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Dave, Bob, Jim, et.al.
To begin: Sorry Dave, I didn't realize you were a listee=) Does that 80 page loose leaf include what Bob mentioned, the one with the stock ride heights? And on a different note I had, and still am,
contemplating making a video and photo journal of the various procedures I have performed and will perform on my car and putting them up on the web, but if that does happen it will probably be a while.
The bolt that was missing and the other I believe to be loose are the retaining bolts. I am going to buy three new bolts and washers as well as new lock plates for both torsion bars and the stabilizer bar.
It is the upper right torsion arm that I couldn't remove all the way but does come out about 3/4". If you would like I could use my
digital cam and make a 30 sec film or so of me trying to pull it out at
all angles so that you can see it clearly instead of having to visualize it, just let me know and I'll e-mail it to you, Jim, and whoever else would like it off list.
I was able to remove the setscrew/grub screw and it did take me
tapping the allen wrench with a hammer using a good amount of force to
loosen it--I also put it back and tightened it the same way I loosened
it.
My apologies, I forgot to clarify the context of the pictures I
have with the front end as low as I mentioned it, i.e. the lower arm
touching the lower rubber stopper--this was the day I got the car back
from the towers and the day I realized that it was so horribly damaged. The few pictures I have of it when it was up and in running condition the wheels look perfectly fine and not lowered at all, although I don't have any of the actual front end from that period.
I just called the PO and he bought the car four or five years ago and he never had it lowered, so it is possible that it was lowered by yet another PO, but I had seen and riding in the car for well over a year and it always looked like it was pure stock.
I'm sure that the PO's mech was the one that left things out,
didn't tighten them correctly, etc. since he told me that they went to
the same place the entire time they had it, and I have found numerous
problems, some of which had to be the fault of the mech since he replaced the entire engine and there are a bunch of small problems in the engine--some of which I have mentioned on the list. Then with the front end there were two problems that I have found as of yet: instead of the correct clamping bolts for the ball joints on the left side there were regular steel bolts w/out washers, the wrong length, and wrong head size. Then the PO had brake problems, got them repaired, had more brake problems, again took them to be repaired, and that was days before I bought it, yet the day I drove it the brakes went nearly to the floor before catching. After I had taken the break caliper off I immediately saw the problem: the pads had no friction material on them, and one of the rubber seals on each caliper was so worn, dry, and cracked that I couldn't tell that it was or was supposed to be one piece instead of two at one point in time.
Should I clean everything up very squeaky clean before
reinstalling the front end, and then grease it appropriately after it is together, or what?
The one retaining bolt I've got is for a torsion bar (I would
assume the torsion bar retaining bolts are identical on both sides, let
me know if I am wrong) and it is 15mm--(not sure of the threading but it is the same as the clamping bolts) X 18mm, and the washer 20mm in
diameter, and it is the bent sort (what are those called?). Does that
sound about right? And for the stabilizer bar, I've got no idea.
Also, if the thrust ring has a knick in it (caused by me when I
was trying to pry the upper torsion arm out), should I replace it
immediately, or could I wait and if so how long? Where and what is the
thrust washer? I saw a picture on www.bughaus.com and I couldn't figure out what it would be used for.
Thanks for everything everyone.
Sincerely,
Christopher J. Valade
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