Time to rebuild the suspension :~(

[70spider]

[img]What%20type%20of%20springs/shocks%20were%20you%20thinking%20of%20installing?[/img]
The same as you (everything from AR) except I got the Monroe shocks for a softer ride, plus new inner/outer tie rods and centerlink bushing.
I will try to put a couple of flat spots on the shock shaft for the visegrips. What did you use to put the flat spot the shaft? Also I need get a flexable torch tip to put some heat on it. I have been reading other post on suspension and found out I need a castle nut tool (lol) and there is a procedure to installing the castle nut. To be honest this is turning out to be a horror job, the first nut I try and it fights me this much, I can't even imagine what the others will bring .

[RoyBatty]

Once in the recent past, I had to use a cut off wheel to cut the upper shaft to remove it.

[JTBernhardt]

I believe I used a set of channel locks and vice grips to make the flat spots on the shocks. It didn't take much to make the flat spots as my shocks probably hadn't had oil in them for years. They sounded like some sort of clacking musical instrument once I got them removed.

Once you have the front suspension done, the rear should be much easier. The tops of the shocks are harder to get to, but your trunk likely protected the top bolt on the shocks from rust.

[70spider]

The rears look all shinny and new so I don’t not expect any issues; I just have to have patience. If all else fails I'll take it to a shop, spend too much money and not be satisfied with their work (personality flaw). Thanks for the help.

[70spider]

Progress made! After waiting out the weather and driving him around for a few more days I finally addressed the top shock nuts. I heated (for about a minute) and shocked them (with wd40) a couple of times each and got them off. The driver side was nearly impossible to get a wrench on, what were they thinking. So after that I removed the brakes, disk, and hubs. I know the car only had 50k miles on it when I got it but it appears that they never changed the brakes and it looks like I will have to get new calipers or figure out how to rebuild the ones I have, cause the passenger side one was dragging pretty good. I stopped there for the day.
Now I have a couple of questions on the hub, do I replace the bearing races?
To be honest there was no play with the hub and the bearings look good. I bought new bearings from AR so I might as well replace them.
One funny thing, the axle grease smelled like a fish, so I did some research and axle grease used to be made from whales, lol.
Last question, should I use a spring compressor? I have read in other posts you don't need them to remove the springs as long as the lower control arm and pivot all the way down.
Thanks.

[garion]

Its my opinion that you don't mess around with those springs. I used a compressor.

[RRoller123]

The potential energy in a compressed spring is tremendous and can cause serious injury. There are many here with enough experience to do the work without a compressor, I am not one of them, and unless you are really comfortable with the work, definitely use an internal spring compressor. Safety and peace of mind.

[70spider]

Thanks for the advice, I can rent the spring compressor from autozone.

[DieselSpider]

For the best results you replace the bearings with the races as a matched set even when you buy new hubs that already have the races pressed into them with no bearing you press those out and put the race in that came with the bearing.

We used to say that the worse the dead fish smell was the better the lube. It probably had more to do with the use of sulfur as a pressure additive than anything else.

[70spider]

Ran into a bit of a block, the spring compressor at the autozone is the external strut type. So, it looks like I have to get the right compressor, found this one http://www.amazon.com/JEGS-Performance- ... compressor(selling golf club on ebay to fund it).
Another glitch, the weather isn't going to cooperate, thunder storms, cold, sleet is on the schedule this week.

Now I have a couple of questions on the hub, do I replace the bearing races?

I feel stupid for asking this because after I wrote it I opened the bearings I bought and they came with the races .

[RRoller123]

That is the right type. A short piece of black iron pipe added to the threads helps you get a socket on the nut to tighten it, otherwise the nut is buried up in the coils and a pita to get at.

[70spider]

RRoller123, thanks.

[vandor]

Try to see if other auto parts stores rent the internal style compressor, I've been able to rent those here recently.

[70spider]

Ok it took awhile but I sold my driver and got the spring compressor tool. I will try to finish the front suspension tommorrow. I will be replacing the inner and outer tie rods and was looking for the torque specs, what I found my manual calls "steering ball joint" (25lbs); is this the same thing as the tie rod?

[vandor]

Yes, and 25 ft lb sounds about right for a 10mm nut.