s30 Front Springs are Installed
Posted on November 2, 2009 by Jesse O'Brien in In the Garage
I finally have all of my front suspension bolted up in a ready-to-drive setup. The s30 is growing closer and closer to being streetworthy every day. I have the front brakes and brake lines completely connected (they still need to be bled, though) and I finished installing the springs on both sides. This was way more work than I had initially anticipated because of all the rusty, frozen bolts, and because one of the strut tower bolts spun freely. I went through a few cans of PB Blaster and ended up cutting the troublesome strut tower bolt and nut in half vertically so it would break free.
Now that my car is the only car in my garage (the 1982 280zx-t donor car and 1963 Ford Falcon have gone back to their respective owners), I put the car up on jack stands and started rooting around in the front suspension’s guts.
Wheel studs
I started from the outside, and worked my way in. The original studs were falling apart and the threads were all fouled, so a new set was ordered and installed on the fronts. They were an inexpensive part that gives me way more confidence in the vehicle over-all.
Springs
The springs I installed are about 3″ shorter than the stock springs, but I don’t know where the ride height will settle down to. For now, the front end isn’t any lower than stock (these springs are shorter but stiffer, so they compress less under the weight of the car. Hopefully it’ll end up slightly lower than before, so the wheels fill the wheelwells a bit more.
Brakes
The brake upgrade improves performance as well as ease of maintenance, since I can see how much material is left on the pad without removing the calipers. It may not seem like a big difference, but inconveniences add up pretty quickly and can provide great excuses to skip scheduled maintenance. Simpler and easier to access parts are universally better. The braided stainless steel lines provide better road feedback and brake response, and since this car is being built for driveability that’s a huge bonus.
To-Do List
I still need to have my new tires mounted on my wheels, and would like to replace the worn old rubber bushings before I take it on the street. The plan for next week is to revamp the rear suspension and start prepping my floors for replacement and seat rails. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but as long as I attack each problem separately it’ll be finished and on the road in no time.
Has anyone removed sticky rear drums before? I’m having a very difficult time of removing my drums and getting to the suspension’s guts back there. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
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