front suspension rebuild
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 896
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette, Indiana
St. Jude Donor '05-'08
front suspension rebuild
I know alot of you have rebuilt your front suspension. I'm looking to install a new front suspension rebuild kit. How hard is it and how has the best stuff (retailers)?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,050
Likes: 124
From: Wichita KS
Originally Posted by jonny4523
I know alot of you have rebuilt your front suspension. I'm looking to install a new front suspension rebuild kit. How hard is it and how has the best stuff (retailers)?
For starters I would suggest you obtain a copy of the Van Steel Suspension Video. Lot of helpful hints and the video will answer many of your questions.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
From: Shawnee KS
If you've done some wrenching, you can do it yourself. The hardest part for me was removing the upper a-arms and wrestling them out. I had a shop press in the new bushings for me. Here's a link from Corvette Fever for an upgrade that might be helpful to take a look at.
http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/39038/index.html
As far as suppliers, there are a lot of them to choose from. I got my stuff as a package from MA but other places are probably cheaper.
http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/39038/index.html
As far as suppliers, there are a lot of them to choose from. I got my stuff as a package from MA but other places are probably cheaper.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 2,473
Likes: 10
From: New Paltz, New York USA
Did my complete front end last summer. Got the kit from Mid-America. Got the coil springs from Advance Auto. Had a machine shop press out the bushings and press in the new ones. Job went very well. Look on here for the "Lars" front end rebuild. I got it from this forum and went step by step. Its a great paper. 
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 896
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette, Indiana
St. Jude Donor '05-'08
Originally Posted by mapman
Van Steel was a great source of information when I rebuilt the suspension on my 1980. Their work/products are first rate.
For starters I would suggest you obtain a copy of the Van Steel Suspension Video. Lot of helpful hints and the video will answer many of your questions.
For starters I would suggest you obtain a copy of the Van Steel Suspension Video. Lot of helpful hints and the video will answer many of your questions.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,050
Likes: 124
From: Wichita KS
Originally Posted by jonny4523
Where can I get the info and video from Van Steel? My search was unsuccessful. Yahoo gave me some link within the corvette forum the it was a broken link and wouldn't load. I have done quite a bit of wrenching. Braking, steering, and vacuum systems have been completely redone. I think I should be capable of doing this myself, as long as I can find a shop to do the bushings for me.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 190
Likes: 0
From: Avon CO
im doing mine as we speak, just as someone said i have been readin and using lars' guide. Getting the arms off is pretty easy, and i will keep you updated on how hard it is to get the bushings out, but first look for lars' post. ill edit and give it to you in a sec.
edit:
well i think maybe previous archived posts have been deleted, cause i cannot find it now, which is not good for either of us. But i think its pretty self explanitory, the only time your really in danger of hurting yourself is when you have to get the coil out, so i will quickly explain this.
Take all hoses and steering linkage off, then take and unscrew the top castelated nut about 1/8 of an inch, then take a pickle fork and bang on the bal joint until you see and hear it drop that 1/8 inch. Then take the jack up underneath the bottom arm and lift the tension off and unscrew the nut and slowly drop the jack, and the tension should be off and the coil should drop out. simple as that, good luck, and stay away from the front of the coil just incase something happens, but if you do it how i told then you shouldnt have a problem.
edit:
well i think maybe previous archived posts have been deleted, cause i cannot find it now, which is not good for either of us. But i think its pretty self explanitory, the only time your really in danger of hurting yourself is when you have to get the coil out, so i will quickly explain this.
Take all hoses and steering linkage off, then take and unscrew the top castelated nut about 1/8 of an inch, then take a pickle fork and bang on the bal joint until you see and hear it drop that 1/8 inch. Then take the jack up underneath the bottom arm and lift the tension off and unscrew the nut and slowly drop the jack, and the tension should be off and the coil should drop out. simple as that, good luck, and stay away from the front of the coil just incase something happens, but if you do it how i told then you shouldnt have a problem.
Last edited by billlambeer; Jul 19, 2004 at 03:15 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 896
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette, Indiana
St. Jude Donor '05-'08
I am assuming that the sway bar is reusable. Is there something that I don't know in which alot of sway bars bend and strain to the point of getting a new one? Do most people reuse them?
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 896
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette, Indiana
St. Jude Donor '05-'08
I have been doing alot of price checking and it seems to me that it is going to be less expensive than the rear. The rebuild kits that I have been seeing are much less.
How much does a shop usually charge to press in and out bushings? Or was seems like a reasonable price? I wouldn't think that it would be that hard if you have the right tools.
How much does a shop usually charge to press in and out bushings? Or was seems like a reasonable price? I wouldn't think that it would be that hard if you have the right tools.
