The tokico and eibach Story Continues

[DJ LYX]

Hello everyone. Been awhile since i posted.
Although I barely post, i do read up about whats going on in here.
Pretty entertaining stuff.

If you can remember, last year i had a bit of a confrontation with a shop owner regarding struts and shocks. I had asked him to install tokicos and eibachs but he got KYBs and eibachs instead. So then when i questioned him about the difference between the two struts he got mad and i had to pull my car off his lot and get a refund for the deposit. He was wierd to say the least. (there's more to the story, but too much info for now )

Since then i ordered parts for the suspension upgrade online, here's the list:
Tokicos and eibachs
Front strut bearings
2 X front strut mounts (motorcraft)
2 X rear strut mounts (motorcraft)
front endlink kit (motorcraft aluminum)
rear endlink kit (tpr)
AL SFBs

Total cost with shipping about $1400

ok, so i waited all winter and now im ready to get them installed.
I went to a place today and the guy said it will cost about 700 bucks to install everything. The tax and alignment is included already.

Is this a good price?
Also the mechanic wants to know if the alignment specs are different from the factory specs with the eibachs pro kit put on.

thanx and God Bless

 

[shojuan]

Tell him you want zero toe and -.25 to -.50 degrees camber. And you want camber evenly balanced from side to side NOT -.25 degrees on one side and -.50 degrees on the other. He can put in as much positive caster as is possible too (subframe all the way forward, strut tops all the way back). It's subtle, but more positive caster = more self-centering tendancy of the wheel and a bit more steering effort (not much more though).

 

[shocrates]

$700 seems pretty high to me. Maybe that's because I just paid $325 to have basically the same parts installed, sans subframe bushings and alignment. If you shop around you should be able to find a better price, or if you're not too far from Belleville NJ, I can give you a number to call.

 

[2 4shofast]

I would look around that is very expensive. Have you considered doing the repalcements your self and then taking it to get aligned etc.?

 

[Slo-Sho]

Tell him you want zero toe and -.25 to -.50 degrees camber. And you want camber evenly balanced from side to side NOT -.25 degrees on one side and -.50 degrees on the other. He can put in as much positive caster as is possible too (subframe all the way forward, strut tops all the way back). It's subtle, but more positive caster = more self-centering tendancy of the wheel and a bit more steering effort (not much more though).

What would be a good performance alignment set at? (a.k.a I don't give a crap about my tires )

 

[billyshoe]

I paid 440 american for tokikos&eibachs and the best alignment avaliable in the country. This is the labor cost.

 

[Ishodu]

I paid 440 american for tokikos&eibachs and the best alignment avaliable in the country. This is the labor cost.

Were you not the guy complaining how "tity soft" the eibachs were a few months ago? Then why did you buy them????

 

[DJ LYX]

Yes, I would have liked to install them myself. The only thing is that I dont know how to. And the people I know are either too busy or simply not mechanically inclined. It would save me big $$$ to do it myself but I wouldnt know where to start.

But heck, after I replaced my headlight panel and removed the cone I felt like buying a clamp and tearing apart the wheels.

Yea definitely, I'd like to do it. I have serious time on my hands till september.

But on the other hand, like I said, I dont know where to start and I dont even know if I have the right tools.

We'll see.
I'm gonna get some more estimates and way the pros and cons of DIY
If you know of a weblink or shoforum link that explains strut replacement please post it. I'll see if its something i can do.
thanx

 

[DJ LYX]

LOL "tity soft" .....sorry

 

[billyshoe]

Hmmmmm....I want to place an ad in the classifieds using the proper channels.

 

[SuperG]

Good Lord! $700 is a total rip off. I paid $250 for the suspension install and about $50 for the SFB install...Perhaps $350 max...keep checking around. There is probably a SHO guy in the area that will do the work for little money.

As a comparison, for the parts you just listed, I paid $860, some of the differences are the springs, which I paid $100 for Moog's and Eibachs are about $300, and I didn't include the cost of the links. But that is about a total of $300 difference then, whereas I didn't pay for any shipping...

 

[sdpatt]

You mentioned that the Eibachs were installed with the KYBs. Why would you replace them with another set of the same?

 

[DJ LYX]

the guy who was going to originally do the suspension job last yr told me he ordered tokicos, then when i went into the shop to get the job done, he whipped out a box of KYBs. He then cocked an attitude when i asked him why he didnt get tokicos like i asked.

He further got ****** when i said that kybs are cheaper in price than tokicos and that he should have told me in the beginning what part he was going to order.

so then his little buddy told me that "well if you dont trust us, then we cant trust you." Which made no sense what so ever cuz i put a downpayment of over 400 bucks to begin with. So i got my SHO back and ordered the parts i wanted online.

That was since october last yr tho... so now i need help to get someone to install them for a good price.

I will be calling around to see how much it costs, if its too much i'll invest the money in some tools and take a stab at it myself. I have to admit tho, i am all thumbs when it comes to repair work.

 

[DHMag]

DIYASMFOM = Do It Yourself And Save Money For Other Mods

 

[SuperG]

I watched someone install it and thought, "I could do that next time."

God, I hope there is never a "next time!"

Shop around, you'll find someone. I found a pretty good shop nearby that was fairly inconspicuous but could perform a lot of work...just make sure to get the price up front, in case it takes them longer than planned...

 

[Dave Ladely]

tokico, etc

I would also get new strut upper bearings, police ones, and Energy Suspension poly spring insulators as the stocks are bunk. Mustang isolators fit SHO at bottom of spring.
Also Moog tie rod ends and inner tie rods, add poly bushings, then align

 

[SHO-93-ATX]

WOW THATS GREAT.... LMFAO? X10...
"tity soft"
SORRY - but thats orignal
:****:

 

[Bizzy]

take a drive to Albany, NY bout 2.5 hours from the Bronx. I'll do the install of all you have there for a **** of a lot less than $700, a **** of alot LESS!!!

If you wanted have me do it shoot me a PM or email. I'm only 2.5 hours away and I have all the tools cept for the spring compressor, and I've been looking for a reason to buy one of those

A few people on the forum here can vouch for my work.

 

[masho95]

Yeah netviper will hook you up. He's does some pretty nice work. One of the few people I'd ever let work on my car. At the time I had surgury done and was unable to do anything. He was nice enough to install my SHONut Extreme motor mounts.

BTW what that shop did with your car because you asked him a question is beyond messed up!

 

[billyshoe]

I have been corrected, "***** soft" was improper. Pardon my scruples. I'll rephrase that, Eibachs are fleashy soft but tighen up to a limited point with proper stimulation.