I don't know how many of you are thinking of doing this but it will take a while. You will discover new uses of tools that you didn't think possible. A sawzall to cut the rear lower a-arm bushing bolts on each side because the a-arm was installed before bolting the v brace to the cross beam for the front suspension. The bolts hit it before 2/3rds of the way out. GM sells them for $7 or so. You will need two of them. (number 31 in diagram, IIRC )It would have been so much kinder if the assembly guy had just turned the bolt around the other way!! aarrgghhhh. The drilling out of the four rivets for each top joint requires patience, sharp bits and a little imagination. Use the new gasket to make sure you are on the rivet (after removing the head - and, yes, you have to drill almost the length of the rivet!). No need to remove the knuckle but you will need to move the rotor out of the way and support the knuckle. To replace the lower ball joints will require a good set of ball joint repair/replace tools. You can rent these from a good parts place. Car needs to be place high on tall jack stands. I found the dremel tool useful in removing the remaining rivet body (making it flush with a-arm) after popping the ball joint off the rivets.
Other than that, it is a piece of cake.........yeah, right. Plan on two weekends just for the front unless you have done it before, have the parts and tools on hand and can muster up a lot of patience plus a helping hand from a buddy for the pressing in of the lower joints.

 

Recommended to mods to review for posting as a 'sticky'....we shall see.

 

I just finished putting C5-Z06 calipers and rotors on mine tonight. While I had it torn apart I thought about rebuilding the front end, but it looked like it would be a pain in the assets so I checked everything and everything is still good and tight so I just lubed her up and will hope for the best.

 

Excuse the hijack..... but when you have time to test the C5 Z06 braking, please post your sense of braking improvement.

 

"C5 Z06" Calipers on a C4 means nothing. They're almost the exact same caliper and breaking power in the front.

In fact....Z06 C5 seems to mean...red powder coating.

C6 Calipers, OTOH.... big difference.

 

Never too old to learn. Have read C4 owners, using C5 pads and rotors, experienced improved braking (?).

 

Thank you.

 

For your '95 (with J55) brakes, yes the C5 components are quite similar. But not all C4s have 13 inch rotors (J55). Say nothing about the marginal (for a sport car) 11 inch single pot brakes of the early years

Back on topic: my '86 balljoints are still tight even surviving New England's poor roads.

 

Think Ill get loaded control arms.