Suspension Rebuild
04-07-2011, 07:36 PM
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Suspension Rebuild Let me start with a little background: I bought my 93 Z28 from an owner who pretty much destroyed it by using it as a display vehicle for his stereo shop. In the process he also installed a rigged up exhaust, nitrous, and tons of neon lights. I've done my best to repair and correct all his errors, I look at it as my modern restoration since I can't afford a classic.
I began working on the suspension yesterday, it drives so terrible that I decided to replace the shocks, springs, brakes, all bushings and ball joints, all of it might not have needed replacing but the previous owner also added his own mickey mouse lowering setup. The rear was simple enough to do and took about two hours to replace all that I mentioned including flushing the brakes, no real surprises.
Feeling good I started on the front, one word to describe how the front went, CORROSION! Every bushing, ball joint, and bolt were rusted or corroded in some way. I had to destroy the nuts holding the springs/shocks together to separate them, nothing like feeling terrified as you smack an extractor on the rusted nut while the coil spring is compressed.
I'm getting ready tomorrow to put the car back together finally, it has been one hell of a job. I posted this as a warning to anyone who plans to undergo front suspension work, be prepared for a fight and invest in PB Blaster and Brake Klean, you'll need tons of it.
I began working on the suspension yesterday, it drives so terrible that I decided to replace the shocks, springs, brakes, all bushings and ball joints, all of it might not have needed replacing but the previous owner also added his own mickey mouse lowering setup. The rear was simple enough to do and took about two hours to replace all that I mentioned including flushing the brakes, no real surprises.
Feeling good I started on the front, one word to describe how the front went, CORROSION! Every bushing, ball joint, and bolt were rusted or corroded in some way. I had to destroy the nuts holding the springs/shocks together to separate them, nothing like feeling terrified as you smack an extractor on the rusted nut while the coil spring is compressed.
I'm getting ready tomorrow to put the car back together finally, it has been one hell of a job. I posted this as a warning to anyone who plans to undergo front suspension work, be prepared for a fight and invest in PB Blaster and Brake Klean, you'll need tons of it.
04-07-2011, 07:48 PM
#2
I've only seen one F-body where the front upper Shock Towers werent rusted..the rest were destroyed.
I would get new Spring/Shock Seats..dont know the exact term for them..I got pretty much new everything in that area, the UCA's came from a car with very little rust, Seats from Orielly's. After assembling them I packed the whole thing in with Grease, never had an issue with rust again.
I would get new Spring/Shock Seats..dont know the exact term for them..I got pretty much new everything in that area, the UCA's came from a car with very little rust, Seats from Orielly's. After assembling them I packed the whole thing in with Grease, never had an issue with rust again.
04-07-2011, 07:56 PM
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I wish I had ordered new spring seats, the rust in that area wasn't too terrible once I got it out and cleaned up. I've got to get it driving so I can take it to work Saturday so it's too late to order them now. I got all my parts from RockAuto which have always sent me the correct pieces. I'm going to apply plenty of grease, but the next time it comes apart it will be for a complete tubular front end replacement from someone like BMR or Burkhart.
