While the suspension is replaced...

[aipri]

So now that I have the parts I need I am going to be replacing the factory shocks and springs soon. My question is, what are the best things to do while the suspension is apart? My car is mostly original but has been well taken care of, but if there is something that will be an improvement over factory, or will need to be replaced soon anyway, I might as well get it done now.

[DMCMW Dave]

So now that I have the parts I need I am going to be replacing the factory shocks and springs soon. My question is, what are the best things to do while the suspension is apart? My car is mostly original but has been well taken care of, but if there is something that will be an improvement over factory, or will need to be replaced soon anyway, I might as well get it done now.

Sway bar bushings at a minimum.

[Rich]

+1 on those bushings.

Your VIN is late enough it has the crumple bar reinforcement already up front, so no need for that.

Check the Trailing Arm Bolts while it's up - unless you have tended to them recently. At a minimum spin them in place to verify they are still straight. Better yet, pull and have them checked for cracks and/or replace.

Since the new setup calls for a 4-wheel alignment somebody will likely be wrenching on them anyway to add or remove shims.

And be sure whoever does the job knows not to lock down any of the bolts/nuts that are over any of the rubber bits until she's back down fully on her tires. Thus no preloading of the bushings. Not specific to a DeLorean. Any decent alignment/suspension shop knows.

Be sure you have an idea about how you want to set up the rear ride height before the alignment. Assuming your new rear shocks are threaded-collar type.

If the rear ride height is headed lower then the rear camber may go out of spec. That affects how it handles, how the tires wear and how it looks. Depends on how far down you go. Installing adjustable lower links fixes that. That's a part you need to buy ahead of time unless you want to add them later - and alight the rear end again....

[dmruschell]

+1 for the adjustable rear links. My girlfriend's car has the adjustable links, but the camber was still off, as if they hadn't been adjusted for the lower height. Getting that fixed made a noticeable difference in handling.

Also, Delorean Parts NW makes a sway bar bushing kit that us supposed to he an improvement and help kep the LCAs in place better. I should have done that on my car while it was apart.

[D Knight]

Give Dave a call at MW and pick up the LCA brace kit and away bar bushings. Huge improvement over stock. Lotus designed the front suspension in typical lotus fashion-save parts. So they designed the away bar to also be a radius arm. The LCA braces allow the sway bar to be just that for the most part. Takes the load and redistributes it to the frame.


-D Knight-

[Mark D]

+1 on the lower control arm braces. I installed a set and I think they're great.

Check any bushings you can for signs of wear and age. If they look bad or borderline most of the bushings are cheap and relatively easy to replace. With the suspension removed it's also a good time to touch up any rust on the frame and suspension arms. I went full tilt and removed everything, sand blasted all the suspension parts to bare metal, and then powder coated. I used POR 15 with rustoleum top coat on the frame. Lots of pics of how that turned out in the various albums in my profile if you're interested.

If you haven't flushed and bled your brakes in a few years you might want to do that too while the car is up in the air. If you find you're having problems bleeding any of the individual calipers you may have gunky fluid in there blocking the small bleed passages. Check your master cylinder reservoir for rust and gunk too. If it's bad in there it's probably bad in the calipers. If thats the case then you'll want to rebuild the calipers with new seals. Seal kits are pretty cheap and it's a not to difficult to do. You might want to also replace the flexible brake hoses if they're showing wear.

Check your steering rack boots for wear. Those seem to crack after a while and then all the oil inside the rack leaks out. Consider replacing the boots and topping up the oil, or if you have excessive play in your steering consider rebuilding the rack. Typically the delrin bushing on the passenger side of the rack wears out and can get sloppy. PJ Grady has bushing replacements.

If you're looking for performance/handling the strut tower brace is also a good addition, but that can be done totally independent of any other suspension mods.

[OverlandMan]

Give Dave a call at MW and pick up the LCA brace kit and away bar bushings. Huge improvement over stock. Lotus designed the front suspension in typical lotus fashion-save parts. So they designed the away bar to also be a radius arm. The LCA braces allow the sway bar to be just that for the most part. Takes the load and redistributes it to the frame.


-D Knight-

How much are the LCA brace kits? Difficulty to install? Pics? You've sparked my curiosity now.

[Mark D]

How much are the LCA brace kits? Difficulty to install? Pics? You've sparked my curiosity now.

Price is around $340. You can buy direct from DMC Europe, or DMCMW stocks them too.
http://www.delorean.eu/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=20_143&products_id=95065

Easy to install...remove bolts from LCA and shock mount locations... replace with new longer bolts with the extra support brackets on each end.

There is a bracket on each side of the LCA, each with two bushings. The idea is to stop fore/aft movement of the LCA and allow the brace to support the control arm instead of just the anti-roll bar. Under acceleration/braking the suspension geometry will stay in better alignment than the stock setup.

See this video here to see much fore/aft the stock setup has while driving:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMHO4Aydk04

Pics:
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=14215&d=1350576260
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=24978&d=1391179503
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=27718&d=1401483846


EDIT:
Few more pics:
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=27720&d=1401484102
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=27719&d=1401484102

I had the suspension completely removed from the car in these last few pics and I was rebuilding from the LCA up, but you can install the support brackets without having to do all that.

[OverlandMan]

Price was around $340. You can buy direct from DMC Europe, or DMCMW carries them.
http://www.delorean.eu/catalog/produ...ducts_id=95065

Easy to install...remove bolts from LCA and shock mount locations... replace with new longer bolts with the extra support brackets on each end.

There is a bracket on each side of the LCA, each with two bushings. The idea is to stop fore/aft movement of the LCA and allow the brace to support the control arm instead of just the anti-roll bar. Under acceleration/braking the suspension geometry will stay in better alignment than the stock setup.

See this video here to see much fore/aft the stock setup has while driving:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMHO4Aydk04


Awesome - thanks for the quick reply and plethora of info. I'll add this to my list of repairs for sure!

[Mark D]

Awesome - thanks for the quick reply and plethora of info. I'll add this to my list of repairs for sure!

Sure no prob, there is some good info here too:
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?9450-Backing-washers-on-Delorean-EU-LCA-brackets

[aipri]

Thanks everyone! Very good suggestions, I will begin researching the parts mentioned.

[GS450-Junkie]

Price is around $340. You can buy direct from DMC Europe, or DMCMW stocks them too.



I understand the importance of this kit, but why does EVERY upgrade have to be so expensive? Granted, in the grand scheme of life it's not that much money but when your DeLorean overhaul list has about 45 items on it yet and EACH item is a minimum $300 bill worth of parts attached to it it just gets frustrating over time. Especially....when you are on a car budget. This kit looks like some painted metal brackets and some bushings. I mean come on!!!!!!! :)

[aipri]

I understand the importance of this kit, but why does EVERY upgrade have to be so expensive? Granted, in the grand scheme of life it's not that much money but when your DeLorean overhaul list has about 45 items on it yet and EACH item is a minimum $300 bill worth of parts attached to it it just gets frustrating over time. Especially....when you are on a car budget. This kit looks like some painted metal brackets and some bushings. I mean come on!!!!!!! :)

I hear you, there are some things if you search hard enough you can find alternatives at normal prices, but yeah most parts there is zero competition so the vendors just stick it to us. I was able to import JDM parts from Japan for my last car for less than it costs to get something from a few states over lol

[Flash66]

I understand the importance of this kit, but why does EVERY upgrade have to be so expensive? Granted, in the grand scheme of life it's not that much money but when your DeLorean overhaul list has about 45 items on it yet and EACH item is a minimum $300 bill worth of parts attached to it it just gets frustrating over time. Especially....when you are on a car budget. This kit looks like some painted metal brackets and some bushings. I mean come on!!!!!!! :)

I agree some things seem very high, but to fabricate and produce a minimum order is costly. Thankful to have certain things that otherwise would be impossible for most.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Mark D]

Yeah the price is kind of a bummer... but it's high on my list of favorite mods i've done so far though.

You do get quite a bit for what you pay in terms of physical parts....each of the 4 arms are laser cut and formed in a press. Then each has a ring welded on each end. That's 8 welds total and they all were excellent quality so I know someone took their time. The 8 poly bushings, sleeves and bolts also probably cost a good chunk of change in raw cost. I'd guess that he's probably got these priced at 2x what it cost to make them which really isn't that much profit.

My only real gripe was that the black paint wasn't the best quality...I sand blasted everything down, smoothed some of the sharp edges out, and then powder coated them black.

Matt, if you ever want to drive my car sometime to compare you're welcome to take it for a spin.