Need tips 4 installing Front Shocks/Springs
09-22-2011, 08:42 PM
#1
Need tips 4 installing Front Shocks/Springs ok,
well im gonna attempt to install my front and rear strano/bilstein's tomorrow in hopes i can get it all done by the end of the day. its gonna rain anyways so it s a good time to do it.
The rears are no big deal (exactly like doing my 3rd gen)
but the fronts, I've read the LS1howto and watched the video thats floating around here.
just a couple of question, nowhere does it say how to index your front springs so they sit right. I know you dont just throw them on. Like the bottom end of the spring, which way should it be pointing? front or rear? or does it not matter as long as both are the same?
also when you take the top nut off does the shock basically just fall apart 4 me? will i be able to just slide the bottom perch off so i can re use it?
i dont know if im making sense with my questions but i tried.
also let me know anything else i may need to do to make it go as easy as possible..i dont want this to turn into a nightmare and be down for a while...lol
thank you sirs,
well im gonna attempt to install my front and rear strano/bilstein's tomorrow in hopes i can get it all done by the end of the day. its gonna rain anyways so it s a good time to do it.
The rears are no big deal (exactly like doing my 3rd gen)
but the fronts, I've read the LS1howto and watched the video thats floating around here.
just a couple of question, nowhere does it say how to index your front springs so they sit right. I know you dont just throw them on. Like the bottom end of the spring, which way should it be pointing? front or rear? or does it not matter as long as both are the same?
also when you take the top nut off does the shock basically just fall apart 4 me? will i be able to just slide the bottom perch off so i can re use it?
i dont know if im making sense with my questions but i tried.
also let me know anything else i may need to do to make it go as easy as possible..i dont want this to turn into a nightmare and be down for a while...lol
thank you sirs,
09-22-2011, 08:54 PM
#2
The lower perch is built onto the shock. The spring is aligned to the upper mount - it can only go one way. Rent a compressor to compress the spring before taking the nut off. Theres a good chance the uppers will be rusted to the shock shaft so may want to get a pair just in case. Theyre specific to their side so get one of each
09-22-2011, 09:13 PM
#3
huh? the lower perch is built onto the shock? so it doesnt come off the old shock? so i can use it on the new?
umm? i dont think i can just go run out and buy 2 upper just like that.
I dont think i'll have that problem...this car was well taken care of and everything seems to come off real easy, atleast so far everything that ive messed with did.
umm? i dont think i can just go run out and buy 2 upper just like that.
I dont think i'll have that problem...this car was well taken care of and everything seems to come off real easy, atleast so far everything that ive messed with did.
09-22-2011, 09:36 PM
#5
Yeah, here's a tip:
Definitely get the brake fluid reservoir out of the way. Too many people think they have to fight it to gain access to the bolts underneath. It's two 15mm nuts on the booster, and two more on the ABS block... either 13mm or 15. You won't have to bleed the brakes afterward, and you won't have to bend any brake lines. Just move it like 3-4 inches to the side.
When you remove the cotter pin from the top ball joint and loosen the castle nut, leave the nut on the bolt threads... give it a whack with something solid (no need to bludgeon it) so the steering knuckle breaks free. It's a bitch to separate, and you should avoid whacking it with the nut off because, if unsupported, the knuckle can fall forward and stress your brake lines and tie rods.
Clean your thread holes if they seem rusty. I bought a metric tap & die kit and my bolts are less of a bitch going back in.
Another thing people do is, after assembling the shock and springs, and after putting the nut back on, cover it up in grease or something to prevent rusting. I haven't done it, but it seems logical. Next time I pull my stuff apart I'm going to give it a whirl.
Definitely get the brake fluid reservoir out of the way. Too many people think they have to fight it to gain access to the bolts underneath. It's two 15mm nuts on the booster, and two more on the ABS block... either 13mm or 15. You won't have to bleed the brakes afterward, and you won't have to bend any brake lines. Just move it like 3-4 inches to the side.
When you remove the cotter pin from the top ball joint and loosen the castle nut, leave the nut on the bolt threads... give it a whack with something solid (no need to bludgeon it) so the steering knuckle breaks free. It's a bitch to separate, and you should avoid whacking it with the nut off because, if unsupported, the knuckle can fall forward and stress your brake lines and tie rods.
Clean your thread holes if they seem rusty. I bought a metric tap & die kit and my bolts are less of a bitch going back in.
Another thing people do is, after assembling the shock and springs, and after putting the nut back on, cover it up in grease or something to prevent rusting. I haven't done it, but it seems logical. Next time I pull my stuff apart I'm going to give it a whirl.
09-22-2011, 09:49 PM
#6
gotcha!...thanks for the tips.
oh and i did a search and found that the bottom perch comes off after beating the top ring off the old shock. MY new shocks the top ring is not yet installed so that good there.
any idea how long a spring swap takes a newbie?
im not actually a newbie at this...just on the 4th geners. Im learning though!
Im kinda **** about **** (OCD) so what ever i remove from the front i'll end up cleaning an painting black so it looks good when it all goes back together.
oh and i did a search and found that the bottom perch comes off after beating the top ring off the old shock. MY new shocks the top ring is not yet installed so that good there.
any idea how long a spring swap takes a newbie?
im not actually a newbie at this...just on the 4th geners. Im learning though!
Im kinda **** about **** (OCD) so what ever i remove from the front i'll end up cleaning an painting black so it looks good when it all goes back together.
09-22-2011, 09:56 PM
#7
^^^These are all great, relevant tips. Already mentioned, you NEED a spring compressor; the mounting perch for the front shock is itself indexed- just align the spring in the grooves; replace the top nuts with stainless and use marine grease or antiseize etc on threads and top nut- moisture just sits up there and the metal corrodes. I didn't diassemble the ball joint, I fenagled the assembly out by stepping on the lower control arm while sliding it out. Putting it in is the reverse, obviously. Just so you don't curse me if you try it this way, it is all in the technique and is by no means easy! Just muscling it in/out wont do it. That is why guys take apart the ball joint, but I never have (done it 2x). Oh yeah, b/c you have a spring compressor for this, make sure you compress the new spring assembly enough (when putting the new stuff together) so that the top nut is tight AND far enough down the threads. If it isn't (b/c you did'n't take enough pressure off the nut) you WILL hear banging over bumps. Ask me how I know...
Trending Topics
09-24-2011, 11:11 AM
#11
Also, make sure you have the lower mount oriented properly to the upper (look at the stock assembly before you disassemble). IIRC, the torque is 33 lbs.ft.
But by far and away, the best way to do this is to take the shock assemblies to a shop that has a wall mount compressor and air. I'm lucky in that a friend has a shop, but it would be well worth $20-$30 to have it done.
But by far and away, the best way to do this is to take the shock assemblies to a shop that has a wall mount compressor and air. I'm lucky in that a friend has a shop, but it would be well worth $20-$30 to have it done.
09-24-2011, 12:52 PM
#12
torque specs for the bottom are 33, the top nuts 32 and top bolts 37 i believe. I may have gotten them mixed up but i swear 5 ft-lbs aint gonna make a damn difference in this situation.
And just an FYI not only was my nut completely rusted through, the shock shaft was also seized to the sleeve in the upper mount. I used an air chisel and hammer to get it pretty much completely destroyed then relieved spring tension to pop the mounts off. I wouldnt recommend that but its quicker and as long as you dont aim it at your face....
And just an FYI not only was my nut completely rusted through, the shock shaft was also seized to the sleeve in the upper mount. I used an air chisel and hammer to get it pretty much completely destroyed then relieved spring tension to pop the mounts off. I wouldnt recommend that but its quicker and as long as you dont aim it at your face....
09-20-2012, 03:55 AM
#14
Yeah, here's a tip:
Definitely get the brake fluid reservoir out of the way. Too many people think they have to fight it to gain access to the bolts underneath. It's two 15mm nuts on the booster, and two more on the ABS block... either 13mm or 15. You won't have to bleed the brakes afterward, and you won't have to bend any brake lines. Just move it like 3-4 inches to the side.
Definitely get the brake fluid reservoir out of the way. Too many people think they have to fight it to gain access to the bolts underneath. It's two 15mm nuts on the booster, and two more on the ABS block... either 13mm or 15. You won't have to bleed the brakes afterward, and you won't have to bend any brake lines. Just move it like 3-4 inches to the side.
09-20-2012, 11:33 PM
#15
one thing i always recommend for people doing front spring/shock swaps, is to swap the position of the Torx bolts with the regular hex bolts on the driver's side.
from the factory, they put the Torx bolts under the brake fluid reservoir, and the hex-headed bolts out in the open, which seems rather idiotic to me....it should be the other way around.
if you swap them, you should never have to loosen/move the brake fluid reservoir again when doing a shock/spring swap, because now the hex bolts will be under the reservoir (which you can easily reach with a standard box-end or ratcheting wrench), and the Torx bolts will be out in the open where you can get at them much easier without having to move anything to get to them.
from the factory, they put the Torx bolts under the brake fluid reservoir, and the hex-headed bolts out in the open, which seems rather idiotic to me....it should be the other way around.
if you swap them, you should never have to loosen/move the brake fluid reservoir again when doing a shock/spring swap, because now the hex bolts will be under the reservoir (which you can easily reach with a standard box-end or ratcheting wrench), and the Torx bolts will be out in the open where you can get at them much easier without having to move anything to get to them.
09-21-2012, 01:13 AM
#16
Yes this is obvious. I don't know what GM was thinking putting there the type of bolt you cannot normally reach.
About the shocks - after taking off old shock it looks like new spring sits directly on the rubber of upper mount, just like stock. However there's no way the dust cover I had would fit on Strange shocks, black shaft is at least 1 inch too short for that... Seems like I would have to find some similar dust covers and cut off bump stops off them, then this all would fit on the shaft
About the shocks - after taking off old shock it looks like new spring sits directly on the rubber of upper mount, just like stock. However there's no way the dust cover I had would fit on Strange shocks, black shaft is at least 1 inch too short for that... Seems like I would have to find some similar dust covers and cut off bump stops off them, then this all would fit on the shaft
09-21-2012, 10:33 AM
#17
TECH Fanatic
One thing that I will say about the nut that may be fused to the shock shaft, you can use a saws all and cut the shaft (MAKE DAMN SURE THAT YOUR SPRING IS COMPRESSED ENOUGH FIRST.) It took me 10 seconds to cut through it. After it's all separated at that point, hit the shaft that has the nut fused to it (back and forth) and you'll be able to pull it right out of the shock mount (if you care to re-use the mount.) You can knock the perch off of the old shock with no problem as well.
