suspension questions

D

defflepp1

Active LVC Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2010
Messages
115
Reaction score
0
Location
cedar rapids
so i ordered a coil conversion form strutmasters and according their little tracker thing they should be here tomorrow, so today i jacked it up put it jack stands and figured i would try and start taking it all apart... well, no. there was no budge in anything. im a pretty strong guy but nothing would even move an inch. i sprayed everything i could see with some PB blaster crap gave it a good couple whacks with a hammer still nothing. so because of that, and the fact that i dont have access to air tools i was going to take it over and have my shop do it. they quoted me before at $300 dollars and it would an in and out 1 day job, is that a fair price? can the suspension :q:q:q:q on a 16 year old car be taken apart with hand tools? and if so what is the method? and im also not sure exactly i would need to take apart or off to do it. so if some one can post like a step by step process that might help too. thanks
 
Others can probably help you more than I, but spray everything down again with the PB and then get yourself a 2' to 3' breaker pipe. something you can slip over the end of your wrench that will let you get some leverage on it and they should loosen up for you. Just make sure when you put everything back together. Barrow a torque wrench and make sure everything is tighten to factory specks. You don't want to be going 70mph and have something fall off.
 
Option II and probably your best bet. just pay the $300.00 and go enjoy your ride!!!
 
thats what im thinking casue for $300 i would have a professionally installed suspension and have the car be out of service for only one more day, i think that is definetaly worth it
 
Good choice, Now I'm not saying you couldn't do it. It's not very difficult. But, just read through the thread titled "about to have a heart attack" and you will see what can happen when things go wrong, very wrong.
 
I couldn't agree more with Greg. If you're not thoroughly familiar with these cars, what would normally be a 1.5 to 2hour job for most of us may very well become an all day event for you leaving you very frustrated and cursing the car. My suggestion is let a professional do it. The should be done with it in two hours and you should be on your way. A little more lighter in the pocket, but happier none the less.
 
defflepp1 said:
so i ordered a coil conversion form strutmasters and according their little tracker thing they should be here tomorrow, so today i jacked it up put it jack stands and figured i would try and start taking it all apart... well, no. there was no budge in anything. im a pretty strong guy but nothing would even move an inch. i sprayed everything i could see with some PB blaster crap gave it a good couple whacks with a hammer still nothing. so because of that, and the fact that i dont have access to air tools i was going to take it over and have my shop do it. they quoted me before at $300 dollars and it would an in and out 1 day job, is that a fair price? can the suspension :q:q:q:q on a 16 year old car be taken apart with hand tools? and if so what is the method? and im also not sure exactly i would need to take apart or off to do it. so if some one can post like a step by step process that might help too. thanks
Click to expand...

what are you trying to budge? I did my conversion back in November and the only thing that was stuck pretty good was the bolt that holds the upper control arm. I just used a torque wrench and a pitch fork to separate the upper control arm from the spindle. I installed my Tokico shocks yesterday and this time it was twice as fast to do it.
 
Does the $300 include alignment???if so that's a good deal....or you can look at my 93 thread...1/2 drive wrench and a nice set of sockets ..
The shocks are major easy..but you'll need strut and coil spring compressors for the springs...you can rent those for around $50 per set ( you get that $ back when you return the tools) it's not hard...I did it...I seriously welcome any calls if you need someone to walk you through it
 
Sapperfire said:
Does the $300 include alignment???if so that's a good deal..
Click to expand...
+2 and alignment alone is around $100. is the bolt you cant remove the lower strut to the lower control arm, these are notorious for the bolt rusting to the sleeve in the lower control arm bushing and 7 out of 10 times you need to cut the bolt and replace the arm (i did when i swapped out my rt ft air bag) if you are gonna attempt it on your own i highly recommend when something fights you WALK AWAY!!!
 
i heated my lower shock bolt and it still put up a little fight but came out.
 
I did my conversion on my 151k mi car in about two hours with no problem. I hit the bolts for a few days with some penetrating oil and went to work. The only thing was that I used a cordless impact gun which made light work of any bolts. I didn't use a spring compresor as I just separated the upper control arm from the spindle. And everything went right on. About a wek after I removed the conversion kit as I traded it for a lowered one. got the kit out in 40 moms including jacking up the car. And I got the lowered one in under an hr. I would try to do it yourself. The suspension on the marks is pretty simple. I'd give it a good deal of effort before u spend the cash. At least if you need the tools to do it u can spend the cas. On tools u can kep rather than paying the mechanic to do it for you
 
I replaced the shocks, struts, springs, strut rod bushings, controll arms, sway bar links and sometyhing else in under 4 hours with no problem but I have many years doing my own work. If you are not familiar with the car or have the right tools then I would have a shop do it.
 
well i let it sit over night with a VERY liberal coating of PB plaster and everything is coming off so much easy, except, i dont know how to remove the "pinch bolt" and on the PS when removing that nut the dam thing snapped. so am i like really screwed now or is that just simple fix. thanks for all the great advice so far guys
 
defflepp1 said:
come on guys i really need to know how to remove that pinch bolt im sure most of you have to know
Click to expand...
Whats a pinch bolt?

Im gonna go out on a limb and guess its the bolt in the UCA for the ball joint tto spindle? If so you just unbolt it with the required size wrench and then push it out its hole. The spindle should fairly easily drop out.
 
One of my favorite tools for removing difficult bolts is a 4 lb deadblow hammer-I soak, often, bolts with PB or any penetrating oil that I know are going to be a PITA and use the 4 lb-er to get stuff going-has NEVER failed, no matter the situation.
 
where ever this is going...it seems like deja vu...like I seen something like this happened and then it got worse to where the person fukked up his car
 
so if even after soaking it with penatrator and giving it some good hard whacks with the hammer it still wont come out what are my options? ive already gotten the old air strut out and the coil is out an inch away from fitting on the bottom.
 
Brute force. :D



JK, please don't break it.


If you really cant get that bolt out then you have a few options.
1. Get someone1 who can.2
2. Remove the UCA3 bolts4. (need 18mm ratcheting wrench and patience)
3. Mark the LCA5 camber discs6 and remove the LCA from the k-member7.

1: By someone I am stating someone who knows how to work on a car and is possibly a professional mechanic. This is not limited to finding an illegal alien, unemployed monkey or actually bringing the car to a shop. 2: By can I am referring to proper removal and not cutting the arm off the car or ripping the UCA from the strut tower using a claw hammer. 3: Upper Control Arm (duh). 4: Without the 18mm wrench this becomes near impossible. Even with the wrench you will still need to have many safety meetings to restore patience after moving the wrench in 1/8" movements for 2 hours to remove the nut by the brake booster. 5: Lower Control Arm (duh). 6:These are the DISC shaped .... discs that have marks on them and have a bolt that attaches them into the K-member. 7: K-member is that large black steel thingy that holds the engine up. Caution, may be covered in crud and your fimbers will get dirty*.

*Wash hands before eating.
 
dude make shure the bolt is out there is a concave area that will not allow it to slide out. and make shure your doing the upper control arm. i just finished mine today thet slid right out. with one light tap from a 28 oz estwing
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 129 (members: 0, guests: 129)
Back
Top