Roadk9

I picked up a used bike carrier and mounted it to test. It's a Saris T-Rex Sport. The thing is built like a tank, and works great.

Roadk9

It's been a while but I finally got my engine compartment back together again. Parts were being worked by Epic Impressions, a new local company in St Petersburg. Next will be a consult on LED lighting options. But meanwhile I have a trip to Texas coming up and while there I'll probably paint the front calipers, a nice red also.

Roadk9

I finally got around to painting the front calipers. G2 is some messy stuff. But it does dry pretty hard and shiny. I took some extra steps to do a good stock style job, so you will see the bolt ends and the pins.

Roadk9

For a performance mod I installed a aFe dry performance filter and then opened some more of the cells in the grill to allow more air in and also the get a more direct path to the intake. After looking at this pic I think can open a couple more in the lower left corner. As a direct result the IATs are lower when driving, and they drop quicker when starting to move from a stop.

Roadk9

and dropped off the MRT hood struts I ordered last week.

I bought the MRT after looking at lots of different units: Drake, Redline, Steeda, they all have you doing more work than the MRTs and they all cost at least $20 more???

The MRTs were on in less than 5 minutes. Wow! and they work just fine. I think I made the right choice. Not slamming the others but these seem the optimum choice. Enough to get the job done and no more.

Roadk9

While I'm waiting for the Guys at BMR to make my CB006 brace and ship it I have some time to do a couple little mods.

Roadk9

I got my hands on the new BMR CB006 front sub brace. The thing looks great and is supposed to install easily. Well it is designed very well and finished beautifully.

I went to put it on and found out that Ford's stamping equipment sometimes needs to be checked and sharpened. The holes in the subframe that the brace bolts are to go thru were punched in such a way that the tabs in all four holes were still attached inside the tubes. And worse, on the drivers side the tube was actually pinched, it was pushed in on top and bottom. The install stopped at that point until I figured out a way to use a pry bar to pull the edges of the holes out far enough to get the BMR aluminum spacers into position. IT wasn't the worst thing that could happen and I got past it. Total installation time 1 hr 55 min.

The brace went on easily after that. And when driving now the front end feels a bit more solid. I like it.

Roadk9

I am looking at some exhaust upgrades. I need a more vocal exhaust. I think the Kooks 3" catback should be what I need. It may be a couple weeks from now. In the meantime I will also buy a set of rear vertical links. just trying to decide which ones to go with. Lots of choices, Boomba, Steeda, or BMR.

Roadk9

Man nothing going on around here, the crickets are deafening.

With that said it's time for some volume adjustment. The Kooks Catback arrived today and tomorrow it's going on. The plan is to jack it up and use jack stands to hold it. I won't go as high as I did to install the trailer hitch but again I have to remove the vert' bracing first (14 bolts) and then pull the oem exhaust off. I will store that in the backyard on my kayak rack. Then it's time to install the beautifully polished, massive 3" tube Kook's catback.

Mustang Freak

Please tell me your trailer hitch went on something other than your Mustang.

Roadk9

No, check post #21.

Mustang Freak

Oh ok I thought you meant a trailer hitch! My bad.

Roadk9

I guess a more correct term would be " hitch receiver"

In any case its on and it gets used.

Getportfolio

Looks killer man. Now you just need to deal with that kidney in your bay.

http://www.americanmuscle.com/coolan...lue&GID=390936

Roadk9

Yeah, I know it looks out of place. I don't like the idea of adding covers on things though. My fuse box top is wrapped as is the radiator cover. I think a Mishimoto tank would look great, in black.
I'm also thinking that a Mishimoto radiator would look great in there too. But that's for later. For today I took a long drive and recorded my interior sound levels at various speeds. It's raining off and on all day here so I can't put my new Kooks Catback on.

Roadk9

I got the Kooks H-pipe catback installed on 8/2. It wasn't a super hard job but I couldn't get the tips aligned. I finally took it to a muffler shop Monday and they are almost perfect. The left muffler is slightly lower than the right. Aside from that issue I am thoroughly satisfied. The Kooks are expensive yes but the sound is super. No rasp, not too loud (they have quieted down since the install). Just a deep tone near idle and a crisp bark when you throttle up. They look great too.

tj@steeda

We got a hot new product for convertible owners - introducing our convertible jacking rails!

Part Number - 555-5207

Best Regards,

TJ

Roadk9

I have been watching this on line on the "other" forum. I am ready to order when they go on sale. Thanks for the note though.

Roadk9

I got a pair of BMR TC045 Vertical Links. I need to find time to install them, but first I need to ask is anyone familiar with this version. They have the spherical bearing on both ends, so they have no give like the Delrin or Polyurethane versions. Does the lack of cushion imply they will be noisy? There is no gear housing connected to it so I don't expect gear noise, but there is a bearing in the rear hub. Has anyone had any NVH issues with their vertical link installation?

Roadk9

Today I got up enough energy to attempt the install of the vertical links. I watched several YouTube videos posted by different guys none was exactly the same. Some said put the car on jack stands and then support the hub assembly with a jack. Others never mentioned a jack. One guy said use Anti Seize. Some had to beat the OEM items out, some had to beat the new items in. I tried to pick what I thought were the best practices to get this done. I think I accomplished my goal. I timed the procedure starting with jacking up the driver's side and stopped the clock when I lowered the passenger side. Elapsed time 64 min 31.6 sec.

So what did I do?
I followed the instructions BMR supplied but I didn't support the hub. The car was on a jack stand, tire removed. I took out the lower bolt per the instructions, then the upper bolt. Then I squirted some liquid wrench on the lower section. I let that set for 30 sec and then used a small pry bar. The lower section popped out with the third pull.

Installing the new item was just as easy. But I didn't follow the BMR instructions. First I set the new unit in place with the top conical part in its place. Then I put the top bolt in and the washer and nut on finger tight. That left the lower section laying just outside the slot where it needs to go.

Using a block of 2X4 and a mallet I tapped the lower section once, twice, and a third time and it popped into place. The bolt was inserted and tightened. Then I tightened the top bolt up and followed the torque procedure in the instructions.

That was it for the drivers side. I wondered at that point if I was going to run into trouble as some in the videos had. But after reinstalling the wheel, torquing the lugs and dropping that side then moving to the passenger side I was relieved to find that side went just as swiftly.

Pics follow: