My first rebuild
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,652
Likes: 49
From: Bridgewater nj
You don't need a spring compressor, with the car on jackstands, use another jack under the ball joint to lower the control arm with the bottom shock bolt loose. Then, to get everything back together, with spring and shock in place, use the jack to lift the LCA(thus compressing the spring) to get the shock bolted up.
With no engine??? Good luck with that
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,688
Likes: 41
From: Palm Harbor, Florida
yeah, tend to agree. I don't think there will be enough resistance against the springs to get them to compress without weight of engine. probably not even close
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,548
Likes: 379
From: Woodinville WA
take a chain, and chain the cross bar (the bit that holds your wheels on) on your jack to the lower cross bar on the a-arm..... jack up on the a-arm... it does help if the car is up as high as you can get it
next problem?
putting it together is even easier - cut 1 1/2 coils off so you can lower your car to the appropriate height
Your mileage may vary if you're doing this to a Fiat Spider... what is it with Italians and springs?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,548
Likes: 379
From: Woodinville WA
Speaking of budget.... this is the deal you need to find
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/pts/3436656462.html
$1800 for a brand new 383; good compression, heads....
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/pts/3436656462.html
$1800 for a brand new 383; good compression, heads....
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,688
Likes: 41
From: Palm Harbor, Florida
Speaking of budget.... this is the deal you need to find
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/pts/3436656462.html
$1800 for a brand new 383; good compression, heads....
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/pts/3436656462.html
$1800 for a brand new 383; good compression, heads....
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,650
Likes: 2
From: Tulsa Oklahoma
Speaking of budget.... this is the deal you need to find
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/pts/3436656462.html
$1800 for a brand new 383; good compression, heads....
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/pts/3436656462.html
$1800 for a brand new 383; good compression, heads....
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,650
Likes: 2
From: Tulsa Oklahoma
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Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,688
Likes: 41
From: Palm Harbor, Florida
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 209
Likes: 7
hey guys, sorry to sort of hijack fatcat's thread here but i'm kind of tailing behind him doing the same thing with my '76. I'm not nearly as far as he is, might get my motor out this week. I'm kind of dragging my feet a little to see how this all works out.
Anyway, i'm currently just planning on doing a gasket rebuild kit, maybe with a piston rebuild if things look ugly. i've got some oil leaking problems i'm looking to deal with first. I know Summit parts are recommended stuff, but are there any other respectable companies to look into? I see a lot of no name junk floating around on eBay so i thought i'd ask.
Thanks!
Anyway, i'm currently just planning on doing a gasket rebuild kit, maybe with a piston rebuild if things look ugly. i've got some oil leaking problems i'm looking to deal with first. I know Summit parts are recommended stuff, but are there any other respectable companies to look into? I see a lot of no name junk floating around on eBay so i thought i'd ask.
Thanks!
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
hey guys, sorry to sort of hijack fatcat's thread here but i'm kind of tailing behind him doing the same thing with my '76. I'm not nearly as far as he is, might get my motor out this week. I'm kind of dragging my feet a little to see how this all works out.
Anyway, i'm currently just planning on doing a gasket rebuild kit, maybe with a piston rebuild if things look ugly. i've got some oil leaking problems i'm looking to deal with first. I know Summit parts are recommended stuff, but are there any other respectable companies to look into? I see a lot of no name junk floating around on eBay so i thought i'd ask.
Thanks!
Anyway, i'm currently just planning on doing a gasket rebuild kit, maybe with a piston rebuild if things look ugly. i've got some oil leaking problems i'm looking to deal with first. I know Summit parts are recommended stuff, but are there any other respectable companies to look into? I see a lot of no name junk floating around on eBay so i thought i'd ask.
Thanks!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,650
Likes: 2
From: Tulsa Oklahoma
hey guys, sorry to sort of hijack fatcat's thread here but i'm kind of tailing behind him doing the same thing with my '76. I'm not nearly as far as he is, might get my motor out this week. I'm kind of dragging my feet a little to see how this all works out.
Anyway, i'm currently just planning on doing a gasket rebuild kit, maybe with a piston rebuild if things look ugly. i've got some oil leaking problems i'm looking to deal with first. I know Summit parts are recommended stuff, but are there any other respectable companies to look into? I see a lot of no name junk floating around on eBay so i thought i'd ask.
Thanks!
Anyway, i'm currently just planning on doing a gasket rebuild kit, maybe with a piston rebuild if things look ugly. i've got some oil leaking problems i'm looking to deal with first. I know Summit parts are recommended stuff, but are there any other respectable companies to look into? I see a lot of no name junk floating around on eBay so i thought i'd ask.
Thanks!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,548
Likes: 379
From: Woodinville WA
Remember I was pushing an LS swap, well, it should cost about $1000 in parts if you're careful on what you buy and do some solid shopping... but in the end you'll have a modern motor in your car that's stock with 400(almost) hp.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,650
Likes: 2
From: Tulsa Oklahoma
10 shades of awesome is what it'd look like.
Remember I was pushing an LS swap, well, it should cost about $1000 in parts if you're careful on what you buy and do some solid shopping... but in the end you'll have a modern motor in your car that's stock with 400(almost) hp.
Remember I was pushing an LS swap, well, it should cost about $1000 in parts if you're careful on what you buy and do some solid shopping... but in the end you'll have a modern motor in your car that's stock with 400(almost) hp.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,652
Likes: 49
From: Bridgewater nj
I have an LQ9 in my SS Silverado. It is a nasty motor!!! It can tow 7000lbs with easy and rev out better than an LT1 
The moog springs unloaded are 4 inches shorter and makes them easier to install . When installed, they are the same height as the stock OEM springs. Give or take a 1/2 inch. They use thicker spring steel to get the same spring rate in a shorter spring.
700r4 is a great trans but stay with the old 80s version. The new 93 and up are all electronic and the control units are expensive compared to a converter lock up switch for the old ones.
The moog springs unloaded are 4 inches shorter and makes them easier to install . When installed, they are the same height as the stock OEM springs. Give or take a 1/2 inch. They use thicker spring steel to get the same spring rate in a shorter spring.
700r4 is a great trans but stay with the old 80s version. The new 93 and up are all electronic and the control units are expensive compared to a converter lock up switch for the old ones.