ebmiller88

iTrader: (7)

Again, asked almost weekly. It's not a hard job but time consuming, and you MUST have the right tools or you'll be fighting with the parts all day. Also, if your car is a northern rust bucket you'll need to soak the hell out of all the bolts with penetrant if you hope to get them loose.

First off, be safe and use jackstands. Second, most of us don't have the tools that will be needed to do the job, but Auto Zone rents them for free (you leave a refundable deposit).

Here's a short rundown of what you'll need:

Jack and jackstands
Spring compressor
Pickle forks for tie rods and center link
Small 3-5# sledge hammer
Decent Metric socket set, with sizes up to 24mm (strut bolts)

More info can be found by searching the Suspension forum for "suspension rebuild" and "spring install".


For a step by step pictorial of what you're getting into, click the links below. The first is a complete front end rebuild and the second is the rearend rebuild/upgrade. The spring removal and replacement is covered in both. Here's a couple pointers that you will need to know:

1. Make SURE the front spings are indexed correctly or the front end will sit like a 4x4. The lower end of the spring coil must be placed betweend the 2 drain holes in the LCA.
2. I suggest replacing the front spring isolators while you do this. They are cheap from GM but Energy Suspension should have the poly replacements available by now. I don't recommend replacing the rear isolators with new ones though. They are made for the 4th gen cars, are all rubber, and when installed will make the rear end of the car sit 1-1.5" higher than it did. Reuse the old stock rear isolators. These are reinforced with steel and don't show much signs of wear.


Good luck with your spring replacement!

Front springs:

http://s91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...aro%20Rebuild/

Rear springs:
http://s91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...end%20Install/


Ed

firehawkslplus

THe links no longer lead to a working site.

ebmiller88

iTrader: (7)

Then just click the link in my sig above, it works fine.

EDIT: I also fixed the two links above, try them again..

Ed

ShiftyCapone

iTrader: (7)

It is about time you did this Eb I was getting tired of refering people to your site. I would PM the mods in the suspension board and make this a sticky.

di11avou

iTrader: (1)

You should never use a pickle fork on any part you are going to reuse. It can easily damage components. Use a puller and do it right.

REDBOWTIE67

VERY VERY INFORMATIVE, THANK YOU A LOT THIS WILL HELP ME WITH MY 92 RS

vinceanity92

Thanx a bunch for the info on coil spring i really appriciate the fact that almost any problem ive ever had with my 1992 RS has been fixed thanx to the people at thirdgen.org i had the out side style spring compressors i thought they were the only ones that existed but then i got the internal ones from autozone made a job that took all weekend for one side turn into 20 mins for the other thanx again for all the info and pics

allenfre

I used to have some problems regarding my spring compressor compressing my new spring to approx installed height.

1986iroc350

iTrader: (1)

looking for pics for spring install but your links in your post do not work. is there an alternative?? thanks

rich14

you have to use a coil spring compressor that is the internal type. You have to do it from inside the spring.
About the rear isolators though, you said if you replace them it will raise the rearend, are the aftermarket ones good and will maintain that height? I need to raise mine a little because the springs i use. Thanks....

ebmiller88

iTrader: (7)

I fixed the links.

Ed

MBcamaro1990

Is it completely necessary to remove the pivot bolts? Can you just disconnect the strut, tie rod, and sway bar then use a internal compressor to remove the spring? I'm not sure if the LCA can pivot down far enough with the bolts still in.

merlin6744

Any of the numerous times I have changed the front springs on thirdgens. I have just knocked the ball joint loose and left everything else connected. Pretty quick and easy with the spring compressor. Oh, I have also had to cut about six inches of height off of every spring compressor to get them to compress the spring good enough. Just be careful of that thing. I have had them pop apart (compressor) with them compressed in my hands. Ouch! Stings like a bee.

83 Crossfire TA

iTrader: (2)

Really??? Why do people need to re-invent the wheel doing this and doing it the hard way.

First, NEVER support a car on cinderblocks to work on it. That’s just stupid. Stacked on their sides they will crumble. Stacked as in the pictures, they’re OK as long as you keep the load even, but you put a side load on them and they will crumble.

Put jackstands under the car, and when you take the wheels off, throw them under the car also. You’re much better off scratching a rim when a jackstand fails or slips then crushing a limb, or your head.

Take the tires off, disconnect the outer tie rods from the spindles (don’t use a pickle fork unless you plan on replacing them or at least the boots, it’s hard to separate them with one without ruining at least the boots, instead loosen the nut on the top, take a HEAVY hammer like a 2 or 3# drilling hammer and hit the knuckle that the taper fits in HARD, that will knock the taper loose out of it’s seat).

Skip the BS with the spring compressor… put a decent shop jack (it’s easier with a full size jack but it can be done with one of the little ones) under the spring pocket or under the inside of the spring pocket, pull the nuts off the pivot bolts and then you can use the jack to take some of the load off of the pivot bolts so you can get them out, then lower the control arm. The strut/spindle/brake assembly will act as an extra safety blocking the spring from being able to come out toward you as you work, but if it makes you feel safer, take a length of chain and loop it around the bottom coil and control arm to keep it from going anywhere.

With the jack all the way down you should be able to just pull out most lowering springs, some taller stock springs will still have a little bit of tension keeping them in the pocket, but you can push them out by levering the out with some sort of stick/shaft, I’ve used a broom handle before, but any longer pry bar… will work, I’d stay away from something short just to keep clear of the spring with any tension on it.

The rear springs… well they’re fairly soft… with the car on jackstands let the rear sag all the way down as far as the shocks will let it go, then get under it, grab a couple of coils with both hands and squeeze, you should end up with enough clearance to pull the springs out.

Reinstall is basically the opposite, but to make the front install much easier a flat pry bar will help you guide the bushings back into their pockets, a second, small jack (I usually use a small 2 ton bottle jack) helps by letting you push the front or back pivot into place with the other jack supporting the assembly roughly at the correct height, and finally, a tapered alignment punch will help you get the holes spot on to push the pivot bolts through (I’ve done it before with a screwdriver, but the correct tool for the job only costs a few $, works better and then there’s no risk of bending a perfectly good screwdriver).

DiabloWS6

iTrader: (8)

on one of your pics you have posted on photobucket labeled spring compressor #1 there is an adapter that you have next to it i was looking for it at autozone and napa but they only have the spring compressor i have the exact same spring compressor you have but i was wondering if you needed that adaptor or can be fine with out it