1991 RC recovery mission - "Rebel Scum"

underscore

Well-known member
Thanks!

I just learned that the "devils number" was recently discovered to actually be 613, not 666. Maybe my car will behave a little better now?
 

underscore

Well-known member
Small update to the shopping list, also got the turbo back in last night with some help from a friend of mine. I hate that hardline for the turbo oil feed/drain so much I ordered a kit to replace it with braided lines. That and the rubber elbow at the bottom of the oil drain is old as hell, and the clamps as so worn I can compress them with my fingers - yikes!
 

underscore

Well-known member
I got everything back together sans brake fluid before realising I forgot to renew my insurance so I couldn't take it down to the car show anyways. So now I'm back to tearing it apart again, new brake pads are on order to go with all the new rotors, and BC Racing coilovers should be on order within the next couple days. Unfortunately it looks like it won't be moving until late July/early August at the current rate, as I'm picking up a bunch of parts in a week and a half, then I'm out of town July 6-18th. Bah.
 

underscore

Well-known member
All my GT4 Racing bits aside from the swaybar endlinks showed up so I'll be dropping the subframe once I get back from vacation. I also picked up my turbo oil line kit, rear strut tower bar and rear rotors from a friend in Van who has a US mailbox this weekend, along with some solid motor mounts and spare TVIS bits/injectors/speakers from Corey.
 

underscore

Well-known member
I've started unhooking the rear end so I can drop it, get the old bushings pressed out, get everything powdercoated, and get the new ones pressed in.

So far the rear crossmemeber is out, and all the arms on the passenger side are removed/loose, the passenger side brake assembly is off including the ebrake (which happened in an explosion of springs) & the only thing keeping that side on is the ABS sensor. I removed the bolt but I can't get the piece of crap out for the life of me. Everything is very sticky as I doubt any of these bolts have been turned since the car left the factory, and having only hand tools & floor jacks doesn't help. There was a spider living in the drivers side hub but I think it's gone now as I removed all the webs and no new ones have appeared, so I think it's safe to start loosening up the drivers side & preparing to drop it.

In other news I'm finally able to order the coilovers I want, the downside is they take 2-3 weeks to make and then they get shipped to the border, where a friend of mine will pick them up & get them up to me at some point. So realistically the soonest this car will move is September. :bangshead:
 

underscore

Well-known member
Ordered BC Racing RAM Type coilovers from Enjuku Racing for $1199 shipped, which will take 2-3 weeks to build & 1 week to ship. The default spring rates are 8k/4k so I asked for 10k/8k to stiffen things up a little. If for some reason you guys think those numbers are off lemme know and I can call them and change the order.
 

underscore

Well-known member
To answer the question about the Enkei's, I'm honestly not sure what the offset is, they came off my friends bugeye WRX. So far the fronts appear to clear everything but the rears rubbed on the stock rear struts in my GTS. Which isn't a big deal as I want spacers anyways.
 

underscore

Well-known member
I'm assuming it should be stamped on there somewhere, but I'm too lazy to check. They look awesome on a lowered Celica so I doubt I'll ever sell them anyways.
 

underscore

Well-known member
After a couple weeks of slowly fighting bolts in my spare time, I took this:

216126_10152047486950193_1191186776_n.jpg


Out of here:

293296_10152047486350193_1973794350_n.jpg


And then removed the struts (for some reason I unbolted them from the chassis not the hubs, and dropped them with the subframe) and disconnected the left side suspension arms & axle (can kinda see that in the pic).

Now it's time for powdercoating, getting the GT4 Racing bushings pressed in, klue's rear diff mount kit (although my diff mount actually looks pretty good), coilovers & rear spacers. Then the rear end is done aside from bodywork, an ACPT CF driveshaft (eventually) and maybe a custom diffuser.
 

Corey

Active member
Nice work,

I'd love to see what you come up with for a rear diffuser, that would be a cool project.
 

underscore

Well-known member
Thanks, the physical drop with a jack went a lot better than I thought it would. It got a little bit tangled on the front main studs but apart from that it was pretty painless. Definitely leave the struts on the car unless you plan on rebuilding your axles though.

For the diffuser, I eventually want to build skid plating for the entire undebody, partly for protection and partly for aerodynamics. So since I'll already be making a plate that wraps around the gas tank, I figure I may as well tuck it into the rear bumper skin and make it into a diffuser. No clue how I'll make the fins yet though, either chop up a universal one or just weld some straight to the plate.
 

underscore

Well-known member
Rear end is mostly apart, my biggest issue right now is getting the axles out of the hubs as I have no way to stop them from spinning & I want to rebuild them before everything goes back in (the boots look pretty worn & dried out). Then once I get the diff kit I'll strip out all the old bushings, powdercoat or paint everything (I'm hoping for powder but I'm trying to stick to a budget now, sadly) and toss it all back in, just in time for winter :cry:

Oh and my coilovers arrived today, my friend still has them but he's in town so I'm getting excited.

Oh and I need spacers, unless I get lucky at the tires don't rub the BC's like they rub the stockers.
 

aus jd 2703

New member
just did a similar rebuild, all rear bushings and wheel bearings, its easy..... not!
undo the axle nut wind it out so it is on by half the nut and use that to push the axle out of the hub, if last time anti seize was used ull do it by hand if not get a hammer and dolly and belt it out but be careful of the thread. u wanna hit the nut as replacing that is cheap a new axle is not.
once the driveshaft is out or cv as i call it. leave it there as if u pull it out the diff you have to drain fluid. u mention wanting new boots im assuming on the cv if this is the case ull need to pull it off, i would undo the bolts that attach the cv to the diff, this will save u draining the diff just remember to make match marks on the two halves of the cv.

now to removing the hub. make sure you have match marks on your toe adjustment bolts as this will save time when u get a wheel alignment as it should be in the ball park. then undo the 6 bolts on the arms and pull the arms off (so you can do you poly suspension) the hub should be hanging by the strut/coil over. now remove brakes etc. the hand brake is a bitch.
take the two spring clips that hold the pads in, off. remove the two springs at the top and the one at the bottom, now remove the pads and undo the two bolts that hold the hand brake cable. your hub should come off.

to press the stub axle out of the bearing is a pain. remove all seals. using a hydraulic bearing pull place and old socket thats smaller than the id of the bearing place the socket on the cv side or inside and push the but out. it will take a lot of force about 1tonne. once you have the stub axle out remove the cir-clip and then push the bearing outer out. use a press to do the bearings its the best way and a lot easier.

when assembling remember the outer seals as they go in before the stub axle and the sit flush with the hub don't drive them home as they will sit to low. on assembly remember to lightly grease the seals and to anti seize the splines of the axle.
hope this helps
 

underscore

Well-known member
I've already dropped the diff and everything out. The rear end was taken apart at some point to some degree but I'm not sure what has been touched yet. The nubs that the axles & driveshaft bolt to are still in the diff, the fluid was good when I checked it a year and 2000km ago, not sure if I should drain it just cause, or leave it.
 

aus jd 2703

New member
if you haven't replaced it previously id do it better to be safe than sorry. do u know if it has a torsen? good chance to check.
 

underscore

Well-known member
The only thing in this car that seemed to be maintained properly were the diff/tranny fluids. I'll at least take a look at it to be sure. It's supposed to have a torsen, it feels like it does when I drive (with what little RWD/AWD experience I have) but I've never checked. Whats the definitive way to know?
 
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