Heim Link Maneuver & I hope it doesn't Break Upgrade

[rebelz]

To All-
I'm starting to accumulate the parts for my spring 2009 ZR-1 upgrades. I am collecting all of these parts and as soon as I can get it up the hill to a friends place (He has a lift) we will install them. This work won't be able to be done until at least April 1 and probably later. The snow on the hill lasts until at least then, and maybe closer to May 1. I will take pictures and do a part by part description of the change if you would like. I want the Z to have better suspension, handling & braking than it had when it was originally built. Ron has Coil Overs on his ZR-1 but not all of the Heim Joint Parts so we will see what this does. For now I'll keep the transverse springs. This may change after evaluating the other upgrades. Let me know if you would like me to post the progress and results.

Front Suspension
Upper and Lower Control Arms W/Ball Joints (OEM NOS)
Energy Suspension Polyurethane Control Arm Bushings & Ball Joint Boots
Guldstrand Heim Joint Sway Bar End Links
Energy Suspension Polyurethane Sway Bar Bushings
Baer Front Tracker (Heim Joint) Adjustable Tie Rod Ends
DRM FX3 Damper(Shock) Bushings('07 I replaced all shocks and Actuators)

Rear Suspension
Guldstrand Heim Joint Toe Rod Kit
Guldstrand Heim Joint Sway Bar End Links and Bushings
Guldstrand Heim Joint Trailing Arms
Guldstrand Heim Joint Camber Rod Kit
DRM FX3 Damper(shock) Bushings
Energy Suspension Polyurethane Rear Spring Bushings

Brake Upgrade
Baer Eradispeed Plus Rotors (Front 13 Inch)
Baer Eradispeed Plus Rotors (Rear 12 Inch)
1996 Grand Sport Calipers (Front)
Rear Brake Calipers Maybe (Any Recommendations over the ZR-1 Stock Calipers, keeping in mind I want to use the Grand Sport fronts)
Steel Braided Brake Lines (Any brand recommendations?)
DRM Bias Spring Upgrade
Castrol SRF Brake Fluid

That pretty much does it for now. I am open to suggestions but research has led me to these changes and manufacturers.
Rich

[tomtom72]

Call Randy back....ya forgot the rack bushing...just kidding Rich, but no rack bushing? I ordered that and the shock bushings from Randy, hopefully next couple of weeks I'll have them. They were out of stock last week when I called.

Seriously, looks like some sweet stuff. :thumbsup:
I'm doing mine in stages, front this yr and rear next yr. Like you I bought & installed the new shocks last yr along w/new rotors (rotorsonline.com had a sale 4/$200.00 + shipping) and I used DRM GS Fr calipers w/stainless pistons + Bias spring + s/s lines and kept the OE rear claipers + semi-metallic power stop pads by Wagoner. The combo on the brakes I feel works quicker than the stock set up and has bling too boot.:mrgreen:

My Front suspension will be: On a budget!:redface:
I bought VB&P sway bar bushings & end link kits (not Heim units).
CorvetteRecycling.com wish bone package all 4 / $400.00 + shipping and I'm not gonna touch'em, just install them.
I need to decide whose Tie rod ends & order'em up.

Rear suspension : I ran outta $ so that is next winter. Too many things at DRM and other places that are too expensive....and tempting!

Good luck on your project. I'm sure the Guldstrand stuff will do your car right....I'm envious...I can't see why she shouldn't stick like velcro in the twisties & the brake set up should be fine ( I like mine as it's just feels better than the OEM stuff).
:cheers:
Tom

[DaveK]

I'd be very interested in seeing a write up on this - not ready for it yet but will be looking at something along these lines in the future. :thumbsup:

I have everything for an upgrade to the C5 front calipers, which I am planning for Spring but couldn't find anything for the rears beyond pads and rotors. At least not at any kind of price that I could justify right now.

[Jeffvette]

Rich, what are you planning on doing with the car that you need all of this?

[rebelz]

Rich, what are you planning on doing with the car that you need all of this?

Jeff-
"Need all of this," is a relative term, right? :dancing I am going to autocross her this summer and do some timed road course events that we are trying to set up up here in the Anchorage - Fairbanks area. No wheel to wheel stuff. But really for the most part I just want my girl to be fleet of feet, and quick to quit when my wife and I travel the the back roads for the fun of it. Oh yeah... they are all back roads up here.;)
Rich

[rebelz]

Call Randy back....ya forgot the rack bushing...just kidding Rich, but no rack bushing? Snip

CorvetteRecycling.com wish bone package all 4 / $400.00 + shipping and I'm not gonna touch'em, just install them.
I need to decide whose Tie rod ends & order'em up. Snip
:cheers:
Tom

Actually I have the Rack Bushings on my list and forgot to include them in the post.

I bought the same Control Arm package from the same place, But I got a better deal, I only paid $399.99 for them. :) I bet I paid more shipping though! :jawdrop: I want to upgrade to urethane bushings so I bought the Poly Control Arm Set, I only want to have to do this once.
Take care
Rich

[jonszr1]

you might want to contact bill boudreau and inquire about sealed heim joint ends . dirt can distroy them . i have the gulstrand rear suspension parts now on my white car and have switched to the sealed heim joints and they dont make a racket any more as i dont have dirt in them .jmho

[tomtom72]

Hey Rich :wave:

I think you did get a better deal on the A-Arms! But you're proly right about the shipping!:sign10:

I was thinking poly kit, but the budget wasn't there and my OE stuff seems to have lasted 38K miles so I'll go with it for now. I figure I can save into the poly kit and do them as $ comes free, unlike the big "G".....wish I had their budget!

Hey Man, I hope you enjoy the results, and I would like to hear your impressions of the total package vs the OE stuff. I envy the Heim joints & the Guldstrand stuff....:thumbsup:

Oh, forgot. Whose Tie-rod ends are you using? TIA

:cheers:
Tom

[rebelz]

you might want to contact bill boudreau and inquire about sealed heim joint ends . dirt can distroy them . i have the gulstrand rear suspension parts now on my white car and have switched to the sealed heim joints and they dont make a racket any more as i dont have dirt in them .jmho

I'll look into it. Thanks for the heads up. I have also just seen some Heim joint boots, I'll see about fitting those to the Guldstrand units. Why can't these decisions be easy? My car will be driven here in Alaska, I don't take it out deliberately when its raining, but if I am out and it starts raining, I don't park it. It rains here quite often. I assume that rain will increase the end link contamination. When putting out this much money I don't want to have to keep redoing it.
Rich

[jonszr1]

I'll look into it. Thanks for the heads up. I have also just seen some Heim joint boots, I'll see about fitting those to the Guldstrand units. Why can't these decisions be easy? My car will be driven here in Alaska, I don't take it out deliberately when its raining, but if I am out and it starts raining, I don't park it. It rains here quite often. I assume that rain will increase the end link contamination. When putting out this much money I don't want to have to keep redoing it.
Rich know ing what happened to me i had to give ya the heads up . you will love the gulstrand stuff . where did you find the boots for the heim joints . i have another setup i am putting on my black z and the boots might be cheaper than buying all new sealed heims .

[rebelz]

knowing what happened to me i had to give ya the heads up. you will love the guldstrand stuff . where did you find the boots for the heim joints . i have another setup i am putting on my black z and the boots might be cheaper than buying all new sealed heims .

I found several... I'm checking out "Seals-it Rod End Seals" which I've found at Summit Racing. They look like they may work if I can find the right sizes for the Heim Joints supplied with the Guldstrand kits. I'm also checking with Guldstrand for their take on this. :dontknow:
Rich

[tomtom72]

I gotta say Thanks to Brad and you Rich for posting up this stuff. I just learned something about Heim joints......I just figured that they came with covers, it made sense in my squash, why wouldn't a ball & socket joint come with a cover to protect it? :confused:

I'm gonna file that one away for suspension part 1.05, that was gonna be the point that I got frustrated with my OE type s-bar end links.

Thanks guys!:thumbsup:

:cheers:

[jonszr1]

i agree . one would think that the price that they get for it you might get covers . it is neat stuff though and dick g. is a heck of a nice guy allways has time for everyone .1400 for all the rear end suspension stuff here is the list of what i got and price poly bushings for diff 39.95 heim jointed trailing links 399.95, h.d. rear toe kit 359.95 camber rod kit 279 .95. rear sway bar heim jointed end links 199.95shipping 30.00 tax 105.58 for a total of 1415.33

[rebelz]

i agree . one would think that the price that they get for it you might get covers . it is neat stuff though and dick g. is a heck of a nice guy allways has time for everyone .1400 for all the rear end suspension stuff here is the list of what i got and price poly bushings for diff 39.95 heim jointed trailing links 399.95, h.d. rear toe kit 359.95 camber rod kit 279 .95. rear sway bar heim jointed end links 199.95shipping 30.00 tax 105.58 for a total of 1415.33

Brad and Tom
PMs sent
Rich

[rebelz]

Craig Hurst of Guldstrand Motorsports responded to my wear inquiry. He said that they have them on a daily driver, that is driven in all types of weather and they haven't experienced any problems. He also said that there had been no problems reported. :dontknow: The jury is still out on this one for me. From a Google search on a non Corvette forum someone said that boots just held the dirt in and made wear worse. That would imply that the ones they used didn't seal very well. I have more time before build time. I'll continue digging.
Rich

[tomtom72]

Interesting. Yes, it would imply that the design of the "boots" was inadequate or at least a home made answer with no testing. I'd be paranoid if I "cobbled" together something and didn't test it. A bit of a PIA, driving around town & going back to the barn, up on jack stands and take the "boot" apart & look what got into it.....much dedication would be in order, or one might need to be OCD...;)

Or what Craig Hurst says is simply the truth.

[rebelz]

I have CDO which is similar to OCD only arranged in the correct alphabetical order. :wave:
Rich

[tomtom72]

:jawdrop: WOW Rich, you have CDO!

Collateralized
Debt
Obligation

:cool: Dude! Me, I just think Toys 'r' Us is spelled correctly.....it's the damn keyboard that has it wrong.:p