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01-19-2013 | #1 |
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: PA
Posts: 772
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Front shock change
Finished the rest of making my car 100% by replacing my front shocks. And I did it the right way, which means it got done quickly, lol. Just jacked up one side of the car at a time. After was tire is removed I placed a second jack under the control arm to support it. Just don't put it under the grease fitting, and make sure you have access to the nuts underneath, they need to come out.
Removed the actuator retaining clip, and gently pulled, up to remove the shock actuator and put it aside. Removed the 17mm mounting nut, cup assembly, upper insulator retainer, and upper insulator. Then removed the 2 lower mounting nuts and bolts, they're 13mm. It says to compress the shock to get it out, but there was no compressing mine, it was shot. Took off the lower insulator off the and removed the metal bushing that was stuck inside it (the new shocks come w/ a new one). Worked backwards w/ the steps and tightened all bolts to 19 ft/lbs per FSM. Actually had to jack the control arm alot more to actually compress the new shock (that's how bad the old ones were). Make sure the adjustment screw is 5mm above the cup (I didn't really measure this, looked the same distance as the old). And you need to gently work the shock actuator back onto the cup assembly. The gear inside the actuator is plastic and breaks easily. Here's the old and new side by side, and here's the new shock in place. What a huge difference in the ride, I couldn't believe the difference the new front shocks had (I replaced the rears a few months earlier). And the Selective Ride Control light is finally out. My car finally has no indicator lights lit, other than Full Engine Power, lol. Took it out for spin and it was awesome. I love my car. P.S. Bilstein also recommends retightening bolts after 50km.
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Joe 1990 Bright Red ZR-1 #2599 Last edited by vilant; 01-20-2013 at 09:02 PM. Reason: forgot about recommendation |
01-19-2013 | #2 |
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 887
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Re: Front shock change
Nice work, thanks for the images.
Dang, your suspension looks clean enough to eat off of! What was your source and price for the Bilsteins? |
01-20-2013 | #3 |
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: PA
Posts: 772
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Re: Front shock change
Thanks fellas. Lol, I cleaned everything I could get my hands on when I had the car up on jacks a few months when my injectors went. I bought them from the shock warehouse online. Each set, rear and front, was a little over $400/set. You can save a few bucks if you buy all 4 at once, but I didn't have the funds to do that originally. Shipping is free also.
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Joe 1990 Bright Red ZR-1 #2599 |
08-10-2013 | #4 |
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Dakota/California
Posts: 3,797
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Actuator Set Up
Thanks for the write up Vilant
I have an acuator that went South (electrical malfunction in actuator) and it appears that a "good" actuator rotates both ways when you turn the key on searching or self aligning?? Then settles in position. What is it doing exactly? When you place the actuator back on top of the shock, how do you set the gear on top of the shock? That gear rotates maybe 160 degs total and can be rotated with your fingers. So which way should that gear be facing when you set the actuator on top? Should the control on the console be set to one position or other?
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Left Clickable links -Solutions- LT5 Modifications/Rebuild Tricks Low Mileage ZR-1 Restoration 1990 Corvette (L98) Modifications LT5 Eliminated Systems LT5 Added Systems LT5/ZR-1 Fluids 1995 LT5 SPECIFIC TOP END REBUILD TRICKS Last edited by Dynomite; 08-10-2013 at 07:00 PM. |
08-10-2013 | #5 | |
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: PA
Posts: 772
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Re: Actuator Set Up
Quote:
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Joe 1990 Bright Red ZR-1 #2599 |
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08-10-2013 | #6 | |
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Dakota/California
Posts: 3,797
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Re: Actuator Set Up
Quote:
After I determined that the passenger side actuator was not functional I switched drivers side actuator to passenger side. I could not get around the Z fast enough to the passenger side once I turned the key on to observe the actuator movement since it appeared to stop turning before I got there Priss turned the key on and I observed the passenger side after I switched actuators from drivers side to passenger side. The actuator that was working seemed to rotate one way and then the other before stopping just like you suggest. Priss tried different settings including "Tour" and I think the same on all settings it appears but I am not sure what exactly I seen in terms of the rotation stopping points except one actuator was working and the other was not on the same circuit Yes....I think when I took the drivers side actuator off the gear appeared to be centered and could be rotated about 80 deg both clockwise and counterclockwise. There must be valve ports in the shock that the gearing lines up depending on your console selection on "ride". Thanks for the feedback. I have an actuator coming from Ebay and I will take some photos for this post in your thread when I put it back together Last edited by Dynomite; 08-10-2013 at 10:56 PM. |
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08-15-2013 | #7 | |
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Dakota/California
Posts: 3,797
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Re: Actuator Set Up
Quote:
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08-10-2013 | #8 |
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Beaver, PA
Posts: 516
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Re: Front shock change
Vilant, I have a service bulletin on the front suspension nut torque specs that indicate a change from 19 ft lbs to 31 ft lbs for the upper front shock retaining nut. Bulletin number 90-297-3C. Corp bulletin number 013301 July of 1990.
Last edited by Franke; 08-10-2013 at 11:26 PM. |
08-11-2013 | #9 |
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: PA
Posts: 772
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Re: Front shock change
Thanks for info, I'll make sure they're still tight when I work on the car again, which will be soon.
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Joe 1990 Bright Red ZR-1 #2599 |
08-15-2013 | #10 |
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 107
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Re: Front shock change
Nice Job nothing like the feeling of accomplishment and saying I did this, no doubt you saved money by doing it yourself. I'm restoring Carpet in my 93 LT-1, practicing so I can do My ZR-1 is next, a lot of fun a hobby doing a couple hours a day.
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