Daizen Install / Review 98gs
07-17-06, 07:09 PM
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Daizen Install / Review 98gs
Picked up a 305 piece socket set, torque wrench, breaker bar, and a ball joint tool. all for a lil over 200. www.harborfreight.com they match the tool price off the site.. ball joint tool for 2.99. heheh 
went home jacked her up onto jackstands.
first things first the sway bar bushings... replaced those... from daizen you get 2 for front two for back. they are cut on one side so you slide them onto the existing bar and position them in the right spot and put the half circular bracket that holds them on 2x screws on each side. same thing for the back. very easy takes about 20-30 mins total with clean up
the front suspension assembly
i purchased the complete set of bushings from a dealer in texas shipped next day cost me about 230 with the lower ball joints.
remove the wheels. turn the steering wheel opposite di rection that you are working on. break loose the tie rod ball joint nut, two bolts holding the caliper, the lower nut/bolt for the strut, the nut and bolt for the sway bar, two bolts holding the two lower control arms together, two bolts under the wheel hub holding it to the lower ball joint assembly, the upper ball joint nut, and finally the lower ball joint nut (only if you are replacing it). these socets vary from 17 to 19mm. also loosen your lower control arm bolt that regulates your camber. remember what degree it is set to. you need to use an extension for some of them.
there is also another control arm coming at an angle from the back well call that control arm #2 and the other control arm #1 as per the DAIZEN instructions.
review before install... all the bushings are press-in type they all provide stiff support for up down motions of the control arms. however the bushing for the #2 control arm is a sleeve that has to get presses squeezed into the control arm. you are literally squeezing it in there and will need a big vice or some sort of press to get it done right.
my personal opinion about all the bushings is that they are a very goog upgrade and will last a long time. however the #2 lower control arm sits on a ball joint type bushing providing it left right up down movement freely; the daizen bushing however does not look like it provides very free up and down movement at all. it seems with its design after a while it would get broken in and would possibly become a hassle down the road. i have airbags so i did not use this bushing.
it might be a good application for racing where there is limited movement and stiffness is required.
before you continue anywhere make sure that you have some way of removing the existing bushings (press, hammer, drill, torch, bomb, etc.) i suggest a machine shop that can press them out limiting damage... these are almost near close to impossible to remove at home without being the biggest pain in the....
so once all your nuts are freely moving continue by fully removing the lower two bolts holding the hub assy and the upper ball joint nut. break the upper ball joint. install the tool in place make sure its square with the two bolts coming together straight otherwise you can cause damage if its mot applying pressure in the right spot. make sure that you dont tear your upper balljoint boot ..install your balljoint tool slowly in half cirsular motion you can help by sweezing the boot upwards to provide space also grease may help... once on there tighten up the bolt on the tool. only apply a few full turns it will not pop instaltly.. just tighten it little by little and within 15-20 sens it will break loose.. you can crank it down real hard real fast untill it breaks but i dont recommnd that. ... once apart remove the two small bolts holding the line coming from the engine bay to the wheel hub push the upper control arm up and pull the hub completly off the lower ball joint set it under the front of the car.
remove the lower ball joint nut and break the joint. ( only if you are replacing it ) once again watch the boot unless you are replacing it. break the tie rod ball joint.
remove the strut bolt , the sway bar bolt and nut,and the two lower control arm bolts and the #1 lower control arm camber bolt ( at this point cut your steering the other way to provide room for removal of this bolt) and remove the #1 control arm assembly with the ball joint.
follw by removing the upper control arm.
you are left with upper and lower control arms which will need old bushing removal.
once done press the new ones in.. .. make sure to lubricate everything very well.. these bushings are single moving objects and will be damaged without proper lubrication its provided use it heavy. im sure any noise will be related to lack of grease. follow daizen instructions.
i recomment new lower ball joint and tie rod during this ... might as well type of thing..
on reinstallation follw backwards.... torque specs i used.. (I DONT KNOW IF THESE ARE FACTORY SPEC... SEARCH FORUM) LOWER BALL JOINT 122ft.lb LOWER BALL JOINT HUB BOLTS 90FT.LB TWO LOWER CONTROL ARM BOLTS 122; LOWER #1 CONTOL ARM CAMBER BOLT 122; TIE ROD I THINK IS 119; STRUT BOLT 80LB SWAY BAR I BELIEVE IS 29 OR 39 UPPER CONTOL ARM BOLTS ARE 49 OR 59 , UPPER BALL JOINT IS 69.) DONT HOLD ME TO THESE THE DAIZEN MANUAL COMES WITH SOME TORQUE SPECS BUT DO YOUR RESEARCH.. IM CLOSE ENOUGH THO ///
once it comes time for the tie rod reinstallation if you are replacing it...
place it back into its joint but dont lock it up break the locking nut at the end .. and hold the rod itself with a wrench while twisting off the tie rod count how many revolutions you make as when reinstalling the new one you will use the same amont.. or mark it what ever you want to do.. then once its replaced tighten the ball joint nut and then tighten the locking nut for the tie rod i dont know what the torqu spec is... i just tightened it enought.. kinda hard...
make sure to pay attention to everything make sure hoses are where they are supposed to be all bolts back in place...
its tricky to work with the contol arms to get the angle right to put the bolts back in... manuver it around and you will get the combination.. raise it up.. with the strut out of the way.. and you should get it right...
DO NOT STRIP THREADS OF BOLTS YOU WILL BE A SAD PERSON
pay attention and you should be all good
is it worth it??????
OH YEAHHHHH new car feel!!!!
went home jacked her up onto jackstands.
first things first the sway bar bushings... replaced those... from daizen you get 2 for front two for back. they are cut on one side so you slide them onto the existing bar and position them in the right spot and put the half circular bracket that holds them on 2x screws on each side. same thing for the back. very easy takes about 20-30 mins total with clean up
the front suspension assembly
i purchased the complete set of bushings from a dealer in texas shipped next day cost me about 230 with the lower ball joints.
remove the wheels. turn the steering wheel opposite di rection that you are working on. break loose the tie rod ball joint nut, two bolts holding the caliper, the lower nut/bolt for the strut, the nut and bolt for the sway bar, two bolts holding the two lower control arms together, two bolts under the wheel hub holding it to the lower ball joint assembly, the upper ball joint nut, and finally the lower ball joint nut (only if you are replacing it). these socets vary from 17 to 19mm. also loosen your lower control arm bolt that regulates your camber. remember what degree it is set to. you need to use an extension for some of them.
there is also another control arm coming at an angle from the back well call that control arm #2 and the other control arm #1 as per the DAIZEN instructions.
review before install... all the bushings are press-in type they all provide stiff support for up down motions of the control arms. however the bushing for the #2 control arm is a sleeve that has to get presses squeezed into the control arm. you are literally squeezing it in there and will need a big vice or some sort of press to get it done right.
my personal opinion about all the bushings is that they are a very goog upgrade and will last a long time. however the #2 lower control arm sits on a ball joint type bushing providing it left right up down movement freely; the daizen bushing however does not look like it provides very free up and down movement at all. it seems with its design after a while it would get broken in and would possibly become a hassle down the road. i have airbags so i did not use this bushing.
it might be a good application for racing where there is limited movement and stiffness is required.
before you continue anywhere make sure that you have some way of removing the existing bushings (press, hammer, drill, torch, bomb, etc.) i suggest a machine shop that can press them out limiting damage... these are almost near close to impossible to remove at home without being the biggest pain in the....
so once all your nuts are freely moving
continue by fully removing the lower two bolts holding the hub assy and the upper ball joint nut. break the upper ball joint. install the tool in place make sure its square with the two bolts coming together straight otherwise you can cause damage if its mot applying pressure in the right spot. make sure that you dont tear your upper balljoint boot ..install your balljoint tool slowly in half cirsular motion you can help by sweezing the boot upwards to provide space also grease may help... once on there tighten up the bolt on the tool. only apply a few full turns it will not pop instaltly.. just tighten it little by little and within 15-20 sens it will break loose.. you can crank it down real hard real fast untill it breaks but i dont recommnd that. ... once apart remove the two small bolts holding the line coming from the engine bay to the wheel hub push the upper control arm up and pull the hub completly off the lower ball joint set it under the front of the car. remove the lower ball joint nut and break the joint. ( only if you are replacing it ) once again watch the boot unless you are replacing it. break the tie rod ball joint.
remove the strut bolt , the sway bar bolt and nut,and the two lower control arm bolts and the #1 lower control arm camber bolt ( at this point cut your steering the other way to provide room for removal of this bolt) and remove the #1 control arm assembly with the ball joint.
follw by removing the upper control arm.
you are left with upper and lower control arms which will need old bushing removal.
once done press the new ones in.. .. make sure to lubricate everything very well.. these bushings are single moving objects and will be damaged without proper lubrication its provided use it heavy. im sure any noise will be related to lack of grease. follow daizen instructions.
i recomment new lower ball joint and tie rod during this ... might as well type of thing..
on reinstallation follw backwards.... torque specs i used.. (I DONT KNOW IF THESE ARE FACTORY SPEC... SEARCH FORUM) LOWER BALL JOINT 122ft.lb LOWER BALL JOINT HUB BOLTS 90FT.LB TWO LOWER CONTROL ARM BOLTS 122; LOWER #1 CONTOL ARM CAMBER BOLT 122; TIE ROD I THINK IS 119; STRUT BOLT 80LB SWAY BAR I BELIEVE IS 29 OR 39 UPPER CONTOL ARM BOLTS ARE 49 OR 59 , UPPER BALL JOINT IS 69.) DONT HOLD ME TO THESE THE DAIZEN MANUAL COMES WITH SOME TORQUE SPECS BUT DO YOUR RESEARCH.. IM CLOSE ENOUGH THO
///once it comes time for the tie rod reinstallation if you are replacing it...
place it back into its joint but dont lock it up break the locking nut at the end .. and hold the rod itself with a wrench while twisting off the tie rod count how many revolutions you make as when reinstalling the new one you will use the same amont.. or mark it what ever you want to do.. then once its replaced tighten the ball joint nut and then tighten the locking nut for the tie rod i dont know what the torqu spec is... i just tightened it enought.. kinda hard
...make sure to pay attention to everything make sure hoses are where they are supposed to be all bolts back in place...
its tricky to work with the contol arms to get the angle right to put the bolts back in... manuver it around and you will get the combination.. raise it up.. with the strut out of the way.. and you should get it right...
DO NOT STRIP THREADS OF BOLTS YOU WILL BE A SAD PERSON
pay attention and you should be all good
is it worth it??????
OH YEAHHHHH new car feel!!!!
Awesome job and awesome write up. Did you happen to take any pics for the rest of the CL fam who might want to do this on their own?
07-18-06, 06:50 PM
#6
Originally Posted by vicestan
Wow so you don't need a shop to pop the old once out and the new once in??. What did you use to actually press them in there? a vice grip??
vicegrip ha thats a good one
i was one of the first to have diy on it and its very very very hard to get the bushings out without a 20000lb hyd press i used a air chisel holding the arm in my bench vice and that took for ever
07-19-06, 11:48 AM
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Originally Posted by DruMnBaSS
my personal opinion about all the bushings is that they are a very goog upgrade and will last a long time. however the #2 lower control arm sits on a ball joint type bushing providing it left right up down movement freely; the daizen bushing however does not look like it provides very free up and down movement at all. it seems with its design after a while it would get broken in and would possibly become a hassle down the road. i have airbags so i did not use this bushing.
it might be a good application for racing where there is limited movement and stiffness is required.
it might be a good application for racing where there is limited movement and stiffness is required.
Last edited by Benjamin T; 07-19-06 at 07:35 PM.
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07-19-06, 02:33 PM
#8
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Originally Posted by lexforlife
vicegrip ha thats a good one
i was one of the first to have diy on it and its very very very hard to get the bushings out without a 20000lb hyd press i used a air chisel holding the arm in my bench vice and that took for ever
i was one of the first to have diy on it and its very very very hard to get the bushings out without a 20000lb hyd press i used a air chisel holding the arm in my bench vice and that took for ever
07-30-06, 01:54 AM
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Nice writeup....where are the pics to go along with it? 
Oh....btw...did you have to remove your airbags/coilovers/susp to get to upper control arm bushings? Or is there enuff room to take both bolts out?
Pete
Oh....btw...did you have to remove your airbags/coilovers/susp to get to upper control arm bushings? Or is there enuff room to take both bolts out?
Pete
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