Just got my MAC lower control arms and panhard. I though I would have no problem till in the instructions it mentioned undoing shock and springs bolts. Don't want to poke my eye out or inpae myself with a spring.

So has anyone done it? As hard at the instructions make it?


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EVILFACE

88 Camaro
Stock 305 TBI Auto, Flowmaster, Full 3" Exhaust, B&M Megashifter, K&N Open Element
Runs A Blistering 16.5 @ 81.5 mph (due to major tire spin)

http://www.evilface.com/evilscamaro.htm

 

It's one of the easier no brainer mods you can do I didn't have to unbolt any of that stuff.Basicly do one side at a time,unbolt the control arm and bolt the other back on.(tighten them to spec with the suspension loaded)

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92RS,POLO GREEN

 

get yourself a soft mallet,it will help to get the holes positioned and tap the bolts through. piece of cake!! an exellent mod for the rear!

 

Shoot, it's a piece of cake. You don't have to undo any of that stuff they mentioned... Just make sure you do ONE control arm at a time cuz if you pull 'em both off at the same time you'll wish you hadn't... the rear end will drift and it can be difficult to get back in place... good mod, too. Just did mine this weekend, but I had put new poly bushings in the stock arms last year and that helped some...

KAM

 

Have a jack under the rear diff and leave the shocks bolted up! Do one at a time. The hardest part is getting the old rusted units off. I couldn't get my drivers side off, I had a friend help and it was impossible to take off. We didn't have a torch or impact wrench so keep in mind that it might be harder than it looks.

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, Jon (350 TBI!)
91 Red My website

 

The springs won't hit you. They're held "straight up", instead of the front ones, which want to escape an angled location and aim for your head.

If you remove the lower shock nuts, and lower the axle, once you find that "sweet spot" height and push the lower shock bolts out of the axle, keep lowering the axle further. Another couple inches, and you can reach up, and remove the springs with your hands. The only risk is them falling on your head- but they'll be falling, and not flying!

IIRC, those bolts need a deep 18mm socket for the nut, and a normal 21mm socket for the bolt head.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

wha wha what? TomP, you don't need to unbolt the shocks. At least I didn't. Just unbolt one piece at a time and everything stays put.

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, Jon (350 TBI!)
91 Red My website

 

I didn't have to unbolt the shocks at all. I just jacked the car up and supported the pumpkin on a floor jack. Unbolt and replace one piece at a time. You shouldn't have any problems.

 

I was clearing up Evilface's worries about getting impaled with a spring, that's all. I don't see a reason to remove the shocks/springs to do LCA's, either.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

Thanx for the tips everyone. Was easier than I thought. The only tuff part was getting the nuts to break loose hehe.

But one of the nuts for the panhard bar would not come loose and I didn't want to risk stripping it out further so I'm going over to a buddy's place and he'll give me a hand with that.

The arms work like they say, I did notice the rear tires gripping better as well as the rear end rasing a bit instead of boging down. Definitly a better launch. Now to go to the track to see if I can get some better times.


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EVILFACE

88 Camaro
Stock 305 TBI Auto, Flowmaster, Full 3" Exhaust, B&M Megashifter, K&N Open Element
Runs A Blistering 16.5 @ 81.5 mph (due to major tire spin)

http://www.evilface.com/evilscamaro.htm

[This message has been edited by EVILFACE (edited June 03, 2001).]

 

You should notice a nice time drop. Some friends and I were at the track the other week, and Doug (AmorgetRS) installed Spohn LCA's on his 'Bird at the track and dropped like a full second...