Ok guys, my SLP springs came in so I need step by step directions for replacing them (rear). Thanks ahead of time. BTW...I probably won't be posting as much this summer since I'll be on dialup, but I'll still be browsing every day.

 

rears easy...jack it up and get the weight off the axle. use axle stands on the sub frame and lower it a little. have a hydro jack under your center section to help support it and undo your rear controls...IE sway bar..Maybe not sure but you pan hard bar has to go then slowly lower till they are clear. Install the reverse.

 

Anybody have a pic of the underside of the car so someone can poing out what a Panhard bar and all this stuff is.

 

The panhard rod and sway bar end-links can stay.

The panhard rod is above the axle. It's the diagonal suspension piece that crosses from the passenger side of the body to the driver's side of the axle. GM calls the panhard rod a "track bar"... so they call the piece above the track bar/panhard rod a "track bar brace". It goes into the body bracket the panhard rod uses, and then crosses back to the driver's side, and bolts to the car body with 3 bolts.

After you raise the car with a hydraulic jack under the axle, and place jackstands "in front of" the rear control arms, keep the hydraulic jack under the axle. Remove the lower shock-to-axle nuts. The whole lower shock bolt might start spinning; if it does, use a back-up wrench on the head of the bolt. On my shocks, there is no bolt head, the head is smooth. There are two flats ground into the side; I use an open-ended adjustable wrench for them because a socket doesn't work on mine.

Remove the nuts, then slowly lower the hydraulic jack a bit. There will be a point as you're lowering the jack that the shock won't be pushing down on the axle anymore. When this happens, you'll be able to pull the lower shock bolts out of the axle. You might need some light tapping with a hammer. If you're pounding on the lower shock bolts and they're not moving, you need to raise or lower the hydraulic jack to find the "sweet spot".

Once the lower shock bolts are out of the axle, lower the axle more with the hydraulic jack. Don't kink/stress your brake line! Also, I don't think this would happen, but make sure the axle doesn't rest on the lower shock bolts. When the axle's lowered enough, you'll be able to reach up and take the old springs (and spring-to-body insulators) down.

Oh- The torque spec for the lower shock bolt is 90 ft/lbs.

Hey, I searched & found a pic... it's in an article about replacing the panhard bar, but it'll give you something quick to look at: http://eric.virginia.com/install_uni...hb_install.htm


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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
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Ok, I disconnected the sway bar at all parts except for the far passenger part where it bolts to the body. Then I actually (didn't have a socket big enough for the bottom of the shocks) undid the TOP of the shocks. Then I lowered it, put the springs in, and jacked it up while I guided the shock in with one hand, then after it was through the hole a little bit, the spring into it's setting. I had a friend on the other side. And I don't remember where I saw it, but I remembered that the springs were both facing the same way (some hot rod show) so that they'd be very evenly balanced. Then I reattached the sway bar, and was on my way. WOW!!! What a difference. If I'd have to do it again, it'd take me 30 minutes. But it took me I think an hour for this time.