When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Got 12K springs installed in the front KWs to compliment my 16k rear springs already installed.
Car rides awesome now. Did the CS trailing arms and old style toe rods also, fresh alignment and the car now has totally flat neutral handling, which is exactly what I was shooting for.
Adjusted the ride height to 36cm front and rear (14.1") now sits perfect.
Wrapping the car in nardo grey around the same time as the wheel swap.
When I wheel swap next month, I'm going to to a 255/40R19 square set up for a 27" tall tire and the needed 1/2" ish of ground clearance. I can get the wheels in 6 lug for anyone interested in a set.
I don’t wish this pain on anyone!!! It was a b!tch to get out. Had to drop the front cradle and unbolt the left lower motor mount bolts. That gave it just enough room to slip out. Just pull the tie rod ends off and the solinoid then swap it to the “new” one.
If you search on all auto supply sites and even the dealership all first gen V rack and pinions are out of stock and backordered. Dealership even said it was discontinued. I compared pics of a regular CTS rack and pinion with upgraded suspension (FE5) and a V rack and pinion and they were the same. AutoZone part number 64225. So I took a chance just going by pics. It matched and works great!
I don’t wish this pain on anyone!!! It was a b!tch to get out. Had to drop the front cradle and unbolt the left lower motor mount bolts. That gave it just enough room to slip out. Just pull the tie rod ends off and the solinoid then swap it to the “new” one.
If you search on all auto supply sites and even the dealership all first gen V rack and pinions are out of stock and backordered. Dealership even said it was discontinued. I compared pics of a regular CTS rack and pinion with upgraded suspension (FE5) and a V rack and pinion and they were the same. AutoZone part number 64225. So I took a chance just going by pics. It matched and works great!
I've been having some mystery issue with my steering/alignment and I'm wondering if it's possibly my rack. What was your cause/diagnosis? I wouldn't have guessed it was that bad of a job. Are there mount bushings?
They gave me the wrong part number for the springs. I ended up with 2 sets of forward spring, based on their first email asking for spring part numbers.
While they won't send me anything free, they do offer larger size perches.
Whenever the new perches arrive, I will be installing them plus the new springs.
I got a parking lot door ding on my front fender PDR’d. It was right on the round fender edge and had a pretty visible crease. It’s all gone and ready for the touch up paint pen. Pretty happy about it. Whole car is otherwise straight as an arrow so it really stood out. The body shop quote was $600. PDR $100 and a paint pen on Amazon was maybe $20
Mine was just leaking really bad on both ends. It’s a 14 yr old car. What’s the symptoms you are seeing on yours?
Originally Posted by BudRacing
I've been having some mystery issue with my steering/alignment and I'm wondering if it's possibly my rack. What was your cause/diagnosis? I wouldn't have guessed it was that bad of a job. Are there mount bushings?
Mine was just leaking really bad on both ends. It’s a 14 yr old car. What’s the symptoms you are seeing on yours?
I haven't found any leaks, but I've replaced inner and outer tie rods with AC Delco parts and replaced upper and lower control arms, sway bar bushings are newer, end links are Whiteline adjustables, I've replaced both front wheel bearings with Timkens at some point in my ownership and they seem OK when I've inspected them. I've had it aligned multiple times. I've gone through and tightened all bolts. For some reason I'm still getting a drifty feeling and accelerated tire wear as if the toe is loose. The steering rack is original and now has 188k+ on it, so I'm wondering if that could be the culprit.
I got a parking lot door ding on my front fender PDR’d. It was right on the round fender edge and had a pretty visible crease. It’s all gone and ready for the touch up paint pen. Pretty happy about it. Whole car is otherwise straight as an arrow so it really stood out. The body shop quote was $600. PDR $100 and a paint pen on Amazon was maybe $20
That sucks. Wife yells at me for parking in the back away from everyone. Says I'm nuts I'm worried about a 15 year old car. I tell her you will never understand.
That sucks. Wife yells at me for parking in the back away from everyone. Says I'm nuts I'm worried about a 15 year old car. I tell her you will never understand.
touch up paint is ok from 6 feet away but it sucks. I’m hoping rubbing compound can smooth it out a bit. Metal’s straight though the guy did a good job.
Got my third brake light fixed. Found an 05 base CTS at the picknpull with a light that didn’t have moisture in it and gambled on it, sure it was an $18 gamble. I grabbed some weatherstripping that was to big at Home Depot and redid the section around the light. Tadaa, it’s good and I can tell it works because the cars behind me are lit up with red.
Speaking of, is there anything worth keeping good spares of for our cars? I thought about the headlights from the one in the wrecking yard but didn’t grab them.
Threw in the CS shift lever last night, feels like a pretty solid piece, static shifts feel good. The Lingenfelter I took out was old and loose, I guess a plastic socket will do that over time.
While I've got it up I'm finally running a redundant ground for the oil temp sensor. Hopefully this fixes it.
Last time I drove it, the PS was making a lot of noise, barely a drip of fluid on the stick but a few drops of fluid at the right side of the rack. ****.
Finally broke the infamous T fitting above the radiator.
A 3 way -6 MS fitting and some leftover hose cured the issue.
I also will be draining and flushing with G13+. Dexcool sucks, G13+ keeps my temps about 10c cooler with the stock set up, and doesn't stink to high heaven if it leaks .
im going to replace all the small hoses in a few weeks, and I'm rerouting the bleed line from where it goes over the intake to the right side and around the air filter. I think it will free up some room that is otherwise quite annoying to work around.
I haven't found any leaks, but I've replaced inner and outer tie rods with AC Delco parts and replaced upper and lower control arms, sway bar bushings are newer, end links are Whiteline adjustables, I've replaced both front wheel bearings with Timkens at some point in my ownership and they seem OK when I've inspected them. I've had it aligned multiple times. I've gone through and tightened all bolts. For some reason I'm still getting a drifty feeling and accelerated tire wear as if the toe is loose. The steering rack is original and now has 188k+ on it, so I'm wondering if that could be the culprit.
You're car can be aligned just inside spec and be "not great". Most people would never know the difference but get big tires and a driver than knows better and it won't fly. Do you have the alignment printout?
11-18-2018, 03:38 AM
