The Coil Over Installation Process
Jim Milstead, DRM and JeffVette all contributed to the pre-process. The following links are where I started.
Rears
click the link then replace the *s with CF spelled out
Fronts
click the link then replace the *s with CF spelled out
So, good start. I did not like some parts of it. In comes Carter. Here's where I departed and some lessons learned.
Get the car on jacks as high as you can. Remove the old stuff per the service manual. You will need a puller to remove the tie rods and spindle in the front.
*****TIP*****
Remove the lower and upper A-arms completely. It will help remove the spring and then spread out the mount.
I had all of the old stuff removed in about two hours. It took two months to get it back together.
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Have all of the parts necessary prior to starting. Carter has a tremendous start on this--now.
I did not want to cut into my front frame area. Carter made these mounting devices and I replaced the stock sway bar mounting brackets with Energy Suspension brackets (see picture) from Autozone for a 1inch sway bar.
The stock bolts will not do to mount into the frame. You need bolts long enough to go through the block into the frame. Size is 10mm x 1.5 pitch. Two long for the outsides and one smaller for the inside (threaded). You can see how I did it here:
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Fronts are fairly straight forward.
Now for the fun--Rears.
You will need to mill the head and reverse the suspension mounting bolts per Milstead's thread above.
Get a pry bar.
I did not like the weld then drill method for the old mounts--did have the resources. Carter made some great mounting brackets but they require shaving the upper urethane bushing. I figured it only mounts the gear and the bracket and bushing insert take up the slack.
*****TIP******
Get a dremel with a quick attachment cutting wheel. After I figured this out I was done in an hour. Use it to open the rear frame area. I did not have the necessary tools or experience to accomplish Milstead's write up opening. It also would have required removing most/all of the rear suspension. I used a grinding bit on an air compressor small grider to round the corners.
Here's what I did:
Old
New
Carter's Bracket
Mounted on frame:
D@mn site--can't put up more than 8 images. This will get sporty. Go to end to see more.
Ted