02' GP GT New Front Struts And Hubs Installed

[02GPinNY]

After all the work that Bill Boost37 did to the GP, I decided to go ahead and get new rubber all around and also finally get those Monroe Quick Struts Installed.

With the Quick Strut System, It literally took longer to jack up the car and remove the wheels, than to install the struts.

Out With The Old!

In With The New!

The driver's side for some reason came out even easier than the passenger side.

New Firestone 225/60/16's all around should last me a good bit.

After working the air gun up at Bill's place, Richie wouldn't let me do anything "air tool" related. Fine with me!!!

Final check to make sure all was okay and we were done. Took about one hour total with jacking and removing the wheels.

Sitting a might taller now, probably to the chagrin of some, but I need her high and tight to pull my bike and trailer back and forth to the track.

I will say that even before the alignment, the car now tracks perfectly straight, soaks up all bumps, and the steering is beautiful now. So I get back to the tire place to have her aligned, and the mechanic comes back upstairs to tell me that the driver's side hub needs replacing and that it would be senseless to do the alignment now since I'll have to do it again. DRAT!!! Oh Well! I'll order two new hubs and install them next week. And I thought I was done getting dirty!!

 

[02GPinNY]

Re: 02' GP GT New Front Struts Installed

Just got my new set of MOOG front hubs for the GP. I hope not to have any issues and get them installed today since the weather is so nice.

 

[Scottydoggs]

Re: 02' GP GT New Front Struts Installed

looking good. hubs are easy, i did another one 2 weeks ago. took less then a hr to change.

when you do it, pop the tie rod end out of the knuckle, theres a flat spot, ( on the knuckle) im sure theres already hammer marks on it, take the bolt off, a few hard hits will pop the tie rod end out.

this way you can turn the knuckle freely both ways so you can get to all 3 bolts holding it on.

and the brakes have to come off as well.

you will also need a 34 or 36 mm socket, a breaker bar and a jack pump bar for a pipe works well. or a 3 foot pipe.

take the wheel off, put the spare tire on, then lower it, 2 lugs hand tight works for this, lower the car, then take this large axle nut off. jack the car back up take the spare tire off, the brakes off, the tie rod end, then the hub.

if the shaft wont move from the hub, put the nut on the end, and give it a few light shots with a hammer to break it free. if that dont work, a 3 gear puller should push it in and break it free.

hook the puller to the hub, where the studs are, then the drive bolt of the puller hits the axle shaft. it should push the shaft in.

 

[02GPinNY]

Re: 02' GP GT New Front Struts Installed

Thanks Scotty! I guess this job is gonna wait til tomorrow morning since my "jack man" and "Gopher" (Son), hightailed it out of here to the Met's Game today. Damn Kids!!! LOL!

 

[Scottydoggs]

Re: 02' GP GT New Front Struts Installed

ahhh, let em have fun, they are kids after all lol and its nice out today, good day for a ball game.

 

[02GPinNY]

Re: 02' GP GT New Front Struts Installed

ahhh, let em have fun, they are kids after all lol and its nice out today, good day for a ball game.

Oh for sure. You can't beat $10 dollar tickets either! The perks of being in college. Tomorrow's another day. Me, I'm gonna take a spin on the bike for a change!

 

[02GPinNY]

Got Richie out of bed at 7:30am this morning to get started on the Hubs. Of course I only had a shallow 36mm socket to work with and a 12 point to boot. I only started on one side first to make sure I didn't have any problems. Once the wheel was off I used my 1/2" Breaker Bar and 36mm to break loose the hub nut. It came loose with no problems thank God. Then I removed the brake caliper and hung it with wire on the strut.

I checked the new Moog Hub and everything lined up with the old unit.

The knuckle was filthy so I had Richie use the brass brush and scotchbrite pad to clean everything up.

Afterwards everything was nice and clean. I gave it a light coat of anti-seize and was ready for the new hub.

The new Moog unit went right in place and I torqued everything to spec.

In my Haynes Manual it's states 159ft lbs. for the hub nut but I opted for 118ft lbs. Besides, my torque wrench only goes to 140ft lbs.

So everything went together nice and taking our time it only took 40 minutes to do the one side. The passenger side however was a different story! I got the wheel off and of course the hub nut wasn't having anything to do with me! The 12 point just wouldn't work with it. I sent Richie to Pep-Boys for a 6 point but true to form they didn't have any. So he came home and I already had the wheel back on until next weekend. I'll go to AutoZone this week after work and get the proper socket. Thanks Scotty for all the advice. It was an easy job to say the least so I know next weekend will be a breeze! I also have to install new Tie Rod Ends since my bushing is shot as you can see in the pics.

 

[Scottydoggs]

those tie rod ends look factory, no grease fitting.

when you do the tie rod, crack that locking bolt on the end of the tie rod, then bring it snug to the tire rod, ( by hand) then unscrew the old tie rod. leave the old lock nut, turn the new tie rod on to the nut, then lock the nut. that should get your alignment close enough to get to the shop. it wont be perfect but close enough.

after that lock nut is broken free, pull the cotter pin out of the castle nut, then take the nut off, hit the flat side with a hammer, it will pop out, then take the rode end off.

in this pic, the far right side that faces the cars fender by the door, turn the wheels to the right, hit it with a hammer, a few good shot makes it pop out. same for the pass side, turn the wheels left, then whack the flat part sticking out now.

 

[02GPinNY]

Thanks Scotty. Will do pal. Gonna pick up the correct Socket this week along with the new MOOG Tie Rod Ends. Too bad the passenger side Hub Nut was being stubborn. I would have done both hubs and probably both Tie Rod Ends today. Oh well. One more week won't kill me.

 

[Scottydoggs]

if you dont have a grease gun pick one up, you'll want to grease the new tie rods after you put them in. the new ones will have a zerk on the top.

parts stores sell the cute small ones for around 10 bucks, or get the larger one that takes the large tube of grease. i always get a hose for the gun, as the straight metal tube sucks to get to most fitting. you can only angle it so far, then you hit a wall and it wont fit on the fitting.

theres not to much to grease up on these cars, so the metal tube will work, my trucks were hope less with out the rubber hose tho.

 

[02GPinNY]

if you dont have a grease gun pick one up, you'll want to grease the new tie rods after you put them in. the new ones will have a zerk on the top.

parts stores sell the cute small ones for around 10 bucks, or get the larger one that takes the large tube of grease. i always get a hose for the gun, as the straight metal tube sucks to get to most fitting. you can only angle it so far, then you hit a wall and it wont fit on the fitting.

theres not to much to grease up on these cars, so the metal tube will work, my trucks were hope less with out the rubber hose tho.

Ah Yes! The dreaded "tube". It was the first thing I ditched when I bought my last greases gun. A royal PITA! Went with the hose and never looked back! I bought it to use on my trailer wheels and the ball joints when I still had the 86' Olds. Is there anything else that has a zerk fitting on this car? I didn't notice any when I was down there.

 

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

118 was the correct spec by the way, just for further confirmation.

 

[Scottydoggs]

ive yet to see any other grease fittings, front or rear. only new after market parts have them like tir rods ends, and moog lca's.

rack and pinion has less moving parts. the good old steering box set ups, have lots of moving parts to grease.

 

[Madness]

I put two hoses together with a 1/4"? NPT union on my grease gun at work. Farm and construction equipment have lots of hard to get zerks. Am I the only one that noticed a Fram oil filter?

Nice job on all your hard work.

 

[02GPinNY]

I put two hoses together with a 1/4"? NPT union on my grease gun at work. Farm and construction equipment have lots of hard to get zerks. Am I the only one that noticed a Fram oil filter?

Nice job on all your hard work.

Thanks very much. So...without getting into the age old "oil filter" debate, whats with the Fram Filter?? I tried to go with the Purolator, but the special was for $19.99 and included 5 quarts of oil and the Fram Filter so I went with it.