How is the gap changing, Getting smaller gap at bottom of the door, or getting wider? Do you have subframe connectors? Are you tightrning bolts with weight on the wheels?

 

I am not doing the installation, a suspension workshop who have a very good reputation and have done work on my other cars are doing the install. He rang me with the news regarding the gaps, they are getting smaller at the bottom of the doors. I would hope he is tightening the bolts with the weight of the car on the wheels. Subframe connectors are next to be installed with new front end components. Ball joints,tie rods,upper and lower bushes, pitman arm and idler arm.

 

I would think there are other issues if just putting in SF bushings and gaps are changing Imagine whats going on when you make a turn or go over an off camber bump.

 

Since you said the old bushings were rotted out and even some were completely missing then I would fully expect a new fresh set of bushings to change the location of the fenders as they ride on the front core support which is attached to the subframe.

Since you had everything aligned on a subframe that was out of wack once the subframe is in the proper position everything attached to it that was adjusted for the out-of-wack subframe is now going to be out-of-wack....

Long story short - have him loosen the fenders up, install the bushings and torque everything to spec and you'll at least have a solid foundation to build off of - then the fenders will have to be re-shimmed / re-aligned to the doors.

 

I agree. Make sure he did replace the core support bushings , they should have been in the kit. If not, it might fix its self when they are replaced, and check if core support is rusted out at the mount point, happind often under bat tray .

 

Thanks for the advice guys :thumbsup:, it all makes sense now. Will let you know the outcome.

 

Keith, you were right on the money. When we replaced the core support bushing it nearly fell back into place, although the fenders did need a little tweaking. Well, its a completely different car now, with new poly subframe bushes, Hotchkis subframe connectors, new front end components and a wheel alignment. The ride is just amazing, thanks again for your input guys.:hurray:

 

:beers:
Enjoy!

 

Interesting you call them 'bushes' down under...to us up north, where the water drains down in clockwise direction....its 'bushings'

 

ha ha. Interesting isn't Jim?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_spelling_differences

 

you aren't getting the full benefit of those subframe connectors until you go with solid bushings.

 

I was tossing up about going solids or poly, searched the forum to what you guys are running and what the feedback was. As Don quoted, it depends on your driving styles and how you want the car to feel, and I agree to that. Finally the Hotchkis sfc is supplied with a poly bush. So I would think Hotchkis r & d into using poly with their sfc would be enough to convince me.

 

While poly bushings are second best, the solids are better but to me, it depends on your driving styles and how you want the car to feel.

Going a step further with either is a set of Hotchkis frame connectors or the like. I chose the Hotchkis due to the way they were made. I looked at the CE brand and the metal was thinner guage. There are probably better connectors than Hotchkis but this works for my street driving.

One thing I did notice after installing the frame connectors with poly bushing. The car felt like it wanted to go straighter , turn corners in a more steady way. Just made the car handle better.
I also noticed less body flexing. My car's body has never been tampered with or seperated. I was noticing some cracking of the paint on both q-panel to rear trunk panel seams , just above the trunk lid near the rear glass.
This started when I put a stronger motor into the car but has stopped since adding these connectors. Guess that does happen and I can understand why.