SmallTires

iTrader: (4)

Well I am in the process of rebuilding the front end on the car. However I have never tackeled this job before on any car so I am pretty new to this. I have the pickel fork, and the spring compressor, is there anything else I am missing? I have the spohn front end rebuild kit but there was really no instructions so I am assuming that you just bolt it all together and get it aligned afterwords.

Angelis83LT

it is pretty self explanitory really.. you can follow a haynes or chiltons book on how to take all the parts apart, and put them back in.. it really is not that hard to do... I generally raise the car up and lock the wheels so they can not move at all.. then remove the parts and put them back on.. that way it is pretty close to being aligned from start.. and you can actually drive it to a shop to get it tweaked

3.8TransAM

Easy.

Go slow.

Review what your doing before you start.

A factory manual cant be beat.

Use a real spring compressor.

Be careful working with springs.

Nothing hard or complicated, just takes some time.

Also grease the heck or antisieze everythign u take off for ease of repair next time around.

All torque values for suspension are with the weight of the car on the suspension, so use jackstands under the a-arms and rear for final torque.

later
Jeremy

jamon8

iTrader: (3)

I do not know what your kit comes with but make sure you replace the lower control arm bushings

yupitsdadsbird

hey if you get the cheap compressors you need to buy at least 4. lol
and its best not to leave a spring compressed cause it might hurt when it comes apart. but don't be scared cause that is asking for an accident.

but it is fun with strut/spring assems.........1) lay assem on ground pointing strut base into open, 2) place foot on strut plate, 3) place impact gun on nut, 4) yell "fore" 5) remove nut let strut and spring fly.

to think I'm a professional lol

jamon8

iTrader: (3)

jack the car up

put the strut and ball joint assemby together

put two small jack stands under the control arm bushings

place the spring in the proper position

let the car down several times to get the lower control arm bushing aligned

get a good prybar and hammer and get it to line up and put the bolts in

no spring compresser needed

GO SEABEES

90firebird

you never mentioned having a ball joint press, which is necessary to get the ball joints in (duh). Make sure you've got a nice, sizable cheater bar to torque down the press.. I used a leg of an engine stand. In terms of getting the old ones out, you can use the press, or a bfh.. personally, I've found beating them out to be more time efficient as well as satisfying. I found the idler arm to be a PITA, but it probably would've been easier if I went to the trouble of removing the inner fender plastic. I have no experience with replacing a arm bushings, however a friend who did it highly reccomended having them pressed in by a shop. Other than that, it is fairly straight forward.

oh, now would be the time to consider adding a set of fancy shmancy struts or those dang fangled lowering springs everyone talks about.. don't wanna put it all back together now just to tear into it again. Lastly, have a friend or friends over, enjoy multiple beverages of your liking, and have a good time.

gray89vert

iTrader: (3)

your my hero

SmallTires

iTrader: (4)

D*mmit, wasn't looking forward to have the bushings pressed in as that gets expensive quickly. But if i must be done then so be it. Thanks for the advice, as later this afternoon I am going to start into it. Honestly, I don't like the look of lowered cars or are particularly concerned about "cool" struts. But I am strange when it comes to my cars, h*ll I even like my stock 15" wheels.

SmallTires

iTrader: (4)

I also forgot to mention that the car is a roller right now. So with no real weight in the front, how would the torque values change?

jamon8

iTrader: (3)

do not take apart the front suspention untill the motor is in it or you will need to invite the neighborhood to come over to stand on the subframe

SmallTires

iTrader: (4)

My problem with this is that I HAVE to replace the motor mounts as they are shot. What is my best course of action then? As I will have to drop the a-arms in order to get to the bolts for the mounts. I really don't feel like have the car on jackstands while I put the new motor in and then rebuild the front suspension afterwords.

trumps2000

iTrader: (2)

Several years ago I was able to replace the motor mounts, with the engine removed, in my car without disassembling the suspension, though it was a PITA. With my fingertips, I was able to stick the wrenches inside the crossmember from either where the Aarms bolt in or the open section at the bottom. Give that a try, just be patient.