Suspension visual inspection 1
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 878
Likes: 60
From: Minneapolis, MN USA
Suspension visual inspection 1
Hi All,
I removed my passenger side wheels tonight to bring them in for new tires. I do not know much about suspension parts, etc. Would any of you mind looking at the following pictures and let me know if there is anything obviously wrong/bad/should be changed? I have had the car for 19 years now and have done NOTHING to the suspension since I bought it (except replace the rear spring, which someone did for me). It is a 1970 small block.
thanks!
I removed my passenger side wheels tonight to bring them in for new tires. I do not know much about suspension parts, etc. Would any of you mind looking at the following pictures and let me know if there is anything obviously wrong/bad/should be changed? I have had the car for 19 years now and have done NOTHING to the suspension since I bought it (except replace the rear spring, which someone did for me). It is a 1970 small block.
thanks!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,156
Likes: 273
From: Dunedin NZ.
How much have you used it in that time? Does it have gas charged shocks fitted? You may find as I did with mine that there was no gas left so I replaced the shocks. The rubber bushes look okay though JMPO.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,283
Likes: 4,373
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi mf,
In looking at the pictures of the front suspension it appears the upper ball joint, spring, sway bar link and bushings, shock absorber, and caliper/rubber brake line were changed at some point.
So that was done before you bought the car.
Regards,
Alan
In looking at the pictures of the front suspension it appears the upper ball joint, spring, sway bar link and bushings, shock absorber, and caliper/rubber brake line were changed at some point.
So that was done before you bought the car.
Regards,
Alan
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,689
Likes: 174
From: Deerfield Illinois
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Now would be a great time, since the wheels are off to grease the front suspension components, upper and lower ball joints, tie rod ends, pitman arm, etc. Also check the rubber brake hoses for cracks, look behind brake calipers for brake leaks
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 878
Likes: 60
From: Minneapolis, MN USA
I'm not sure if the shocks are gas charged or not? I will look.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 878
Likes: 60
From: Minneapolis, MN USA
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 425
Likes: 3
From: Jefferson City Missouri
If you want to speed up your steering, put them in the inner hole.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
By all means check the thickness of your brake pads. The front rotors have rivets so it is very possible that they are the original rotors. There does appear to be some grooving going on, but it's difficult to tell if it is excessive. On the other hand, if the front pads are thin, it may be time to consider new pads and rotors. At least on the fronts.
Whoever did the brake job on the rear, didn't install the hard line to the caliper correctly. It may not be a problem, but it isn't installed as it was intended.
Good luck... GUSTO
Whoever did the brake job on the rear, didn't install the hard line to the caliper correctly. It may not be a problem, but it isn't installed as it was intended.
Good luck... GUSTO
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Leadfoot4 is correct. But, I much prefer the composite spring over the leaf type. It appears that the front stabilizer bar and links could have the bushings tightened up some. Too much slack in the bushing stack, IMO. Steering stability should improve after adjustment.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,375
Likes: 1,593
From: Western NY
I definitely agree. I put a composite spring on my wife's '79, and the change in ride quality was dramatic.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 878
Likes: 60
From: Minneapolis, MN USA
Hi guys,
Thanks for all of your notes and suggestions.
All brake pads look like there is quite a bit of life yet. I ran my finger across the rotors and they feel pretty smooth.
I had the rear spring changed to a composite shortly after I purchased the car...19 years ago.
I will look into the stabilizer bar links and such. Is it as simple as just tightening them up? Do I need to have weight off the wheels when I do that or anything else?
Thanks for all of your notes and suggestions.
All brake pads look like there is quite a bit of life yet. I ran my finger across the rotors and they feel pretty smooth.
I had the rear spring changed to a composite shortly after I purchased the car...19 years ago.
I will look into the stabilizer bar links and such. Is it as simple as just tightening them up? Do I need to have weight off the wheels when I do that or anything else?
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,375
Likes: 1,593
From: Western NY
Hi guys,
Thanks for all of your notes and suggestions.
All brake pads look like there is quite a bit of life yet. I ran my finger across the rotors and they feel pretty smooth.
I had the rear spring changed to a composite shortly after I purchased the car...19 years ago.
I will look into the stabilizer bar links and such. Is it as simple as just tightening them up? Do I need to have weight off the wheels when I do that or anything else?
Thanks for all of your notes and suggestions.
All brake pads look like there is quite a bit of life yet. I ran my finger across the rotors and they feel pretty smooth.
I had the rear spring changed to a composite shortly after I purchased the car...19 years ago.
I will look into the stabilizer bar links and such. Is it as simple as just tightening them up? Do I need to have weight off the wheels when I do that or anything else?
(I guess I missed the part where you mentioned changing the rear spring.....)
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
It's as simple as just tightening the bolt/nut. Use a box wrench on the top (nut) and ratchet underneath. Tighten until the rubbers start to squish out some so the slack will be removed when the torsion bar twists. Rule of thumb: compress rubber bushings to about 2/3 of normal thickness.
Some like to put poly bushings in these, but they won't compress and transfer weight smoothly like the rubber bushings do, IMO.
Some like to put poly bushings in these, but they won't compress and transfer weight smoothly like the rubber bushings do, IMO.
Last edited by 7T1vette; Jun 8, 2015 at 09:07 AM.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 511
Likes: 66
From: Timnath, CO
The tie rods are in the outer most hole. That hole is for the manual steering to give more leverage since there is no power steering boost. It won't hurt having it in that hole but you will have to turn your steering wheel more from lock to lock. I don't remember the number of turns but it's something like 2.5 turns lock to lock for power steering and 3.25 for manual (those numbers are not actual).
If you want to speed up your steering, put them in the inner hole.
If you want to speed up your steering, put them in the inner hole.
Thanks
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 425
Likes: 3
From: Jefferson City Missouri
This is interesting as my car was converted from manual steering to a Borgeson power steering conversion. I checked and my tie rods are in the holes for manual steering. Is it difficult to change from one hole to the other? Any other adjustments needed if I change this?
Thanks
Thanks
Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 511
Likes: 66
From: Timnath, CO
Not hard at all. The ball joints are in a tapered hole. They will have to be removed from the hole with a puller or a pickle fork. Some will put pressure on them while striking the outside with a hammer. This is enough to cause the tapered bolt to pop out. Once it's in the other hole, it will have to have the toe in/out adjusted. It will be off quite a bit until it's adjusted so you may want to do a rough adjustment to get it into the shop to have it fine-tuned.
Is there a trick to getting the ball joint far enough into the tapered hole? It seems like the hole needs to be enlarged slightly, but it looks pretty clean.
Thanks
Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 511
Likes: 66
From: Timnath, CO
I finally started work on this today, but ran into a problem. I removed the ball joint and put it in the other hole, but the ball joint does not go in far enough. I can't quite get the castellated nut on far enough to get the cotter pin back in. I tried to tighten the nut more thinking it might pull the ball joint farther up, but I started to strip the threads.
Is there a trick to getting the ball joint far enough into the tapered hole? It seems like the hole needs to be enlarged slightly, but it looks pretty clean.
Thanks
Is there a trick to getting the ball joint far enough into the tapered hole? It seems like the hole needs to be enlarged slightly, but it looks pretty clean.
Thanks
Thanks