Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Suspension Trouble installing BAT suspension

Okay, I've read the How to numerous time and the thread from a couple weeks back to no avail. I've gotten the stock strut out (using a pitman wedge) but now I can't get the BAT suspension back in as I can't get the knuckle over the ball joint on the A-arm. I think it might be that the axle is popping out. When I attach the knuckle to the A-arm (without the strut) I'm able to get the axle back in the way it's supposed to be but as soon as I remove it to put the strut back in the knuckle the axle won't go back in. Any help would be most appreciated

TIA
Peter

Biggest problem I ran into was exactly what you are describing. when trying to get the knuckle back on the ball joint, the axle kept coming out of at the cv joint and it was a pain to get back right. ended up having the lube up the post on the balljoint and use the floor jack to put pressure under the balljoint and ooherce the post into the knuckle. If anyone has any better suggestions I'm sure they'll post how they did it.

But I can't even get it lined up. I can get it so the post is just under the knuckle but the knuclkle is about an inch too far out for it to line up with the post.

compress the springs on the struts till the springs are bound tight to each other. Then mount your knuckle back on the ball joint, you should be able to get it on this way. if you push them together from the side(left to right/ right to left) the strut should slip into the knuckle. Grease the strut tube up a little and that'll help if you get close to slip in. It does work this way, it worked on my car and my friends SE sport. I don't believe in removing the knuckle from the ball joint..too much extra work.

I tried compressing the spring but there just wasn't enough room in the wheel well for the comressor. I'm afraid I'm going to have to drill out the rivets holding the ball joint and replace them with nuts and bolts.

Need a friend to push the lower C.A. down while you try to line the BJ up as close as possible so it's pointing out toward the spindle hole. Then with your feet on the rotor try to push it into place.

Tried that, besides when the axle goes back in it goes easy... I'm not to sure how helpfull extra force is going to be.

Peter

okay, I think I'm just going to see how low I can drop the subframe... anyone know how low you can drop it with out having to remove anything serious?

I've jacked up the balljoint placing the jack a couple inches left of right of the center of the rotor. Next roll the rotor so it slowly pushes up on the ball joint. By having the jack so far out on the hub it will help keep the axle from popping out. For some reason this works better than slowly jacking from the middle of the rotor. Trust me, i've done 3 tours and this little trick makes things much easier.

I've used a crowbar to get the control arm down low enough, then worked it onto the ball joint. It was a little more tricky on my passenger side for some reason. I had to get the ball joint post pointing away from the car, and use grunt force and almost "kick" the hub over onto it. Make sure your CV joints are lined up right. If they CV joint gets pulled away from the differencial, it seems to "pop" out. It took me a little work to get it back in, but it'll go.