Front end comes apart

[David H.]

I jumped into the disassembly of the front end today and had very good success. I tried a spring compressor that my '61 friend had but it was made for MacPherson struts and was too big to fit in. So, off to the hardware store and $8 later I had a spring compressor. It worked great! Threaded rod and three nuts and two washers and I was in business. 15 minutes later I had the spring out of it. Another 15 minutes and the passengers side was totally disassembled. Looks like I will need upper and lower outers and kingpin on that side. I will be doing the drivers side tomorrow. My safety net by the way was a bungy cord wrapped around the spring a couple of times and hooked to the cross member. Didn't need it tho. Took the pressure off the spring slowly and had no problems with it.
Have also been working on cleaning the frame up and painting it. All I have had to use was paint stripper from NAPA and paper towels on most of it.
Engine has been at the machine shop for a week now and it came out of the cleaning tank today. Should know tomorrow if there are any concerns with it. Keep you fingers crossed for me.
Thanks all for your input on all these project lately. You have all been considerably patient with all my inquiries and I sincerely appreciate the help. Hopefully I can pass it on in the future.

[Richard M.]

Re: Front end comes apart

David, Good progress.

Do you have the ST-12 Corvette Service manual? It has all of the information to replace the suspension parts, along with tips and torque specs. If you are going to replace the outers, why not just do all of it. Once it's apart it's a lot easier to do it all. Pay now?....Pay later? Up to you but there may be unseen issues you can correct now.

Also, for spring removal, the recommended method is to place a raised floor jack under the lower inner, remove the 4 bolts, then lower the jack slowly. Granted if it's on the car with normal weight(engine, body, etc). You already have the crossmember out I see, but you may want put the springs in using that method by tying the frame to the floor somehow to keep it locked down, then install with the reverse of the method above.

I just installed springs on a bare frame. I have a lift and tied the frame to it to keep it locked down.

Rich

[David H.]

Re: Front end comes apart

I have the ST-12 and have been consulting it regularly. I expect I will replace all that can be replaced needed or not. After all it is 48 years old! Your lift idea looks like a good one. I have it on a portable table right now. My lift is a body shop lift so I will have to try it to see if I can use it.

[Tom D.]

Re: Front end comes apart

Do you have a local dip/strip place? It's a good way to clean the frame in and out...

[David H.]

Re: Front end comes apart

The frame is really clean with little or no rust on most of it. The only real problem area is the rear cross member. But even that has cleaned up with rust removal gel and some elbow grease. It does not need to be dipped and I didn't like the idea of it seeping later in life.