So i've got a bunch of things to install / fix tomorrow on my car.

1) Install my ingalls stiffy that I have set at 12.5mm w/ dynamat extreme to go along

2) Install rotorpros slotted rotors (front only)

3) Install axxis XBG semi-metallic brake pads

4) Install Hotchkis front strut bar

5) Get rid of the insesant clutch squeak (that I now have a resolution to thanks to SquallLHeart)

6) Install shifter base bushings

7) Install DIY Cabin Air Filter


Any advice? send it my way, otherwise wish me luck!

:clap: woo hoo ingalls stiffy is going in! have to let us know how that works out for you.

only other advice i could give is to use a torque wrench when tightening down the strut tower bar. Sorry don't know the ft-lbs spec for those bolts, might be in the tech section here.

and of course to break in the new rotors accordinlgy :)

sounds like a fun saturday indeed! good luck

My advise: Buy some beer.

lol beer indeed. Got a 12 pack of coronas - not to worry! lol

Yea, i've got my torque wrench all ready to go and I even have my electric impact wrench to speed up the process of taking off my wheels lol. I have the specs for the bolts on the strut tower. Its about 40 ft-lbs.

Not familiar with much of a process for breaking in the rotors/brakes. I suppose I should know that, but alas, I do not! lol What do you recommend?

well i don't know if it was here or another forum. stoptech had a great way to break them in. I found it helped me when i did have some trouble with my stock ones. But basically just be easy on them for the first 200-250 miles.. Stoptech wants you to get them hot and be asking for a lot from them. I'd just use the easy, normal method for 200 miles, then maybe try stoptech's way..

yea, i was planning on doing it your way as well. Whether installing pads or rotors, I usually just take it easy for the first couple hundred. I'll review stoptechs website and the tech area here on sl though to double check.

(Just added a number 7 to the list...I almost forgot!)

yeah you're like me in that you take it easy, just to make sure.. cool.. good luck!! :)

Well I openned up the ingalls stiffy to adjust it tonight and I see that it came broken! ughhhhhhhhh That means that I can't do that or the strut bar tomorrow. major bummer!

God only knows when i'll find another day to do the install!

lol beer indeed. Got a 12 pack of coronas - not to worry! lol

MMMMMMM Corona!!!

well i don't know if it was here or another forum. stoptech had a great way to break them in. I found it helped me when i did have some trouble with my stock ones. But basically just be easy on them for the first 200-250 miles.. Stoptech wants you to get them hot and be asking for a lot from them. I'd just use the easy, normal method for 200 miles, then maybe try stoptech's way..

I did it Stoptech's way... Well, drove home normally... well.... babied 'em a bit... Then found an empty parking lot and heated 'em up nice and hot (they were smoking)... But then again, I have the Stoptech Stage II kit... made by Stoptech... not sure how the rotorpros rotors would handle in that situation.

krdshrk... okay see i knew someone on here might write in to describe the process! Good to know it works fine, I didn't try it til much later, brakes are completely fine now. no more noise or vibration! :)

and spect2k3, here we're all excited that tomorrow is the day and bummer it's broken! definitely have to call the company and get a replacement. sorry to hear that :(

Well, its dark now. This day was not nearly much of a success at all.

I started with the brakes, and when I got it all off, I realized that the pads were fine (the dealer told me they weren't last time I went in, clearly they were trying to make money). It didn't occur to me that they would be lying, so I never even looked. My mistake, I still have a bit less than half the life left. So I reinstalled what I had on.

I then did the cabin air filter which was easy as can be.

The clutch squeak I found, but I decided rather than me messing with it, the car is under warranty and I have the day off monday, so i'll let the dealer deal with it (not the same one that lied to me about the brakes).

I got in touch with the place I bought the ingalls stiffy and they told me that its fine to use, so I went to adjust it and realized that I needed a 1 1/16" wrench (which of course I didnt have). So I went to the store and bought that. Then, I went to install one of the bolts on the engine mount for the stiffy, and I needed a 17mm deep socket when i only had a regular socket, so I had to go out to the store again for that. Now its dark, so the rest will have to wait until tomorrow.

I got too aggrevated to deal with the shifter base bushings today. its an easy install, but I need steady hands and i'm too aggrevated.

I'll finish the stiffy and strut bar tomorrow and monday i'll get the clutch all lubed up nicely. The brakes can wait 6 more months!

woo hoo.. it's like "mechanics log" :) cool thanks for keeping us posted. makes me wonder about that dealer though, lying to you about the pads. maybe time to find another dealer.. You know a lot of us say that to a lot of people on here. But if they're lying, not very cool at all..

keep up posted on the "mechanics log" :)

lol you got it bro

yea, some guys are truly shady. its not my 'usual' dealer that said that (fortunately)

oh good glad it wasn't your normal dealer.. whew! but it does sound like the day wasn't a total waste. Got some good stuff done. very good indeed!

So I installed the strut bar and the stiffy today.

My LORD is that stiffy loud. It sounds like i'm driving an old american muscle car!! I used two layers of dynamat to deaden the sound, but its not the vibrations thats bothering me! I don't know if thats normal or not, but its CRAZY loud. Good performance, but SOOO loud! I have it set to 12.5mm...I'll lower it way down if I have to!

congrats on the installs

thanks...I just don't know how thrilled I am with the stiffy...I may have to go back and adjust somethin!

sounds like it
good luck

So I got the stiffy going nicely.

The brakes are on hold until I actually need them since the
dealer screwed me over.

The hotchkis bar is on which seems to have equal performance to the dc bar.

The diy cabin air filter is nice. Finally little particles aren't floating around.

I openned the package for the shifter base bushings, and I realize that they sent me the shifter cable bushings by accident, so I had to send those back out for an exchange.

Lastly, the clutch squeak. i've brought it in about 3 times now and it keeps coming back. So far, the last time is still keeping it lubricated. We'll see how long it takes to come back. So there is the final update. No part of this install was particularly hard, the stiffy just needs a little time to break in and sounds crazy when its 30 degrees out and is ice cold (nice loud popping noises)

Thanks for your help guys!

theres hundreds of ways to break in new pads/rotors. one way i was taught and in the end it worked out well was to tkae the car up to 30 and apply light brake till stop, then up to 40 light brake to stop, 50 and light brake till stop and for the next 3 days light brake pressure to daily driving and you should be good to go. the more you baby it, the better

congrats on all the work.

thanks guys!