Hi, thanks to all who provided clarity on my previous posts regarding my toe in difficulty (wearing both front tyres out on outside of wheels).

When I pulled the shocks and springs out to replace with XR6 lows and new Monroes, I noticed the car had 3mm shims on three of the mounting points for the upper yolk type bit, but was missing one off the fourth position. I looked very carefully at the area and there had never been one fitted. There was no dirt line, rust mark, or anything to suggest there was once a shim fitted. I made a shim by putting a couple of 3mm washers around the bolts when re-mounting the shocks.

I found this advert for a local parts place, and was looking at a camber kit anyway, but here's the EXACT same shim I found installed on the front of my EF Wagon. The right hand side had one shim on front and rear of top mounting points (ie - the bits you get off by using a 14mm spanner in the engine bay side of the wheel arch -- not the top of the shock... You know...) where as the left only had one at the rear.

Being slightly short of rocket scientist status when it comes to all thing mechanical I ain't sure what this would mean or result in, so I stuck some washers in to make the mounts an even 3mm throughout.


Guess that may have improved the toe in difficulties... Again, being no pysics doctor.......



The sway bar I grabbed off a wreck ED XR6 improved wagon was mounted so it went under the axle, not on top of. This means it's link extenders (or whatever they are called) were about 6 inches long. I have yet to lower the back, but am thinking that the shorter the distance I can get from chassis or car body mounting to actual sway bar will be more desirable? I see some pre-made units are around 4 inches...

 

 

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Shims are placed by the wheel aligner based on whether or not they're needed to push out the upper control arm further in order to align the wheels.
If your lowering your car, just whack whatever shims you've got there back in and drive it straight to a wheel aligner, they'll fix it. As the alignment is now going to be different due to the lowered height. And you'd need the laser aligners to work out the adjustments (and spare shims) to get it right. It's only usually about $40.00 to $50.00 for non-IRS vehicles.

Remove those washers that you've put on, because they'll require the entire bolt to be moved by the wheel aligner (probably annoiying him), where as you can see the proper shims are designed to slip in and out.

No worries man. Thanks for that... Wouldn't want to annoy the wheel alignment dude - god knows I need him in a good frame of mind!

Am going to find the u-bolts for the rear lowering and swaybar attachments tomorrow... Will then start putting the swaybar into position. Am going to find it easier to put long extenders on and put the swaybar under the axle rather than over --- Is there much advantage to putting it over the top? It fits over at the moment, but then with the body lowered 55mm I just ain't sure.

If I can get it over, is it worth the extra problems?


Thanks again for the advice. Should have thought of the wheel alignment needing it removed (possibly). Arrrg. Live and learn.

Rear swaybar should be under the diff. At least that's how the whiteline set up is.

The newer Whitlines appear to be going to the rear of the vehicle - the arms on my one look like they'll be going to the front... Hmmmph - No worries - I'll get under the damn car soon and have a play with it all. Just bought same stainless nylock nuts - fantastic!

I think your setup will be very similar to the pics you've seen at http://www.fordmods.com/forums/viewtopi ... 4&start=20 .

They only go to the back of the vehicle if you've mounted it backwards. They go to the front.

twr7cx
he is fitting a rear swaybar not front so the bar goes round the back of the diff.

Ahah, although.... So saying that... Here is a photo from the backside of a AU Ute as per Whiteline installation instructions...




YEAH dude. That's what I was thinking of, for sure - And I should end up with almost esactly what you guys have. Only I was looking at http://whiteline.com.au/docs/instructs/Z194_BFR58.pdf ... Am NOT going to do it backwards as have a huge rated tow setup that will be difficult to work around!

All good guys - Thanks for the input once more. Since I've been off work and getting little income I am now borrowing some petrol money to drive out and buy the U-bolts required from a real custom place as supercheap and repco don't go up to 76mm. Bloody useless buggers took half an hour to look that up on their silly computer too!


WHAT GREASE SHOULD BE USED ON THE BUSHES?!

 

 

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It's a black Castrol one. The name escapes me at the moment and it's too late to go and look in the garage, but it's black, just pop the caps off in the store and check the colour. LMM maybe?