problems lowering
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 556
Likes: 1
From: Hollywood , Atlanta Fl
problems lowering
raised the vette placed the crossmember on jack stands and placed the jack on the leaf spring raised it alittle but could not turn the nut. Can anyone help.
Thanks
Thanks
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,865
Likes: 0
From: Chicago il
Keep at it, You amy want to throw some heat at it to let things expand, Also shoot it with some penetrating oil or wd40 to see if you can loosen it up. It worse comes to worse take a grinder and cut it and just go buy a new bolt.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 16,477
Likes: 26
From: Gone
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03
You put the jack on the (black) spring itself, or the (silver) lower control arm?
This is a common mistake, and you need to jack up on only the spring itself. Also, make sure you're turning the bolt counterclockwise..once you break it loose, it should spin fairly easily.
WD-40 is a good idea and may help, but whatever you do, Do NOT heat it !!!
The spring is fiberglass.
This is a common mistake, and you need to jack up on only the spring itself. Also, make sure you're turning the bolt counterclockwise..once you break it loose, it should spin fairly easily.
WD-40 is a good idea and may help, but whatever you do, Do NOT heat it !!!
The spring is fiberglass.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 319
Likes: 40
From: Hemet CA
Did mine recently - seems that the bushing gets stuck to the spring. Work it quarter turns back and forth until it comes loose. WD-40 might help if you can get it between the bushing and the spring. Once it's free, the others are right, it moves pretty easy.
Good luck...
Good luck...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,406
Likes: 0
From: Fly Over State
Senior Member
Cruise-In V Veteran
Originally Posted by Y2Kvert4me
You put the jack on the (black) spring itself, or the (silver) lower control arm?
This is a common mistake, and you need to jack up on only the spring itself. Also, make sure you're turning the bolt counterclockwise..once you break it loose, it should spin fairly easily.
WD-40 is a good idea and may help, but whatever you do, Do NOT heat it !!! The spring is fiberglass.
This is a common mistake, and you need to jack up on only the spring itself. Also, make sure you're turning the bolt counterclockwise..once you break it loose, it should spin fairly easily.
WD-40 is a good idea and may help, but whatever you do, Do NOT heat it !!!
The spring is fiberglass. 
If all else fails.... 
BFH!! 
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,865
Likes: 0
From: Chicago il
Originally Posted by Y2Kvert4me
You put the jack on the (black) spring itself, or the (silver) lower control arm?
This is a common mistake, and you need to jack up on only the spring itself. Also, make sure you're turning the bolt counterclockwise..once you break it loose, it should spin fairly easily.
WD-40 is a good idea and may help, but whatever you do, Do NOT heat it !!! The spring is fiberglass.
This is a common mistake, and you need to jack up on only the spring itself. Also, make sure you're turning the bolt counterclockwise..once you break it loose, it should spin fairly easily.
WD-40 is a good idea and may help, but whatever you do, Do NOT heat it !!!
The spring is fiberglass. Woops thanks for catching that
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,333
Likes: 32
From: USA
Originally Posted by billmoore48
Did mine recently - seems that the bushing gets stuck to the spring. Work it quarter turns back and forth until it comes loose. WD-40 might help if you can get it between the bushing and the spring. Once it's free, the others are right, it moves pretty easy.
Good luck...
Good luck...
That is exactly what happens.
Use WD-40 first.
Then jack the spring up until the rubber bushing separates from the control arm. You may have to lift the frame off the jack stand a few inches. That is fine.
If the bushing does not separate use a screwdriver or similar tool to wedge in between the control arm and spring to unstick it. Be careful not to gouge the control arm or the spring.
Do not put a lot of pressure on the bolt. It will round off pretty easily.
Dave
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 556
Likes: 1
From: Hollywood , Atlanta Fl
Is it ok to lift one side at a time? I jacked the car up put two jack stands under the front end. I then tryed to lift the leaf spring but noticed it was lifting the right side off the jack stands is this ok? The bolt still would not turn so I put lots of wd40 on it. What the #### am I doing wrong?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,333
Likes: 32
From: USA
Originally Posted by 00hotvette
So the bottom part of the nut is getting stuck on the control arm?
Yes!
If the bolt will still not turn when you get that bushing unstuck then
use vice grips or something similar on the metal part of the
bushing (under the spring).
Most folks are seeing about a 3/4" drop in the front on stock adjusters.
Dave
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,561
Likes: 448
From: Atlanta metro Ga.
I think a more common problem is folks don't jack the spring up enough to fully relief the tension between it and the rubber bushing..
Use a bottle jack, with a small block of wood (or heavy-duty cardboard) to protect the spring, and keep jacking until you just start to lift the front end of the car. That should do it, unless you have an issue w/ threads seized in the insert.
Use a bottle jack, with a small block of wood (or heavy-duty cardboard) to protect the spring, and keep jacking until you just start to lift the front end of the car. That should do it, unless you have an issue w/ threads seized in the insert.