I actually did print out that thread. It helped a little bit but not really... it's all fine when you read it but when you're under the car with less than 12 inches of space to work, it all goes to hell.

What do you other guys think about this advice?

What's a cheater bar?

Impressive. I got my pulley installed today and watching the guy made me cringe. I'm sure it would've been horrible trying to do it in the parking lot of my apartment complex. He actually had a funny story of a guy that tried doing his own pulley and ended up taking a hack saw to the original pulley to get it off.

 

If you don't have a breaker bar (long, non ratcheting wrench), you can slip a pipe over the end of a ratchet to give more leverage (and fewer sore muscles!)

 

I bought a pretty big torque wrench from harbor freight, will that work?

 

no, you don't want to use torque wrenches other than for checking torque.

use a breaker bar.

 

As said earlier, everyone's gotta start somewhere. Good for you for getting your hands dirty. I learned long ago to plan ~ 2x as long as you initially anticipate to do the job for the first time to account for unknown variables.

 

It took me an hour and half to install my BM short shifter. yes it is a *****. The key is to take your time and try not to get angry! I know the last part is hard! The key to get the cable off of the shifter is to use a 12mm wrench (I think) and put it between where the cable ball is and where it connects to the shifter. Slowly use some leverage and it should pry right off. It did for me. I stayed away from using channel locks as I did not want to bend the cable! Well at least you can now enjoy the better shifting!

Garrett

 

channel-lock is the tool to use to remove the cable from the ball.
i think helix's instructions said so too.. it came off very easily.

 

I heard to many horrior stories with the channel locks. I am just giving an alternative to using channels locks!

Garrett

 

really? ive yet to read about that then. hummm... not that i really care. it worked fine for me.

 

My hammer worked fine...

 

Oh I am sure it works fine for many people! Just heard how people bent the cables while pulling them off with the channel locks! Thank god it is only a one time thing and not something you do often! Unless you go to install the stock shifter back!

Garrett

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Leel
As far as the sway bar goes, be very careful with the shock tower bolts. It is best to replace them, but if you want to reuse (lots of people have done) make sure not to go above 50-55 ft-lbs. IF you try to go 80 like the book says, you might just need to drill one out like I did. That is a good way to add an hour or 2 to the install.


What do you other guys think about this advice?



I also took a quick look beneath the car and where is the jacking point for the rear?

 

On those exhaust nuts/bolts: PB Blaster is your FRIEND! That stuff is great when it comes to removing siezed fasteners. The exhaust system especially. Problem is it stinks like hell after it heats up & starts to burn off...but if you can deal with the smell for a short while, it is much better than pulling your tricep tendon.

Sorry to find ammusement in ones plight, but your story was most entertaining. Oh well, you have to start somewhere. My first horror story was taking a bath in hot antifreeze when changing a radiator in an old Benz 450SEL 6.9-which had a TON of coolant. Not fun...

 

I think it has happened to at least one other person. Search around for sway bar install.

Evidently the bolts are really made for one time use, but I do not think anyone has had issues down teh road with reusing them. Then again, you can buy a new blt at a hardware store for 35 cents, so if I do it again, I will start with new one from the get go. Not a good feeling having the head come off of that one.

 

I am happy to announce that my sway bar installation has been completed and it was pretty easy.

Tips
1) When loosening tight nuts, use leverage. I took apart my jack handle, slipped it on the ratchet handle and used that for leverage to untighten and then retighten.
2) Use a jack to raise the rear subframe when reassembling the car.
3) Don't forget to tighten the nuts on the sway bar. It'll make a thumping sound when you drive away.

 

the guts of ratchets aren't that strong... Get a breaker bar, then slide on the jack handle... Then you can actually twist off the welded on studs on the front suspension of 94 explorers! Ask me how I know!

But if you keep doing this to the ratchets, they'll get sloppy, and what really sucks is that you'll get really pissed that the slop messes with how many clicks you'll get to use in tight spaces....

Matt

 

Yeah, the ratchets actually popped on me twice. I smashed my thumb as a result, but I figured I wanted it to be as tight as I could get it. I'm also not too worried about my tools, since they're from a cheap durabilt kit that I got for ~$20 at Target. I really didn't want to build up a tool collection without owning a garage.

 

a drawer full of crappy, sloppy ratchets! Ask me how I know!

And congrats at getting the rear bar in. How do you like it?

Matt

 

I know. I know. I just intend on getting better tools down the line. The socket wrench set that came in the tool package were just poor quality. When I was trying to install my HAI, the socket fell off the extension several times, one that I was never able to find. I ended up going to home depot and buying a 10mm socket and it was so much better. It fit snugly and for some reason just had a better air of quality to it.

I haven't gotten a chance to take the MINI out on some of my favority roads since yesterday night was Fat Tuesday and I didn't want to be meeting any cars in the middle of the night, but the rear does feel tighter, the ride is a bit more jarring, and it seems like the car wants to go more in the direction I want it to go (i.e. - less understeer).

 

What do you have it set on?

 

The lighest setting on the moment. I wanted to test the waters first. The roads I run aren't very forgiving.

 

I put mine on that too. Started out at the middle and went to the softest. The middle was fine for everyday street driving, but a little stiffer and jarring. Handled great, but just got a little scary at higher speeds on twisty country roads. The softest is plenty for me.

 

Do you notice it at all on your I-10 jaunts?

 

Not unless I'm dodging SUVs.I did notice it on HWY 71 though...one stretch was really bumpy. They made it out of like 3ft. wide pieces of concrete.The rear was less forgiving than the front.

 

Crap, I'm screwed then. Isn't that what SUVs are for, dodging, that is?