G8 Suspension and Handling Upgrades (Pedders, Pfadt, Nitto)

[Knoxville]

I now have all the parts from Pedders so there is no more hold up with missing parts. However, I have been out of town for the last 2 weeks in California so I haven't been able to work on the vehicle.

I have a wedding up in Lutsen this weekend so I wont have a chance to work on the vehicle. Would love to get this thing finished sometime soon. I'm going nuts since I haven't driven it since the cruise!

[Knoxville]

Finally got a chance to work on the car again after being out of town for the last couple weeks.

Right before I left for my trip the remaining Pedders parts arrived. So I now have all of the parts to finish my suspension upgrades.

Subframe Bushings
http://i.imgur.com/guX4NVc.jpg

Full Alignment Kit
http://i.imgur.com/9xFFxD9.jpg

We got most of the subframe bushings installed tonight. Here you can see the front upper subframe bushing installed. I also removed the subframe weights that really serve no critical purpose.
http://i.imgur.com/3BajboK.jpg
Here you can see the rear upper subframe bushing installed and mounted in place.
http://i.imgur.com/Huhyyzn.jpg

This is the driver side all finished up with the Pfadt trailing arm, Pfadt toe rod, pedders toe bolt, and the subframe bushings installed
http://i.imgur.com/7CdBUbN.jpg
Good image showing the removed subframe weights and the new bushings installed:
http://i.imgur.com/BAUf6qD.jpg

[Murlo26]

Can you drive it now?

[Knoxville]

Can you drive it now?

No, car is still on jack stands and needs a couple more subframe bushings along with all the diff bushings

[Knoxville]

So I was curious to how much the actual subframe weights that I removed from the car weighed. I had heard upward of 10lbs but found that hard to believe.

Here is a picture of the weights on my home scale. This scale is nothing precise but I'm guessing its within a couple pounds of this 11.4 lbs.
http://i.imgur.com/ooUbRlo.jpg

[Knoxville]

I got some time to work on the car again yesterday. The task was to finish up with swapping all of the differential bushings. I recently ordered a few more tools to help assist with the wrenchy wrenchy, and boy was I glad to have the impact wrench for the bushing removal.

New air compressor freshly wired up with the new 240:
http://i.imgur.com/tgIgJur.jpg
Some new air tools for wrenchy wrenchy:
http://i.imgur.com/t49CjNy.jpg
Here you can see the diff dropped with the driveshaft disconnected. This is the factory diff bushing ready for removal.
http://i.imgur.com/MkL3gaI.jpg
You need to be careful when dropping the diff. There isn't a ton of room for the axle boot and the subframe. I put some towels on the subframe to help mitigate the rubber boot from getting torn up.
http://i.imgur.com/gue9lKl.jpg
Here is the rear diff bushing removed with the assistance of the impact wrench (I love air!):
http://i.imgur.com/sRbdLOyh.jpg
Out with the old, in with the new:
http://i.imgur.com/wgd0iUOh.jpg
I was able to installed 2 of the 3 diff bushings yesterday. Only 1 last diff bushing to be replaced before this car can get aligned and back on the road. I know I've said this before, but the car is so close! Haven't driven the car since April 20th, so I'm really starting to get the itch now that weather is finally coming around here in MN. I'll be in Charlotte, NC all of this week so there wont be any updates until the weekend.

[Knoxville]

I worked on the car today The task was to finish this bad boy up by replacing the last remaining factory differential bushing, thanks @murlo26 for all the help!

This last driver side bushing became quite the task to remove. There's not a ton of room to use a full ball joint press like the other 2 diff bushings. I ended up rigging up a homemade press out of a 7/16 threaded rod and some nuts and washers. The impact wrench was key to start pressing the bushings out. Then I used an impact hammer to finish the bushing removal.

Here's the differential dropped with the new Pedder's bushings installed:
http://i.imgur.com/YbU3cw2.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Ebvxiqj.jpg

At this point, all suspension and handling parts have been installed onto the car. The only thing I am waiting on at this point is an alignment. The car is getting very close to streetable again, getting stoked to take this out and test!

[Tachyon]

Nice! This thing is so close to being done, I can practically taste the Coops Pizza.

[Knoxville]

I have an alignment scheduled for Thursday AM, hopefully car is streetable by end of the week!

[Knoxville]

Well it's been almost 2 months since I started wrenching on the car for this suspension project and it's been about 5 months since I started if you include placing the order.

The car just got aligned this morning and it's finally finished!

Took the car out for a short cruise this afternoon and all I can say is Wow! I love the suspension upgrades very much and traction feels new and improved. Body roll is virtual eliminated. Car seems to manage my power much better and feels proper.

http://i.imgur.com/BMjQlhb.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Zg73aTL.jpg