Suspension help
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 845
Likes: 54
From: Bangor, Northern Ireland
You'll be able to do the alignment good enough to get you 95% there once you've gone through the car.
Like you i'm wary of garages, you seem like me when I first got the vette, I had a good understanding of cars in general, but with every car there are certain ways of doing things and known problem areas.
Start with the rear end, take pics and we'll show you through it and what to check before and as you are taking it apart as the first thing to check is diff play by rocking the rear wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock and getting a helper to look at the half shaft yoke and see how much play there is..and we'll take it from there.
Here's a link to my rear end rebuild, not very helpful to you as it's a nit more hardcore and i'd already replaced lots of things before this rebuild but it gives you an idea
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...with-pics.html
Like you i'm wary of garages, you seem like me when I first got the vette, I had a good understanding of cars in general, but with every car there are certain ways of doing things and known problem areas.
Start with the rear end, take pics and we'll show you through it and what to check before and as you are taking it apart as the first thing to check is diff play by rocking the rear wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock and getting a helper to look at the half shaft yoke and see how much play there is..and we'll take it from there.
Here's a link to my rear end rebuild, not very helpful to you as it's a nit more hardcore and i'd already replaced lots of things before this rebuild but it gives you an idea
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...with-pics.html
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 99
Likes: 3
From: Salem Ohio
[QUOTE=leadfoot4;1583364418]I don't necessarily agree. A 4 wheel algnment, done properly, will set you back at least $100. I'd rather spend that on parts for the car.
The OP is talking about a 32 year old car, A quick look at the bushings will tell you if they're dried out and crumbling...and therefore need replacing. Jacking the front wheel, and lifting at the bottom with a prybar, will show if the ball joints are loose...and need replacing
I doubt they will do an alignment because something is worn out. Check the lower Ball joints(these cars eat them) then the trailing arm bushings, if the rear wheels/tires lean in at the top you may need stut arms(trailing arm to rearend brace). I recomend Moog parts for everything you can get for balljoints and linkage parts.
While the car is on stands check for wheelbearing slop in the front esp. Hard to check the rear because other things can move as well but the rear should be fairly tight unless trailing arms or rear differential have issues.
On level ground take a level from the bottom of the tire to the top and the bubble should be close to level, doesn't need to be perfect this is just to ball park it.
The OP is talking about a 32 year old car, A quick look at the bushings will tell you if they're dried out and crumbling...and therefore need replacing. Jacking the front wheel, and lifting at the bottom with a prybar, will show if the ball joints are loose...and need replacing
I doubt they will do an alignment because something is worn out. Check the lower Ball joints(these cars eat them) then the trailing arm bushings, if the rear wheels/tires lean in at the top you may need stut arms(trailing arm to rearend brace). I recomend Moog parts for everything you can get for balljoints and linkage parts.
While the car is on stands check for wheelbearing slop in the front esp. Hard to check the rear because other things can move as well but the rear should be fairly tight unless trailing arms or rear differential have issues.
On level ground take a level from the bottom of the tire to the top and the bubble should be close to level, doesn't need to be perfect this is just to ball park it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,548
Likes: 379
From: Woodinville WA
I don't necessarily agree. A 4 wheel algnment, done properly, will set you back at least $100. I'd rather spend that on parts for the car.
The OP is talking about a 32 year old car, A quick look at the bushings will tell you if they're dried out and crumbling...and therefore need replacing. Jacking the front wheel, and lifting at the bottom with a prybar, will show if the ball joints are loose...and need replacing.
Bottom line, if it was my 32 year old car, I'd replace pretty much everything, then get a 4 wheel alignment.
I've done them, they're not tHAT bad.....
The OP is talking about a 32 year old car, A quick look at the bushings will tell you if they're dried out and crumbling...and therefore need replacing. Jacking the front wheel, and lifting at the bottom with a prybar, will show if the ball joints are loose...and need replacing.
Bottom line, if it was my 32 year old car, I'd replace pretty much everything, then get a 4 wheel alignment.
I've done them, they're not tHAT bad.....
my take on the bushing was - it wasn't loose, it wasn't crumbling from the outside looking in.... but it was completely failed.... so I, in my specific experience, I'd beg to differ with you.
that said, this wasn't the first, nor even the thousandth time where I've had others say "I didn't have it that hard" followed quickly by "I've never seen that before"
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,367
Likes: 1,593
From: Western NY
I spent nearly 30 hours on them because the shims had rusted so bad that when I put a sawzall on it - the shim vibrated, which didn't allow the saw to cut into the bolt.... and I'm not a noob by any definition. In the end, I made an end for my slide-hammer to grab the hole of the shim and hammer it out...
my take on the bushing was - it wasn't loose, it wasn't crumbling from the outside looking in.... but it was completely failed.... so I, in my specific experience, I'd beg to differ with you.
that said, this wasn't the first, nor even the thousandth time where I've had others say "I didn't have it that hard" followed quickly by "I've never seen that before"
my take on the bushing was - it wasn't loose, it wasn't crumbling from the outside looking in.... but it was completely failed.... so I, in my specific experience, I'd beg to differ with you.
that said, this wasn't the first, nor even the thousandth time where I've had others say "I didn't have it that hard" followed quickly by "I've never seen that before"
Although the car didn't have a lot of miles on it, natural deterioration of the bushings had occurred, and since I was 20 years younger, and more ambitious, I decided to replace EVERYTHING that was suspension related. One benefit of doing it that way, is you don't have to worry about saving anything, so whatever it takes to complete the disassembly, can be applied.
In the front, I replaced 4 ball joints, all control arm bushings, all tie rods, the idler arm, and front coils. In the rear, I replaced the trailing arm bushings, the shims with a stainless kit, the strut rods bushings, added a sway bar and VB&P composite spring. Also, shocks all around.
Was it a "day at the beach"? NO, but I've done worse jobs.....
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Snyder TX
Y'all are awesome!
Aaron, I may have some time and a buddy this weekend so I should be able to take pics soon. I would've already but I am an oilfield engineer and work out of town A LOT so the car is two and a half hours away. I think I'll be home tomorrow if there isn't another change to the change to the revision of the update of the previously revised schedule.
I will have to pick away at it anyway, but as I mentioned, I have a work truck to drive so that's no biggie. And I'm sure that no matter how easy it is, I can make it into a big pain in the @$$. Just ask my ex. Anytime she asked how long something would take, she usually multiplied my answer by about 300%.
Aaron, I may have some time and a buddy this weekend so I should be able to take pics soon. I would've already but I am an oilfield engineer and work out of town A LOT so the car is two and a half hours away. I think I'll be home tomorrow if there isn't another change to the change to the revision of the update of the previously revised schedule.
I will have to pick away at it anyway, but as I mentioned, I have a work truck to drive so that's no biggie. And I'm sure that no matter how easy it is, I can make it into a big pain in the @$$. Just ask my ex. Anytime she asked how long something would take, she usually multiplied my answer by about 300%.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,367
Likes: 1,593
From: Western NY
That's the spirit!!
and BTW, don't forget to multiply the cost by 400%.....
