This weekend I'm replacing the front upper control arms, sway bar links and front radius control arms (which I could move by hand so I think that's the source of my suspension noise). The job isn't too bad (a jack on a 1/2" drive socket wrench easily freed up the T60 strut to control arm bolt and it was not frozen to the bushing).

As I begin to button things up, is there a recommended spindle-to-fender measurement for setting pre-load? I didn't measure before I took the front tires off, I figured I would have access via ramps once the tires were on but that strut bolt to lower control arm looks difficult to access with the wheel in place.

Thanks,
- scooter

 

What do you have that has adjustable preload? Nothing I've seen available for these cars has adjustments for preload, height, anything.

 

The suspension must be under load before the bushing connections are bolted (at full torque) into place, otherwise, when under load, the suspension rubber will be stressed which will greatly shorten the life of the bushing. One method of pre-loading the suspension is to jack up the lower control arm until the spindle to fender distance is at normal ride height, and then torque the bushing bolts into place. The other approach is to keep everything loose, and then do final tight-to-spec tightening once the car is off jack stands on its wheels (of course without ramps there's not much room for this).

After eyeballing everything again, I think I can access the strut bolt with the wheel in place, that said, I just answered my own question:

Page 2 of the Chassis Workshop Manual has the following ride height specs, with ride height measured from the center of the wheel to the apex of the wheel arch, through the wheel centre line:

• Front: 386 mm +/- 15mm (or a range of 14.60" to 15.79", with a midpoint of 15.20")
• Rear: 373 mm +/- 15mm (or a range of 14.09" to 15.28", with a midpoint of 14.69")

 

CAUTION: The final tightening of the ___ must be carried out with the vehicle on its wheels. Failure to follow this instruction may result in damage to the component


really though just jack till it tips off the stand it’s not the end of the world

 

OK, I thought you were talking about adjustable preload, where the initial compression of the spring is adjustable, regardless of actual ride height, like some aftermarket coilovers have for sports cars, and almost all motorcycles have.

 

Once you unbolt the old upper arm ball joint from the spindle, you should find the neutral position for this to be roughly level with the horizontal. You can install the new one in the same position and tighten before assembling. This is what I did with the rear control arms since there's really no way to access the bolts once the wheel is back on.

 

A ratcheting, flex headed wrench, is what i used, it worked great.

Getting that lower shock bolt out, was my problem.

 

Wouldn't be at all surprised if the noise is emanating from the sway bar bushings. Jack it up and put it on stands, disconnect the drop links and give a sway bar a shake. What's the bet it's sloppy af. You can even take a drive with the sway bar disconnected and see if the noise goes away.

 

I've been lucky there -- came free easily with a jack to provide the necessary ft-lb.

I've decided to replace the lower rearward front control arms as well -- how difficult are the ball joints? Do they give relatively easily with a ball joint tool or am I in for a fight?

 

That's what I first suspected, but the sway bar was very stiff when I levered against it with a crow bar. Now the radius control arm bushings were totally shot, those I could move easily by hand.

 

You can never really tell until the arm is completely unloaded. You may well be right though, it's just I chased a suspension noise problem around the block for months before I finally figured this out. I even took it to my pretty decent indi mechanic and told him directly that I suspect the sway bar bushings and he gave the car back to me saying the bushings were fine and he can't find the source of the noise. I could punch his nose if he was here right now. The other thing I asked him to do was perform a leak down test on the fuel rail. Didn't do it...2 punches in the nose. He did a whole $hit load of other stuff I never asked for and then handed me a bill for $800 NZD which is about 3 dollars in American money.