Month Project tunred Winter Project

[jaylew]

I will use this as my posting point for updates on progress.

 

This project started life as the complicated job of replacing all bushings in the rear subframe and maybe painting the subframe. Also I am going to weld on reinforcing plates for the sway bar mounts (cheaper than buying)

 

Then I thought well if I am going to have new bushings in the rear, it might be work it to update the rest of the suspension. So I am installing koni shocks and swift springs when this is all done.

 

Then it I thought well while the subrame is out I might truck bed liner the under body since from what I could tell, its mint for 236k miles and 13 years old. If I am doing the work on the subframe and putting the money in, I might as well make sure the shell lasts

 

If I am going to truck bed liner the body then I am going to drop the gas tank because I am there and can and also then access the entire under body.

 

Once the tank was out, it revealed the classic rusty brake lines that were not fixed by subarus magic wax and now I am being denied new lines, so adding to the project list is making new center and rear brake lines out of NiCopp.

 

While removing the side skirts and rear wheel well liners, revealed rust by the passenger door. Fun. Doesn't look too bad (I have had a forearm sized hole in the strut tower of my 96 outback so this is nothing) also the fact that is is covered up once fixed is great cause it doesn't have to look pretty.

 

Oh and for fun on top of all of this, I was able to coincidentally procure the entire black leather wagon interior in GT trim from the junk yard. So that is going in to replace the worn out Tan leather interior. The A/C mode servo has been just replaced because it was failing (making the coffee percolating sound i.e worn out contacts)

 

Also while I am replacing the door panels I will be replacing the drivers outside door handle. For some reason when I got the car 30k ago, it had one black (unpainted) so I have a color mating handle from the junk yard.

 

When removing the front struts control arms cause why not paint those too, the control arm supports at the fire wall side are rusting and flaking...time for junk yard replacements or new ones.

 

Now I am on the verge of throwing all caution to the wind and going for SS braided brake lines to replace the flex lines to the calipers. I already have new rear wheel bearings and might get new front. Both inner tie rods are a bit worn so they'll be replaced. I am debating on getting the energy suspension steering rack bushings.

 

If I remember anything else I have done I will add it. Otherwise I will update this as I go along. This is more for my own documentation so if anyone else is interested that is just a perk!

 

So ..... I am looking forward to the new task to add the growing list

 

 

 

 

***As a note I do not know why some of my pictures are posting upside down. When opened in another window/tab the image rotates correctly

Edited March 15, 2021 by jaylew
clarify SS brake lines

[JmP6889928]

Do NOT go SS brake lines. You'll hate life. SS is not truly designed for brake lines as they are not truly rated for the pressure plus they truly suck to bend. The NiCopp will be easy to install perfectly and if you want to make them pretty, use steel wool and they will polish up immediately and look gorgeous. Coat them with clear and you'll not regret it.

[jaylew]

Do NOT go SS brake lines. You'll hate life. SS is not truly designed for brake lines as they are not truly rated for the pressure plus they truly suck to bend. The NiCopp will be easy to install perfectly and if you want to make them pretty, use steel wool and they will polish up immediately and look gorgeous. Coat them with clear and you'll not regret it.

 

 

sorry I should have added the word braided. For the flex lines. I will use NiCopp for the hard lines off your suggestion in my other thread!

[JmP6889928]

Ahhh....still polish the NiCopp. Only takes a minute and you'll not regret it. They truly look excellent polished. Champagne color and very shiny. Polish them before you bend, wash after bending with a bit of brake cleaner, and clear coat them and they'll stay that way forever.

[jaylew]

Thanks for the suggestion on polish / clearing.

[JmP6889928]

Also, ALWAYS blow air through the lines after bending. Makes sure there is nothing inside.

[jaylew]

So, This past week has been a lot of work. I spent the whole time prepping the under side of the car for raptor liner. I wire wheeled a lot of rusty spots to 'clean' them up. I then painted anything that was even slightly rusty with POR-15. After that cured I then when at it with Raptor Liner...The entire time I was wishing I had the car on a chassis rotisserie or a lift. NOT fun when I can only jack the car up about 24 inches or so.

 

 

 

The worst of the rust was at those crapy heat shields by the mufflers. I do not get the point of them, as I can't imagine the mufflers getting that hot. I will not be reinstalling them, that is for sure.

 

 

 

Anyway a little more than about 1.5 coats (i was applying the first coat kinda heavy) done. I am going to go back in and do some touch up with a foam brush tomorrow.

 

 

 

For the most part I am very pleased with the outcome thus far. Next I turn my attention to finding every plastic piece I broke that holds hoses near the subframe. Then tackle the bushings and POR-15 the subrame.

 

 

Hopefully this helps the car last a lot longer now (it better)

Edited November 6, 2019 by jaylew

[jaylew]

I have started the long process removing bushings from the suspension components and subframe. Basically I burned everything, but really had to heat up the inner portion of all the bushings that the bolt goes through to the point that it could just be just pushed out.

 

 

 

Remote areas are advised when doing this cause it will stink up the neighborhood and make a mess.

 

 

I have only just started the slow task of cutting out the outer races of the bushings but being careful not to cut the subframe or suspension links. least fun portion of this whole winter project next to prepping the car for paint.

Edited November 6, 2019 by jaylew

[wai_pang2]

 

This project started life as the complicated job of replacing all bushings in the rear subframe and maybe painting the subframe. Also I am going to weld on reinforcing plates for the sway bar mounts (cheaper than buying)

 

Good luck with this project, I am in a similar situation, difference is I'm replacing the fuel tank. While the subframe is out, I will also be replacing all bushings. What started all this was constantly getting minor fuel leak code (forgot the exact code). What I originally thought was a corroded fuel fill neck turned out to be broken barb nipple coming off the fuel tank.

I don't want to further hijack your thread and let me get to the point of responding to your thread.

 

 

This is only a suggestion but there is no need to weld a plate to reinforce the rear sway bar bracket, I used straight strut bracket. You can buy this at Lowes or Homedepot. The bracket is only bolted on through the top hole with a big washer as the hole that is there is too big for only a nut and bolt. I've also only drilled one other hole to line up with the sway bar bracket

[madrig]

great work going here !

[jaylew]

Yeah fuel tank is looking pretty good. I will be fixing some of the rusty brackets and cutting a one corner of the pinched metal that has rust, then undercoating it. If the gas tank were to go and need replacing in 50-100k I honestly wouldn't have a problem doing it. after this project that is a day job honestly. I have it all down to a science now.

 

 

And so you're saying that really just a thick-ish metal plate bolted in with the sway bar bracket is good enough?

[wai_pang2]

I've had it on for 2 months and its been holding up. I've spend less than $10. I won't be keeping this car long enough to see how it holds up but I'm sure it will last.

 

 

 

I just took a look at all the bushings, they are shot. I've also order the trailing arm bushings. Are you replacing the sub-frame bushings too?

 

 

 

The most difficult part was removing all the nuts and bolts for the spindle/trailing arms, I had to cut the lower strut bolts. dropping the sub-frame and fuel tank was the easy part. Now, I have to transfer the pump and lines to the new tank.

[jaylew]

So, been pissing off the girlfriend with how long this project is taking, but ski season does slow progress down a bit.

 

 

All the rear suspension links have been media blasted clean of all rust, then coated in POR-15. I then pressed in ALL NEW bushings. I am surprised with how robust the POR-15 is while handling everything to press in the bushings.

 

I also painted the fuel filler neck since that is not rusted and out. Only the evap line brackets were rusted but they are isolated from the steal lines by rubber that I don't feel the need to replace. Now the fuel filler neck is future proofed.

 

 

 

I cut the lip on the rear brake dust shields before painting them, to future proof against any big brake upgrades if they should happen.

 

 

I am debating on lightly buffing it all with some sand paper, then finishing it off with raptor liner....please tell me if that is overkill or the POR-15 is enough. I feel it might be overkill on the cast iron parts at least but I am so far down the rabbit hole already.

 

 

I assembled the rear shocks and am excited to have it all back on the car.

 

The front shocks have been cut for the Koni inserts. They have been media blasted and are awaiting paint before the front shocks can be assembled.

 

I started bending up some of the hard brake lines that are getting replaced. Both the lines by the gas tank and the hard lines that bolt to the trailing arm.

 

Next up is ripping out the interior to then get to the center lines. The part of me that is getting tired of this job, says just add a coupler to the steal center lines, but I already have the NiCopp to replace the center lines I might as well not be lazy and just do it.

Edited November 6, 2019 by jaylew

[jaylew]

1) Just realized the title to the thread is misspelled, hope that isn't indicative of my work!

 

 

2) A lot has been done. The Koni front shocks are built after the housings were completely stripped to metal and powder coated. New top hats and this car will ride brand new.

I decided to paint the front knuckles since I was already so far down the rabbit hole and had every rear suspension link blasted and painted.

 

New wheel bearings in all 4 corners to boot.

 

While I had the brake calipers off, I cleaned them and painted them. Rebuilt with OE rebuild kits. I am replacing the guide pins that use the bushings with the non-bushed guide pin, so all calipers will have normal guide pins and binding bushings will never be a problem.

 

I highly recommend the OE rebuild kits. I have used centric parts in the past to only have the boots cracked within a year. OE lasts at least 10+ years of salt belt conditions.

 

 

Next time I will post pics of steering rack work, as energy suspension bushings are now installed, and OE inner tie rods are going on with Super Pro roll center correction outer tie rods and ball joints are going on to account for the lowering springs.

 

 

I swear if the engine gives out after all this work to the chassis...I guess I'll be building that.

 

Goal to have the car back on the road by 4/1...ish

 

 

Whats Left (simplified):

-finish NiCopp hardlines

-remove rest of interior - Done 4/3/19

-install sound deadening

-install new tie rods - Done 4/3/19

-patch rust hole in rear wheel arch

-install gas tank

-install rear subframe

-install suspension

-swap black leather cover of '08 seats to frame of '05 tan seats (cause thank you first model year nonsense)

-install rest of black leather interior

 

 

Alignment and drive like hell

Edited April 3, 2019 by jaylew
add pictures

[jaylew]

Ripped out the carpet. Replaced the faulty A/C mode actuator..what a PITA. The one picture shows the angle to most easily get at the top bracket screw with a long screwdriver (blue handle for reference). The back most one requires a phillips socket on a 1/4" drive ratchet.

 

 

 

This weekend is all about the hard lines and trying to finish up making them. At a minimum if the middle lines can be replaced I will be happy

Edited November 6, 2019 by jaylew

[hadvw]

Been wondering about that AC actuator.. I might need to do both of them. Sounds as bad as I'd heard.

 

 

 

At this point, probably waiting until I get another car so I can slowly rip apart the LGT and do it little by little..

[jaylew]

I had to replace my mode actuator, (internal to the actuator) it wore through the copper traces so it couldn't make up its mind as to what position it wanted to be in at times, "coffee percolating noise".

 

 

 

The mode actuator and the driver side temp mix are the hardest to get to. The Passenger temp mix is easiest along with the recirculate / fresh air actuator. I only did the mode actuator because it was the only one acting up. For 2005, the driver temp mix actuator is discontinued so I am banking on that never going bad or at least being able to find some ebay seller that might have one if that ever needs to be done

[hadvw]

I'm definitely getting the coffee noises. I think from both sides. I'm constantly adjusting temp setting just to keep a semi-stable temp..

[jaylew]

I'm definitely getting the coffee noises. I think from both sides. I'm constantly adjusting temp setting just to keep a semi-stable temp..

 

 

 

 

Check this thread out. Goes more in depth. I made a post in the last page that pretty much spells out the OE numbers and applications. It gets kind of confusing between MYs and what is discontinued

 

 

 

https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/sound-inside-dash-turn-off-car-190728p8.html?t=190728&page=8

[boxkita]

with your interior gutted, are you going to convert to the JDM dark ?

[jaylew]

Not converting to JDM dark, but I do have an entire GT black interior. I found a GT wagon at my local pull it yard back in the fall. I gutted it in about an hour and got everything except for front seats, which I picked up off CL (They're '08 seats so I will have to do some swapping of frames and harnesses to make it all work)

 

 

I do want to go back and get a revised glove box back panel so to have the easier access to the cabin filter.

 

 

The whole black GT leather interior I cleaned and then stored it in totes and trash bags to stay clean while I make the mess with the rest of the car!

[jaylew]

Hey so, small progress.

 

 

 

New OE inner tie rods installed with super pro outer tie rods and new rack boots.

Energy suspension bushings are installed too on the rack.

I finally started working on the patch panel for the rust spot in the rear passenger wheel well.

I will not be welding, but rather panel bonding (with 3M window weld) after painting it all thoroughly. I don't want any rust coming back hence the no welding. I think this will work out well once all patched up. I'll post pictures of the job complete. Just need to grind off the the remainder of the spot welds in the way and I can move forward.

Edited November 6, 2019 by jaylew

[jaylew]

Started the process of flaring the steel center lines. I used the same OE coupler that is used outside the car by the gas tank. This weekend is time to make the rest of the rear lines from NiCopp.

 

 

I found that the inline hydraulic flaring tool is best for steel lines and makes doing the inline flares easy, but it is not good at doing NiCopp. I have found so far the best tool for NiCopp is the Eastwood flaring tool #25304. I will report back after this weekend when hopefully all my hard lines are done.

 

 

I also finished rebuilding the brakes calipers. OE rebuild kits, powder coated, and I doubled up on the NON-BUSHED guide pins for some robust brakes.

Edited November 6, 2019 by jaylew

[Max Capacity]

You couldn't find any of the pre-made NiCopp lines in the correct length or just a little longer ? My local NAPA has a good selection.

[jaylew]

I was able to find pre flared lines but everything seemed to be with standard nuts. Maybe I am blind or bad a searching for this but finding the M10x1.0 3/16 extended length nuts was a lot more difficult than expected. For how many cars that use metric brake fittings, I am surprised at the lack of pre-flared NiCopp with metric fittings. As for adapter couplers, I am not inclined to have a slew of adapters between the steel lines and calipers. If you know of somewhere, I am open to it as a back up

 

 

 

Additionally if all goes well, then this is a way to learn something new