JeffP1167
Well-known member
My bushings look pretty bad and I would like to start fixing this car up
how hard to rebuild a 82's front suspension?
- Thread starter JeffP1167
- Start date
MYBAD79
Moderator
Not hard at all, in addition to the bushings I'd weld the lower A-arm channels to the frame and also add gussets... I used poly bushings for upper and lower arms, seem to work fine ....
Ball joints: Moog for sure.... no China junk from the local parts store....
I have quiet a few photos that I took during my front susp rebuild back in 2004... I'll post some once i found them....
Ball joints: Moog for sure.... no China junk from the local parts store....
I have quiet a few photos that I took during my front susp rebuild back in 2004... I'll post some once i found them....
JeffP1167
Well-known member
This car wont be driven hard ever, but I would like to go with a full urethane bushing kit. This is a rust free car so dissasembly shouldn't be that hard. I do intend at some point to put a racknpinion in it. with suspension out would it help at this point to do any mods necessary to make installation easier.
My ride height seems normal so I doubt it needs springs or anything.
JeffP1167
Well-known member
also if you can find the pics plese post them, I'm not really into painting/powder coating them more into function.
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Biggest PITA is the upper arms don't like coming off the bolts/studs that are knurled/fit into the frame even though they do have a hex head, because the fan shroud was in the way....on my '72 anyway...I suspect you probably have same issue....ME, I"M lazy and took a impact to the bolts and removed them to save pulling the fan shroud.....not so hard to get a long extension and socket in there if you have to for alignment....
yes to welding the later frame lower A arm mounts channel, apparently they went to thinner steel in later sharks, what I hear anyway, I keep checking on my '72 but see no stress points....
when you do the rack, I have some simple bracket diagrams that have been on my car since early 02 driven daily over some shitty roads, and speed bumps...
and 255/50/17 rubber no failures yet....and it's only two universal joints, not 3....
:shocking:
yes to welding the later frame lower A arm mounts channel, apparently they went to thinner steel in later sharks, what I hear anyway, I keep checking on my '72 but see no stress points....
when you do the rack, I have some simple bracket diagrams that have been on my car since early 02 driven daily over some shitty roads, and speed bumps...
and 255/50/17 rubber no failures yet....and it's only two universal joints, not 3....
:shocking:
JeffP1167
Well-known member
Mine has no shroud. Did you make your own rack setup?
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Yes, before anyone hit the market, my inspiration came off the CF in them daze a fellow in Europe had done the first one, but it took me a year to find out what rack to use....my rack came off a '92 Grand Am in the junkyard....it was considerably newer than the engine compartment looked, so was a rebuilt...and has been fine...for 35 bux such a deal.....
the universals are all from junkyard made up from mainly Luminas as donors....
they treat them univarsals like fucking GOLD in the aftermarket....my total conversion price was less than 200 bux....
BUT I have a good welder buddy, without him, it's toast, no go....
MY brackets are much simpler and lighter than any aftermarket crap I have seen...I dunno what is such a mystery over all their troubles....it took only two attempts to get the driver's bracket, and ONE on the pass side...not rocket science....with engine out, and some careful measurements, you can easy set the rack on jack stands for a mock up, shit, if I can pull it off, surely other guys can....
:hissyfit:
:search:
the universals are all from junkyard made up from mainly Luminas as donors....
they treat them univarsals like fucking GOLD in the aftermarket....my total conversion price was less than 200 bux....
BUT I have a good welder buddy, without him, it's toast, no go....
MY brackets are much simpler and lighter than any aftermarket crap I have seen...I dunno what is such a mystery over all their troubles....it took only two attempts to get the driver's bracket, and ONE on the pass side...not rocket science....with engine out, and some careful measurements, you can easy set the rack on jack stands for a mock up, shit, if I can pull it off, surely other guys can....
:hissyfit:
:search:
JeffP1167
Well-known member
Yes, before anyone hit the market, my inspiration came off the CF in them daze a fellow in Europe had done the first one, but it took me a year to find out what rack to use....my rack came off a '92 Grand Am in the junkyard....it was considerably newer than the engine compartment looked, so was a rebuilt...and has been fine...for 35 bux such a deal.....
the universals are all from junkyard made up from mainly Luminas as donors....
they treat them univarsals like fucking GOLD in the aftermarket....my total conversion price was less than 200 bux....
BUT I have a good welder buddy, without him, it's toast, no go....
MY brackets are much simpler and lighter than any aftermarket crap I have seen...I dunno what is such a mystery over all their troubles....it took only two attempts to get the driver's bracket, and ONE on the pass side...not rocket science....with engine out, and some careful measurements, you can easy set the rack on jack stands for a mock up, shit, if I can pull it off, surely other guys can....
:hissyfit:
No reason to pill my motor, this car runs actually pretty nice. Just looks like crap is all but mechanically everything is there. Has like 135k miles
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Yes, before anyone hit the market, my inspiration came off the CF in them daze a fellow in Europe had done the first one, but it took me a year to find out what rack to use....my rack came off a '92 Grand Am in the junkyard....it was considerably newer than the engine compartment looked, so was a rebuilt...and has been fine...for 35 bux such a deal.....
the universals are all from junkyard made up from mainly Luminas as donors....
they treat them univarsals like fucking GOLD in the aftermarket....my total conversion price was less than 200 bux....
BUT I have a good welder buddy, without him, it's toast, no go....
MY brackets are much simpler and lighter than any aftermarket crap I have seen...I dunno what is such a mystery over all their troubles....it took only two attempts to get the driver's bracket, and ONE on the pass side...not rocket science....with engine out, and some careful measurements, you can easy set the rack on jack stands for a mock up, shit, if I can pull it off, surely other guys can....
:hissyfit:
No reason to pill my motor, this car runs actually pretty nice. Just looks like crap is all but mechanically everything is there. Has like 135k miles
I had the car down for some time due to major work, engine out, and so the rack was just ONE project....in fact I think it would be easier to do it with the engine in place, that way you make sure you clear the pan.....
I had to ding the pan to pick up about 1/4" of clearance...no biggie, wood and hammer right in place...:lol:
saudivette
Clueless In Sandland
It was pretty easy, although I didn't cotton onto welding the channels or making gussets until I had everything back together.
Everything came out pretty easily though and went back together without much worry. Have you got a floor jack? I thought that was easier than using a spring compressor. You'll need a pickling fork for popping your ball joints too...
JeffP1167
Well-known member
Yes I have all the tool to do the job, I've just never taken on apart is all. Would also like to have my rear bearings replaced as well but not sure they are bad or not.
MYBAD79
Moderator
I haven't forgotten about the front susp photos, I have them on one of my external drives, have t resize and upload ...
anyways, for the rear bearings and trailing arms I have two threads with lots of photos. One is the Johnny Joint install and the other the bearing endplay setup...
linky:
http://vettemod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2400&highlight=bearing
and
http://vettemod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2315&highlight=johnny
JeffP1167
Well-known member
I read the very first sentence in that post and saw .122 shim and quikly closed it lol. Already sounds out of my league at that point.
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Ah bullshit, your biggest problem is dealing with the press fit bearings, other than that, it's just another front bearing setup, really with shim spacers in there instead of the castellated nut/pin....:beer:
JeffP1167
Well-known member
I just assumed they were something like a C4, probably just send that part off and have it done.
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
When doing all that work, it would be silly to not get a new pair of Moog springs for $80. The old ones are designed for belted tires. The upper ball joints rarely wear, it's the lowers that do the work. If you go poly, grease them good with silicone grease.
Summit has a kit , but does not include the front sway bar, and the rears supplied are 7/16". Tranny mt included, but no motor mounts.
saudivette
Clueless In Sandland
I'd have to wait until I get home to check for sure, but I'm pretty sure I got my poly kit from tracdogg. It included sway bar but not the tranny mount. He's on the forum somewhere but I can't recall his email address or website - someone else will know it for sure.
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
http://classiccorvetteparts.vstore.ca/
Mike is a great source for many items corvette, and always willing to help a fellow vette owner.
JeffP1167
Well-known member
anyone interested in making me a rack n pinion setup? Or a jeep box setup ????
also looking for someone to paint this car
also looking for someone to paint this car
Last edited:
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Send me your email addy, I have a couple of bracket drawings, the ones holding the rack, been there since '02 now....
Like I have said, I junkyarded my fresh rack from a '92 Grand Am.....the input universals are a made up thing from junkyard parts....the grease caps were staked in place at the factory, so carefully ground out and reassembled/greased and done in new configuration as needed....
keep in mind about header clearance, not a issue with a stock system...but count on most header tubes being a bitch.....I wound up swapping headers for Schoenfeld #151 'chassis headers'.....150 bux back then....
:beer:
