Front spring replacement need advise
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Kings Mountain North Carolina
Front spring replacement need advise
I was playing around and I went to lower my Vette on stock bolts. Is disappointment I found that the front spring bolts are rusted and the hex head rounded off before I owned the car. I know I need to replace the front spring so here is where I need the advise, what is the best bang for the buck on a z51 c5 coupe. Let me know if it comes with height adjustment bolts or not. I won't be able to buy the replacement parts til Oct. Anyway, thanks in advance.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,996
Likes: 504
From: Hilton NY
If the springs are good and not delaminated, you can try taking the old spring off the car and removing the steel bushings from the spring. Apply force on the bolt tops that are stripped so that the bushing goes toward the ground direction. Once the bushings are removed, clamp each bushing in a vise and heat it with a torch until the rusted bolt can be unscrewed, use a back and forth method like tapping until it's free. Clean up the threads of the bushings with a tap, clean any oil or grease off the mating surfaces then epoxy the bushings back into the spring. Buy two new adjusting bolts from the vendor that sells them somewhere on this site and reinstall on the car with anti seize. Use a large socket, a piece of wood with a large hole in it or short piece of pipe as a backing when hammering out the bushing or using a vise to push it out. You might find a used Z51 spring that doesn't have rusted bolts from owners who have installed coil overs or from parts cars, check the C5 used part forum.
Last edited by Fast one; Sep 8, 2015 at 08:32 PM.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 420
Likes: 13
From: West Deptford NJ
I feel your pain bro! This adjuster required PB Blaster for three days, alittle heat and a 10 in pipe wrench. I don't think I bent the adjuster on removal, I was firm but careful. Other members have reported bent adjuster bolts as well. Only makes removal that much harder!
Use only as much heat as required. The inserts are for the adjusters are installed with an adhesive, not sure how sensitive to heat they may be. To much heat and the adhesive may become brittle casusing failure and the insert will spin in the hole of the spring.
Clean the threads of the adjuster as far as you can,before you start, with a die. I did have the spring removed when replacing adjusters.
I replaced with used stock adjusters from a Vettenuts.
Good Luck
Last edited by jlaw1313@comcast.net; Sep 10, 2015 at 06:41 AM.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 420
Likes: 13
From: West Deptford NJ
I don't think the spring needs replacement,unless it is delaminated or damaged. If the spring does require replacement I would go with the same part number. Your suspension is engineered using the springs, sway bars and shocks to work as a unit. Changing one component without considering the specifications of the other components in your suspension system may result in an unbalanced ride.
If you purchased a brand-new spring as a replacement,it will not come with new adjuster bolts installed. Your only option is aftermarket adjuster bolts. A used spring is probably a better bet for replacement, definitely cheaper.
If you purchased a brand-new spring as a replacement,it will not come with new adjuster bolts installed. Your only option is aftermarket adjuster bolts. A used spring is probably a better bet for replacement, definitely cheaper.
Last edited by jlaw1313@comcast.net; Sep 9, 2015 at 08:58 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,996
Likes: 504
From: Hilton NY
There might be another supplier of adjusting bolts that's lower cost than these: http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fu...&subgroup=1949
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Kings Mountain North Carolina
Right now I haven't taken a really good look at the spring yet to see if the spring is still good. I'm a truck driver so I'm away from home a lot. More than likely I will have to remove the spring completely out of the car and take a very good look at everything to see what I can do. What I do know.is that this a high mileage car that was driven up north and not taken care of by no means. I've already found so many problems that someone that doesn't work on cars would blow.a head gasket from the amount of work I have ahead of me. Kinda in regret of getting the car. So my plans are to very slowly get the car to a certain point of my liking. I have worked on cars since I was about 13 and I'm now 34. At least I'm not in the military anymore and I'm able to work on it more lol. My plan is to enjoy the car and show it off. Not a trailer queen and not a racecar. I plan to do tasteful mods to it. Anyway thanks for all the advise. I have noticed that some members have cut the bolts and removed it without replacement . its an option I'm also looking in to as I'm doing all the research I can on everything about the car.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,300
Likes: 115
From: Odessa FL
St. Jude Donor '10-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
Right now I haven't taken a really good look at the spring yet to see if the spring is still good. I'm a truck driver so I'm away from home a lot. More than likely I will have to remove the spring completely out of the car and take a very good look at everything to see what I can do. What I do know.is that this a high mileage car that was driven up north and not taken care of by no means. I've already found so many problems that someone that doesn't work on cars would blow.a head gasket from the amount of work I have ahead of me. Kinda in regret of getting the car. So my plans are to very slowly get the car to a certain point of my liking. I have worked on cars since I was about 13 and I'm now 34. At least I'm not in the military anymore and I'm able to work on it more lol. My plan is to enjoy the car and show it off. Not a trailer queen and not a racecar. I plan to do tasteful mods to it. Anyway thanks for all the advise. I have noticed that some members have cut the bolts and removed it without replacement . its an option I'm also looking in to as I'm doing all the research I can on everything about the car.
If you want I will pull the adjusters from the base springs and insert them into the Z51 spring and you can have it for the price of shipping it to you in North Carolina from Tampa FL. Just let me know via PM.
I went with coil overs.
Last edited by alxltd1; Sep 9, 2015 at 05:05 PM.
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Racer
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 420
Likes: 13
From: West Deptford NJ
Right now I haven't taken a really good look at the spring yet to see if the spring is still good. I'm a truck driver so I'm away from home a lot. More than likely I will have to remove the spring completely out of the car and take a very good look at everything to see what I can do. What I do know.is that this a high mileage car that was driven up north and not taken care of by no means. I've already found so many problems that someone that doesn't work on cars would blow.a head gasket from the amount of work I have ahead of me. Kinda in regret of getting the car. So my plans are to very slowly get the car to a certain point of my liking. I have worked on cars since I was about 13 and I'm now 34. At least I'm not in the military anymore and I'm able to work on it more lol. My plan is to enjoy the car and show it off. Not a trailer queen and not a racecar. I plan to do tasteful mods to it. Anyway thanks for all the advise. I have noticed that some members have cut the bolts and removed it without replacement . its an option I'm also looking in to as I'm doing all the research I can on everything about the car.
See this post here:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...g-removal.html
You are going to need the car corner weighted and aligned after your install. You could guess on the lowering bolt adjustments and have an alignment done, see post #92 here:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...in-here-5.html
Last edited by jlaw1313@comcast.net; Sep 10, 2015 at 06:42 AM.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 311
Likes: 2
From: glenside pennsylvania pa/ la
I swear it was a while ago I could be wrong but we disconnected the lower a arm and the bolt just fell out. I can't remember for sure it was so long ago. maybe someone more knowledgeable than me can confirm if this works.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,325
Likes: 1,588
From: Western NY
There might be another supplier of adjusting bolts that's lower cost than these: http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fu...&subgroup=1949