omg, I am sorry for the "hostility"... And I should really read through my own thread! I am just sooooo frazzled by yesterdays adventures and finding out lots of nasty stuff about my suspension that I really wasn't expecting... I guess I am still a little set-off .
So I called my favourite parts store and figured out that it is $65 for new performance front springs and $57 for new performance rear springs. I also found out that I can get just inner tie-rod ends instead of gettting an entire rack. That would save me a lot of money; $130 for the rack, $60 for the inner tie-rods. Is there an easy way to get the inner tie-rods out?
Also, no one even sells A-arms and I will be renting a ball-joint press!
So I am slowly becoming a little less annoyed as I find new information...
Inner tie rods aren't worth the hassle to replace.
You didn't respond back to whether or not you backed off the lock nut on the tie rod ends. You're also aware that the threads are reversed on one side right? So the ol' righty tighty law doesn't apply on that side.
Tell me again why you're surprised to find rusted, frozen fasteners on a relatively untouched Canadian car that's almost 20 years old? Personally, I would have been more surprised to find less than what you have so far.
It ain't no big deal man. Just deal with things one at a time rather than trying to fight the war on all fronts. I'd change that car's name from Alice to Rome, 'cause it ain't gonna be built in a day.
Yes, I did back the nut off of the tie rod end. If this site would allow me to upload pictures, then you could see. But I loosened the tie rod enough so that only about an inch of the inner is sticking out the end. So I almost got it, but not quite. And I wasn't actually thinking about righty-tighty, lefty-loosey; it was more like whatever way do I turn it so that it loosens, lol.
I just went out and got (rented) myself a ball joint press and a spring compressor. I also just ordered some moog springs and inner tie rods. Could you tell me why it isn't worth it when it comes to inner tie rods? Because I am just about going to go and take it apart to get ready to put the moog stuff in. If it is just a real challenge, then so be it. If it is recommended that I should get a new rack and be done with it, then I will go out and order one and spend $70-80 more. But I am on a student's budget and I know you laugh because I am getting moog parts, but I like the lifetime garauntee and the high quality.
And also, this being my very first "project", I had no idea (that would be why I am surprised). So at least I will be ready for the next one!
As for the rack vs. inner tie rods. The inner tie rods are more trouble than they are worth to replace. For the extra $70.00 (that's like 10 bucks American right? ) You get spared the nut-kick of replacing inner tie rods/rack boots. etc. Plus, you get the benefits of a fresh R&P. Wouldn't it suck if you did all this work, and the beating and banging on the inner tie rods caused one or both of the rack end seals to fail? Yeah, all that work and now it's puking power steering fluid all over the driveway and now you have to replace the rack. Aw shucks, you just spent all your rack money on inner tie rods.
"Do it right, or do it again" -My Grandfather
EDIT: I ain't laughing at Moog parts. Just because it isn't hi-performance, doesn't mean it's not a good part. Half these kids are throwing money away chasing performance brand names to put on their daily-driven, mostly stock, base model cars.
I ain't laughing at Moog parts. Just because it isn't hi-performance, doesn't mean it's not a good part. Half these kids are throwing money away chasing performance brand names to put on their daily-driven, mostly stock, base model cars.
They just like to be able to say "Yeah, I got such and such in my car."
Upload your pics to http://www.photobucket.com and then attach them in the post. That's how I roll. Lol.
I'll get on that! Thanks
I have a new problem... After getting all of the front suspension un-installed (btw, the driver's side spring was broke in 2 places, and the passenger's side spring was broken at the base) I was going to go and uninstall the rear coil springs but I couldn't unbolt the arm that the spring sits on... . I have the KYB shock unbolted and a safety chain on the spring. And I also have a hydraulic jack that could help.
So how do I remove a rear coil spring without removing the control arm that holds the spring? And should I replace one spring at a time and then replace the spring with the new one and move on to the other side, or can I remove both springs now and then set the axle on my jackstands while I wait for the new ones to come in?
I am sorry for this really stupid question, but my haynes manual only gives me one option on how to remove the spring and I already tried my own method but it failed miserabley.
Thanks, Steve... pix to be posted sometime tomorrow morning!
On top of my other questions I will ask another. I am really sorry. Okay, so if I am going to be changing out the rack, I think I might as well do a power steering fluid flush WHILE I am at it. So how could I go about doing this flush?
something i found out the hard way when i removed my tie rod ends was that in the old one there was a small pencil tip hole in it with some sort of rivit holding it so it wouldn't vibrate loose make sure you have drilled these out or it will be a pain in the ars to get off.
also when i changed my springs what i did to get the rear springs off was just remove the bottom bolt for my shock ON BOTH SIDES so the rear end could just hang believe it or not the shocks hold the rear end up by at least 1in or two this might be a stupid question but you dont have the jack stands holding up the rear end do you?
something i found out the hard way when i removed my tie rod ends was that in the old one there was a small pencil tip hole in it with some sort of rivit holding it so it wouldn't vibrate loose make sure you have drilled these out or it will be a pain in the ars to get off.
also when i changed my springs what i did to get the rear springs off was just remove the bottom bolt for my shock ON BOTH SIDES so the rear end could just hang believe it or not the shocks hold the rear end up by at least 1in or two this might be a stupid question but you dont have the jack stands holding up the rear end do you?
lol... First of all, luckily (?) I didn't have the the rivets in the inner tie-rod to hold the outer tie-rod end on; the inner tie rod was just too rusty to unscrew the outer tie rod end over it.
And yes, I had jack stands underneath the axle. I took one of them out and replaced it with a floor jack to try and see if I couldn't pop them out, but nothing was working.
I will try taking both the shocks off and then putting the jacks underneath the frame. I am crossing my fingers right now.
ok well the way i got my springs off was just to get the car off the ground but dont support it buy the rear axle removed the bottom shock bolt and i pretty much fell out if yours dont do that then use a spring compressor.
what i circled is were i removed mine from and is also were the rivit is.
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) myself a ball joint press and a spring compressor. I also just ordered some moog springs and inner tie rods. Could you tell me why it isn't worth it when it comes to inner tie rods? Because I am just about going to go and take it apart to get ready to put the moog stuff in. If it is just a real challenge, then so be it. If it is recommended that I should get a new rack and be done with it, then I will go out and order one and spend $70-80 more. But I am on a student's budget and I know you laugh because I am getting moog parts, but I like the lifetime garauntee and the high quality.
) You get spared the nut-kick of replacing inner tie rods/rack boots. etc. Plus, you get the benefits of a fresh R&P. Wouldn't it suck if you did all this work, and the beating and banging on the inner tie rods caused one or both of the rack end seals to fail? Yeah, all that work and now it's puking power steering fluid all over the driveway and now you have to replace the rack. Aw shucks, you just spent all your rack money on inner tie rods. 
