Novi's Proletariat Garage

[thesameguy]

Just realized those are the "RK" line of parts, which means they're the less expensive option and don't have serviceable ball joints. I wouldn't do that on a race car, might not do that on a daily driver, but would definitely do it on a limited use vehicle. They will probably only last several tens of thousands of miles rather than another 15 years of daily use. The "better" options add another $40 to the equation. Guessing you don't plan to own the Bananastang in a decade and it doesn't matter, but it's a point of consideration, full disclosure, blah blah.

[novicius]

neither is taking it apart twice.

Oh this is definitely going to happen -- probably 2-3 more times until I get things just the way I want them.

Last night I had to thrash; my folks came home for the summer and I had* to get the M00stang out of there. So in preparation, I went to Menard's tool & supply store and bought the biggest zip ties I could find: 175 lbs tensile strength.

The rest is academic: crush the springs down to an acceptable height, put on 9 of these suckas to a side, release and slot the shorty in.



Easy. When I did get everything bolted in and was clipping off the zip-ties, even just one of these thick white straps was enough to keep the spring compressed much less 9 of them.



At this point I put the strut in, slipped the caliper over the rotor and bolted everything together. Brakes worked, car drove and I can hear a little clatter going over broken pavement but that's about it right now.

I have Steeda balljoints and urethane bushings that need to go in along with getting that rubber out of there. Still on the fence about doing that myself but now that I have zip ties from Krypton I might be ok.

Now to figure out why my headlights didn't work...

*I guess I didn't have to get out of their garage but I feel shitty taking up their garage space with my toy, natch.

[novicius]

Bullshit, you said it was easy, just cut the springs. Heed your own advice.

Also the spring & shock combo seems to be working out. Decently paired after all -- if anything, I still need MORE damper!

Might be a situation where this winter I send them in to be re-checked by Maximum Motorsports two at a time. They should be as hard as railroad spikes.

[dodint]

[novicius]

Eat your Wheaties

Srsly though, it'd be best to get that nasty thing out of there, POR the control arm, and spend the $29.99 on some new poly ones. Even O'Rly's Auto sells poly ones.

I will be running no isos on this car to start. If its too harsh then I'll put them on -- but anecdotal Mustang forum posts makes me want to run without them to start.

Coating the control arm with POR 15 (and fresh Grade 8-10 hinge bolts) is on my list now -- and coating the arms in silver, too.

[novicius]

I did disconnect the battery earlier this year, I wonder if the headlights (aftermarket HIDs) need to be reprogrammed or something?

Putting this here for some future reading: HIDs stopped working (motorcycle forum but some good tips) and HID Planet ideas

I definitely need to check the fuse first.

[thesameguy]

Nice work on that rapid completion! Send some of that juju my way.

[novicius]

Hey I just had to bolt together some basic components -- you're off on another Marco Polo automotive adventure over there!

::







Still not as low as I ultimately want but I'm not lowering the rear more until I have a lower front. It all starts with the front wheel gap.

But this weekend is another packed family weekend for me -- in-laws' family is flying in for a funeral and then a birthday party for my two-year-old on Sunday. Then next weekend I'm going autocrossing so I don't dare pull it apart before then so this is the height she's gonna roll at for a few weeks.

Lastly here is a driving vid I made to test out my cheap-o phone camera mount for autox: Camera vid 1

Yes-yes, I know that the amount of crackling plastic is hilarious.

[Yeti]

That sounds awesome! Like it's powered by mustaches and Miller High Life

[thesameguy]

Yeah it does - I'd not be mad at any of that. I see how you might want a little more low, but OTOH you might also emerge successful with some wider wheels & tires or the spacers you'd mentioned. It might turn out just right.

Also, the Bananastang is incredibly bright for that neighborhood.