Just wondering what would a shop charge for rebuilding the front suspension on my Z28.I know that my rotors are warped and the steering linkage/alignment is bad(tie rods,end links,etc.)It doesn't really have much side travel(left or right) when I let go of the wheel but since my rotors are warped it does get squirrely over bumps.Would I also need the wheel bearings replaced as well.Everything is stock btw.

 

That would cost WAAAAYYYY more than I would ever be willing to spend. To rebuild the front suspension would probably cost over 1000. If you have the tools, and time I would suggest spending a week or so and doing it yourself.

 

I just remebered when I had my '84 Berlinetta I had just the steering linkage replaced and it was $518 at Western Auto.I just figured that was a little to high then but I had used some of my tax return so what the heck,I had it done. Maybe if it is as expensive as you say it might be maybe I can have one thing done at a time.I don't have the tools to pull the ball joint out but anyway what else is involved in a front suspension rebuild? bushings? struts?????

 

If you need a shop, then Id hold off on a complete front end rebuild. Take it to your shop of choice and have them look - I doubt you need EVERYTHING. They should tell you what warrants replacement, and what is still good to go. That way you won;t have to pay them for a full rebuild, and can hold off until you feel you can do it.

 

They'll charge you WAY too much for a job that's not that hard.

Do it yourself:



http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/tar...m/taramiller72

HTH...Ed

 

Yeah I probably don't need everything rebuilt but with 139K miles on stock parts I thought that it could use an extensive rebuild.I guess that I'll have them take a look and see what needs replacing.

 

I would try to do it myself but I've never done work like this before,I may try though.:lala:

 

I had never done any suspension work this involvled before either, but when it was all said and done it wasn't that hard. You can do it!!!

 

I have to agree here. With Ed's pictures, it made it that much easier. Put it this way, with the money u save on the labor...u can buy WAY more in parts Just have fun with it, and have some patience. It can be accomplished!
Good luck, Efrain

 

Yeah,I guess that I'll have a go at it,I do have another car just in case I F up. I have about $800(saved for car emergencies) at my disposal sooooo we'll see ...and thanks :yourock:

 

the only things i won't be doing, are the removing and installing a-arm bushings and ball joints, and the actual alignment of the car. i have those particular jobs farmed out as i don't have the proper equipment.

i'm replacing everything except the pitman arm. inner and outer tie rod ends, center link, idler arm, struts and shocks, ball joints, a-arm bushings, sway bars along with bushings and endlinks. also doing new stock replacement iroc springs front and rear.

i'm also doing a c4 brake upgrade as well. i'm just going to go with stock replacement brake hoses for now. i don't want to end up buying two sets of premium hose (earl's) and having leftover parts i'd end up not using.

for the rear, i'll do new shoes and hardware, possibly drums as well. rear discs will have to wait for now. i have lca's and a panhard bar coming from spohn as well.

 

pitman arm,swaybar bushings & endlinks,inner and outer tie rod ends, center link, idler arm, shocks...struts I'm not too sure of.I know about the 2 bolts at the spindle and the 1 on the top of the tower,those are easy to get off.Isn't there a spring on the strut too or is that just on other cars?Of the items that I mentioned which are almost a necessity to replace?

 

no, there is no spring on the strut.

the spring is sandwiched bewteen the a-arm and the cross member.

 

Yeah I know of that spring but I was just wondering if there was one also on the strut itself too,inside the sleeve you see in the wheel well..thanks though

 

no, that sleeve is just a protective covering.

 

Ok

 

Just thought that I would give an update.I had decided to just replace the struts,rotors(were starting to warp),rear swaybar endlinks and shocks.So the last 2 days I replaced the front struts and rotors and repacked the wheel bearings.I'm sure glad about deciding to replace the rotors now cause when I looked inside the hub part I could see cracks everywhere! So today or tomorrow I'll change out the rear shocks,rotors and swaybar endlinks. :lala:

 

very cool.

keep everyone posted!

i need to get my hubs turned. i ordered more front suspension parts, too. slowly getting there

 

Well I had just finished everything front to back:new rotors,struts,shocks,rear swaybar endlinks and repacked the front bearings.Surprisingly it wasn't as hard(replacing the rotors/repacking the bearings) as I first thought since it was my first time doing so.About the only thing that was a pain in the butt was freeing frozen bolts and a stuck rear passenger side rotor.The rear shocks were interesting to say the least.I had only done this one or 2 other times but that was about 10 or so years ago.I forgot exactly whether or not to cut the wires that keep the shocks compressed and then bolt up the bottom part.Well I cut the wires and they decompressed.I then noticed that I couldn't put the top part through the hole in the passenger compartment and bolt up the bottom.So I had my brother loosely bolt the top down as I held the shock in place,same thing for the other side.I then took one of my spare floor jacks and jacked up the shock til the lower mount evened up with the bracket,bolted that up.All and all it wasn't too bad.Tomorrow I take it for a test drive as I was too tired to do that tonight...keeping my fingers crossed that I didn't mess anything up or need a frontend alignment.:lala:

 

Oh yeah,one more thing.I think that the front struts were the originals by how old they looked.