at all....I also cut little notches on the und of the spring to use the OEM pads/bushings in the knuckles....Piece of advice for anyone planning on installing this.... Make sure the spring is dead center before tightening the clamps all the way.....I bet I had to adjust the position of the spring 3 times before I got it right.....LOL

 

KYB's rock..... No doubt about it....I still have to install them in the front though...

 

Brakes..... Well , I installed the stainless lines in the back only so far, and even that made a noticable difference. To anyone elce who have the flip up style calipers on a older W body , I did NOT install the parking brake.... Did you guys just tie the end of the parking brake off someplace? or did you remove it all together? Any advise here? I want it to look like a clean install, but I do NOT have the later parking brake cable, I only have to original older style. Also... for anyone not using the speed bleeders.... GET THEM... Best thing since sliced bread. They have a 1 way check valve in there so all you have to do to bleed your brakes is to open the valve 1/4 to 1/2 turn, hit your brake pedal as many times as you want, then close the valve...I love them.

 

I went out and checked to make sure the lines were not rubbing the wheels/tires anywhere, and they look good. I re-used the bracket that the rubber lines came in. I also installed some loom tubing to act like a sleeve because you don't want your stainless lines rubbing against a steel bracket... that could cause fraying. But they are supposed to move a little for when you flip up the calipers, and there natural movment as the pads were (sliders).

 

 

More to come next weekend.

[Pabz]

Piece of advice for anyone planning on installing this.... Make sure the spring is dead center before tightening the clamps all the way.....I bet I had to adjust the position of the spring 3 times before I got it right.....LOL

 

happened to me too. I dont think the top most leaf does anything at all, I was thinking about removing the second leaf.

 

Did you measure the drop, how many inches off the ground are you?

[Intlcutlass]

Donno yet... I will measure it later....

 

What like the top of the wheel wells to the ground?

[Pabz]

Donno yet... I will measure it later....

 

What like the top of the wheel wells to the ground?

 

yes

[Intlcutlass]

Looks like I need more than 1 adjustment

 

Pass rear- 27 3/16"

Driver rear- 27 3/8"

 

Pass front- 26 1/8"

Driver front- 26 5/16"

 

I had to doublecheck the numbers , and I probably should have checked the tire pressure, but you can't tell a difference in the front, and you can barley see the difference in the back.

 

I am doing my front struts this weekend, and if the height doesn't "settle down" within a week or so, I will figure out a way to correct and leaning, as well as maybe lower the ass to match the height of the front....

 

The front from my calculations is leaning to the pass side by a difference of 3/16" and the rear is leaning to the pass side also by 3/16...

 

Does putting in thicker bushings in the rear knuckles, lower or raise the rear?

 

 

[Pabz]

Looks like I need more than 1 adjustment

 

Pass rear- 27 3/16"

Driver rear- 27 3/8"

 

Pass front- 26 1/8"

Driver front- 26 5/16"

 

I had to doublecheck the numbers , and I probably should have checked the tire pressure, but you can't tell a difference in the front, and you can barley see the difference in the back.

 

I am doing my front struts this weekend, and if the height doesn't "settle down" within a week or so, I will figure out a way to correct and leaning, as well as maybe lower the ass to match the height of the front....

 

The front from my calculations is leaning to the pass side by a difference of 3/16" and the rear is leaning to the pass side also by 3/16...

 

Does putting in thicker bushings in the rear knuckles, lower or raise the rear?

 

 

 

Thicker = higher,

 

I have these thin pads, rubber with a thread mesh inbetween, i'll take some pics,

 

Do you have a RSTB?

[DiscoStudd]

Did you use the "W-Body Spring Compressor" when you removed your stock monoleaf?

[tdaye]

if you don't use your parking brake on the older rear calipers (mine is a 1989 Cutlass International) you will get heavy front brake ware. The rear parking brake is how you ajust the rear calipers...they are on a ratchet type system.it's funny that I haven't seen anyone ever mention this before. If you just put the calipers on with no parkbrake you will get minimum use from the rear brakes. You should use the parkbrake every few weeks to keep the rears ajusted right.

[Intlcutlass]

I do not have a rear strut tower brace...

 

No I did NOT use the W-body spring tool.... I disconnected the struts at the top, lowered the whole thiing all the way, then undid the spring mounts....

 

Also , reguarding the parking brake...I know what your saying , but I am (now) not using the 89 style. I am not sure the newer style works the same way, and I gotta tell you that when I put the stainless lines on the back (right now the back only) , I could feel the difference. That's telling me that they work.

 

 

[Pabz]

I do not have a rear strut tower brace...

 

Get one, makes the difference with the birchmount.