WildBlue goes RideTech

[T.K.]

I've been looking very hard at the ZR1 replica wheels. What size spacers are you using to get yours to fit and what offset wheels are you using? 50/56's or the 38's?

I dont know off-hand I would have to go look at the boxes to see the offset. I'm not using a spacer but I can tell you right now that if I put my rims on the bearing/race style spindle as shown in makosharks's superlite setup you will either not be able to install the centercaps or have to use a spacer. Using the Dynapro with your stock drum brake spindles... probably same boat

[makoshark]

I don't think the roloc discs are going to be very affective towards removing that undercoat. The undercoat will clog up those rolocs. A heat gun and putty knife will make fairly quick work of that undercoat, though.

Where on earth do you live that anyone is worrying with lawn mowers right now? South Florida or Southern Cali?

[GeoffP]

I'm in Georgia...we listed our older JD lawn mower for sale and it sold almost immediately so I had to get it running and working. I had planned to do it this weekend but it wasn't a priority and now it is!

[GeoffP]

Sold the lawn mower today...got it running and cleaned up. It looked nearly new except for the seat. No progress on the car even thought I had planned to work on it all day. :( I ended up working on my wife's "new" 4 wheeler all day. I stripped all the plastics and cleaned it up top to bottom. Then I painted all of the pink plastics (it's a honda so they were sun faded to a nice shade of pink) gloss black at my wife's request. What cha gonna do...gotta keep her happy!

[GeoffP]

I forgot to mention that I finally got the missing coil over lock clip and was able to assemble the last coil over. I've gotta get this 4 wheeler running so I can get to work on the car!!!

[MonzaRacer]

Adapter companies:http://adaptitusa.com/ http://wheeladapter.com/ http://www.motorsport-tech.com/

all three have great service and make solid billet parts, one of them can do custom parts too with two different bolt patterns.

As for wheels I contacted this company and will make up non split diameter sets of four wheels. As I was also looking for Corvette wheels.
http://www.finishlinewheels.com/spec...HEVY+CORVETTE/

Also, when trying to fit rims I use this to help me get an idea of whats gonna fit. Ill have to dig up and post my offset information as its on my other lap top but this site lets you put in an off set to get a measured back space number so you can decide where to go:
http://rimsntires.com/specs.jsp

Hope this helps, biggest thing I have found that the off sets are from 50 - 60. So do some due diligence making sure you have proper off sets to put in. Ill post up number I have when I get back to my other laptop.

[WICKED_SS]

Did you ever buy and install the remote batt disconect? if so how do you like it?

[GeoffP]

No I haven't bought one yet...still want to but just haven't had the time.

[GeoffP]

Well I've got a running, driving Honda Rancher 350 4 wheeler as of today. My wife is tickled pink! I worked on the car for a little bit but not enough to do anything of consequence. I was able to determine that the headers have to come loose and drop down to get the upper a-arms replaced. I figure I'll go ahead and replace the 241 heads with the 243's since I already have the head gaskets plus it'll make changing the suspension easier having all of that out of the way. Time is starting to get away from me so I'm going to have to get busy - probably going to have to take a couple vacation days to get everything done and finally make some serious progress. I know I do not want to miss this year's event at Kershaw.

[GeoffP]

Made some progress this afternoon...got both upper a-arms loose, got the driver's side one off and the new installed. I've also started tearing the top end of the engine apart to replace the heads with the 243's.

[durtyburd71]

hey. i dont mean to butt in , i see u live in georgia and u mentioned master fab for your drive shaft.i live in augusta as well.i have a friend that works at a transmission shop that can shorten your drive shaft...pm me and we'll see what we can come up with .

[GeoffP]

Hey no worries - I don't need a shaft shortened right now but I might in the future. I'll keep it in mind!

Time for an update. I finally had some time to work on the car tonight. I got the passenger a-arm on finally. I had to pull the header and wrestle the old arm off and the wrestle the new one on...it was a pain but it's done. Here's a couple pics:





Seeing the pictures I should've painted the frame but I can always tape the arms off to shoot some paint up in there. It doesn't have to be perfect cause it's where no one will ever see anyway other than these pics.

[GeoffP]

More progress today - not as much as I'd like but I'm fighting an oil leak on my truck that's driving me crazy. I think I've just about decided to go ahead and put in the lower mile 6.0 I bought several months ago. Anyway on to the pics! Lower control arms installed along with the coil overs.

I had TONS of fun fitting the aluminum bushings into the lower a-arms. I think they're sized for an arm prior to powder coating. I knocked a few thousandths off with some 320 grit paper and they slid right in. I would've gotten the whole front suspension installed on both sides but had a honey do to go take care of. Plus I made a deal with a friend to borrow the wheels and tires off of his S-10 Extreme (no motor or trans - might buy the whole truck for a future daily driver project) so I'll be able to drive the car once the suspension is done until I can afford to buy the new wheels and tires.

[GeoffP]

Does anyone make a "bolt-in" tail pipe that works with the ridetech 4 Link?

[GeoffP]

Hey what's the proper method to tighten the cross shaft nuts on the upper a-arms? I don't know how much preload to put on the bushings.

[GeoffP]

Don't know who all's following my suspension update thread but thought I'd share that I've made the decision to delay the mini tub installation until next winter. I've only got 8 Saturday's to get everything back together and a little tuning done to the suspension before DSE's Southern Slam. I don't think I have sufficient time to get the car apart and back together and that's not accounting for any surprises I am likely to find since I know there are some minor rust issues that need to be addressed. PLUS, I have to get the engine in my truck swapped out in the same amount of time so something has to give.

[WICKED_SS]

Does anyone make a "bolt-in" tail pipe that works with the ridetech 4 Link?

Im running the same 4 link, I emailed a few people including ridetech and the only way to get tail pipes in is custom pipes..... I hate it but Ill spend the money on them.

[Quickboat]

I've been researching exhaust with 4-links and there is not much in the way of pictures. Sure it must be custom, but how much else has to be done? Gas tank notching is needed too I believe.

[GeoffP]

Thankfully notching is not needed with a 4 link because the leafs being gone frees up the necessary space to run the pipes around the tank.

I finally made some progress on the install tonight. The driver's side is almost complete. The a-arms are fully bolted in and tightened down. The spindle is mounted and the ball joints are tight as well. I got the whole steering linkage for the TruTurn pre-assembled and the castle nuts tight and cotter pinned. Installed a new pitman arm and painted the idler since it came unpainted. I figured it was time to call it a night since I had to wait on the paint to dry anyway. Hopefully more to follow Thursday night!

[GeoffP]

More progress tonight - not a lot but it's a milestone so it's worth posting. The driver's side front suspension is all together, tightened and ready to go.




Unfortunately no progress seems to be made without some kind of problem big or small - the cotter pin hole in one of the TruTurn steering arm Heim joint adapters was drilled off center. I'm gonna call ridetech tomorrow to see if they recommend trying to redrill it or if it'll be better for them to send me another one.