1966 Chevelle Front Coil Springs Project The top of the spring will be ground flat. 1964-1977 Chevelle Coil Springs, Stock Height Parts. The jack-stands came out, the car hit the ground, and we were thrilled with the much lower ride height in the front. The Harbor Freight tool that blew apart on me looked exactly like the one in the AutoZone link above - beware of Chinese steel alloys on any tool like this. Get more details on Project Chevelle's 9-inch housing, third member, and tubular control arms installation. cargo strap or chain is a good safety measure here too!). explosion changed myperspective on spring compressors (and their use) And wouldn't it be great if we could fine-tune the ride height in the front? Another option is to use a chain or cargo tie-down This is what probably keeps the whole thing from exploding in your face. When we say "coilover," images of high-dollar, pro-touring suspension systems may come to mind. JavaScript is disabled. This means you have to reach it through the shock absorber hole in the lower The completed installation of the front. Additionally, installation is straightforward and can be accomplished in a day. Behind the wheel, we're finally able to feel the benefit of the frontend geometry improvements. Click here to view our promotions! With the spring orientated properly, slide the spring into the the upper pocket, making sure its centered. Rear End & Suspension Installation - Step By Step - With Pictures, http://216.178.81.108/forums/showthread.php?t=386527&highlight=coil+spring+install, http://spotted.stripes.com/galleries/index.php?id=337573, https://macc.chevelles.net/images/deans_chevelle.jpg, http://www.elcaminostore.com/product.asp?pf_id=13-1301&dept_id=7952. There are a few accepted ways to lower this type of suspension. Tim King December 28, 2021 Chevelle, coil spring, coil spring install, install, installing, Nova Installing Front Coil Springs In A Classic Chevelle, Camaro or Later Nova Installing front coil springs in the front of your Chevelle, Camaro, later model Nova or even C-10 trucks is about the same process. With a Loosen the lug nuts on the front wheels. We began by removing the lower arm. Use the pickle fork and hammer to separate the lower balljoint and control arm from the lower spindle. Part #: DCS-0360 | Manufacturer Part #: DCS-0360 $132.99 $119.99 Loosen the nuts several threads, leaving them partway threaded on the ball joint stud. Most of these tools you probably already have. I had to turn the wheel a bit to get it uncaught, but the first time can be a little daunting! That was evident to me when the threads bombed! expected, you place the assembly on each side of the strut and simultaneously Even the nuts and bolts are included to save a few trips to the hardware store. Better safe then safe. I recommend a Chiltons or Haynes Repair Manual for your year, make, and model so you can properly torque everything when putting it back together. These are the reinforcing plates for the front control arms. just chop the springs and see how you like it.. "Detroit hasn't felt any real pride since George Bush went to Japan and vomited on their auto executives, I tell you whut". With the motor out, I usually remove the springs by cutting them. Theres a few different ways to accomplish this with varying levels of safety. 18 clicks of compression and rebound adjustment ensure we'll have plenty of tunability. Be sure to properly lube pressure and thread points when using a spring compressor. 69 Camaro Z/28 RS, original Azure Turquoise, M21 & 3.73 12-bolt posi. That pig tail piece has an adjoining depression in the lower control arm it fits into. Spend the $30 and save yourself a possible trip to the emergency room. See what we're doing at Ground Up SS396.com. Does the spacer just fit naturally into the LCA due to its shape or does it need to be rotated a specific way? This is very easy for me and takes me less than 30 minutes for both sides. In this example though we are going to assume you dont have that luxury. Been meaning to get over for a visit but the incoming winter preparations along with holiday preparations have robbed me of any free time. Edelbrock E-Tech 170 Heads, 2204 Roller Cam, Air Gap Intake. In some Because of Be careful, take your time you dont need a spring compressor. A forum community dedicated to Chevrolet Chevelle owners and enthusiasts. Installation of the rear kit is pretty straightforward, and the instructions provided by QA1 are very thorough and easy to follow. Thanks from Brazil. Step 1: Get the Front End in the Air Park the car on a flat and level surface. Perform your repair and reverse the steps to put everything back together. We install Speedway's tubular upper and lower control arms and G-Comp spindles to make Project Chevelle look and corner far better than stock. They have one threaded hook setup and one Talk to the experts. no worries. I agree to receive emails from RacingJunk.com. The spring rate is the amount of weight needed to compress the spring one inch. With that out of the way, our next move was to adjust the shocks. You can never go wrong with additional safety measures. But back to the suspension and steering. spring compressor came complete withshaky threads. A forum community dedicated to 1st generation Chevy Camaros owners and enthusiasts. threaded rods along with two hooks on each side. You may need to use a wrench on the shock stud to keep the stud from turning as you remove the upper mounting nut. This means that the weight of the car is being supported by the lower shock mount on the control arm. I think I'm just going to make it easy on myself and pull the suspension before I pull the engine. Well, which one really gave us the most bang for the buck? A few tweaks to the stance were made using a spanner to turn the big nut on the shock body. Here it will only take a very few A spanner wrench grabs the adjuster nut on the shock body to raise and lower the car. Once its raised up a bit you can then set the spindle on the lower ball joint, tighten down the castle nut, and install a cotter pin. Enjoy banner ad-free browsing with Team Chevelle Plus. Decades ago when I was a kid, I needed to remove the front springs on my car. Great writeup, but now comes the fun part-grinding the rivets off to get the stock ball joints out of the control arms,pressing the new ball joints in the lower arms, pressing in the new bushings,etc,etc,etc! Add your to make finding parts easier! After that disassemble the puller and drop the threaded end down through the shock hole and position the hooks as close to the upper end of the spring as you can. I've done exactly what you are proposing, just setup the spring compressor through the shock hole up top, compress enough to get the spacer in and then remove the spring compressor. The compressor shown here is the safest way possible as it prevents the spring from flying out during installation or removal. Enjoy banner ad-free browsing with Team Chevelle Plus. easy as accessing it through the top, but it still works. Once this was taken care of, we set about removing the stock springs and shocks. Other than that I think a spring compresser is your only option. This shot of the rears clearly shows the adjuster for the shock damping. . I work in a manufacturing environment, and because I have to wear safety glasses on the floor I now feel uncomfortable doing jobs around the house without them! Upon closer inspection, we noticed that the original ball joints were the cause of the excessive movement. Be careful, use the spring compressorI've seen the aftermath of one that went through a cinder block wall. There is a 15 min edit window for corrections. Your email address will not be published. Great article. Let us know the car your working on so we can tailor emails to the car youre shopping for! control arm. While the process of removing the coil springs from the car really isnt terribly hard, there are some special tools youll need as well as some safety precautions you need to be aware of. The first step in any project like this is to make sure the car is sitting squarely on jack stands. Tech Tips: Intro to Suspension Coil Spring Compressor Tools There is a post under my name showing the installation. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Then, once we unbolted it from the cylinder head there wasnt enough space clearance to remove the control arm bolts! Hey Jon, the trouble some folks have with using the Macpherson type spring compressor on a traditional spring is that it is bulky when installed, and the threaded shafts can extend out far beyond the spring end, which often makes them difficult to use when youre working in and around the vehicles wheel well. If you need help determining which coil spring to use or have any other questions, please feel free to give our friendly techs a call at (203) 235-1200 or shoot them an email at Info@SS396.com, One day Casey, while strolling around, he stumbled upon a hidden gem tucked away in the backyard of a homeowner. It's hard to overstate the importance of this step. The bottom of the shock should have two bolts. If you want to know how to install a coil over, we covered that in a previous article. Nevada Silver, with Black Stripes. clamping force. As you cut coils off the spring effectively becomes stiffer (higher rate.). That extra money spent on the adjustable shocks has proven to be well worth it. If I pull the springs while the engine and trans are still in the car, it'll be a half hour job that I've done half a dozen times before. compressor manufacturers recommend that you do not. No drama. JavaScript is disabled. I have removed and installed coil springs many times on f-body and a-body cars and have never used additional straps or steered away from impact tools, but I do acknowledge that they are good ideas. spring] I use my torch and heat them up and they will collapse, no tension, very safe to remove. Then its a matter Thats VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. roller cam & Dynatech 1-3/4" > 1-7/8" headers, QuickFuel 750 Annular. Here's your chance, click below to see what positions are opening soon! with the ball joints released. If youre doing the suspension, you might as well replace the tie rods or even the entire steering linkage. forever. Because of where the spring is on the front suspension, any change you make will be doubled at the wheel. Remember that valving adjustment? I inserted the theaded rod thru the shock absorber hole, like you said, and after a little effort the threaded hook grabbed the coil. We pre-assembled these using the QA1 thrust bearing kit and anti-seize on the threads and bearings. (Note: a The QA1 coilover kit is a direct bolt-on for GM A-bodies. tighten both rods (or a little at a time on each side). Rowing through the gears with our new Tremec 5-speed isn't bad either! The entire front suspension and steering is going to need to be removed, but the engine will probably be out of the car when that happens. Project Chevelle now looks like a real muscle car. My first time and this felt like the safest way. for the compressor rod to fit through the lower A-arm. 2) You comment they are short. Once the springs are out, the ball joint can be disassembled without the drama of a preloaded spring mere inches away. Stuff from D. Sept. 29th, 2019 Darryl's Drive In, https://www.onallcylinders.com/2019/09/20/tech-tips-intro-to-suspension-coil-spring-compressor-tools…. 67 Black RS Coupe, 383, M21 & 10 Bolt Posi. Once the shocks are off, a jack under the rear axle will allow the housing to lower enough that the springs will literally fall out. Come join the discussion about restorations, builds, performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more! However, as time passed. Enjoy banner ad-free browsing with Team Chevelle Plus. strut coil to compress. I'm hoping to take the subframe out of my car soon to get it blasted and painted/powder coated. And please, dont try to use a spring compressor with shaky threads. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 302 / 363ci SBF short block, pump gas, Dart SHP Roller,4340, BIG BLOCK CHEVY THE BLOWER SHOP 8-71 POLISHED, What You Need To Know About Street & Strip Driveshafts Part 3, What You Need To Know About Street & Strip Driveshafts Part 2, What You Need To Know About Street & Strip Driveshafts Part 1, Gallery: RacingJunks Top Five How To Articles of 2022, Stuff They Never Tell You: Pre-Fitting Parts Part 2. Slide the stands under the frame behind both wheels and slowly lower the car onto the stands. Here at Ground Up we always to you to be safe so we are going to show you one of the safest ways out there to do this. Some feel that it is okay to cut and shorten the coil springs currently installed, or you can order coil springs specially designed to lower your car the amount desired, without sacrificing ride quality and handling. remove-and-replace process, I effectively launched aloaded coil spring right [] Intro to suspension coil spring compressor tools: https://www.onallcylinders.com/2019/09/20/tech-tips-intro-to-suspension-coil-spring-compressor-tools… []. It comes with all the hardware and instructions necessary to do the job. A torch made quick work of the front spring removal. Come join the discussion about restorations, builds, performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more! Were talking gen-one small-block, a one-wheel-peel 10-bolt with 15-inch rallys wrapped in BFGoodrich radials. Discs and Assist: Improving the Stopping Performance of Your Chevelle, How to Make Perfect Brake Lines with CPPs Vise Brake Flare Tool, How To Install OBS Sway Bar End Links for 88-98 Chevy Trucks, Bolt-In Tri-Five Tilt Steering Column Install, EZ Return Fittings: New Sizes Now Available, How to Adjust Cadillac Caliper Parking Brake Lever, Installing Classic Performance Products Column Saver Kit, Mustang II IFS Kits for Any Build or Budget. 1970 Chevelle - Best time at the WCCG 12.749 @ 108.606, 2.011 60' on street tires! It may not display this or other websites correctly. when those shaky threads failed. This is a fine kit, but keep in mind that it uses a non-adjustable shock and there's no way to tune the ride height. 66 Malibu Coupe, home rebuilt 350. I can just pop the ball-joint loose, and reach in and pull the spring out. Sometimes Basic Is Best: Rebuilding Chevelle Front - Team CPP Took me 39 years to get her! that floats adjacent to the nut on the threaded rod. cars, the shock opening is too small to allow the spring compressor rod to fit Rear End & Suspension Installation - Step By Step - With Pictures, http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260085, https://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/medium/103_0307.JPG, http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2221216#post2221216, http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v385/93redcobra/3b1c1737.jpg. Out came the cutting torch, and the saggy old stockers came out in several pieces. Two that are similar have clamps with a threaded rod that physically compress the spring. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Thats why the spring compressors for struts are typically based upon dual large-diameter Around town, the ride is firm but not jarring. Greg, very detailed and well explained. Or, in the case of many vintage . I say go for it My '70 El Camino is dropped about 2" in front via removal of one coil. the heavy oil on the threads helps immensely). I guess I'm a little more ******* than I care to admit. On a danger scale of 1-10, with 10 being getting drunk and showing off with a chain saw, changing the springs is about a 5. Macpherson compressors are really handy though, and work great when assembling coilovers off the vehicle. Read through this article, watch the video, and youll be able to tackle this install like a pro! Read the directions with the coil compressor fully and carefully. http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/medium/My68.jpg, http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s137/r1967a/DSC00282.jpg, http://www.chevelles.com/forums/album.php?albumid=1002, http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=622242. If you want to go lower still, then spindles with a higher pin height + drop springs are the way to go to achieve your desired ride height while still maintaining the lower control arms close to level. In this episode, Project Chevelle gets coilovers and a much-needed altitude adjustment. Removing front coil springs from 69 Camaro without But to keep thanks for the help, guys! Our old Chevelle is really starting to look mean! Insert the threaded rod of the compressor through the shock mount hole. Mike's love of cars began in the early 1970's when his father started taking him to his Chevron service station. I know on my car, with 1000# springs shortened to lower than stock ride height, I don't even need a spring compressor. If you don't want to spend the $30, places like. Required fields are marked *. Stay tuned for some much needed improvements in the power department. Lashing them together with straps, rope or other such methods is just asking for trouble. Speedway Motors transforms a stone stock '72 Chevelle Malibu into a road-trip ready street machine. spring together out of the car and insert it. However, with the lower ball joint nut just loosened and a floorjack underneath. MacPherson strut, its not possible to compress the springs from the inside. JavaScript is disabled. Strike the pickle fork several times sharply with the hammer until the stud loosens. Like I said before, I wish I had the ability to go back and redo this post. The Chevelle's stock A-arms will be replaced by new pieces from POL. its really not that dangerous its easy thy say that cause it could happen and has but its really plan and symple. QA1 1968-72 Chevelle A-Body Front Coilover Kit, QA1 RCK52341 Rear Coil-Over Conversion Kit, 1964-72 A-Body, 175 Pound, QA1 7888-109 Coil-Over Thrust Bearing Kit, Speedway Coil-Over Spanner Wrench Adjuster Tool, Tubular Lower Control Arm Coilover Reinforcement Plate, Project Chevelle Episode 5: Spindles and Control Arms, Project Chevelle: 383 vs. LS Shootout Tech Article, Project Chevelle: Fuel System Tech Article, Project Chevelle: 383 Part Two + Transmission Tech Article. Having the LCA's level at ride height means the least amount of lateral scrub during compression & rebound events, which is why it is advantageous to set up the front suspension like this. The sweet spot seems to be at around 50 percent, or 9 clicks in. Coil springs are under tremendous pressure. i have in the past disconnected the shock then remove the 2 upper a arm shaft bolts you can tap them out with a hammer then you can use a pry bar to move the a arm shaft upward this will collapse the spring and the rest is easy. For a little added insurance, Speedway offers a reinforcement plate to help spread that weight out across the spring pocket. Come join the discussion about restorations, builds, performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more! Use the wire or string to support the assembly, making sure the brake line has slack in it. Celebrate this Mothers Day Weekend with $20 Off* Your Order of $150 or more! Place the jack under the radiator support. Whenever Im working with them I provide myself an extra layer of safety by wrapping a inch chain around the coil in case the compressor slips or breaks. I understand that I can unsubscribe at any time. Add a vehicle below to start your virtual collection. Select your year below to find information, resources, specifications, and more! Theres really only one special tool youll need to install coil springs and thats a coil spring compressor. Its essentially a 5/8 diameter 2 foot long length of all-thread with a few plates on each end and some nuts and washers. The last time we did it we used an internal spring compressor. Wire thickness and strength, mean diameter of the spring, and the number of active coils determine the spring rate. You may also assume that this luxury is out of reach for a budget builder, but that's not the case. Make sure you leave the castle nut on the top of the ball joint, back it off some but keep all the threads engaged. In front, things aren't quite so simple. Running and locking a chain through the coils won't hurt either. There are no shortage of performance suspension components available for Chevelles, including tubular control arms with improved geometry or versions to accept coilovers, but this old Malibu is your basic cruiser and is going to stay a basic cruiser. Higher-rate (stiffer) springs will also increase ride . We'll discuss lessons learned from our Chevelle engine swap using a 500-horse 6.0. Until then, follow along through the replacement process. In short, a spring compressor and floor jack were both in place before we even thought about breaking the ball joint. Because I had the weight of the car, I used a floor jack to finish up the compression to get the nuts back on the spindle. until the lower control arm is level through the outer balljoint and inner pivot bolts at your ride height. good idea to keep them well lubricated with oil during use. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. You'll thank yourself right about now as you crank on the adjuster. Modified Big Block Chevelle on rails Looks good, that exactly what I did except I used a different method than the pickle fork. Call 800.979.0122, 7am-10pm, everyday. These will work and are available for rent at your local auto parts store. too bulky to allow for the simple operation mentioned above. We can tell you that after a couple days and a few bounces on the front end, the coil springs dropped the ride height down right at 1 inch lower than the stock springs! Check them out. Your garage is currently empty. Besides our own self-imposed header clearance issues, the installation of the new suspension and steering components was a straight-forward affair. Mike Aguilar I had never removed coil springs before, but was able to do it properly and safely today with information that I found by searching this forum. In comparison, the fully adjustable QA1 kit that we're installing here is $459.99 for the front and 554.99 for the rear. Monday-Thursday 9am-6pm | Friday 9am-3pm | Saturday 9:00am-1:00pm | Sunday Closed, Copyright 1990-2022 - Ground Up, Inc. - SS396.com - All Rights Reserved. through, in which case youll have to access the spring through the bottom. I had some friends on another board asking how you install the front coils on a 1st gen so I made a thread of how I did it. get a spring compressor for $30 that will make removal easy and safe. :thumbsup: I am calling you when I have to take mine apart. slinked right in there and locked it around the frame. owner had adjusted the ride height by heating the coils with a torch. In addition to sitting right, Project Chevelle now goes down the road and around corners way better than a big 70's car is supposed to. Undoubtedly, this will be a killer setup when we repeat our parking lot autocross, but for driving around town it's a bit much. This is fine on a stock arm, but the tubular arms look a little thin in this area. What are your thoughts? I will soon be removing mine for frame painting, my concern is with no motor or transmission, when I jack up the lower a arm, will it just raise the whole car before compressing the spring enough?? To anyone contemplating removing his front coil springs by himself "There are questions to be answered, and answers to be questioned". A forum community dedicated to Chevrolet Chevelle owners and enthusiasts. As The original height springs have to be compressed a bit to be able to be installed. those threads happy, its a really (I mean, really) It seems the easiest way to remove coil springs is with the engine in the car .jack up the frame of the car,use a bit of chain link to secure the coil spring to the frame of the car ,place a jack underneath the coil spring seat area and then losen lower ball joint nut but don't remove it all the way but keeping it threaded on some.then pop t. Roll the jack under the lower control arm and jack it up to 1/4" below contact with the control arm as a safety. outof the garage door, down the driveway, all the way out onto the street We work with the strongest brands in our industry so you know youre getting the best quality restoration parts available. Great post, as well as the pictures. If you have an engine and body on the frame, you can raise it up using a floor jack. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Our knowledgeable team is standing by to help you with your restoration needs! Unfortunately, were unable to report on the handling improvements of our project due to the new exhaust manifolds being back ordered. . After getting the control arms and drop spindles installed last time, we are dying to see what it looks like on the ground. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. A 1969 Chevelle His wife. We were less thrilled by the now tail-high, stinkbug stance. Even mundane jobs like mowing the grass! I was trying to compress the front spring of my 67 Chevelle using the two hooks. On the rear suspension it is more like a 1:1 ratio where whatever you remove/add will directly remove/add ride height. Photos at: I've never seen a coil spring ricocheting off the floor and walls of a shop but have heard many a story about it, I'm not interested in experiencing it firsthand at this point in my life :noway: There is a hole in the sub frame that you can use to check that the end of the sprimg is correctly mounted in the upper pocket. i cut about 2 full coils out sit great and rides decent, the only problem i have is that i have to have someone pull up on the bumper so i can slid a jack under th front cross member or if im by myself i use a bottle jack on the sway ar bolton the fram just to get it up a enough the slide the big jack underother than that no complaints, good luck and keep us posted:thumbsup: "You laugh because I am different. If you're installing new control arms that already have the ball joints and control bushings installed, you won't really need any special tools (maybe a ball joint separator), but if you decide to replace the bushings of your stock arms, do yourself a favor and pick up a special tool kit to help. In the front, the coilover bolts in place just as the stock shock did.
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