In order to replace the rear springs on a 70 GS do I have to disconnect the upper and lower control arms and the shocks and drag bar (or whatever it's called)???? o No:
Rick, No, it's easy. Disconnect the shocks at the bottom. Jack the car up, and support the frame with jack stands. Then lower the rear axle so that it is hanging. You should be able to simply pull the rear springs off their perches.
Sometimes it helps to jack one axle up to get more stretch on the opposite side to pull the spring out.
The hardest part is getting the first one out. You'll be working against the pressure of the other side. Once it's out, the other side comes out very easy. Of course if you're putting taller springs in, the last one will be a bit tougher since you'll not only work against the other spring, it will be working hard than the old ones did. It shouldn't be a problem. Make sure to count your fingers before and after you start. The key is to have the same number you started with once it's all done. :Brow:
I'm putting in the stock replacement springs so I hope that won't be a problem. But getting the airbag out of the spring might be a pain! That might help Adam..I'll give it a shot. Thanks Guys :beer
Please....BEFORE YOU TRY IT...Ask someone who has done it to help. Make a mistake here and someone could get severly injured. Saw a front coil spring go through a wooden garage wall once. :error:
There is a thread here somewhere about removing/replacing front springs with very good instructions. Just hunt around using the search feature.
Just got done with the back springs.............wow that was easy!!!! The hardest part was getting the airbag out of the right spring. Thanks guys!!! :beer
Here ya go, I'm hoping to do mine within the next couple of weeks too, but it's a big project. http://www.camaros.net/techref/ftecref28.html
I'm doing my frontend right now. When the steering knuckle breaks loose from the ball joint, the lower control arm comes down with a huge amount of force. I didn't heed the warning in the service manual enough and chipped out a nice chunk of concrete. I'm really glad nothing of value was there like my hand or my son. I placed a jack under the second one and even that was scarry. Be Safe and Good luck!
I remember doing this with my dad 25 or 30 years ago. He wraped a chain around the spring then let the jack down slow. I don't have a chain so do you guys think a heavy duty tie down will be ok?
Not trying to be a smart ass, but the first and best money spent on your car is the factory service manual. A few million dollars of engineering work for $50....deal of the century!
YO! Before you break the steering knuckle loose from the upper ball joint, just LOOSEN the castle nut - DON'T remove it. Then a few hundred raps with a small hammer, a couple of raps with a big hammer, or a minute with an impact chisle with a flat bit and it'll pop loose and the nut will prevent the lower arm from bounding away and allowing it to contact something or letting the spring fly.
