jer_con

Ok....

1992 SC400

I don't know anything about anything when it comes to suspension. I'm sure it will be obvious after you hear this. Anyways.....recently I had 4 new KYB GR2 Shock/Struts installed all the way around my SC along with a 4 wheel alignment. I can't afford Coilovers or anything....waa waa

I get my SC back and drive it for a day no problems. Then coming home from work the following day I park in my driveway and something was quite strange. I took a look at my car from the back and just as I suspected the thing was cocked up 2" higher on the passenger side than the drivers side! It was literally sitting totally crooked! I wish I had a pic to post, it was pretty funny.

I drop it back off at my local mechanic the following day. He calls me later and asks me if I was out jumping dunes or something. My rear swaybar was bound-up. He popped the swaybar back into place, said he didn't see any specific problems and away I went.

Since then the same thing happened 3 or 4 different times. I cleverly figured out that by hitting the closest speed bump in range at a fair speed the bound-up swaybar would pop back into place on its own without the hassle of dropping my car off again....haha. Eventually I was able to figure out that the swaybar binding occured when my passenger side rear wheel would extend too far i.e. turing sharply up a steep driveway entrance or something similar.

The problem has gotten better AND worse. It doesn't bind up anymore but now everytime I make a left or right hand turn I can hear a popping and clicking sound....ouch! So obiously I damaged it.

My questions:

This never happened prior to the new Shocks/Struts being installed. Anyone else out there experience this??

Is my mechanic a moron, forget to do something maybe?

Is this a big safety issue or can I just ignore it for a while?

Thanks all!
JC

SCoupe

I placing my bet there right there, but not calling him a moron, thats for you to decide

And "...just ignore it for a while...", errr...NO fix it before something very expensive gets bent beyond repair.

jer_con

Good deal.....

I shouldn't even suggest that about my Mechanic, he a super honest guy and has helped stupid me out a number of times. I guess the Shock/Struts and sway bar issue are not related at all.

Any suggestions (brands) out there for a good swaybar upgrade (might as well). I'm going to do a quick search too

SCoupe

Sure, the MKIV sway bar is a significant improvement, the TRD Big *** sway bar is known to more for serious track use.

andrewwake

iTrader: (1)

I have daizen sways, and with the tien ss it has been working great, almost flat through all curves in the road. with the stock sways, this happened to me too but I remedied that very quickly and the payoff is greater handling.

jer_con

Here's what I found out:

The stock Shocks/Struts are Tokico. KYB GR2 have slightly more travel than the OEM according to specs combined with the fact that I still have the factory springs from 1992 which are all but dead as well. The rear swaybar became overextended (for lack of a better word) under certain turning conditions as I originally described. Result is a cracked bushing on the passenger side rear. I'm sure it was ready to go anyway and the KYB's just helped it along. A lot of things to consider with suspension! geez!

JC