by Chinky420 » Fri Aug 03, 2007 10:39 am
TIPS:
1) DO remove the fan, it makes the process about 10x easier
2) DO in the morning, before driving. once the headers heat up, it'll be rough, since you're going to be working so closely to them
3) read the thread on howto do it. i was waiting for pictures too, but really didn't need them once i got into it. it's just a simple remove and replace, where you have to unscrew maybe three bolts to remove.
4) when removing the bottom bolt (the one that will go through the eyehole on the new rod), be sure to attack the driver side of the bolt/nut combo. the nut is welded on, and that was one thing i had to read carefully in the instructions (since there were no pics). i eventually broke an openended wrench by trying to remove the bolt that was welded on (stupid).
5) Astro's pic of the rod installed is helpful, if for no other reason, than the facts it shows the proper location of the part, and also that the only part that goes above the transmission mount is the two nuts that secure the torque rod to the topside of the mount.
most of the bolts removed will be metric 14mm, and 17mm. it's handy to have two of each wrench (openended, not socket) for the lock-nuts (the two bolts that tighten together). once the bottom bolt is broken/loose, it's easy to remove by hand.
once i had it off, i just threaded down the red bushings on the new torque rod, then hand threaded them upward, until desired tightness was achieved.
also, read the old install thread, because some people had various opinions on howto keep the bottom of the torque rod from moving around (there's much more space left around the heim joint/ball joint on jim's torque rod than on the stock one). personally, i used parts from the OEM shock; one rubber bushing, and one curved washer; to space it evenly, and to keep the heim joint from moving around.
hope that helps (if you havent already installed it)
