Today we tackled the front springs and shocks...have to say it was WAY harder than I expeced it would be. Trying to get the internal spring compressor to compress te spring enough was a chore..but once compressed enough..it went pretty easy..
opefully the rears will go MUCH easier...
JC2+2 said
May 21, 2012
Yes, the rears are very easy. They almost fall out with the shocks disconnected. Are you going with Cargo Coils in the rear? Also curious on how much did you gain on the front. My fronts are also on the weak side.
Blackheart4355 said
May 21, 2012
Well,
I don't have it on the ground yet..I have some bolts to replace as well as the link between the sway bar and the lower a arm. Didn't go with cargo's used the correct Moog rear coils for a convertible...
427carl said
May 21, 2012
I have never "seen" my mechanic do it but he lowers the A arms from the inside ? He was 1 hour 20 minites changing them (2) on my Ventura II
dualquadpete said
May 21, 2012
427carl wrote:
I have never "seen" my mechanic do it but he lowers the A arms from the inside ? He was 1 hour 20 minites changing them (2) on my Ventura II
Ya Carl, thats the way I did it it on the Catalina, dropped the A-arm on the frame side & swung it away when lowering it. reversed the process on install & it worked "pretty good" once you get the jack in the "RIGHT" place for swinging it back up. Took 2 or 3 balance tries before I hit the "sweet" spot!!!!!!!! Rears on a "yankee' poncho are an "absolute" slut as they are bolted in at the top & bolt goes "up" w/the nut sunk down in a pocket!! I had to put the bolt" down" as theres NO WAY you can get it started in the factory position!!! As "said, the Cdn. ones fall out after the shocks undone & rear end lwr'd. & yep, I put cargo coils in the back along w/air shocks!!!
Blackheart4355 said
May 22, 2012
Well,
If you do that, then you have to get an alignment. Doing it the way I did it keeps one from having to get an alignment.
4SPEED427 said
May 22, 2012
I've never seen it done dropping the inside of the arm. Again I learn!
But I am missing something here Shawn, why does doing it that way require an alignment? What does it change if you are putting the arm back in exactly where it was? I would have guessed in either case the result would be the same, no matter which end of the arm is removed. (By the way, I never claim to be a technician, just a back-yarder!)
67Poncho said
May 22, 2012
Carl Stevenson wrote:
I've never seen it done dropping the inside of the arm. Again I learn!
But I am missing something here Shawn, why does doing it that way require an alignment? What does it change if you are putting the arm back in exactly where it was? I would have guessed in either case the result would be the same, no matter which end of the arm is removed. (By the way, I never claim to be a technician, just a back-yarder!)
Like already said, the B bodies have a cam bolt on the lower control arms to adjust camber.... Any shop that adds shims to the upper A arms to adjust camber needs their knuckles rapped! (unless the cam bolt is seized)
The rest if them, I believe, have no adjustment on the lower arm... Just a through bolt!
And yes, you should still get the alignment readjusted... Ride height affects the alignment!
I always did my springs through the front... Never a real issue even the BB ones.. Just have to "play" smart!
-- Edited by 67Poncho on Tuesday 22nd of May 2012 08:36:59 AM
dualquadpete said
May 22, 2012
Blackheart4355 wrote:
Well,
If you do that, then you have to get an alignment. Doing it the way I did it keeps one from having to get an alignment.
You still should get the alignment checked as the newer spring will affect the ride height which will alter the "Camber" There are no adj. on lwr. A-arm if you drop it from frame [shims] bolts back in same place!!! My align. was out after repl. frt springs!!! Steered straight, but on a corner the frt. tires just "howled"!!!!!
Stealth68 said
May 22, 2012
Blackheart4355 wrote:
Well,
Today we tackled the front springs and shocks...have to say it was WAY harder than I expeced it would be. Trying to get the internal spring compressor to compress te spring enough was a chore..but once compressed enough..it went pretty easy..
opefully the rears will go MUCH easier...
........good job.......
............it can be done both ways, but using the spring compessor is more difficult and takes longer..........when I removed the front springs in the 68, I lowered the bottom arms from the inside using a jack and block of wood - came out really easily - wheel alignment post refitting is a must as the inner side of the lower arm is located by the camber bolt, and its difficult to relocate it in the same position.......
I've never seen it done dropping the inside of the arm. Again I learn!
But I am missing something here Shawn, why does doing it that way require an alignment? What does it change if you are putting the arm back in exactly where it was? I would have guessed in either case the result would be the same, no matter which end of the arm is removed. (By the way, I never claim to be a technician, just a back-yarder!)
Like already said, the B bodies have a cam bolt on the lower control arms to adjust camber.... Any shop that adds shims to the upper A arms to adjust camber needs their knuckles rapped! (unless the cam bolt is seized)
The rest if them, I believe, have no adjustment on the lower arm... Just a through bolt!
And yes, you should still get the alignment readjusted... Ride height affects the alignment!
I always did my springs through the front... Never a real issue even the BB ones.. Just have to "play" smart!
-- Edited by 67Poncho on Tuesday 22nd of May 2012 08:36:59 AM
Shows how much attention I've paid to front ends on all those B bodies I've had. I thought only my little X body had those cams on the lower arm.
dualquadpete said
May 23, 2012
The US Poncho's don't have the "cam" bolts, just a thru bolt. Just checked the 52[on 84 Cutlass chassis] & it has "thru bolt" only as well!! just for your info!!!!!
Well,
Today we tackled the front springs and shocks...have to say it was WAY harder than I expeced it would be. Trying to get the internal spring compressor to compress te spring enough was a chore..but once compressed enough..it went pretty easy..
opefully the rears will go MUCH easier...
Yes, the rears are very easy. They almost fall out with the shocks disconnected. Are you going with Cargo Coils in the rear? Also curious on how much did you gain on the front. My fronts are also on the weak side.
I don't have it on the ground yet..I have some bolts to replace as well as the link between the sway bar and the lower a arm. Didn't go with cargo's used the correct Moog rear coils for a convertible...
I have never "seen" my mechanic do it but he lowers the A arms from the inside ? He was 1 hour 20 minites changing them (2) on my Ventura II
Ya Carl, thats the way I did it it on the Catalina, dropped the A-arm on the frame side & swung it away when lowering it. reversed the process on install & it worked "pretty good" once you get the jack in the "RIGHT" place for swinging it back up. Took 2 or 3 balance tries before I hit the "sweet" spot!!!!!!!! Rears on a "yankee' poncho are an "absolute" slut as they are bolted in at the top & bolt goes "up" w/the nut sunk down in a pocket!! I had to put the bolt" down" as theres NO WAY you can get it started in the factory position!!! As "said, the Cdn. ones fall out after the shocks undone & rear end lwr'd. & yep, I put cargo coils in the back along w/air shocks!!!
If you do that, then you have to get an alignment. Doing it the way I did it keeps one from having to get an alignment.
But I am missing something here Shawn, why does doing it that way require an alignment? What does it change if you are putting the arm back in exactly where it was? I would have guessed in either case the result would be the same, no matter which end of the arm is removed. (By the way, I never claim to be a technician, just a back-yarder!)
Like already said, the B bodies have a cam bolt on the lower control arms to adjust camber.... Any shop that adds shims to the upper A arms to adjust camber needs their knuckles rapped! (unless the cam bolt is seized)
The rest if them, I believe, have no adjustment on the lower arm... Just a through bolt!
And yes, you should still get the alignment readjusted... Ride height affects the alignment!
I always did my springs through the front... Never a real issue even the BB ones.. Just have to "play" smart!
-- Edited by 67Poncho on Tuesday 22nd of May 2012 08:36:59 AM
You still should get the alignment checked as the newer spring will affect the ride height which will alter the "Camber" There are no adj. on lwr. A-arm if you drop it from frame [shims] bolts back in same place!!! My align. was out after repl. frt springs!!! Steered straight, but on a corner the frt. tires just "howled"!!!!!
........good job.......
............it can be done both ways, but using the spring compessor is more difficult and takes longer..........when I removed the front springs in the 68, I lowered the bottom arms from the inside using a jack and block of wood - came out really easily - wheel alignment post refitting is a must as the inner side of the lower arm is located by the camber bolt, and its difficult to relocate it in the same position.......
OK,
Here is a pic of the springs and shocks in...
Shows how much attention I've paid to front ends on all those B bodies I've had. I thought only my little X body had those cams on the lower arm.