Raoul-Duke

iTrader: (6)

Ok so I am freaking the hell out right now.

How could this happen??!!!

I've got my 01 z28 on jackstands on the chassis with the jack under the rear.

I have UMI LCAs on the car and am installing BMR LCA Relo Brackets.

I got the passenger side on no problem just havent tightened the bolts down.

The Driver side the bolt holes wont line up!!! How can this be happening if the other side fits??!!!

Anyone please help I am losing it!!!

Raoul-Duke

iTrader: (6)

helpp

SmokedOutZ28

iTrader: (35)

None of the bolt holes are lining up?

Without seeing it Try taking a wire brush to the rear end knocking off any rust or debris that could prevent it from aligning correctly.

Raoul-Duke

iTrader: (6)

Everything fits but just one bolt. The entire passenger side assembly is bolted in perfectly.

The driver side top bolt is in, rear shock mount bolt in, but the bolt that bolts the actual lca is off about 1/2 inch.

Could the rear have shifted when I dis-connected the rear shocks, basically unloading the suspension?

Would taking off the panhard bar or adjusting it do aything?

This ****** sucks because I had somewhere to go tomorrow with some buddies and I'm going to have to take the dd.

Theres no dust, this 10 bolt was just powdercoated.

Raoul-Duke

iTrader: (6)

Thanks for the local response, just seen your in the Chicago land area. Where at in the NW? I'm over in the southside by Burbank/Oak Lawn.

stevo92z28

iTrader: (22)

They are always super tight. Keep everything loose till all bolts are through. Lube all surfaces to help parts slide easier. I always use a small extension or screwdriver if i could fit in one side and try to push it so hole lines up.

Raoul-Duke

iTrader: (6)

Screwdriver is a good idea.

I do keep it all loose though, However the front bolt of the LCA on the SFC was tightened, I didn't touch it w this install attempt.

If I loosen that would it make any difference? I mean I just can't see it doing so.

So what you're saying is the rear end doesn't need to be re-adjusted? and this is just a pain in the ***.

SmokedOutZ28

iTrader: (35)

That bolt is always tough! It will shift and what I do is push the rear end towards that control arm and get it to align up. It helps to have a extra set of hands but if you don't it will just be a pain in the *** but will go together with some muscle. I would not undo the subframe part of the control arm it wont help you much. Do you have ADJ lower arms?

I'm located right outside Elgin.

RB Racing

iTrader: (1)

How about a ratchet strap around the axle tube and on the frame to draw it together. Just a thought.

BMR Sales2

iTrader: (40)

It definitely just sounds like the rear end shifted a little bit during the install. When I am installing this kind of stuff I will use a decent sized prybar to pry the rear end back into place so you can get everything lined up.

Raoul-Duke

iTrader: (6)

Thanks man, Yeah I work in Wheaton actually.

My only concern is having the rear hanging with the shocks, I know it won't be for long. I just hope it doesn't damage them.

Thank you both, I am prepared to try all 3 methods until one will work.

On a scale from 1-10. How much extreme force is needed? Should I have the rear completely hanging??

Lizard King

Yeah, those holes usually don't line up with relocation brackets. I managed to do mine laying on the garage floor using both feet to push the rear end towards the control arm, and at the same time both hands to get the bolt in. Physically, it was... awkward. Pretty easy though.

Raoul-Duke

iTrader: (6)

I think I'm going to wrap a strap around the rear and have someone pull forward in addition to me pushing it forward under the car while landing that last bolt. Hope it goes as easy as you all are saying, that would be ever so sweeet!

BMR Tech2

iTrader: (5)

10 being hardest? An 11! haha jk There is no answer I can give you here other than pry as hard as it takes to get the rearend back into the right location. Could be a 3, could be a 9.5.

LCA brackets should be done one at a time. Sounds like you took them both off at the same time. This means the rearend has zero support into the car, so it's free to go on about its day and it will shift around.

Raoul-Duke

iTrader: (6)

haha I did do both at once, I done messed up. I figured I'd save time since loosening both the shock mount bolts at once. I figured wrong.

Raoul-Duke

iTrader: (6)

So I gave it a shot last night and got the bolt in! I had my younger brother help push the rear along with myself and we were able to clear it.

I then proceeded to load the suspension, and tighten the bolts.

Which leads me to the next question:

To what ft lbs do I torque down the LCA bolts and the rear shock bolts?? I hope I didn't tighten them too tight.


And I somehow like an idiot, put the washer on the wrong side. After this headache I just left it there, and happened to have spare washer lying around to put in on the correct side, meaning there is a washer on each side of the LCA driverside bolt, Will this cause any problems?

BMR Sales2

iTrader: (40)

From what I found the LCA bolts should be tightened down to 74ft/lbs and the rear shock should be 66ft/lbs. I can honestly say that I have never torqued them down with a torque wrench because I normally just make them good and tight and they are good to go. Those are two areas where what you torque the bolt down really doesn't matter too much as long as everything is tight.

So you have a washer underneath both the head of the bolt and and the nut of the bolt? If that is the case it will be fine and I wouldn't worry about it.

Kyle

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

It depends on what bolts you got. I followed some instructions I found on going to 80 ft lbs with a new set of high grade bolts... but that was too much and I stripped the bolt. Luckily I had spares. I think maybe OEM bolts can handle 80 ft lbs but not the newly supplied ones I recieved. I went to about 55 on those.

If you are wondering why the rear end moves on you, basically the only things holding the rear end from moving forward and backward are the LCA's. The torque arm and driveshaft might.. but those can slide forward and backward until they pop out. PHB holds the rear end from moving right to left. Also if the rear swaybar is connected, that can awkwardly hold the rear end in place and put a lot of stress on the endlinks.

Raoul-Duke

iTrader: (6)

Thanks Kyle,

Yes I have a washer behind the nut and head of the bolt, good to know. I really do not want to get back under the car for at least a week or two! lol

I basically tightened them as tight as I could without feeling like I was going to break soemthing.



Honestly that is one thing I remember from putting on the relo brackets on my LT1. They had some mammoth torque specs to tighten them down to, We were going as tight as we could and still could not reach the "required" specs. Makes sense about the rear and lca's.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

That's what happened when I was tightening the bolt... I kept turning it and it would never hit 80 ft lbs on my torque wrench. It's because stripping the bolt required less than 80 ft lbs. The extra bolt hardware set may not be needed, but it's definitely handy.

Not to mention I used one of the bolts for another application. The supplied bolt for my UE decoupled torque arm was too short for the passenger side tunnel brace... so I just took one of my extra LCA bolts and used that.