bozobuttz

I bought new shocks, springs, and a front sway bar for my camaro. I installed the rear shocks and springs, that was a piece of cake. I'm working on the front now, and let me tell you how pissed I am. First off, I've done suspension on a 79 camaro and a 66 mustang and they both are a PITA, and my camaro is no different. I'm not gonna lie to myself anymore: I hate working on suspensions.

Anyways, I get under the car for the first time in a few weeks and notice the water pump is taking a crap. (I had it off not too long ago to do the opti, I should have changed it then). I started by trying to take off the swaybar. The endlinks were so rusted, it took forever but it came off. I decided to do the passenger side shock/spring first. I wrestle that damn thing trying to figure out how its gonna come out. I had to stop cuz my mom made some bacon and eggs for me . I ended up separating the top ball joint after alot of pounding. The upper control arm comes falling out WTF! I expected it to be attached to the car. Now I need to figure out a way to support the friggin spindle. So after 4 hours, all I have done is the sway bar and 1 shock/spring assembly removed. I work slow by myself and can only do a little work each day since I'm so busy.

Day 2. I got a strut spring compressor and start tightening, again it took forever by hand. Took off the top nut on the shock. Thank god it wasnt rusted on. So it all came apart not too difficultly. I could squeeze the old shock pretty easily. However, I put all my weight on the new one and it wouldnt budge. The new spring is a 1/2 inch taller and has 1 more full coil than the old one. This got me all excited about how sweet its gonna be when I'm done. Later in the day I start to assemble the new shock and spring and fudge with that for a long time but i eventually manage. Needed an extra set of hands to test fit the dang thing to make sure everything is lined up correctly. I damaged that plastic boot thing that covers up the shock and then theres no room between the coils to get the compressor clamps off now. Had to use my trusty hammer for quite awhile.

So as of tonight, I have that assembly put together but not back in the car and who knows if its all going to line up. Just to think I still have to do the drivers side and you gotta remove the master cylinder. I'll put that off for a few weeks so I can forget about how much I hate doing suspensions. I'm gonna take the shock/spring assembly to Sears for them to do the spring compressing. That will save me some time.

Sorry I needed to vent. Someone tell me I'm not crazy. END RANT

vodoo-chile

Your timing is impeccable. I am doing the exact same thing to my 95. I bought the 1LE setup, including the sway bar, and put the fronts on this weekend (rain sucks). My problem is that there is some knocking sound coming from the front setup now. I'm not sure where but it sounds like something is not tightened up all the way and when I hit a bump, bang, there it is. Now, I have to take the spring/shock setup out of the car and re-check all of it again.

Kyle

Injuneer

You didn't actually have to seperate the upper ball joint. It makes it easier, but people who have used my online spring/shock install procedure have told me it is possible to get the spring/shock assembly out of the a-arms without seperating either ball joint, or loosening the sway bar end links. Just takes some muscle.

And you don't have to "remove" the master cylinder, just loosen the nuts that hold the master cylinder to the booster and push it gently to the side.

Did you markt the relation of the top spring mount to the lower spring mount BEFORE you seperated the shock and the spring? If not, odds are pretty good you don't have them aligned correctly, and will need to take it apart again to get them in the right alignment, so the bolts will fit through the shocks on the bottom, and the bolts/studs in the upper mount will fit through the holes in the tower.

You might want to scan through this:

http://members.aol.com/InjuneerZZ/HALEibch.htm

bozobuttz

Thanks, I've been using your install page as a reference all along the way. I marked every thing but I dont really understand how the markings will help me line anything up. I test fitted it then tightened up the shock nut. I'm hoping when I go back out there to work on it again everything fits or else its goin to sears.

Hyperspeed97z28

I did my full spring/shock 1LE package install in about 3 hours, front and rear with a friend, I did have access to a lift though and a spring compressor.

I thought it was a rather easy install. It looked ALOT worse then it really was..

Keep your mind thinking positive, IF you get mad or frustrated, WALK AWAY, take a break and go back to it. Working when your MAD will only make things worse...

Dont worry!

you'll get em in and you'll be happy you did it yourself afterwards!

revtime

I did mine about a year ago. Pulled the entire front suspension and installed poly bushings, KYB shocks, and an Eibach drag launch kit.
It was not too bad although my nuts on the shock towers were rusted way to bad so I had to buy all new parts, that hurt but the spring/shock assembly was all new when it went back in. The lower control arms were a PITA to remove, that vertical bolt is a biotch.

SteveZ Z-28

This weekend I tried to install new struts and springs on the front of my 1994 Z-28. I wasn't able to complete the install. I tried to do it without taking any of the ball joints apart because I don't have the tools to do so. I could not get the shock assembly out for the life of me. After I took the bolts out of the bottom of the mount, the shock slid down until it hit the bottom of the well in the control arm. I tried pushing up on the shock and spring but I couldn't get it to move but a little bit--definately not enough to get it out of the well. After wrestling around with it for a while I gave up and used the crowbar to get the shock back into place to reassemble everything. So I guess that I am going to have to take the upper ball joint apart or something to get that thing out. Is the upper ball joint just pressed in or do I need a special tool to get it off?

And is there some special way of getting the shock and spring out without taking the ball joint(s) apart? Cause I tried my best and it was so stiff that I could hardly get that thing to budge.

Thanks.

LPEdave

You should be able to pull it out without separating the ball joint. Here's my write-up, it might help a bit... http://www.go-fast.org/z28/shocks.html

Dave

Greg99LS1

Oh boy.....getting ready to un-******** my front end too. I've found the Service manual online at GM Service Operations:

http://134.39.200.6:9001/servlets/Bl...ppModel=Camaro

This is for a '99, but the suspension is the same. I hope my install (Hotchkis springs, Bilstein shocks, ST 35mm bar) goes a little smoother than yours did.....

The manual says to undo the spindle from the lower control arm.

Jabberwocky

Took me a day and a half to do everything in my backyard. The hardest part is actually compressing the springs, it takes a bit of muscle. Everything else is cake. Undoing the upper balljoint is so easy, I don't know why anyone would try to skip this step. Just pull the cotter pin out, undo the castle nut halfway, they give the screw a solid upward whack with a hammer without damaging the threads. The joint should pop right off. Support the lower arm and then remove the castle nut all the way.

bozobuttz

Well I'm back to working on my suspension again today. I started to work on the drivers side I cant get those damn torx bolts out. I stripped the ****e out of the bit and the the recess in the bolt head where you stick the bit is almost completly stripped too. Any ideas on how to get these bolts out? Is there an "indestructible" torx driver bit I can buy cuz my crappy one stripped without me even trying?

Jabberwocky

I have no idea, but the one I bought at sears is pretty damn sturdy. That's the one thing sears has to redeem itself, their stuff is overpriced but the tools are of good quality.

bozobuttz

Finally got some time tonight to finish the suspension once and for all! Been lazy/busy with school and whatnot. Car feels tighter when fish tailing out of turns. Just a tip: Make sure to inspect the upper 'strut' mounts and replace them if they are worn!!! My drivers side one was completely shot so I had to buy a new one for $55. The passenger side mount looked okay but it may be bad because I still have a clunk sound when I go over the curb of my driveway. Sears ended up being lame so I did the spring myself (of course it was a PITA).

vodoo-chile

That clunk may be the shock to upper shock mount not tight all of the way. When your tighten the nut on the top of the shock, basically holding the entire spring/shock assembly together, make sure the nut is all of teh way bottom,ed out, otherwise you will leave room for movement. Don't ask how I know,

kyle