Question on replacing a arms
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 2
From: Round Rock, Texas, USA Texas
Question on replacing a arms
I'm going to be replacing front springs soon (I have read the how-to's and have the expertise to safely do so) and figured it would be a good time to replace the poly front bushings (going to rubber to match replaced trailing arm bushings).
Found a set of a arms - so I can have a rebuilt set ready to install.
And finally the questions:
How big of a job is this with the motor in?
Anything I should know going in?
Thanks in advance
Found a set of a arms - so I can have a rebuilt set ready to install.
And finally the questions:
How big of a job is this with the motor in?
Anything I should know going in?
Thanks in advance
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,503
Likes: 33
From: McGrady NC
St. Jude Donor '15-'16
Not much difference, just a few things to work around. The driver side front upper can be a problem due to fan shroud clearance on some years and the A/C compressor is in the way a little on cars with it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Actually, it's easier with the engine in the car. You'll still most likely need a spring compressor, but the added weight of the engine keeps the jack under the lower control arm from just lifting the car.
IMHO, the biggest thing to remember is those springs can and do store a lot of energy. THINK about what you're doing, watch where you put your fingers, and it's not a bad idea to drop a chain thru the spring so it can't pop out unexpectedly and bite you. Not trying to intimidate you, just think and work safe.
IMHO, the biggest thing to remember is those springs can and do store a lot of energy. THINK about what you're doing, watch where you put your fingers, and it's not a bad idea to drop a chain thru the spring so it can't pop out unexpectedly and bite you. Not trying to intimidate you, just think and work safe.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,520
Likes: 11
From: Hinckley OH
The biggest problem is torqueing the bushing bolts. It has to be done with the weight of the car on the wheels. Unless you have a four post lift or ramps the lower ones are really hard to do and there's no room to get a torque wrench and socket on the uppers.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 385
Likes: 3
From: Leesburg VA
No need to take the engine out at all, but it is way easier with the radiator out...although getting the radiator out is a challenge as well. I just completed this job, not hard, but it is time consuming and you need to be paying attention to what you are doing. You can see how I handled it in my thread in the C3 General area. The thread is called "John's Winter Rebuild Thread". I did not use a spring compressor, just a jack, but did use a threaded rod as a safety mechanism to control the springs if they tried to pop out of the seats. I work slowly, so I can't give you any input on how long it should take...I typically only work on the car for 2 - 3 hours at a time, and rarely on consecutive days.
I used poly bushings, so I could torque them on the bench rather than in the car. My 76 Ray is right, torquing the bolts with weight on the wheels looked like an insurmountable challenge in my eyes...that is why I went with poly.
The car is not on the road yet, so I can't comment on the difference in ride or handling yet, but I do have high hopes.
John
I used poly bushings, so I could torque them on the bench rather than in the car. My 76 Ray is right, torquing the bolts with weight on the wheels looked like an insurmountable challenge in my eyes...that is why I went with poly.
The car is not on the road yet, so I can't comment on the difference in ride or handling yet, but I do have high hopes.
John
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
You don't use a spring compressor!
You take off the shocks bottom two bolts and leave the top nut on so the spring can't fly out. Usually the shock is not at full extension when the spring has no pressure left.
You get the car up and you place a floor jack about a 1/4 inch below the lower a-arm. Pull the cotter pins and back the upper and lower nuts off about a 1/4 inch. (don't remove them) Then use a big hammer and hit the side of the lower spindle ball joint and the spring helps break it loose.
When it pops out and the a-arm hits the jack. Hammer on the upper ball joint at the tapered end. once it breaks free remove the end nuts and lower the jack. The car has to be high enough for the AA to swing all the way down slowly with the floor jack. Remove the shock and the spring should come out. I had to pry bar these long stock spring two weeks ago out of the lower spring pocket. I do it myself at home in a couple hours
I skipped all the prep steps like bungy cord strapping the calipers back out of the way and removing the out tie rod steering end first.
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You take off the shocks bottom two bolts and leave the top nut on so the spring can't fly out. Usually the shock is not at full extension when the spring has no pressure left.
You get the car up and you place a floor jack about a 1/4 inch below the lower a-arm. Pull the cotter pins and back the upper and lower nuts off about a 1/4 inch. (don't remove them) Then use a big hammer and hit the side of the lower spindle ball joint and the spring helps break it loose.
When it pops out and the a-arm hits the jack. Hammer on the upper ball joint at the tapered end. once it breaks free remove the end nuts and lower the jack. The car has to be high enough for the AA to swing all the way down slowly with the floor jack. Remove the shock and the spring should come out. I had to pry bar these long stock spring two weeks ago out of the lower spring pocket. I do it myself at home in a couple hours
I skipped all the prep steps like bungy cord strapping the calipers back out of the way and removing the out tie rod steering end first.
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Last edited by gkull; Mar 20, 2014 at 03:55 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,520
Likes: 11
From: Hinckley OH
That's what I do except for one difference. I remove the nuts from the ball joint completely and then I put them back on leaving about 1/4 inch. The last thing you want to happen is for the nuts to lock onto the shafts after you have released them from the spindle because the ball will just spin in the socket.
Racer
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 422
Likes: 3
From: Oxford MI
I changed mine last Summer and there is no way the stock springs were coming out as the last two posts suggest. They're just too long. I used a home made spring compressor, 5/8 threaded rod,some 1/4 inch plates some flat washers nd hardened nuts. Re-installed the same way as the spring was too long to put on the control arm and use my jack to raise into place.
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Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
I changed mine last Summer and there is no way the stock springs were coming out as the last two posts suggest. They're just too long. I used a home made spring compressor, 5/8 threaded rod,some 1/4 inch plates some flat washers nd hardened nuts. Re-installed the same way as the spring was too long to put on the control arm and use my jack to raise into place.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 2
From: Round Rock, Texas, USA Texas
Thanks for responses - I'm thinking torquing the bolts is the most difficult part of the exercise.
gkull taking the springs "out the back" sounds like an interesting idea. As always, looks like there are a couple of different ways to get this job done.
Now time to gather parts - in the hopes of making this a weekend project.
gkull taking the springs "out the back" sounds like an interesting idea. As always, looks like there are a couple of different ways to get this job done.
Now time to gather parts - in the hopes of making this a weekend project.
Last edited by rrent; Mar 21, 2014 at 06:49 AM.