Front End Pedders Install (Pics)

[bobv]

sarge, finally got the front radius rod bushing kit,the street set-up by pedders calls for 4mm in rear, and 2and 8 mm in front, you listed sports setting at something different, please let me know what you reccommend, i was told that the set-up i was given is for street version. if i go with your version is that set-up for the track only. need a little help here, thanks

[PartsGedder]

The sport setting is putting the washer so it cups over the end of the bushing. The 4mm rear will increas the OE caster approx .5 degrees. This will help "liven up" the car for street dirving and some playing around. If you are looking for a competition set up, what driving are you looking to do?

[Sarge]

Yup^^^

[bobv]

parts gedder,you are saying to put the 4mm so it cups over the end of the bushing. would that be the front? and the 2mm and 8mm be in the back of the bushing where the tie rod is. if so what would be the front camber setting. and then the toe in front ea wheel, then toe in rear ea. wheel. i will be doing mostly street driving. but it is not my daily driver, would this be the right set-up for me. any other info would be appreciated, thanks guys for your input rob v

[PartsGedder]

parts gedder,you are saying to put the 4mm so it cups over the end of the bushing. would that be the front? and the 2mm and 8mm be in the back of the bushing where the tie rod is. if so what would be the front camber setting. and then the toe in front ea wheel, then toe in rear ea. wheel. i will be doing mostly street driving. but it is not my daily driver, would this be the right set-up for me. any other info would be appreciated, thanks guys for your input rob v

The 4mm small spacer will go on the radius rod arm next to step in the OE arm, then the factory washer, then the large flat washer from the package. The radius rod bush is installed. The large cupped washer is installed on the RR arm facing the curved front of the urethane bush. The 2 & 8 mm spacers are placed on after the large curved washer for storage, then the nylock nut. The amount of washers on next to the step set the caster. I'll get back and work on Monday and get some alignment specs that will help out for street play and not eat tires. What tire / rim combination are you running?

[CamaroFan71]

I asked on the big board, but the smartasses came in as usual and I deleted the thread. Doing the front RR's this weekend and was wondering are the Rear RR's required? Do they have "replace me now!!" requirements as the fronts? Wasn't sure so I thought I'd ask someone who's done a shitload of testing and shares his knowledge.


Thanks.

[PartsGedder]

I asked on the big board, but the smartasses came in as usual and I deleted the thread. Doing the front RR's this weekend and was wondering are the Rear RR's required? Do they have "replace me now!!" requirements as the fronts? Wasn't sure so I thought I'd ask someone who's done a shitload of testing and shares his knowledge.


Thanks.

The rear Radius Rod bushes are not as critical as the fronts and it depends on their condition if they "need" to be replaced. The EP9019 can be pressed out with a heavy duty ball joint press and some light heat (propane torch). We sell a lot of Street kits with out the EP9019 included, so I would say you should be good with out replacing it. This is my best guess without seeing or inspecting the car.

Inspect the rear radius rod bush for cracking or tearing. The washer on the rear of the bush should be flat, if it is severely deformed, it's a good chance the rear rr bush is failed along with the front. Chances are it is cupped a little bit, but this should not be a great concern. We are looking for large gaps and a lot of deformation and stretching. We'll see this on track cars and very aggressively driven GTO's with OE bushes.

[Sarge]

I asked on the big board, but the smartasses came in as usual and I deleted the thread. Doing the front RR's this weekend and was wondering are the Rear RR's required? Do they have "replace me now!!" requirements as the fronts? Wasn't sure so I thought I'd ask someone who's done a shitload of testing and shares his knowledge.


Thanks.

LOL... the children/immature drama queens have totally taken that place over.......no....only when the rears wear out....

[EZGTO]

Hi,

I'm new here and I'd like to upgrade my suspension on my 04. My brother-in-law works at Autozone and he recommended Energy Suspension. Once I found this thread and the outstanding write up from Sarge, I was thinking I should go with Pedders.

Are the parts that I need all in the Pedders Street 1 Kit? Sorry in advance if this question has been asked before.

I'm also wondering if the Energy Suspension Master Kit is even worth it? It is pretty cheap and I found it as low as $172 with free shipping.

Engery Suspension Master Bushing Set 2004-06 Pontiac GTO 3.18134
Front and rear control arm bushings, front and rear sway bar and end link bushings, rear sub-frame bushings.

Thanks in advance for the help!

[CamaroFan71]

Did my swaybar/endlink bushings yesterday. Here are the old s/b bushings. Complete junk! I don't have a Lovells/Pedders dealer close so I bought some Prothane ones. Doing the RR bushings today also.

[PartsGedder]

Did my swaybar/endlink bushings yesterday. Here are the old s/b bushings. Complete junk! I don't have a Lovells/Pedders dealer close so I bought some Prothane ones. Doing the RR bushings today also.

Check over in Slidell, LA. for the closest Pedders Dealer.

[CamaroFan71]

Check over in Slidell, LA. for the closest Pedders Dealer.

Yah I knew they had a place there. It was kind of a rush/last minute thing since it wasn't raining, or 30' one day and 70' the next.

[PartsGedder]

Ahh, gotcha. This time of year anything in the mid 50's for more than 12 hours and you better get it done.

[CamaroFan71]

Is the left side the only one with the large factory washer? I'll be doing mine tomorrow. Plan on the 2mm/8mm/large washer/bushing/large washer/4mm washer and then the nut. From what my elementary reading comprehension tells me should be the standard setup. Cupping the Pedders washer for sport setting of course : )


-edit- Can this be done on car ramps or does it need to be jack stands? I saw Sarge mention bouncing his before the final torquing, was curious if he let it down then raised it back up..

[PartsGedder]

Is the left side the only one with the large factory washer? I'll be doing mine tomorrow. Plan on the 2mm/8mm/large washer/bushing/large washer/4mm washer and then the nut. From what my elementary reading comprehension tells me should be the standard setup. Cupping the Pedders washer for sport setting of course : )


-edit- Can this be done on car ramps or does it need to be jack stands? I saw Sarge mention bouncing his before the final torquing, was curious if he let it down then raised it back up..

Jackstands. If you pull the mount off of the radius rod arm, the arm will be free and let the tire move in the wheel well. Bad things could happen if a car were on ramps and it moved. I feel jackstands are the better route here. I've also done these in a pit with the weight on all 4 tires and the rear tires blocked. Either way, no ramps.

The driver side (left) is the only side with the added washer for road crown. The Standard caster setting is around the 7.25 degrees drivers side to 7.75 passenger side range. Every 2mm change, changes the caster .25 degrees.

[CamaroFan71]

Just installed the Pedders RR bushings. Upon pulling the old one out I thought "these things still look new" but decided to chug along and change them anyway. Per Sarges great write up, installed em on jackstands, left em lose and lowered it on some ramps, gave it a few good bounces then proceeded to torque em down. Haven't gone to the store yet, but holy shit just backing them off the ramps and back into the driveway makes it seem like brakes are something off of a semi truck. Instant bite!! As everyone always says, wish I'd done this upgrade the second I got the Goat.

Thanks for the great advice Sarge.. Tomorrow I tackle the B&M shifter install -crosses fingers-

[Fester801]

Sarge, this is a great thread and your step-by-step was spot on. I'm new here, and it's good to see some good ol' fashioned shade tree'n goin' on. I figure you're pretty old school... Isn't it called "Texas Department of Criminal Justice" now? I liked it the old way better too. Anyway, this fix is fairly cheap, easy to do and makes our cars handle like a different vehicle.

[EZGTO]

I'm finally going to upgrade my goat's bushings tomorrow!

I will post once I'm done with the job. Hopefully everything goes well.

[PatrizioD]

Im just about to put the last piece of my setup in, the Swaybar bushings. In the writeup, it says to break the endlink from the sway bar, Im guessing this is so you can slide the new bushing on the swaybar. Well my concern is this... my bushings came sliced through one side of the loop, about 3/4 of an inch up if the bushing is lying on the flat side. This seems to be so you dont have to break the sway bar loose to install, since I can just open it at the slit and slide it over. Am I right or did I get some sort of defective part that wont hold up due to loss of integrity?

[JusticePete]

Im just about to put the last piece of my setup in, the Swaybar bushings. In the writeup, it says to break the endlink from the sway bar, Im guessing this is so you can slide the new bushing on the swaybar. Well my concern is this... my bushings came sliced through one side of the loop, about 3/4 of an inch up if the bushing is lying on the flat side. This seems to be so you dont have to break the sway bar loose to install, since I can just open it at the slit and slide it over. Am I right or did I get some sort of defective part that wont hold up due to loss of integrity?

They are slit to allow you to slide them on without messing with the endlinks.