MT's Chassis-luvin' project.

[millentubby]

Howdy folks!

Well, the winter runabout/battletank will be bought tomorrow, the coilovers are on their way (yuh-huh...brand new coilovers with pillowball top mounts/camber adjustery things. Fingers crossed they're not shite), the Superflex bushes are in my bedroom and I'm starting to plan this winter's work;

Firstly I want to strip off all the suspension components; struts, arms, sub-framey bits and send them off to be blasted and powder coated.

Then, while they're off I want to wire-brush the whole underside back to shiney metal (it's well undersealed and VERY solid so i anticipate no more than a tiny bit of surface corrosion around jacking points etc).

I then want to protect the underside as best possible for as long as possible. The plan for this is a 3-step process at the moment;

1. POR15
2. Paint with chassis-black paint.
3. Underseal.

I'm hoping to take pics along the way for reference and all that jazz.

Anyway, there's a few points I'm undecided on and was hoping you guys could help me decide;

1. Wheel bearings - one of the rear wheels took a hefty smack which destroyed the original alloy shortly after I bought the car (had to swerve around a twunt in a 4x4 and spun into a kerb/ditch). I may also be getting some bearing-type-noises, although as yet there's no detectable play in the bearings. Should I replace them while I'm doing all this? I can get access to presses and all the tools under the sun if need be. I'm more than likely going to replace the ball joints - the cost isn't significant and I've a feeling one rear one may be worn due to a slight weight-shift I have under hard cornering.

2. Rear ARB - I'm tempted to go for a mk2 rear ARB, but I don't want to knacker the balance of the car. As a very general rule, I understand that changing a thin rear ARB to a thick one will make the rear end stiffer, and more prone to oversteer - is this the general case (JimSR?). I might refit the standard mk1 rear ARB while getting used to the coilovers and then test out a mk2 rear ARB just to be able to get some useful data on the single change.

All input will be gratefully recieved - any hints and tips before I get to work will also be golden :)

:thumbsup:

[weegaz22]

id say if you are gonna have most of the suspension and hubs off then doing the bearings would be a good extra measure, with all the harder suspension it will kill any worn bearings pretty quick

price the bearings up from a bearing supplier instead of from a motor factors, usually cost a lot less, just get the numbers off the bearings and they should be able to source them.

as for the rear ARB, id say leave it for now, your chucking on a complete set of uprated coilovers, pillowball mounts, poly bushes etc its gonna be plenty stiff, your not gonna be able to gauge the difference as the whole setup will be completley different to whats on there at the moment

[Jiff Lemon]

All sounds good and sensible, however can I suggest one little modification to the plan?

You'll simply NOT need part 2 of the 3 step process; POR15 is quite simply, the daddy. Go for one of the brighter colours though, that way if the underseal breaks through you'll see POR shining through.

ARB's are interesting - I'm already trying to work out a front replacement as it's VERY oversteery with the turbo bar on (which is fine for me - but some balance would be nice!).

[millentubby]

As for the rear ARB, id say leave it for now, your chucking on a complete set of uprated coilovers, pillowball mounts, poly bushes etc its gonna be plenty stiff, your not gonna be able to gauge the difference as the whole setup will be completley different to whats on there at the moment

I think that's what I'll do bud :thumbsup:

Good call with the bearings - you know of any local bearing manufacturers?

Jiff - the reason I want to coat over the POR15 is that on the website it states that the POR15 doesn't tolerate UV radiation (from sunlight)...but I guess if it's under the car and under a layer of underseal...should be ok?

[weegaz22]

I think that's what I'll do bud :thumbsup:

Good call with the bearings - you know of any local bearing manufacturers?

Jiff - the reason I want to coat over the POR15 is that on the website it states that the POR15 doesn't tolerate UV radiation (from sunlight)...but I guess if it's under the car and under a layer of underseal...should be ok?


look in the yellow pages under bearing suppliers, should be one local to you :thumbsup:

[Sponge Bob]

Using a thicker ARB helps reduce body roll by forcing the inside suspension down when you corner, as it links to the outside one which drops due to weight shifting to the car's side... surely reduced body roll, if anything, will mean reduced oversteer as you're reducing any shift of balance point...or does reducing said body roll mean it's more likely to step out on you??

I'd definitely do the bearings - my post swap problems have ALL been things which I should have changed when I had the chance to do them easily. Every little thing I didn't change is failing... clutch bearing, water pump, you name it...!

[Jiff Lemon]

Jiff - the reason I want to coat over the POR15 is that on the website it states that the POR15 doesn't tolerate UV radiation (from sunlight)...but I guess if it's under the car and under a layer of underseal...should be ok?

Will be fine and dandy.

Do I need to remind you of the POR precautions?

http://www.woodsport.org/forum/images/recovered/2005/04/52.jpg

rotflmao

[Murf]

He's a student remember?! His paws will be so grubby the POR wont even stick to them ;)

[millentubby]

Yup - been reading the warnings on here! Going to be super-careful! Bin-bags + rape-tape on order :thumbsup:


He's a student remember?! His paws will be so grubby the POR wont even stick to them ;)

Might end up putting hard skin on these soft, soft hands too if i have to scrub them :gay:

That's settled then - bearings will be getting done too. Does anyone know how much (roughly) it should cost to buy the bearings?

EDIT - initial reports show £25 a corner http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TOYOTA-MR2-MK1-WHEEL-BEARING-KIT-REAR_W0QQitemZ250148614747QQihZ015QQcategoryZ10386 QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

Might be able to whittle it down but that's a good ballpark figure, and within budget.

Also, ball joints appear to be in the region of £15-£20 a corner. Interestingly it appears that a few mk2 rev1 and mk1 ball joint bits are identical.

[Murf]

From memory mk1's and 2's all have the same ball joints but they differ from front to rear. Thing they are about £25 each.
Poly bushes make a MASSIVE difference btw, ive finished my fronts and they feel amazing, cant wait to do the backs!!! The old ball joints were still fine, yours might be ok too.