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Rear Alignment


PCGUY112887

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I should be swapping out my rear struts soon for new KYB struts and mounts, and I was wondering how can I realign the rear by eye instead of finding a shop to do it for me?

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You just gotta do it by eye basically. When you put the bottom bolt in for the strut, make sure the knuckle is more towards you when you tighten it.

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I just got my parts, what about these boots with the built in jounce bumpers... does this 1 end actually go up into the mount? It looks like it should, but it's very tight and I can't quite push it into the mount (unless maybe I get some lube out).

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Befor the rear end can even be alligned, the laterel bars? have to be straight.. Just in case they arent.

 

(lateral bars, the ones that go from the center carrier out to the hubs..)

 

Those things always seem to be bent..

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can those bars be straitened if bent or do they need replaced? mine have slight bends on both sides from

a careless rollback driver. the ones toward the front of the car . down towards the lower ends . I have thought about trying to use some clamps and heavy plate to try to straiten them what do you guys think ?

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Thats a good question. my 2 front ones are bent as well. I need to get those replaced. I am hoping to find a good set, rustfree in a junkyard... I would fell better if they were straight for when the RSTB comes in..

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Uhh mine were straight :cool:

 

But anyways got the KYB's all installed after using some soap on the boot to get it into the shock. Works real good, wasn't too hard. Bottom bolts were OK, top bolts had to be forced out but they came.

 

Real nice results! Stiffer, much stiffer. Old ones were totally shot.

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I jst did the front cartridges in my 94 cutty and i never knew my car could ride like a caddy :mrgreen:. Both front struts were blown and there was oil everywhere. Wasnt a very bad job. Definately easier than the rear. Thank god for strut cartridges. Now i have KYBs all around and my ride is much stiffer. All of the struts were blown before i did the jobs and it somehow rode half way decent. I think it was because the mounts werent blown :willynilly:.I changed everything though

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I jst did the front cartridges in my 94 cutty and i never knew my car could ride like a caddy :mrgreen:. Both front struts were blown and there was oil everywhere. Wasnt a very bad job. Definately easier than the rear. Thank god for strut cartridges. Now i have KYBs all around and my ride is much stiffer. All of the struts were blown before i did the jobs and it somehow rode half way decent. I think it was because the mounts werent blown :willynilly:.I changed everything though

on the front you're thinking they are gas... they are hydraulic and what you saw was normal, they were not blown! just worn out.

How do you go about the front ones? I don't really get it... not sure where the spring compressor comes in or how it works...

 

a W-body strut tool kit exists, you can rent it from AZ and elsewhere. it comes right out the top with no compressor needed.

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And the car never has to go into the air for the front struts. There are those bolts holding down the plate over the strut under the hood. Thats how you access them with the correct tools..

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Wait, how is the spring compressor tool not needed for the fronts?

 

I mean I get some of it, the plate under your hood comes off, there is some nut inside that comes off, but then what all lifts out? Where do the mounts go in/come out? What about boots?

 

Edit - And oh yeah, somehow now my car sits LOWER now in the rear... I was expecting it to sit higher...

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After taking off that bolt on top, the upper bushing comes out. Once thats all out, a tool goes in and unscrews the strut cartridge from the strut housing. after its unscrewed, you take it out and repeat the process to put back in.

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After taking off that bolt on top, the upper bushing comes out. Once thats all out, a tool goes in and unscrews the strut cartridge from the strut housing. after its unscrewed, you take it out and repeat the process to put back in.

 

Then why is there a spring compressor? When you say upper bushing, same thing as the mount you can buy? Can you not replace your boots if you just pop the cartridge out of the top and drop one back in?

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The spring compressor is for other cars. But the w-body, and some Volvos, dont need a spring compressor. I am not sure about the boot. I paid someone to put my struts in.

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I had a shop align the rear of my car after I installed the FFP CO's for $40.

 

Also, after attempting to install my Eibach springs up front, I realized what a bitch it is. So I took it to the same shop, and they charged me $150 for springs, struts, and mounts to be installed (I provided all the parts).

 

Just some food for thought.

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