SmsDetroit Registered!!! Extended Track Goblin 09 Turbo SS

[ctuinstra]

The best part is you get to deal with the stickiness left from the tape the WHOOOOLLLEEEE time you work the harness >.< I went through half a box of gloves doing the harness. I found Clorox wipes cleans up the stickiness from your hands pretty nicely (from when dexterity is needed and gloves come off)

I soaked my entire harness (in sections) in paint thinner to remove the stickiness. Worked very well other than it causes the connector seals to swell, so they should be removed first. Then I rinsed it with water to remove the paint thinner and then a quick bath in alcohol to remove the water. Worked like a charm.

 

[SmsDetroit]

I’m thinking a few tac welds some bondo and I can put it back together. No one will notice.

 

[SmsDetroit]

Are there any pieces that I should take off of the subframe before powder coating?

 

[Brett]

Are there any pieces that I should take off of the subframe before powder coating?

I stripped my subframe down to the bare minimum since powder coating prep was shotblasting.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

I’m thinking a few tac welds some bondo and I can put it back together. No one will notice.

JB Weld and lots of it!

 

[SmsDetroit]

I stripped my subframe down to the bare minimum since powder coating prep was shotblasting.

So did you remove the radiator mounts

 

[KSLunsfo]

Jumping back to a previous topic... I actually used WD-40 to remove most all of the tacky-ness from my harness.

I would take a shop towel and get it lightly damp with WD-40 (not dripping) then wipe up and down a section trying to get in and around the wires in the bundle the best I could. Then after a few minutes come back with a dry towel and wipe the area again. Took some time but that worked very well for me and far as I know you don't risk harming insulation or seals.

 

[Brett]

So did you remove the radiator mounts

Nope, they are useful for attaching other items too. There is a sensor (dont remember what it is for) that pop's in one of the holes and I used mine for parking brake cable retention points.

 

[Towerdog]

Nope, they are useful for attaching other items too. There is a sensor (dont remember what it is for) that pop's in one of the holes and I used mine for parking brake cable retention points.

Ambient Temp sensor.

 

[SmsDetroit]

Well there goes the shell. It was super easy to cut up and the scrap yard had zero issues taking it without the title. Got $95 for it.

 

[pisco]

Baby powder...

 

[SmsDetroit]

Correct me if I’m wrong. I thought the SS came with aluminum lower control arms? Mine have steel. Is that an issue?

 

[Ark :D]

Correct me if I’m wrong. I thought the SS came with aluminum lower control arms? Mine have steel. Is that an issue?

I think it will be an issue. If you do in fact have steel control arms, they probably have the smaller ball joint on them. MAKE SURE you have the correct control arms, you don't want to use the smaller ball joints in LNF knuckles.

 

[SmsDetroit]

I think it will be an issue. If you do in fact have steel control arms, they probably have the smaller ball joint on them. MAKE SURE you have the correct control arms, you don't want to use the smaller ball joints in LNF knuckles.

I drove it from New Jersey to Michigan. I think it has the correct ball joints. I’ll have to double check

 

[SmsDetroit]

The control arms are new

 

[Ark :D]

The steel control arms are for the FE1 suspension, in other words, the base LS model. It's possible the previous owner (or their mechanic) put the correct ball joints on new FE1 control arms, but do check to make sure the fit into the knuckles is 100% tight. If there's any play at all, it's a big safety issue.

 

[Rttoys]

I switched mine to aluminum Without a problem, but I heard some newer cobalts had different sized ball joints. I measured mine and they were the same. I’d say hit up an auto parts with a micrometer and measure the two and go from there.

 

[Ark :D]

All Cobalts except LNF ('08 to '10 2.0L turbo) have the same knuckles and ball joints. Only the LNF has the larger ball joints.

My Goblin is a hybrid bastardization of LNF and non-LNF bits. Subframe, knuckles, axles from a SS/SC, control arms from a LS, engine from a LNF.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

The stub on the ball joints for the LNF is 0.805 inch, everything else is 0.750 inch. The larger stub fits only the LNF FE5 bearing hub uprights, the smaller FE1/FE3 ball joints will be loose.

 

[SmsDetroit]

The stub on the ball joints for the LNF is 0.805 inch, everything else is 0.750 inch. The larger stub fits only the LNF FE5 bearing hub uprights, the smaller FE1/FE3 ball joints will be loose.

I’ll have to measure mine. Auto shake and rock auto don’t show ss just the fe1/fe3