Yes, I am referring to the old "heater hose" mod. While some may frown on this, I am considering it depending on the answer to my following question.

I'm assuming the front springs have an isolator just like the rear and the hose will give me an inch or less of drop. Can I take the upper nut off the strut, and slide it back down through the mount as I lower the control arm to gain the clearance needed to remove the spring? I understand the control arm has to pivot way down to get the spring out, but I dont want to dissasemble all the brakes to get it done. If I could get away with taking the caliper off and dropping everything down with the strut still attached to the spindle it would simplify the task.

Any help is greatly appreciated,
Max

 

The front isolator isn't at all like the rear one. As you'll see from the following pic, replacing it with hose won't benefit you much.

http://www.spohn.net/shop/1982-1992-...Isolators.html

JamesC

 

Haha, wow...

Yeah you seem to be right about that. The isolator is so thin to begin with I wouldent see any drop. Thanks JamesC

Well, I guess I'll be going in a diff. direction for sure now

I've taken alot of weight off the car and it shows, she rides kinda high. The rear is ok with me, but the front has too much of that Pre-Runner look. Just about an inch drop would be fine. I guess I'll do some research into spring cutting, unless that could greatly change my ride characteristics. I know that new springs with the appropriate drop are the proper way to do it, just not in my budget at the moment...

Thanks again,
Max

 

ive done the removal of the springs wiht just taking the top strut nut off and disconnecting the sway bar end link and with a jack just lowered the Aarm will the spring fell out.... this was with the short @ss sportlines tho. didnt have to take the brakes off or anything. if your want more of a drop i wouldnt go with drop springs. all the spring companies like Eibach,hotchkins, ST, intrax... done really increase spring rate for lowering ride height. not a good thing. they are mostly just for looks. the better kit of the lowering springs is the prokit from eibach. i loved my sprotlines bc of the slammed look and better than my stock 130,000 WS6 springs but im going with cutting new moog 5664/5665s. they will be way stiffer than prokits etc but i can get the ride height i want.

cheap and easy would be just to hack a 1/2 coil off. a 1/2 coil is good for about 1" drop. depending on the spring. weither the 5660/5662 thats in there. i would start with a 1/4 coil cut and see where that puts u. or u could just go for 1/2 coil off and that should put u around 1" drop. maybe more bc your stockers are prob sagging

 

Yeah, that might be in the future... Idk though, I"ll probably just cough up the chips for the right springs. On another note though, I think my springs may have been replaced. I can hardly push the front of the car down, it is also very stiff and rides pretty high in my opinion. I own two other camaro's, one of them identical to this one except the T5. They are indexed properly. Is there anyway I can identify them? I know it sounds crazy...

Thanks,
Max

 

umm if there stock they might still have the spring tags on them. if not they would have been spray painted white at the top of the spring, just a small spot... if its still there then they are moogs. or u could get a caliper and get the DIA of the spring wire. .75" is moog 5662 and .765" is moog 5664, not sure wat the 5660 is.

the springs dont loose spring rate over time they just sag which reduces free height/ride height. so pushing down on them doesnt really do anyhting but test the struts/shocks. even the 5660 spring has a 550 to 650 spring rate so unless ur like 400lbs ur not gona move it much.

 

Yeah I didnt see any tags on them, I know what ur talking about though. I do have caliper, I'll measure them. Haha, no I'm not 400 pounds I just know I can push the front end down on my 92 V6 car fairly easily. Of course I assume they are a bit softer sprung.

Max,

 

yea the v6 springs are alot softer. kinda like the rear 5665s lol. i would measure them and see what it is... i measured my sportlines and my moogs 5664s and they are a tad bit bigger... remember to take into account the powercoat/painting thickness