Stock Strut Question....
04-10-2005, 09:36 AM
#1
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Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Temple, Texas
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Stock Strut Question....
Ok, I'm having a problem with my stock struts and I was wondering a few things. First off, I have a 93 Z28 that came with the sport suspension for that 93 model year. What it came with and if it came on other year models, I don't know. But I know it's the upgraded suspension for 93. Anywho, I had an extra set of stock springs sitting around so I took out my cut off wheel, measured/marked/cut them. I went to my friends shop (would do it at home, but he has a lift at work which makes life easier 
) and we took out both front struts and took them over to compress the springs and take everything apart. That's when we ran into some problems.... When we tried to use a wrench to remove the nut on top of the strut assembly, we couldn't get it off. WD-40, nothing. PB Blaster, nothing. B-12, Nothing. So out came the impact. When we hit it with the impact, it stripped off all the corners so that all was left was a round "bolt" on top!!! At the time, I had no money to replace the entire assembly, so we stuck them back in until I figured something out. What I was wondering was, can I just get new front shocks and save the metal plates that the spring rests against? Of course I'd get new bolts for the top, but can I salvage the plates? Or do I have to get new struts? Thanks in advance,
) and we took out both front struts and took them over to compress the springs and take everything apart. That's when we ran into some problems.... When we tried to use a wrench to remove the nut on top of the strut assembly, we couldn't get it off. WD-40, nothing. PB Blaster, nothing. B-12, Nothing. So out came the impact. When we hit it with the impact, it stripped off all the corners so that all was left was a round "bolt" on top!!! At the time, I had no money to replace the entire assembly, so we stuck them back in until I figured something out. What I was wondering was, can I just get new front shocks and save the metal plates that the spring rests against? Of course I'd get new bolts for the top, but can I salvage the plates? Or do I have to get new struts? Thanks in advance,
04-10-2005, 10:23 AM
#2
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Re: Stock Strut Question....
You might be able to grind off the nut (no bolts) with a Dremel or something. Most people have to cut the top off the shock (no strut) shaft to get it apart.Then you will have an upper seat that needs to be inspected very carefully. They rot, and the part that the shaft/nut goes through can tear loose from the main body of the mount. The lower spring seat can be reused. It just slides off the shock. There is a hard rubber ring in the lower seat... the condition of that needs to be checked. This is a completely disassembled stock shock:
http://members.aol.com/InjuneerZZ/im...otos/shk08.jpg
What is the RPO code for your "sport suspension"? Wasn't aware there was any option other than the 1LE (only 19 made on 93).
http://members.aol.com/InjuneerZZ/im...otos/shk08.jpg
What is the RPO code for your "sport suspension"? Wasn't aware there was any option other than the 1LE (only 19 made on 93).
04-10-2005, 10:58 AM
#3
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Missouri
Posts: 576
Re: Stock Strut Question....
The above post by injuneer is good info and correct.
I would buy the upper mount "Dog bone" and a new lower spring mount.
Even after I cut my shock rod in half, I could not remove the piece of shock rod that has rusted and expanded in the lower spring mount. The nut was gone on my car also.
Remember that the nut is the only thing that is keeping that spring from exploding into your face.
If you have springs and buy all of the above, you can assemble the coil over shock unit off of the car and then just swap them with your rusted stock units.
That would be my plan of attack.
Make sure that you tighten the shock rod nut down fully, should be about 35 ft/lbs. Keep the spring compressor in place and make sure you are not tightening against the spring.
Also you have to carefully line up the shock spring system to make sure you can get it back in place.
FYI, the Z28 package includes "Sport Suspension" on all models and years. The 1LE was the only factory upgrade in that year. I have been told that 93 1LE had the heavier 360# front springs, but not the heavier rear springs. This is not what most web sources say and I don't know for sure. If they are 360# front springs they will be .580 dia wire any smaller and they are stock
z28.
Z28
I would buy the upper mount "Dog bone" and a new lower spring mount.
Even after I cut my shock rod in half, I could not remove the piece of shock rod that has rusted and expanded in the lower spring mount. The nut was gone on my car also.
Remember that the nut is the only thing that is keeping that spring from exploding into your face.
If you have springs and buy all of the above, you can assemble the coil over shock unit off of the car and then just swap them with your rusted stock units.
That would be my plan of attack.
Make sure that you tighten the shock rod nut down fully, should be about 35 ft/lbs. Keep the spring compressor in place and make sure you are not tightening against the spring.
Also you have to carefully line up the shock spring system to make sure you can get it back in place.
FYI, the Z28 package includes "Sport Suspension" on all models and years. The 1LE was the only factory upgrade in that year. I have been told that 93 1LE had the heavier 360# front springs, but not the heavier rear springs. This is not what most web sources say and I don't know for sure. If they are 360# front springs they will be .580 dia wire any smaller and they are stock
z28.
Z28
Last edited by Z28barnett; 04-10-2005 at 11:06 AM.
04-10-2005, 11:21 AM
#4
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Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Temple, Texas
Posts: 688
Re: Stock Strut Question....
Cool, thanks for the info! As for the option code for my suspension, I have no clue. Last year I went to a chevy dealership to ask questions about some suspension pieces I wanted to replace, they looked up my code and the guy at the counter said I had an upgraded sport suspension package. My friend was with me who had a 94 Trans Am and asked if he had the same code, the man said he didn't even see it listed for 94 or above. 
I can check the window sticker, it's at my parents house in a box in my old closet. Oh, about the struts, what if I just went and got a set of used struts from a V8 F-Body, installed my springs on those and then swapped them for my rusted ones?
I can check the window sticker, it's at my parents house in a box in my old closet. Oh, about the struts, what if I just went and got a set of used struts from a V8 F-Body, installed my springs on those and then swapped them for my rusted ones?
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