shocks/springs install

[98maro]

ok guys,, i need help and some tips here.. i want to install my bilstein shocks and strano springs..
i heard the front is kinda hard to do... is that true?
what problems im i goin to find doing it my self.. im not a mechanic, just a little knowledge on mechanics..
also the master cylinder pump.. does it has to get lose or removed? if its lose do i have to bleed the lines again?

to swap the new springs/shocks to the old ones.. do i need a special tool? or if i can go to a shop just to get that done all i have to do is just put them back on the car?

thanks for the help

[MudStainKILLA]

I have yet to do this on my T/A but have done it on other cars. (non fbodys) Rusted bolts always played a major factor, so pb blaster and a good breaker bar come in handy, i myself never really liked torching bolts so if that doesn't work id go the grinding route but to each his own. here's the links for the install on ls1howto

front
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=6

rear
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=8

hope this helps bro

[98maro]

Thanks for the links bro.
I was looking for that I couldn't find em lol

I'm just gonna try it out and see how it turns out. I'm not to worried bout the back ones. Front ones seem a bit harder.
But not impossible.
Will post the results when I'm done.
I curious on how long it should take to get it done.


Thanks again bro

[MudStainKILLA]

let us know how it goes, also the spring/shock sticky here kinda crapped out and you did a damn good write up on that mirror, hmm bud another right up?

[98maro]

Lol thanks bro.
I'll see what I can do on that.
I was thinking about it..

Let's see how it goes

[mike171562]

The Brake Fluid Reservoir has to be unbolted and just pushed a little out of the way so you can reach the Drivers side bolts. Its not too hard to do. Other than that, not much to it, You will need a spring compressor to get the shocks out.

[98maro]

Thanks mike.
That's what I needed to knw bout the
Brake reservoir. I thought I had to remove it or something.
Thanks again.


Also I heard bout people
Saying a nut on the struts
Are very hard to remove.
Which one is it and what
The problem is with that nut?
I heard it just spins. Buy I don't know
Exactly what it does

Thanks

[SMWS6TA]

For the front there's a nut on the top of the shock*. Because of the way it is designed, water tends to pool in the pocket that the nut sits in and it becomes rusted. I had to use a chisel & 3lb sledge hammer to cut the nut off. I wouldn't recommend the torch because it sits in composite rubber. Which makes it harder to get loose.

On reinstalling the new nut I used a little RTV to kinda protect the nut and post so that next time all I needed to do was peel off the RTV. Hope it works.

I also had to use a strut compressor to compress the spring in order to get them off. Word of advice compress them down as far as you can when loosing and tightening the nut.

For the back I needed nothing but my floor jack and sockets/ratchet to get them off. Very easy.






* - According to Cutlass we have shocks on all four. The front are consider coil over shocks because they are not connect to the steering components. Our cars have upper and lower A-arms that the shock is not connected to. I just learn this myself, I had always considered them struts.

[35th-ANV-SS]

According to me also

[SMWS6TA]

I sighted Cutlass because he is a certified mechanic

[98maro]

Thanks for the tips guys
And ideas.
I'll take your advice on putting the nut back on the shock.
A friend of mine will put the new shocks/springs together
So I won't worry to much about that.
I just was concerned on how to remove the struts.

Thanks guys

[98maro]

Ok guys. After so long I finnally started thus project shock/spring swap.
The 2 bolts under the reservoir I could not take it off.
How can I take it off??
I tried what I could, but nothing worked.
If I heat the bolt from the bottom would that help?
Any tips or tricks pls... I do not wanna pay $300 for this job...
I can get LTs with that lol

Thanks