MakoJoe

Hi all,

I have a 1977 with all the control arm bushings about shot in the front and not far behind in the rear. Purchasing a full Poly Urethane bushing kit for both front and rear.


In the process of buying parts and looking at the Stage 3 Spring Kits which are 550 Pounds matching front and rear set. It will lower the car 1/2 to 1 inch and reduce nose diving and roll.

Has any one installed the 550 Pound springs on a Small Block? It should stiffen the ride and improve the handling but wondering how stiff are they. Kidney busting stiff? I will be mixing them in with KYB Gas Shocks which will not be as stiff as the bilsteins but are considered almost as good.

doorgunner

I can only speak for Monroe Sensa-tracs and 330lb. coil springs.....the ride is equal to a Cadillac Escalade---a little firm, but you don't feel every expansion joint on a concrete highway.

Also not good for 90+ mph curvey roads (70 mph---Yes!)

Basically a smooth ride.......great for all day drives!


Maybe other members can comment on the 550 lb, springs?

69Vett

you might really reconsider a full Urathane package or not.
it is easy to order, but do not let that decide i if its best for you,
many prefer the rubber bushings for several suspension points on the C3.
many Pro's and con's for for rubber vs. poly. specifically for the C3.
good luck..

bobs77vet

some people say the poly urethane bushings in the real trailing arms actually stop the trailing arms from moving as they should creating binding issues.....i put them in my vette front and back but next time i think i will go with just rubber ones.

CaseyJones

The cheap Chinese poly bushings basically disintegrate after a few years. There is a thread in the Tech section from the past few days that shows the results. Good, American rubber ones lasted all these years. Think about it.

Later Gymkhana cars like my 80 used 550 lb. front springs. With all the other related factory components (sway bars, shocks, rear spring, etc.) they work well. I added Bilstein HD shocks to mine after the rebuild for extra control. I like the way it drives and rides.

Big Block Dave

In 2000, I rebuilt the front suspension of my 1967 Chevelle, with rubber bushings. The car was garaged, and not driven often. I sold it in 2010, and by that time some of the bushings needed to be replaced.

Subsequent to the above, I decided to rebuild my corvette's front suspension with poly. Hopefully my parts bought from corvettecemtral hold up better than the parts mentioned in the previous post.

MakoJoe

Thanks for all the replies

I will perform a little more research on the manufacture of the Poly Urethane bushings before I purchase them. I have lots of time not going to perform the suspension rebuild until Turkey week in November.

I do like the idea of the 550 LB. Gymkhana Suspension on my Corvette since I live in the Colorado Foot hills and plan on taking my ride up into the mountains next summer than doing some aggressive driving on hair pin turns and mountain roads.

Have not yet because it needs a little TLC before I take it for a day long ride where there is limited Cell Service. It is almost there and will be by next spring. Transmission sat for too many years also. have looked at the Monster THM350 which is less expensive then having the stock THM350 rebuilt locally.

MakoJoe

I have done some research on the Poly urethane over the rubber bushings and come to the conclusion the rubber bushings are the ride I am looking for with the Gymkhana Springs. Poly bushings will be to stiff since I am already going to stiffen the ride with the 550 Pound springs. There are few pros and cons on each but the pros on the poly mixed with the already stiffened suspension may rattle my kidneys. Since this car is garaged I am not worried so much about dry rot on rubber bushings. Rubber bushing last 10 to 15 years in my experience so I am good with that. Poly may last 20 years but by than I will be in my 70s

Thanks for the input you have changed my mind

MakoJoe

Replaced the Rear Shocks this evening on the Corvette and had a blown Drivers Side Gas Shock which explains a lot in the handling of the car. If I hit a bump on a corner it would feel bouncing on one side and really could not tell which side it was until I replaced the shocks. Explains a lot when I found the blown gas shock. It was all squishy and I could hear the air bubbling in the oil when I moved it up and down by hand. The Passenger side was still gas charged but very weak.

If it were not for a 2 foot breaker bar and an Impact I never would not have gotten them off. The nuts and bolts were very rusted in place. I will purchase all new bolts when I finish purchasing the Rubber Bushings and Gymkhana Springs. There were only 7,269 sold in 1977 with the Gymkhana suspension and I bet most of them were with the L82 Engine Package and not L48 Engine.

doorgunner

Replacing Both shocks was a good idea....you don't want a "good-old" shock failing on a mountain road.

Consider replacing the flexible hoses that connect to all four brake calipers if they are original....they don't cost that much for the safety that they provide.

Post some pics of the project as it moves along!

MakoJoe

When I get into the actual project of replacing the bushings on the suspension I will perform a step by step of every thing I do to help others I will take pictures of me removing the upper and lower control arms, springs and if I have time and money this winter will do the complete rear suspension also than tell how I do it. The rear end is going to be time consuming since I will also replace the Rear Short Drive Axles and that is going to be more than I can afford this winter. They are very rusted and while the U-Joints are still working the drive axles need more than sand blasting and paint they are very rusted and out of balance so I want to replace both of them.

I did it not long ago for my Radiator replacement and replacing all the seals than told others how I did it. I have all winter to do it and will take my time and will take pictures along the way and explain how I did it


My other problem is I also have to replace my transmission this winter and will take pictures on how I do that also. I have decided on purchasing a THM350 from Monster Transmissions and replace it myself since it is about $500 bucks cheaper than having a local shop rebuild my original tranny. I can buy a monster tranny shipped to my office for about $1100 bucks and local shops want between $1500 to $1700 to rebuild my original transmission. I have access to a 4 post lift a tranny lift and a mechanic at my office

doorgunner

Just a suggestion......If your transmission isn't making outrageous noises, why don't you rebuild it yourself?

I bought a great rebuild manual for $30......step by step with color pics....It took me a couple weeks working a couple hours every day after work to complete the rebuild.

I put another 60,000 miles on the transmission before I sold the car.






But I also understand if your winter schedule is booked up.



I put another 60,000 miles on the transmission before I sold the car.

MakoJoe

It not so much the winter schedule since the car will sit for 6 months.

I had considered rebuilding it myself the only problem is getting it in and out of the car at my garage as I will not be able to lift it high enough to get it out of the car on jack stands. While a manual transmission can be muscled back up into a car on jack stands with a floor jack the automatic is way too heavy and has to have the bell housing installed when you pull it out and put it back into the car.

I have replaced clutches before on a gravel driveway when I was a 17 year old kid.

Every automatic tranny was left in the car when I performed engine replacements on three different cars.

I can use my companies 4 post lift and transmission lift but the car has to off the lift by Monday morning and while I can push it off the lift without a tranny in it getting back on the 4 post is near impossible. The car does not fit on the 2 Post lift at work damn arms are too long since it is meant to lift pickup trucks. I have looked at every solution to my problem LOL Just not enough time to do it in one day unless you do them for a living.

When I changed out the Tranny filter last summer I had a small pile of metal shavings in the bottom of the pan. I can limp it along for a little while longer but eventually it is going to fail. I might even be able to get another year out of it driving only to cars shows and pleasure cruises.

The problem it has is when I get it out on the highway it over heats then attempts to over heat the engine. I installed a 4 Core Radiator and a Tranny Cooler but after about 10 miles at 65 to 70 MPH highway Speeds this thing gets hot and even with the added cooling systems pushes my engine up to 200 Degrees. Used to push it up to around 210 before I added the extra cooling but still slips quite a bit once I get it out on the highway.

As long as I keep it on surface streets 55 MPH and below it stays cool with the cooling systems I have installed. I drove it 6 hours on surface streets on a Poker Run Rally not long ago and did not have any problems engine stayed at under 180 degrees even in 90 degree heat that day.

doorgunner

MakoJoe.............

I changed my mind.....

you DO need a NEW transmission!

MakoJoe

Yup I am looking forward to installing the Monster THM350 in the car and can do that in about 3 or 4 hours than also replace all my U-Joints sand blast to clean up and paint the main drive shaft

I will look like new when I am done. The short drive shafts have to be replaced they are just way to rusted to recondition. They are very pitted and will not balance if I sand blast them then attempt to recondition those. I do have my work cut out for me this winter

doorgunner

Don't mash any fingers...toes--maybe, if necessary......fingers.....No!


Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd........lots of pics!

MakoJoe

For each project I will start a thread and post pictures. It will be a complete suspension and drive train rebuild when I am done and the pictures will go into my project book I have started for the car. Every car restoration needs a project book with pictures so when I take my 1977 to car shows people show interest in what you have accomplished. While it will not be all chromed out since I like to keep as original as possible.

If I can do a how to with pictures for others in the forum that is just a bonus for others that want to take on any of the tasks I will enjoy performing

MakoJoe

Finally started parts order this week and changed my mind.

Purchased a Full Poly Urethane Bushing Kit because I cannot find any full Rubber Bushing Kits for what my projects involve. I purchased a Full Kit made in the USA and it comes with everything I need including the Bushing Grease by a company called Energy Suspension. This kit was also $50.00 to $70.00 less than all the other Corvette Sites I shopped and made in the USA Bonus. I paid about $216.00 with shipping for the entire kit all other sites were $254.00 + shipping


I also changed my mind on the springs purchased Moog Front Stock Springs from the same company because my car only takes pleasure cruises and goes to car shows.

For the Rear 9 Leaf Mono Spring and other rear suspension parts I will need to go to a Corvette Sponsor Site from here because the pricing is better on these parts and they have the kits I need for the rear suspension.

I just need a few tools which I think I can borrow all of them to do the front suspension.

I will start a new thread on the rebuild and take lots of pictures to assist others and there will be beers involved while I sand blast and paint the parts.

929nitro

If putting in a new transmission why not think about an overdrive tranny like the 200 4R or the 700 R4?

MakoJoe

The 700R4 Transmission is still an option I can buy a full replacement kit for about $2500 from a few sites. It will be spring before I really make a final decision on this upgrade.