I tore into the suspension last night...
I took off the rear sway bar in prep for powder cote. The tiny bushings are all brittle as expected. I also am swapping out the shocks. Pretty easy as these things go.
Looks like I need the upper and lower sping isolators as they are pretty shot too.
Ron, does advance have those? Did you replace yours when you were working on yours?
I will post some pics later - I did not have a camera ready last night.
Back when I did my rear end resto,In short new springs(trw) advance,had to use some quick steel to fix my perches that the rubber goes over and sand,and etc.I soley did new shocks,no new brake stuff,and no stabiler bar rear on mine.As for the bushing in the sway bar energy suspension might make something for your application but not sure.As for the springs not sure what your decribing (long day) but a GOOD one,just thinking too hard and looked in my books to see if I understood what your asking.Those bushings should be available u might have to search it out some on advances site or even autozone or napa.I'd have to look back at some of my work and see if I forgot something.Being my car did not come with the rear sway soley strght axle.
Rear Suspension
Spring Detail
Not real bad shape for a 26 Year old Michigan Car
Trying to find the stabilzer bar bushings and both the upper and lower spring isolators.
Orlen-
Thanks for the compliments. The SS brake hoses work great. I had to replace that line with the leaking wheel cylinder a couple of years ago.
Hey, you got it done and quick on the draw with the pic too
You need to rebuild your spring perches!I used quick steel to make mine.Sand down clean,kneed the product and make a nice ball and use your existing boot to mold it exact.I reused my lower rubber boot,and upper rubber and metal ring!SO no new parts on those.I was so thinking hard on that today and realized what the heck you meant.I was wore down,not focused.let me throw some rear end pics or two up.Yeah next post.As stated advance had TRW springs back in 03 or 04 can't recall.Could not find my old post so.let me get a pic of so from my cardomain.Your perches are worse than both mine were.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/647974/1985-chevrolet-cavalier/page-6#0 Just popped my link for the whole page with 4 pics! This is all the finished work.In short sandblasted the metal,put NEW undercoating in the fender welds,used some permatex silicone one some areas to seal out water,and yeah the orig appearance is on page 5 to show it's previous condition.I did primer all the stuff and used krylon paint low gloss black several coats.And ironically still looks just as good today thanks to my garage and waterproof car cover before the garage was added.
The sway bar bushings are available from Energy Suspension. Advance carries the line. You may need to give the counter guy the part number, since half the time they don't even know what you're looking for. If you can't get them there, you can get them at a ton of online stores.
The isolators were all discontinued by GM, and I have yet to see them at any parts stores. When I last ordered a set, they had to get them from the vintage system, and there were only maybe 5 or 6 sets left out there. I still have them brand new in the wrapper
.
Funny GM - I guess WS6 means WS6, My rear stabilizer bar is the same size as it is on my Camaro - 19MM. Not the same bar, but the same size. I did not see that one coming. I got them off of Amazon from prothane. Looks like the same size on many of the GM FWD at the time with the 4 bushing and no end-link setup. Part#71158BL for those who are interested.
I am doing the measuring on the spring isolators, looks like I can get both upper and lowers that way also. I will post the part#s when I figure that part out.
ok, I sent the sway bar, hardware and strut tower brace out for powder cote last week. I will have those back in a couple of weeks.
I started sanding the back suspension in preparation for the por15. Ron, you thought the passenger perch was bad... The driver side one is completely flat
The shocks and mounts look great, I have to get the spring isolators next.
Guess being UP north where it is dry warm no rust,bucket eating stuff up.Ha I feel ya,mine where pretty bad,but did have some shape left and sanded down the uglyness,and rebuilt with quick steel two or three tubes and hard as sh!!!.Nice easy fix and used my boots to mold it exact like play doh!stuff sets up in five minutes and primed and fresh paint via my paint booth(drive way) in the gravel.
Nice work, Paul. I think this is an area that most of us dread working on because we all know there may be the dreaded rust in areas we don't want to see! Kudos for tearing into her and getting it done!
I know Ron mentioned spring perches. Did you redo yours? I need to do this job on my '86 and I'm toying with dropping the entire axle. Did you eventually do that Paul or are you doing this on the car?
Thanks for sharing the pics & progress!
Daryl-
I have the supplies to do it, I just need the time. I was planning on fixing the perches on the car. I am thinking about changing out the springs. I have the isolators and the sway bar bushings ordered. The powder cote stuff should be back in a week or so. I will add more pics as I make progress. Sorry so slow
Update-
I sanded things down and used the quicksteel on the passenger side perch, as well as fabricating a driver side perch with a washer and some quicksteel. When I bought it from Orielly, they were all out except for their carded quicksteel. Apparently somebody from Chrysler/Fiat came in and bought all of their stock up to deal with an issue with the Fiat 500. The Chrysler plant that builds the 200's is right down the street for me so there is a lot of MOPAR activity in there area. Detroit area has Ford, GM, and Chrysler Fiat, but everyone already knows that
At any rate, will be getting one more tube of quicksteel to finish things up. So far looks like a good product and nobody is going to see the repair once the isolators are back over it. The product is pretty good to work with but does not stick to your hands like POR15 does - Thank GOD!
Thanks for the tip Ron!
Waiting on powder cote, isolator arrival, me por-15-ing the rear, and making a decision on springs. Considering lowering the car with Canuck springs...
Would really like to see some before & after picts of those perches. If I ever run into this I'd know what is lookin' back at me!! :-)
Orlen-
You have the befores
I will post the after quick steel and after painting pics
I'd bet most perches are toast or close to it like mine were yrs ago before I did my resto work to fix.Rubber over metal and not sealed it will rust out just due to moisture.Nice share paul.
I got my sway bar back today. I still need all the hardware though. For some reason they did a run of red and had it completed. I will post pics once it is on.
It looks perfect. Good stuff - 30mm front and 19mm rear sway bars - same as my 94 Z28 came with stock...
Look forward to seeing some pics and yet to touch sunny myselfWorked friday -today and tomrrw 5 day thing due to holiday.I probably will doodle with it maybe wed,or this coming wk get sat-mon off.
ok, finally got around to taking some pics and doing some work...
These are after quick steel and before POR15. I did not want to touch my camera after opening the POR15, it has a way of geting on everything. I will take some and post after it dries. Nasty stuff.
Sorry for the double vision, darn cut and paste...
Looks like your work is starting to get fun.I remember doing my axle resto minus the garage and days off or time off.Good fun and hope to get some stuff started this wk I hope.
POR15 first cote:
Will have to do it again once the springs and shochs are back on...
Whoa that stuff is some kinda messy right.I sandblasted my stuff in the driveway.At least your making some headway.You just need to move down here to nc less saltyness or moisture like up north.Looks good paul I know it will luster right up once things take more steps.
Notice how it ate through the styrofoam cup in the lower picture...
