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DIY: AVO rear underbody braces


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First off you need to make sure you have two 17mm sockets, a 19mm socket, and a 22mm/7/8ths socket. A 17mm wrench wouldn't hurt as well. I used ramps to put the rear in the air, but you could probably use some jackstands as well. You should have one additional jack (such as the OEM car jack). And maybe a beer or two.

 

And don't forget the bar to hit the car with… I mean, a breaker bar. Some of the bolts are especially tight, and will most likely need the breaker bar to get loose.

http://www.avoturboworld.com/images/stories/2010/07_july/bushing/bushing_002.jpg

 

Get it up on the ramps, get some safety glasses on, and take a look at it all:

 

General area you will be working on. Big 19mm on the right, two 17mm in the middle there

http://www.avoturboworld.com/images/stories/2010/07_july/underbrace/brace_004.jpg

 

Find the rear camber adjustment bolt, and mark it. Otherwise you will end up needing an alignment afterwards.

http://www.avoturboworld.com/images/stories/2010/07_july/underbrace/brace_002.jpg

 

17mm at the rear of the bolt, where you will be putting the brace.

http://www.avoturboworld.com/images/stories/2010/07_july/underbrace/brace_005.jpg

 

 

You'll be taking out that big 19mm bolt (it is quite long) and then the 17mm nut and bolt at the top of the arm there. That 17mm is going to be the hardest part. Especially if you have a car whose suspension is tweaked a bit back there. When you finally get that nut and bolt out, you can toss it - that is what the long black AVO nut/bolt replaces (also 17mm).

 

TIP: Place the spare jack underneath the bottom of the rear damper, and screw it up a bit. This is to put enough pressure to keep that lower arm in place. Otherwise, a 15 minute job will take 2 hours as you try to wrestle the old bolt out and kill a kitten trying to get the new bolt in.

http://www.avoturboworld.com/images/stories/2010/07_july/underbrace/brace_007.jpg

 

The 17mm nut at the rear of the camber bolt comes off. Leave the thick washer and the epileptic washer in place.

http://www.avoturboworld.com/images/stories/2010/07_july/underbrace/brace_009.jpg

 

The install process is generally simple - make sure you have the bracket for the correct side of the car (it's hard to mess up, as they won't fit otherwise) and torque all the nuts down to factory specs. Make sure to match the camber bolt up with the marks you made on it earlier!

 

http://www.avoturboworld.com/images/stories/2010/07_july/underbrace/brace_008.jpg

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I tryed to do this on my car last summer but gave up because I couldn't get leverage from laying on my back. even with the pipe on the breaker bar. I paid my local mechanic to install these a couple of months ago.

 

I did install the front bar myself. That was very easy to do.

 

Nice post's Paul.

 

That's great customer service.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

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I did the underbody braces first, before any of those parts. It doesn't improve body roll or such, but the rear felt a bit less loose. Less body flex mainly. On my high mileage car it probably feels more noticeable than on a low-mileage car - mine's been, ah, thoroughly broken in at 182k in 3 years...

 

I'd actually feel it more if I had the stiffer shocks/springs installed that are going in later. It gives a bit better base for those to work with, and they are going to work the body more than the current underdamped and undersprung stock setup.

 

Cheers,

 

Paul Hansen

http://www.avoturboworld.com

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Ditto, I could the feel that the rear end felt a little more planted.

 

 

 

FWIW, With the front bar, the turn in improved.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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  • 2 years later...

Bam! Back from the dead!

 

I just installed this tonight and wanted to add a tip to removing that 17mm nut on the camber bolt. I was able to turn mine by bracing myself against the opposite wheel and had to use both arms to crank the 22mm bolt. Of course both the nut and the bolt turned together so I took a 17mm wrench and wedged it against the arm traveling to the hub and that stopped the nut from turning. The other two bolts are a piece of cake to loosen, in comparison.

 

I put in both the front and rear and am extremely impressed with the change. The car feels like it had a solid increase in grip entering and exiting corners.

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  • 2 months later...

I would say yes to be safe.

 

Or if you feel the car handling funny then yes again.

 

or if the rear tires begin to show funny wear, the yes.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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  • 1 month later...

Finished my install last Friday of these and KWv2. Car feels awesome way more solid and together feel while pulling big bends and sharp corners. The coils are definitely responsible for more of the stability especially mated to the hotchkis sways and kartboy links I already had, but the avo parts are solid and noticeable I'd say even not having installed them separately.

 

Big breaker bar was the way to go, I'm so happy I have access to a lift doing this on your back would suck!

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  • 1 year later...
  • I Donated Too
So I do have one question. I installed this and the camber bolts are not long enough to have enough thread to enter the nut all the way, in fact I think I see this in the 'official' pictures above. I can see inside the nut appears to be 'empty' as it's on only about half the threads. Is this safe, it's been a worry in my mind for the nut backing off despite being set to torque, are there any longer camber bolts that could be used?
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  • 1 year later...
Im tryin to figure out what size the extra long bolts included with the kit are, anyone know? I bought a used set that didn't come with them.

 

PM Underdog or call Rey at AZPinstalls.com

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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