Back in action...transformed
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,165
Likes: 93
From: Bellmore NY
Back in action...transformed
Last summer I began a rear suspension rebuild. It carried over into the fall, then the winter, and the spring, and then a front suspension rebuild in the summer. Yep, I work slow.
Had the trailing arms rebuilt, half shafts refurbed, adjustable trailing arms with heim joints, ball joints up front, bushings...you name it.
Even threw in a new [to me] rear with 3.55's.
In the midst of this, I grabbed a set of 17x8 TTII's, and a used set of Hooker Side pipes.
A special thanks goes out to Bairs, Van Steel, Wilcox, VBP, and Classic Chambered. All of these guys are excellent craftsmen, and fantastic to work with.
Out of all of these changes, the Classic Chambered Vette Packs, really turned this stock LS4 into a real corvette. Great tone and power at WOT, and a nice rumble when rowing through the gears. If they aren't on your Christmas list yet, they sure as heck should be.
This was last summer:
And this shaky video is the transformation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Cde...ature=youtu.be
And those Classic Chambered Vette Packs singing':
Had the trailing arms rebuilt, half shafts refurbed, adjustable trailing arms with heim joints, ball joints up front, bushings...you name it.
Even threw in a new [to me] rear with 3.55's.
In the midst of this, I grabbed a set of 17x8 TTII's, and a used set of Hooker Side pipes.
A special thanks goes out to Bairs, Van Steel, Wilcox, VBP, and Classic Chambered. All of these guys are excellent craftsmen, and fantastic to work with.
Out of all of these changes, the Classic Chambered Vette Packs, really turned this stock LS4 into a real corvette. Great tone and power at WOT, and a nice rumble when rowing through the gears. If they aren't on your Christmas list yet, they sure as heck should be.
This was last summer:
And this shaky video is the transformation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Cde...ature=youtu.be
And those Classic Chambered Vette Packs singing':
Last edited by Big Block Dave; Aug 22, 2014 at 09:36 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 829
Likes: 131
From: Spartanburg SC
I'm assuming Biars rebuilt your TA's? If not them, who, and if you don't mind, what was the cost?
Did you replace the u-joints while you were in there?
I'm getting ready to rebuild my rear suspension, and can't decide which vendor to rebuild my TA's. I want to do this one time.
Did you replace the u-joints while you were in there?
I'm getting ready to rebuild my rear suspension, and can't decide which vendor to rebuild my TA's. I want to do this one time.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,165
Likes: 93
From: Bellmore NY
I'm assuming Biars rebuilt your TA's? If not them, who, and if you don't mind, what was the cost?
Did you replace the u-joints while you were in there?
I'm getting ready to rebuild my rear suspension, and can't decide which vendor to rebuild my TA's. I want to do this one time.
Did you replace the u-joints while you were in there?
I'm getting ready to rebuild my rear suspension, and can't decide which vendor to rebuild my TA's. I want to do this one time.
Definitely call them. They were so easy to work with, super friendly, and very reasonable on shipping. I would think that if I needed no extra parts, that it would have been somewhere in the low $800 range.
What also makes it easy is that they send you boxes to put your arms in, then you ship the box to Bairs, and then they ship the finished product back to you. I couldnt be happier with the process, the product, or the customer service.
Edit: To answer the rest of your post, yes, I changed all the u joints.
Van Steel did my half shafts, and they came out awesome, again, real nice bunch of folks to work with and top notch quality. I had a local shop change the joints in the driveshaft, and nothing else special done to it.
Last edited by Big Block Dave; Aug 25, 2014 at 01:30 PM. Reason: Add info to answer fully
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 829
Likes: 131
From: Spartanburg SC
You are correct, Bairs did my trailing arms. If my memory serves correct, one of my arms needed a new spindle as the old one was apparently wiped, and I also ordered some other parts, so I was a little more expensive at a total somewhere in the mid $900 range when all was said and done, shipping and all.
Definitely call them. They were so easy to work with, super friendly, and very reasonable on shipping. I would think that if I needed no extra parts, that it would have been somewhere in the low $800 range.
What also makes it easy is that they send you boxes to put your arms in, then you ship the box to Bairs, and then they ship the finished product back to you. I couldnt be happier with the process, the product, or the customer service.
Edit: To answer the rest of your post, yes, I changed all the u joints.
Van Steel did my half shafts, and they came out awesome, again, real nice bunch of folks to work with and top notch quality. I had a local shop change the joints in the driveshaft, and nothing else special done to it.
Definitely call them. They were so easy to work with, super friendly, and very reasonable on shipping. I would think that if I needed no extra parts, that it would have been somewhere in the low $800 range.
What also makes it easy is that they send you boxes to put your arms in, then you ship the box to Bairs, and then they ship the finished product back to you. I couldnt be happier with the process, the product, or the customer service.
Edit: To answer the rest of your post, yes, I changed all the u joints.
Van Steel did my half shafts, and they came out awesome, again, real nice bunch of folks to work with and top notch quality. I had a local shop change the joints in the driveshaft, and nothing else special done to it.
Thank you for the reply, you've convinced me to go with Bairs. I had set a budget in my mind of $1000 for this project, but, i will not get skimpy for another hundred or so bucks. I'm going to do this right. It kills me that the car will be down for so long, but, I do what I gotta do.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,165
Likes: 93
From: Bellmore NY
Thank you for the reply, you've convinced me to go with Bairs. I had set a budget in my mind of $1000 for this project, but, i will not get skimpy for another hundred or so bucks. I'm going to do this right. It kills me that the car will be down for so long, but, I do what I gotta do.
If you haven't disassembled the car yet, most folks find the trailing arm bolts to be a real sore spot. Mine were actually pretty easy, but plenty of other areas gave me grief! At the end of the day, it wasn't a horrible job to do, but I kept hitting snags that really cost me time....like having to do a hell coil on one of the strut rod mount holes on the differential, in November.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 829
Likes: 131
From: Spartanburg SC
Depending on how big your garage is, how organized you are, how cooperative your car is, and how motivated you are, you could be done a lot quicker than I was.
If you haven't disassembled the car yet, most folks find the trailing arm bolts to be a real sore spot. Mine were actually pretty easy, but plenty of other areas gave me grief! At the end of the day, it wasn't a horrible job to do, but I kept hitting snags that really cost me time....like having to do a hell coil on one of the strut rod mount holes on the differential, in November.
If you haven't disassembled the car yet, most folks find the trailing arm bolts to be a real sore spot. Mine were actually pretty easy, but plenty of other areas gave me grief! At the end of the day, it wasn't a horrible job to do, but I kept hitting snags that really cost me time....like having to do a hell coil on one of the strut rod mount holes on the differential, in November.
I plan to replace TA's, u-joints, shocks, brake pads, brake lines and anything I see that is made of rubber. I'll re-paint everything under there also. Like I said earlier, One and done.
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Joined: Sep 2013
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From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
Men.........do it right......even if it takes longer.
(I even rebuilt the E-brakes/no need for them in flat-Louisiana...LOL)
Before................
After.............
(I even rebuilt the E-brakes/no need for them in flat-Louisiana...LOL)
Before................
After.............
Last edited by doorgunner; Aug 26, 2014 at 12:21 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 829
Likes: 131
From: Spartanburg SC
[QUOTE=doorgunner;1587682179]Men.........do it right......even if it takes longer.
(I even rebuilt the E-brakes/no need for them in flat-Louisiana...LOL)
I am under the impression that the e-brakes are part of the package when the vendor rebuilds the TA's.
(I even rebuilt the E-brakes/no need for them in flat-Louisiana...LOL)
I am under the impression that the e-brakes are part of the package when the vendor rebuilds the TA's.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,165
Likes: 93
From: Bellmore NY
[QUOTE=mortgageguy;1587686386]Yep, the e-brake hardware will be rebuilt/replaced etc.