I'm doing a complete tear down and rebuild of my IROC, engine is at the machine shop right now so I'm installing all of my new UMI goodies and other parts that needed replacing. So far I'm impressed with the quality of UMI's parts and look forward to seeing how they perform once the car is on the road. Here's a small break down of what I have installed...

UMI Lower Control Arms
UMI Panhard Bar
UMI Caster / Camber plates
UMI Sub frame connectors
Koni Yellow struts and shocks
Eibach sportline springs
BMR torque arm
Poly A-arm and sway bar bushings
UMI strut tower brace
All new Moog center link and idler arm with UMI adjusters

 

Here are the Caster & Camber plates

 

Koni front struts just hanging on the strut tower, need to remove the sleeve from the old struts and install them on the new ones. Also new steering components.....

 

Another view

 

L-98 block and heads in the truck, currently in the machine shop and will be out on Monday. WC T-5 cleaned and ready to go in...

 

 

I'm liking where this is going. Thanks for the kind words and for choosing UMI!

Let us know if you need any setup info.

Ramey

 

The dust shields will not allow the bearing in your new strut places to articulate properly. You need to find another solution.

Options include:
no dust shields
4x4 dust shields
something else

 

I did not know that, do those dust shields really matter?

 

No...

 

No they don't. They keep junk off the strut tube so the strut seal has less work to do. Nice to have but not necessary. I'd probably run them if you plan to do lots of off roading.

 

utfan01ss, thanks for posting pics. Always good to see how parts go together especially new ones! I have most of the same suspension parts from UMI and Koni's. Hopefully at end of summer I'll be ready to install them.

Engine bay looks great!

 

Couple more updated pics... got my engine back from the machine shop and put together. Going to drop it in on Friday and hopefully have it running this weekend.

Front suspension installed, still have to purchase Poly sway bar bushings and end links for the front. I'll get that done tomorrow....

 

Another engine bay shot, front suspension and brake rotors... and the pretty freshly machined L-98 from the machine shop

 

Few more engine pics as I put it together. All scat internals, LT4 hot cam, Comp Magnum roller tip rockers, Trick Flow roller lifters and a few other goodies.

 

I put my valve covers and headers on just to see what it looks like, not bad. Can't wait to put my SLP runners and polished upper plenum on with those aluminum parts. Hopefully it will look good. I have MSD wires, distributor and coil which are red. Just a few simple details here and there.

 

Thanks! Yeah I'm excited to get it all put together. I've invested lots of money into this car and can't wait to show it off. Not too many nice third gens around here.

 

some really nice looking toys you've got going onto that car. keep up the good work!

 

Almost got the engine finished up. Had to order another drivers side serpentine belt bracket since I broke mine in half when I tore the motor down. It should be here before Friday so hopefully I'll have the car on the road this coming weekend. Everything is going well so far... except my car is sitting uneven. The passenger side front fender gap is 1.5 inches higher than the drivers side. I haven't installed the front sway bar or wonder bar and haven't lubed the suspension or steering components so I'm not sure if that has something to do with it or not. I'm going to double check everything before I drive it though. Hopefully its nothing major.

All in all the project is moving along...

 

Thanks! Looking forward to getting it on the road. It's taken me a long time to get all of the parts together to finally build the car.

 

Did you index your springs properly? The spring could have moved in the pocket causing the higher ride height.

 

Beautiful!

 

Is those Tie Rod Ends Moog? My inner has the grease fitting on the back like yours does....what the #@# do you use to get grease in it....not enough clearance for my gun.

 

No, the center link and idler arm both are Moog parts but the tie rod ends are Duralast from Autozone. Honestly they **** me off, I took mine loose and lowered them down to where I could get the grease gun on the fittings. Once I greased it to where the boot was filling up I installed them and torqued the nut down. I'm going to check and see if the Moog tie rod ends have the fitting on the sides, where they should be. It really is a PITA having the fittings on the back where its against the K-member.

 

I know exactly what you mean. I just put the same ones on my car and had to do the exact same thing. I guess I'm going to have to go get a low profile 90 degree bend for my grease gun to hit them up now and then. Supposedly, the Duralast Tie Rod Ends and Centerlink are made by Moog for Autozone. This is according to my local store manager. But they do have the same part numbers as Moog.

 

i think you have the wrong inner tie rod ends. i ordered moog inner rod ends through rock auto and mine are on the end of the tie rod so there will not be an issue getting the grease gun on it.