I Can Defy
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- August 2, 2000
- Messages
- 163
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Worcester, Massachusetts
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2001 ZX3
Just so you know- we're dealing with 1998 X's...
OK. I got an X-spec lowering kit for free, with the special Edelbrock IAS lowering shocks. The person who gave it to me kept the X-spec sway bar however, so I got to drive one X with the whole deal, then one X with the whole deal but with a factory rear sway bar. First off- the kit is great, especially with the special IAS shocks. HOWEVER, if you are gonna do this- GET THE X-SPEC REAR SWAY BAR! I mean, in a neccesity sense, you don't really NEED it, but when you have that in there with this kit and these shocks- the thing sticks to the road like glue and stays flat too! SWEET! So, total time for install was LENGTHY-partly due, however, to the fact that i had to do 2 trucks at the same time (switching out factory suspension stuff form mine for the lowering parts form his). Let me just say- when all you've got are hand tools, suspension rust is THE ENEMY! The total project took me about 16 hours to do. So, about 8 hours per truck- not bad. The most pain in the ass part was getting the new front alignment cams positioned and tightened- you have absolutely ZERO space to fit sockets in there because of the brake/fuel/trans lines. Otherwise, the biggest time consumer was carefully taking off rusty bolts so as not to break them. Then finally, took it to get an alignment.
Now- this is where i have a question for anyone who could answer- what are the chances that a well reputed Sears auto-center would misalign my front end? Here's the deal- it drives perfectly straight...so technically, it's 'aligned'. BUT, if you stand in front of the vehicle with the steering wheel straight, the tires turn outward ever so slightly...is this an optical illusion? or should i get it checked? I'm just worried about uneven wearing on my $700 tires! ANYONE WHO COULD ANSWER THIS- PLEASE DO!
In closing- I would reccomend this kit to all. yes, it's a little pricey from EE- so if that's an issue to you, and you want to do it the 'autozone way'- just buying blocks and U-bolts, i reccomend the X-Spec sway bar and special Edelbrock IAS shocks. If anyone is going ot try lowering their truck like this- feel free to ask me any questions...i learned a bunch of tricks that go against the conventional instruction that make stuff a lot easier. I will have pics soon so you can see the difference between stock and lowered.
Eric
PS-IF ANYONE HAS AN X-SPEC 1998 REAR SWAY BAR THEY WANT TO SELL, EMAIL ME!!!
OK. I got an X-spec lowering kit for free, with the special Edelbrock IAS lowering shocks. The person who gave it to me kept the X-spec sway bar however, so I got to drive one X with the whole deal, then one X with the whole deal but with a factory rear sway bar. First off- the kit is great, especially with the special IAS shocks. HOWEVER, if you are gonna do this- GET THE X-SPEC REAR SWAY BAR! I mean, in a neccesity sense, you don't really NEED it, but when you have that in there with this kit and these shocks- the thing sticks to the road like glue and stays flat too! SWEET! So, total time for install was LENGTHY-partly due, however, to the fact that i had to do 2 trucks at the same time (switching out factory suspension stuff form mine for the lowering parts form his). Let me just say- when all you've got are hand tools, suspension rust is THE ENEMY! The total project took me about 16 hours to do. So, about 8 hours per truck- not bad. The most pain in the ass part was getting the new front alignment cams positioned and tightened- you have absolutely ZERO space to fit sockets in there because of the brake/fuel/trans lines. Otherwise, the biggest time consumer was carefully taking off rusty bolts so as not to break them. Then finally, took it to get an alignment.
Now- this is where i have a question for anyone who could answer- what are the chances that a well reputed Sears auto-center would misalign my front end? Here's the deal- it drives perfectly straight...so technically, it's 'aligned'. BUT, if you stand in front of the vehicle with the steering wheel straight, the tires turn outward ever so slightly...is this an optical illusion? or should i get it checked? I'm just worried about uneven wearing on my $700 tires! ANYONE WHO COULD ANSWER THIS- PLEASE DO!
In closing- I would reccomend this kit to all. yes, it's a little pricey from EE- so if that's an issue to you, and you want to do it the 'autozone way'- just buying blocks and U-bolts, i reccomend the X-Spec sway bar and special Edelbrock IAS shocks. If anyone is going ot try lowering their truck like this- feel free to ask me any questions...i learned a bunch of tricks that go against the conventional instruction that make stuff a lot easier. I will have pics soon so you can see the difference between stock and lowered.
Eric
PS-IF ANYONE HAS AN X-SPEC 1998 REAR SWAY BAR THEY WANT TO SELL, EMAIL ME!!!