Best paint for various parts

[Chris Williams]

ChrisS Wrote:

Dan1986 Wrote:Oooo now that stuff looks a bit more professional, I think I'll give that a try.

Cheers Chris, you've given me some good advice the last few days.... and also helped empty my wallet a bit more :lol:

LOL know that feeling, how about some nice fluffy dice !

I would recommend you buy some of the proper POR 15 solvent and use gloves when applying the paint, its nasty stuff and not nice to get it on you, takes weeks to get off.

Good advice 'above' note to self; when the tin says to use gloves take note. I think it took about a month to get the paint out of the skin

Dan; I used smoothrite on my bar when I did it last year (along with all the other suspension stuff) and this has stood up well, I'm told it's slightly better than the hammered finish, but who knows!
Chris

[Bandit]

Hi Dan
Just going back to the fitting of the springs, you can't do it with the upper arm swung up out of the way. At some point you have to bolt the upper ball joint through the stub' & to do it you still need the spring compressors around the spring. The awkward part comes when you have to try & get the spring compressors back out. Its made even more difficult if you are using Euro height springs, as I did, cos' the coils are closer together.
I'm sure plenty of others on the forum have done them & found the same. Nothing to get too bothered about, but not the nicest job in the world to do.
Julian

[bozzzydmc]

Bandit Wrote:Hi Dan
Just going back to the fitting of the springs, you can't do it with the upper arm swung up out of the way. At some point you have to bolt the upper ball joint through the stub' & to do it you still need the spring compressors around the spring. The awkward part comes when you have to try & get the spring compressors back out. Its made even more difficult if you are using Euro height springs, as I did, cos' the coils are closer together.
I'm sure plenty of others on the forum have done them & found the same. Nothing to get too bothered about, but not the nicest job in the world to do.
Julian

But maybe a little easier without the body on i suppose bud

DeLorean News Issue 33 Winter 2005 has a nice article 'How to' on swapping the springs out....

[Dan6457]

Looking at it, I can't see why you need spring compressors on to put the upper balljoint in the hub carrier....?

[Bandit]

Trust me it does'nt look much, but if you can compress those springs together without a set of spring compressors, you would have been on Worlds Strongest Man the other night. Be very carefull these things can & have killed people!

[Dan6457]

Hi Julian, I understand that and have used spring compressors many times on cars, but I just dont understand why you have to compress the spring to get the upper balljoint into the hub, assuming you've got the spring and shock in on the lower arm allready.

Heres one of the irish chaps doing the job, and looking at that I can't see why he can't swing that upper arm down onto the hub carrier, and therefore avoiding scratching up the arm.

[Bandit]

Hi Dan
I suppose there are all sorts of ways to do it, (more than one way to skin a cat & all that!) but what I found was, because you hav'nt got the body on, when you try to jack up the bottom arm, to get them close enough to fit the ball joints, it just lifts the whole chassis. There is'nt enough weight in the vehicle to compress the spring. As I say, all sorts of options, I just found it easier to do it with them on, then curse a bit when it comes to getting them off.

[Dan6457]

Ah I think I see the problem now, basically the suspension at full travel is further than the balljoint wants to go?

[Bandit]

Thats pretty much it, I'm sure you'll sort it all out. Its a nice thing to do actually, I felt loads better about my car when it was all done.

[Tourettes Tony]

i have noticed that the bolts for the upper and lower bushings are being tightened at the extended position, but shouldn't they be tightened with the cars weight on the arms to allow for equal travel each way ? TT

[Dan6457]

I don't think it will matter Tony, because the balljoint can't be adjusted in the suspension arms and the other end is a taper which is either locked in properly or completely loose.

[bozzzydmc]

Tourettes Tony Wrote:i have noticed that the bolts for the upper and lower bushings are being tightened at the extended position, but shouldn't they be tightened with the cars weight on the arms to allow for equal travel each way ? TT

Yes thats right buddy .. those bolts on the upper and lower control arms should only be finally torqued up with the weight of the car on the suspension

[Dan6457]

Oh sorry I missread that Tony. I though you said balljoints not bushes! Yes bushes should be tightened with weight on I agree :lol: