Mslone Build Progress

[Mslone]

We'll the kit was delivered a couple weeks ago and I've been out of town and just got a chance to get started! I don't plan to do a step by step in depth build thread... Too lazy, but do plan to give updates and pics as the build progresses!

Got the inventory done, the body off, Aluminum panels off and front suspension installed:

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Cheers!

[Jeff Kleiner]

I'm afraid I have to be the bearer of some bad news; you have several issues with your front suspension assembly.

---The upper control arms are installed upside down and in the wrong mounting position---The grease fittings in the pivots should be pointing up, not down. When using FFR spindles the UCAs are installed using the side mounts rather than the top mounts.

---The ball joints are installed into the arms upside down---When installed properly they will point outward rather than inward.

---The steering arms are installed on the wrong sides---When viewed from the front they will angle lightly outward rather than in.

So, remove the upper control arms, unscrew the ball joints and reinstall them from the other direction. Install the arms to the chassis using the side mounts (the bolts will be horizontal) with the pivot's grease fittings pointing up. The ball joints will now angle outward. The arm on the driver's side will have the solid link (the one welded to the ball joint plate) at the forward position. On the passenger side the solid link will be at the rear. Swap the steering arms side to side being sure that the wide part of the taper that receives the tie rod end is on the bottom side.

Carry on from there and good luck!

Jeff

[Mslone]

Ha.... I thought it did not look right! Guess I need to be the one reading the instructions from now on! It's great to have friends come help... But guess its good to double check everything twice! its good to learn that lesson now!

Thanks Jeff, I'll crack that up as a practice run...

[Jeff Kleiner]

In golf that's called a Mulligan, right? :)

Show us what you've got after making the changes and we'll make sure you're good to move on.

Cheers,
Jeff

[Mslone]

Jeff I unassembled and re-assembled:

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[Gumball]

Amazing how much more pleasing to the eye that is... I think the FFR suspension is such an elegant design. Just finished upgrading my car to the new style UCAs and I marvel at the engineering beauty in this stuff.

[ckrueger]

Now that looks much better!!

[Mslone]

Now that looks much better!!

HaHa.. Amazing what following the directions and looking at the pictures will do! Glad I figured that out this early... I love the Friends helping me but will double check the work from here forward so I don't have to re-do things...

Thanks guys!

[Jeff Kleiner]

Jeff I unassembled and re-assembled:



Much better!

Jeff

[Jester]

Much better!

Jeff

Good Catch Jeff.

Newly installed FFR front suspension always looks like mechanical art - looks very clean and robust (functions great as well).

[DaleG]

Crap! Glad I saw this:(. Oh well....:). My arms point inward; how could I have missed that?

[Gmcole92]

MSLone....I'm laughing...but at the fact that I"m rushing home to see how many of these same mistakes I made myself. I think i'm ok except for the steering arms. Fingers crossed.

[pc12cvs]

Good catch Jeff.

On a side note, that garage is friggin sweet...I've been wanting a neon Budweiser sign for a while. Where'd you pick yours up from?

Cheers,
Noel

[Gmcole92]

Jeff - I'm a little slow...and don't understand this part of your feedback:
---The ball joints are installed into the arms upside down---When installed properly they will point outward rather than inward.

The ball joints only go in one way, don't they? Assuming you have the UCA in the right position (not upside down)....how can they be upside down?

[Jeff Kleiner]

Jeff - I'm a little slow...and don't understand this part of your feedback:
---The ball joints are installed into the arms upside down---When installed properly they will point outward rather than inward.

The ball joints only go in one way, don't they? Assuming you have the UCA in the right position (not upside down)....how can they be upside down?

You are right, assuming that the control arms are oriented properly then by default the ball joints will be correct. His problem multiplied when he made mistake #1 (orienting the arms improperly) it led him to mistake #2 (installing the ball joints from the wrong side of the ball joint plate)---or vice-versa. One led to the other; kind of a chicken or egg deal!

Cheers,
Jeff

[Mslone]

You are right, assuming that the control arms are oriented properly then by default the ball joints will be correct. His problem multiplied when he made mistake #1 (orienting the arms improperly) it led him to mistake #2 (installing the ball joints from the wrong side of the ball joint plate)---or vice-versa. One led to the other; kind of a chicken or egg deal!

Cheers,
Jeff

Yea it started with A friend glancing at the instructions and installing ball joints upside down... Then we assumed the orientation... It was a great lesson to have this early... Love your friends for helping but double check everything they do with instructions and pics!

It was an easy fix... But don't want to do this throughout the build so will definitely be more watchful!

[Jeff Kleiner]

That's why I generally work alone ;)

Jeff

[Gmcole92]

My buddy over torqued the Wilwood hat and sheared off one of the Bolts on my front brakes. Haha

[Mslone]

Good catch Jeff.

On a side note, that garage is friggin sweet...I've been wanting a neon Budweiser sign for a while. Where'd you pick yours up from?

Cheers,
Noel

Noel, Thanks for the comment! we just built this house and I told the wife I was going to build a seperate Muscle Car Garage 20x50! Its my baby! I plan to cover it wall to wall with vintage signs & Neon! So far I have found everything on internet and all the neon on local Craigslist.
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[Gumball]

That's why I generally work alone ;)

Jeff

I'm with Jeff - I really like having friends drop by the hangar to sit around, bench race, raid my fridge, and watch movies... but I never ask them to turn a wrench. I also usually stop working when they're around so I can be social and avoid being distracted while working. There are times, of course, when an extra set of hands are needed with something particularly heavy or otherwise cumbersome, but I have a very short list of guys that I'll lean on for help.

[ckrueger]

Generally agree with doing it myself. However over the last couple of weekends I had my nephew in from Las Vegas (16yo) and had him helping me with the brake lines, layout and marking panels, gas tank installation, etc. I didn't realize how much fun he had until my wife related his story to his grandmother about working with me on the car and the conversation detailed everything we had done for the day. I told him not to sweat anything, if you screw it up, we'll fix it. That's how it worked when i grew up in my father's garage and as a "track brat".

[DaleG]

Noel, Thanks for the comment! we just built this house and I told the wife I was going to build a seperate Muscle Car Garage 20x50! Its my baby! I plan to cover it wall to wall with vintage signs & Neon! So far I have found everything on internet and all the neon on local Craigslist.
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Okay, I'm really, really jealous; best garage I've seen.

[pc12cvs]

Noel, Thanks for the comment! we just built this house and I told the wife I was going to build a seperate Muscle Car Garage 20x50! Its my baby! I plan to cover it wall to wall with vintage signs & Neon! So far I have found everything on internet and all the neon on local Craigslist.
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Thanks for the pics. That's awesome man. Love the drive through config.

[carlewms]

Green with Garage envy!