front suspension rebuild in process - quick q's

[j_mezz]

So I'm rebuilding my front suspension and...so far so good! cleaned up and por15'd what I could see of the frame rails, upgraded to 30mm swaybar (freshly powder coated with poly bushings), new tie rod ends installed, steel braided brake lines and new calipers ready to go in. Also putting in new hubs, ABS sensors, and have rust-free arizona knuckles por15'd and ready for install. I considered doing motor mounts and control arm bushings but that stuff looks fine so I'm leaving it alone. Pic below of where I'm at.

 

I do have a couple of quick questions though, maybe you guys who've done this can rattle off a couple of quick answers?

 

1) the boot on the engine side of one of my axles is ...dented? Haven't been able to pop it back out but it looks like it's still functional and flexible. is this a problem or can I leave it like this?

 

2) while talking about the axle, there is a bit of surface rust on the gear that mates with the hub. Can I\Should I coat this with marine grease or should that be left the way it is?

 

3) I picked up a big tub of anti-seize (it's gray in color), are there any bolts that Shouldn't get coated with it before reassembly - like the caliper and caliper bracket bolts? or is the strategy go nuts, can't hurt?

 

4) I plan on following the torq specs in the manuals, are there any more recent specs I should be aware of?

 

Thanks in advance for your help, and thanks to those of you who've done write-ups pertaining the front end, they're what's gotten me this far! And buying a MAP torch...best tip Ever!

 

 

Edited July 2, 2013 by j_mezz
updated picture

[Imp558]

Looks great! The dent in the boot should be fine. The gear is the ABS reluctor, the sensor should be able to read through paint if you want to paint it, rust won't keep them fron reading, ours are probably all just as rusty.

[Cutlass350]

First, looks good, I'm jealous!

 

As mentioned, that gear is the ABS sensor ring.

 

However, do not paint or coat the ABS sensor ring with anything!

Well, maybe a light spray of WD-40.

You can clean the sensor ring up with a brass toothbrush. If you use a steel toothbrush, go gentle.

 

 

You can not coat the ABS sensor ring with anything for many reasons.

1) There is very little space between the sensor ring and the sensor.

 

2) Anything you put on will eventually come off, and that "stuff" will be electrically/magnetically conductive!

 

3) For those of use with a Fox Mustang with PORNO RED interiors should all know, all "color" pigments come from "something".

It's not like the color on a screen. As always, Google is a good source of info if people want to know more.

How many people knew that the color of a car/bumper effects any radar? It's more important for the behind bumper anti-collision radar systems.

Why? Uhm, I just said why. All paint colors contain "pigments", different pigments come from different materials, different materials have different magnetic and electrical properties. And, of course, pigments for items are very cost sensitive. So, things like the magnetic and electrical properties are very often ignored completely.

 

4) And many more reasons. :-)

 

Also, don't bang, or heat the sensor ring. Heating and blunt force changes magnetic properties. Again, Google and youtube for more info on that subject. So, heating and banging on the sensor ring, may or may not cause it to no longer function properly.

 

 

Good Luck!

[j_mezz]

Pshew! you just scared the crap out of me! lol, sent me straight to google for sensor ring! I'm safe though, I painted the ring on the Inside of the gear where it was really rusty (between the gear and the boot). looks like the gear (and the sensor ring) are made of different metal and weren't all that rusty so I left them alone. I updated the pic above so you can see what I'm talking about. I also painted the axle shafts and tie rods and got the steel braided lines and new calipers attached last night, tonight I'll go for the strut tower...

 

Thanks for your responses guys!

[Schurkey]

Rule of thumb: If you use anti-seize, reduce the torque by 20%. A bolt that calls for 100 ft/lbs would instead be torqued to 80 ft/lbs.

 

Anti-seize is a thread lube. Most torque specs are for "clean and dry" bolts unless specified otherwise. The same torque on a lubricated bolt will cause over-tightening.

 

I anti-seize everything that I don't use thread locking compound or thread sealer on.

[Cutlass350]

looks like the gear (and the sensor ring) are made of different metal

Correct.

I'm glad that you didn't paint/coat the sensor ring.

 

On a very high-level, the ABS and sensor ring work on the similar principal as your alternator.

(For the Electr Engineers, physicists, out there, give me a break, on talking on a very high level, and I've been designing-with/dealing-with electromagnetic magnetics for over a decade. )

 

 

For an ABS system, when the tooth-wheel passes the sensor, a very very small magnetic field is produced. The sensor detects that, and sends that to the ABS controller. The ABS controller than looks at that very very small AC signal (micro volts), and can see what the speed is of that wheel. Each wheel has x-teeth per turn. And, each wheel has y-diameter for the tire. So, it's a simple calculation.

 

That's also why putting different outside diameter tires on the car will screw up the ABS, or cause a "wheel speed error". And, one or more tires that are low on tire pressure will screw up, or cause a "wheel speed error", on the ABS. BTW, now, we're getting into Control Systems and control theory.

 

 

I'm still very jealous of how good that looks,

 

Good Luck!

[Imp558]

Well, actually an ABS sensor sees the proximity of the steel, if a coating such as paint were truly a problem rust would be the same concern.

 

The issue of clearance from the reluctor to the sensor is a rational concern, but I figured it would go without saying a LIGHT coating of paint, not brush painting on Sherwin Williams like an old park bench.

 

This is the only place I've ever seen/heard anything negative on that topic, in fact mine have been painted for some time, and all these links I'm including are people who have also painted reluctor rings and so far the only thing to burst into flames is this thread.

 

http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?t=467202

http://www.smartmania.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=7813

http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?p=4972770

http://www.evilution.co.uk/453

http://clubsmartcar.com/lofiversion/index.php/t22366.html

http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?t=444519

http://www.evilution.co.uk/831

http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f25/reluctor-rings-451-model-41117/

[jman093]

If there's one thing you probably want to antisieze, its those T60 brake caliper bolts that always get stuck.

[19Cutlass94]

like mentioned, the caliper bracket bolts, ( T60 ) and I usually put some on the axle nut threads. Also, for the love of God, please do not much anti-sieze on the caliper slide bolts.

[j_mezz]

Good, glad you guys said that. One side is already done but you confirmed my instincts. I anti-seized the t60 bolts since I had to torch them off, but didn't do the sliders (but did lube the slide up), and didn't anti-seize the hub bolt - it didn't give me that hard of a time coming off.

 

Thanks for you help guys, never really messed with any of this before.

 

Here's the before and after, hoping to finish up the other side this weekend:

 

Edited July 5, 2013 by j_mezz

[19Cutlass94]

Looking good man!

[Crazy K]

I would not antisieze on threads of any bolts that are critical fasteners, such as brakes. I would use it on the shaft area such as around the head of such a bolt, but thread lock on the threaded area/ This will keep rust out, which seems to be the most critical problem had when trying to undo long untouched fasteners....

 

p.s. looking good!!!