Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Fixing those springs for Celica GT-S

In hooking up a car, a set of lowering springs is a must. The springs have to be firm, but not too stiff. How many times have you seen lowered cars bouncing up and down? or more specifically, while the car is moving? When the car bounces, its contact patch gets inconsistent, increasing the chances of the tire losing complete grip, which is definitely not good. If the tire were to skip off the pavement for a split second while going into a turn, you could lose control of your car and wreck it. Eibach has been manufacturing springs since 1951 and they make performance springs for almost every car out there. Two kits are offered for the Celica GT-S: Pro-Kit and Sport line. Pro-Kits would have lowered the car a little more than an inch. If you are on going with larger 17-inch wheels, Eibach recommends that you go with Sport lines, which lowers the car 1.8 inches up front and 2.4 inches out back. When using the Sportline kit, it is highly suggested that Eibach's alignment kit is installed to bring the camber specs back into spec.

Here are the steps in fixing the spring for Celica GT-S from the folks at superstreetonline.com:

1. Start off by removing the rear interior panels.

2. After the panels are out, remove the bolts holding the strut/spring to the strut tower.

3. Same goes for the front assembly.

4. Remove the lower bolts that hold the lower control arms to the upper links. Don't try and push the LCA down to facilitate room for the removal of the strut/spring assembly.

5. Moving to the front of the car, use a strap to hold the axle in the tranny. When removing the strut, gravity pulls the suspension out to full droop, and can potentially yank the axle out.

6. Pull out the strut/spring assembly.

7. Mark each strut to be sure you don't mix them up.

8. Measure the bump stop and trim off the appropriate amount. Eibach includes instructions on how much should be trimmed.

9. The bumps top sawed the appropriate amount off. The reason the bumps top is shortened is to give you additional suspension travel. Since the car will obviously sit lower, you'll lose a bit of travel if you leave the bumpstops at their stock length. Do not remove the bumpstops.

10. Put the washers and remain the hardware back on the strut, paying close attention to the order.

11. The top of the strut shaft has a flat portion that you need to pay attention to. A lot of times, users will just smash the upper mount and be happy with a force fit. Don't do it Chip!

12. Install the OEM rubber dust boot and upper mount. This is the front assembly, but the same thing goes for the rear.

13. Before you tighten down all the bolts, be sure to align the spring seat properly. Then it is done!

If you need to know more of this, visit the site on Eibach Brand.

About the Author
Terry Brown is a 32 year old from Houston Texas, and an enthusiast for anything auto-related. He currently writes auto-related articles for several publications.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Truck Accessories

Custom Trucks have never been so popular. More people than ever are now buying trucks and not just to be used on a farm or to haul cargo.

A truck can be customised to reflect you individuality and there are many truck accessories to choose from in today's market.

Some of today's trucks are on par with prestige cars and with the truck accessories you can buy either as an upgrade from the dealership as part of the initial purchase or later down the line as an add on make the ride comfortable and relaxing. Gone are the days when trucks were purchased simply as a utility to haul cargo from one place to another.

Whilst it's possible to obtain truck accessories from the manufactures of the vehicle it is far easier and more often than not far cheaper to shop around online. The added advantage of shopping online for your truck accessories is that you don't have to trudge miles to your nearest garage or dealership only to find that they don't have that particular part in stock. You then find yourself making a return journey days later to pick the part up when it finally arrives.

Ordering your truck accessories online will not only gives you a broader selection to choose from but allows you do it from the comfort of your own home. Normally the part will arrive within a couple of days of it being ordered.

There list of truck accessories is endless. You can customise both the interior and exterior. Designer seat covers and floor mats are available where you can even have your company logo or loved ones name embroidered on them to give your truck a unique and personal touch. Custom truck interiors can also include LCD TV's, sleeping bays, pivot seating and so on.

The exterior of your truck is equally as important as the interior. There are a variety of truck accessories available for the exterior which include fender flares, grille guards, hood figures, mirrors, cargo nets, splash guards, steps, spoilers, tire covers and graphics and logos. Try to get the right mix of for your vehicle as too many extras will look completely over the top and ridiculous.

Make sure you buy your truck parts from a reliable source. If it's over the internet check the feedback from other customers who have used the same website and remember to read their returns policy.

If it's a private sale make sure you get the goods before you hand over the money. If it is a main dealer be prepared to pay full price for your parts.

About the Author
Vicki Churchill writes for http://www.custom-truck-interiors.com, a site that specializes in Truck Accessories Customising Your Truck, Truck Hire, Truck Parts & Types of Trucks

Custom Car Parts

There are lots of people who like to change how their cars look and perform. For these people buying various custom car parts is part of trying to attain their ideal vision of a great car. For this reason you can find these individuals looking through many different car parts magazines and the internet. This is all in the hope that they will find the various custom car parts that are desired by them.

Now even though these people are willing to spend long hours overhauling their cars and they don't mind spending money on their cars, they do want quality items. To get these parts these individual will spend some time researching the various car parts just to ensure that the needed specifications are available so that these parts can be installed in their car.

Unlike many ordinary car parts custom car parts can be bought separately so that they meld together with different brands. Now even though these parts are from different models there is a good chance that they will still provide excellent quality performance. One of the best ways to find the good quality custom car parts is in many ways the internet.

With this facility you can look for various custom car parts that you want from all around the world. This means that you don't necessarily have to buy all of your custom car parts from the same country or even the same manufacturer. What you will have to do is to see if these individual parts have the ability to integrate with other parts that have a different style of manufacturing.

In addition to these facts you will need to see whether these internet custom car parts can be returned if you find any defective parts. Generally you will find that very few internet companies allow returns or exchanges. So if you are willing to take this risk, you can consider buying the various custom car parts that you want from internet stores.

You can also see if there are car parts and accessories stores that can provide you with the service of installing custom car parts in to your car. This avenue may be more preferable to many people as you can actually talk to someone who has the knowledge and experience in dealing with these situations.

At the end of your venture into having custom car parts you will have learned many facts that will be of help when you need to install these various parts into your car. All of the various custom car part items that you have bought and the ones that you have yet to purchase will play their part in making your car perform even better than ever.

About the Author
Muna wa Wanjiru is a web administrator and has been researching and reporting on internet marketing for years. For more information on custom car parts, visit his site at http://www.merpetsales.com/caraudio/