The Delphin Rat

[Hallen]

A new post is up. www.griplimit.net

Rats...

I can confirm that the Z3 M Roadster shifter doesn't work. The pin hole is too small. Anybody else run into the same problem?

[Hallen]

A new post is up...

http://griplimit.net/index.php?blog=5&title=mount_up&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

I won't be working on the car for the next two nights most likely. More part will hopefully be in by then. I have a lot of little things to take care of like fitting those lights, fixing some trim pieces, new spark plugs, cleaning the ICV, getting the bitch clip out:x, new gaskets for the rear tail lights, etc. The last bothersome thing will be the shifter. The rest is pretty straight forward stuff.

[Hallen]

There's a new post up on the blog. More goofy stuff uncovered.

http://griplimit.net/index.php?blog=5&title=around_every_corner&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

[Hallen]

Is that a TMS brake kit i spy? Looks like exactly what i did to my car. keep it up dude

Sorry, I missed this post earlier. No, I don't have a Turner brake kit. I got a caliper rebuild kit from Pelican Parts where I get most of my parts. I do get a lot of stuff from TMS though. I got the springs through them.

The PO did paint the calipers red, maybe that is what you are seeing? I did get the stainless brake lines from TMS though.

It's funny, the PO had the time and energy to paint his calipers, put on a Momo wheel, add a K&N filter, add and aftermarket stereo and speakers and such, but couldn't change out two rear shock mounts when doing his spring and shock upgrade?

I guess I shouldn't be so hard on the guy. I am sure he was doing his best. Plus, this car has been around some, so some of this might be the PO's PO who did it.;)

[Hallen]

AKG Bushings? Are those stock replacements? How are they and why did you choose them?

I'm looking to replace all my bushings as well, not sure what to go with. I don't plan to go poly, so i was going to stick with stock stuff.

The AKG bushings are a direct stock replacement item, but they are far from stock. They come in two different stiffnesses of urethane. Mine are the 75 stiffness models (the stiffer of the two). The urethane will transmit more noise into the cabin for sure. It is up to you if that will be bothersome or not.

I chose them because they had the parts I wanted at a reasonable price. The parts are very good quality. I wanted something very stiff, but not solid. These fit the bill.

But, even new stock rubber bushings will dramatically improve the handling of a car, especially if it has 200k miles on the old ones.

The rubber bushing will be more difficult to press in than the AKG urethane I would think.

VacMan,
Thanks for the props. I am enjoying doing the blog on all of this. I do get unmotivated at times, but the blog does help me feel like I am sharing all this with people who enjoy reading it. I also hope it motivates others to get involved with motorsports on some level.

The camera gets a little grease on it, but it cleans up fine. If I don't take the time to snap the shots when I am doing it, then I don't get the shots. I think the pictures help to add a lot to the blog and breaks up all the dense text... I can get too wordy at times :D

The guy that wrote this blog, www.dpcars.net , is what got me excited about doing this stuff. He was also my first instructor at my first HPDE.

[VacMan]

Hallen, thanks for posting the link to your blog. I really enjoyed reading it and bookmarked it for future perusal. Reminds me of the crap we all go through with these cars, only someone has taken the time to write it all down for posterity. :)

Keep up your hard work! Looking forward to seeing some video of the Delphin Rat on the track!

Tim

[T.Dot_E30]

AKG Bushings? Are those stock replacements? How are they and why did you choose them?

I'm looking to replace all my bushings as well, not sure what to go with. I don't plan to go poly, so i was going to stick with stock stuff.

[Farbin Kaiber]

I'd have to go wash my hands first. I hate getting the camera dirrty. Unless you have an assistant.

[Hallen]

There are a couple more entries on the blog. www.griplimit.net

Sometimes, things don't go so well...

[StereoInstaller1]

Most things I hit stay pretty damned "hit", so I should be able to bash those nasty bolts out. I do have an airhammer, (but it is a POS) and plenty of air. I also have a press and a lift available. Should not be too big a deal.

Gonna come to the meet at my shop?

Luke

[Hallen]

I have all to correct tools to swap axels, and was planning on swapping the subframe and leaving the trailing arms in place.

Great blog, BTW, you write well.

So you are just going to use the torch or sawzall method and cut the bushings out? If you are going to drive the studs up you will need a good pneumatic hammer. I tried a jack and it just lifted the car up, the stud didn't move at all.

There is a new post up on the blog. More problems:roll:

www.griplimit.net

[StereoInstaller1]

I have all to correct tools to swap axels, and was planning on swapping the subframe and leaving the trailing arms in place.

Great blog, BTW, you write well.

[Hallen]

I really don't care what your damn method is, just let me know when I can come up and do mine!

Looking great so far!

Luke

lol, well, honestly, I would be happy to supervise... but I really don't want to do this again. It is satisfying to get it done, but not something I want to do every week. (btw, those Eibach springs will be available soon...)

You do need a decent transmission jack to hold the diff and the subframe up, or you can just remove the diff first to make it a bit lighter. I didn't have the right hex head socket to get the half shafts disconnected or I would have done that. It makes it much easier to get the subframe moved around.

Getting the diff back in after the subframe is reinstalled is also not all that easy. It is difficult to get it lined up properly and then you can't really properly torque the upper bolts because there is no room for a socket.

The other painful thing is that you have to completely disassemble the parking brakes to get the cable out. I hate working on drum brakes. All those springs etc, but, you gotta do what you gotta do.

See my blog for tons more detail probably a few good laughs from me being stupid.

www.griplimit.net

I have written most of this stuff up on the blog.

[StereoInstaller1]

Hallen, are you the guy who was willing to sell me a set of Eibach springs?
If so, please PM me again.

Terrific write up, dewd. Thanks so much. Now the only decision is urethane SFBs or just TABs.

Camber/toe setup should be done in a week on the spare subframe, wewt!

Luke

[Hallen]

There is no secret to getting the subframe bushings out in one piece.
I used a press.

Obviously, I removed the entire subframe first with the control arms and diff still attached. The problem is that the studs where the subframe bushings attach to the frame are very long. If you have not removed the driveshaft, it sticks through the subframe and makes it so you can't lower the subframe straight down.
I simply dropped one side down, pivoted it to the rear, raised it back up to unbind the other bushing, and then lowered the subframe evenly to drop it all out of the car.

Then I disconnected the diff and the control arms from the subframe.

I put the subframe up on the press and pushed each bushing out. You can get the same press from Harbor Freight for about $100. It is a 12 ton press (If you are doing what I am doing, replacing all of the bushings, you NEED a press. It makes the job 10x easier). You need to take your time with it. Press it down and wait. Eventually, the bushing will slip down some and then you can apply more pressure.

This is assuming you don't have a mandrel that will exactly fit the outer steel ring on the bushing. If you use something smaller like I did, the rubber of the bushing just stretches out. If you go too far, you will tear the rubber and then you will be pounding out the steel ring with a hammer and chisel. Just leave it for 10 or 15 minutes and do something else. The bushing will start to slide out. Be careful, when it lets loose, it is like shooting an arrow with a bow. It comes flying out.

I got too impatient with the diff bushing and it tore. You can see the results in the picture. I had to cut and pound the steel sleeve out. Quite the pain.

The only real problem with doing this is getting enough grip on the outer subframe edge to support the subframe when using the press. I had to wicker up some supports on the press frame to do this.

I reinstalled the subframe in about the same way as I took it out. It was a bit more difficult because the new AKG bushings were a lot more stiff. They come in two pieces with a separate inner steel sleeve. I took out the sleeve and the lower section of the bushing and then did my pivot maneuver. Then I was able to carefully line everything up and get the sleeve and the urethane bushing back into the subframe. It wasn't easy. I was up and down, moving from one side to the other, pounding, pushing and wiggling to get it all to line up. It had to line up perfectly, or it wouldn't go in. I did get it after a couple of hours of fiddling around.

I am now working on the front springs. It turns out the idiot PO stripped all three of the right side upper mount studs when he did the struts. What a bone head. Now I am a bit stuck until I can figure out how to get the nuts off of those studs. This is not the first idiot move I have seen on the car... like the rear shock mount above. People who do half-assed work on cars like this aught to have all their tools taken away and relegated to driving Hyundai's for the rest of their lives.:hitler: