GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Well this past Sunday Mike and I installed the Tein springs on my Vibe. I also repainted my calipers with a brighter yellow, special (read: expensive) brush on caliper paint. Much better yellow than before though. I recommend the brush on-it's easier to do. Mike did most of the work on the springs but I helped and got dirty too! The calipers was all me though...Ironically enough, another wheel stud was broken when the rims were going back on-same as last time. Good thing these aren't too expensive to fix!Here are some inital pics of the new version...we took a lot of pics, they should be up soon. http://mitro.net/vibe/030623.html

Looks very nice Cathy! I can't wait to see it this weekend.

Looks good Cathy!You should bring it to the mega meet on August 2 and show it off!

how many inches is that?

quote:how many inches is that?We measured before the install and got 27 7/8" at the crest of the rear fender lip and 27 5/8" at the front. After the install I dropped it off the jack stands, rolled it back and forth about 10 ft. (to make sure everything was settled to normal) and got 25 7/8" in the rear and 25 1/2" in the front. So here are the results immediately after the drop (will most likely settle another 1/4" or so):Rear Drop: 2"Front Drop" 2 1/8"Here is a pic of the before and after: The ride is EXCELLENT so far... hardly any bouncier than stock with a much improved look. Handling is improved as well, although it really shows how badly the Continenals need to be replaced. Ahh... maybe next week. LOL

Looks great!! Nothing drastic, but noticable for the better! Now I'm going to have to eye up this mod for my Vibe....

for some reason this is how they all will look unless you start to cut

wow.. looks great. i can't wait till i finally order my lowering springs mid next month.. also need to e-mail the manufacturer to be sure they'll fit the 04's.

hmmm.... you may just have inspired me to add some springs. Are they difficult to install? This may be something I'll need someone else to do.How long did you let the paint dry on the calipers before you replaced the wheels?

I've heard that some of the desperate folk are known to do that when in a pinch. I've never tried it

I would say it's a difficult job...and it is very involved. An air ratchet would be a huge help...there are so many bolts it's crazy. And you definitly need spring compressors.... If you don't know what you're doing or have never really done anything on your car before, especially in the wheels, i would recommend you get some help or have someone do it...the whole premise of it is easy enough, but there is a lot involved...For the paint, the instructions said wait 2 hours before putting wheels back on and wait 24 before driving the car. We left it on jack stands over night (was done painting around 9:30-wheels were on the next morning around 8) and it wasn't really driven until maybe 2 or so in the afternoon. Each paint is different...I think we waited about 4 hours when i did the spray paint the first time and then i drove it 70 miles home...but with this kit I thought i should follow their directions. And don't use a degreaser or anything to clean them....plain old paint thinner will work the best to clean them off before you start painting.

I have to say after finally seeing and driving the car...there is a noticable difference in the overall appearance of the car, not just the wheel gap.Case in point...my boyfriend is 6'-5" and has bonked his forehead on the tailgate many times when it was lifted...now, it's about to his nose...and even for me, standing in the back is weird because it seems SO much lower than before. And I can reach the middle of the roof now and I'm 5'-6". I love the look even more now...it seems to have settled a bit and is perfect. One thing we did notice is that the drop is nearly even on front and back, which isn't the case on my boyfriends GA with H&R's. It just looks so damn good... I'm very glad I made this purchase.

thanks. I think I'll have someone do the springs for me when it comes time. maybe I'll work on the calipers in the next week or so.

The car looks great with those springs. Lowering is just so nice.

quote:Lowering is just so nice.Amen to that. Every day I think how much better they look lowered when I walk out of my house/office and see my baby sitting 2 inches lower.

True I really like it when I ride next to other Vibes that sit higher

you can't do it unless you have a spring compressor. No way to do it. Have any shop do it. costs extra

or buy a basic set from anywhere (got mine from JC Whitney) for like $20

Air tools aren't a must, but definitely make the job easier, particularly an impact and an air ratchet. the impact is great for lugnuts (of course( but also really speed up the process with the spring compressors, Now the air ratchet I bought specifically for this job and I'm happy to say that its my new best friend

Ha! I'm the one who coined the phrase after I saw the glee in his eyes after taking off about 6 lugnets in under a minute.... I have to say, we would have been a lot more grumpier if all those lugs had to be taken off and retightened by hand.... and the thing was only 30 bucks!! Talk about a lifesaver...

you know that impact wrentches are what brakes studs, right?

quote:you know that impact wrentches are what brakes studs, right?Not for those who know how to use them properly. I think Mitro knows what he's doing.

I never used the impact to tighten the lugnuts on the Vibe, just to take them off quick. I always use a torque wrench to tighten. On my car, if I don't torque down my wheels properly they get off center on the hub and cause vibration . The reason we were busting studs is because I didn't know the torque the first time I had the wheels off and assumed that they should handle about the same as my car. But oh no, its about half. It was actually funny because this time I wasn't even tightening the lugnuts when the stud broke, I just bumped it with the wheel and it fell off, so it was hanging by a thread from my horrible over-wrenching the first time. And I've NEVER busted a stud with and impact... just don't sit there with it hammering away for 5 minutes.

Quote> You can rent the spring compressors from AutoZone.For us Canucks, Canadian Tire Corporation (Pep Boys of the North) loan the spring compressor* for free!* Only don't call it that, they'll give you a valve spring compressor; you have to ask for a "strut tool".PS: Many of their outlets now cary an extensive line of import headers, CAIs, strut braces, pedals, shift knobs, etc. and have some Matrix listings that should be applicable.

quote:or buy a basic set from anywhere (got mine from JC Whitney) for like $20Be VERY CAREFUL if you are using these inexpensive "At-home" strut spring compressers. I was changing the springs & struts on my 83 Ford EXP and the compresser somehow popped off while it was under load. The spring shot around my dad's garage a few times, and the bolt on the compresser slapped my hand so hard, the threads on it cut my skin/meat to the bone on my little finger.I'm happy it was only my little finger, and not my eye, etc.

Good point Coho!The tool from Canadian Tire uses U-bolts instead of hooks. It's slower to use because you have to thread 8 nuts on and off the U-bolts a total of 8 times each, but there is no possibility of the compressor slipping.

quote:And I've NEVER busted a stud with and impact... just don't sit there with it hammering away for 5 minutes.I never busted a stud with an impact either, but everytime I went to discount, I ended up with busted studs, so I don't let them put my wheels on anymore, I'll take them home and do it myself