It's been a while...

[Danger DANJ]

...since I've posted any pics. Mainly because there isn't much to show since my accident. This past weekend, I went to my parent's house to put my summer wheels on and fix some things on my car, like the front passenger side axle.

I also got some new Sumitomo HTR Z III tires installed. So far on my 2.5 hour trip home to NY, they seem pretty good in the pouring rain. I can't wait to test them on dry road. They are definitely more quiet and a bit more comfotable than the Yokohama Parada spec-2's I usually rock.

As I was jacking up my car to work on it this weekend I noticed my rear passenger Tein damper is leaking oil. I can't be without my car, so I can't wait and send it back to Tein for an overhaul. I'm probably going to switch my suspension to H&R springs with KYB AGX's, then get all 4 Tein dampers overhauled and sell them. So, that kind of sucks.

What really sucks though is after hours of banging on the axle to get it out, then finally getting it out by pulling it out with a come-a-long attached to the axle and my Father's Kubota tractor, I still have the same clicking noises as before. This whole mess started when my front passenger side wheel slammed into a curb in the snow. I already replaced my bearing and hub assembly and tie rod end which got rid of all the vibrations and some of the noises I was hearing, but the clicking noise persisted and I figured it had to be the axle. Apparently it wasn't. I hope it's not my tranny. The sound doesn't seem to be coming from that side of the car though. The only other thing it could be is something with my Tein damper, like the pillow ball upper mount or something. Well, anyway, I don't think I changed the axle for nothing, because it did have alot of play in it compared to the new one.

Here is a pic of my Father cranking the come-a-long to pull my axle out:


Her are a couple of pics I took this morning before I left my parent's house in PA



Here is a pic from this afternoon when I got back home to NY


For anyone who might ask, the rims are 18x8 Rota D2's with a +48mm offset. The center caps I got on ebay because the Rota caps that came with the wheels wouldn't fit on the front due to the axle sticking out too far.

[9G]

looks clean man.

[Reelax]

still sexy!

[4-G-rim]

The car still looks clean..but looking forward when you get those JDM pieces back on again! Nice choice of wheels...one of my favorite Rota wheels!

BTW: your parents garage is super clean and looks roomy too!

[SkylineG1]

David, sup!!! Man it's good to hear that you are still in the family man. Are you coming to the BBQ this year?

[RAZ_76]

Looks good dude. I've been there many times before, it will pass though.

[pinoyesv6]

still looks good. haven't seen your car in ages!

[spdracr]

looks nice man, r u coming to the philly meet next week ?? i really wanna see ur car in person

[Ivory8g]

car is still hella clean! its cool man as Raz said it always passes.

[Danger DANJ]

David, sup!!! Man it's good to hear that you are still in the family man. Are you coming to the BBQ this year?

Hey, yeah I'm planning to go, so as long as nothing comes up that day. I have a wedding to go to on June 21st, so if it's that weekend, I won't make it. It looks like it will be the 28th though, so I should be good. With lots of luck, I'll be able to get my JDM parts painted and installed just in time. I was actually supposed to try and fit the '98+ VR-4 sides on this past weekend, but ran out of time. I took one look at how they lined up with the rocker panel and behind the doors and realized there is a lot more work to making them fit than I thought.

looks nice man, r u coming to the philly meet next week ?? i really wanna see ur car in person

No, I'm not going. I thought about it, but right now I'm trying to save every penny I can to get my car back in order. I just spent money for my girlfriend's birthday and our 2 year anniversary is coming up. I need to hit the lottery... $10,000 would be great... I'm not greedy. lol.

The car still looks clean..but looking forward when you get those JDM pieces back on again! Nice choice of wheels...one of my favorite Rota wheels!

BTW: your parents garage is super clean and looks roomy too!

I do love these Rota's, but I'd rather have the SSR Professor SP1's. lol. My Mother recently retired and my parent's bought 10 acres of land in PA and built a house there. The garage is a nice big two car garage with some extra depth for tools and work benches and stuff. Actually, there isn't enough room for all of my Father's tools... some are in the basement. My father planned to build an outbuilding in the back of the house with a his own shop, but the way things have been lately, the finances aren't there. It sucks because he would have had a lift and everything. How much easier would things be with a lift?

[mrjaydeeone]

looks good David. Nice and clean bud

[rez887]

Glad you're back David!

[ericbla03]

..

Here is a pic of my Father cranking the come-a-long to pull my axle out:

LOL!! This has got to be the most dangerous way ever to remove an axle. I wouldnt be anywhere NEAR that setup you got there. At least it got the job done though. I hope your father didnt lose any limbs or eyes that day.

[lonestar22]

im loving those wheels, if they were a little deeper dish theyd be perfect. car still looks clean

[RedGalant2k1]

Welcome back! And always good to see you doing well. The car looks great!

[Blue Ice]

Welcome Back Kotter

[Distort]

What happened to the body kit?

[4g63lover]

It still looks amazingly clean! cant wait til' you get her back to JDM status

[Jeffylou87]

Wow, haven't heard from you in a while.. Looks awesome..

[Stewi]

David glad to see your getting things back on track. As far as your clicking noise, is it constant, or only when you turn? Have you checked the lower ball joint? Those things tend to go pretty easy when you hit curbs. You better make it to the BBQ this year, havent seen you in over a year, maybe even two years.