71stingraybigblock

hey gang,

Man am I excited. I just received the vb performance plus kit today!!! I am still waiting on rack and pinion from speed direct. Well I know many of you here have installed this kit and was wondering if you could give me some tips. I see that there are instructions with almost every piece, but I would like a general plan for taking the old apart and putting the new stuff on. You know like a general order of things. I appreciate any tips. I have never done suspension work. Thanks


[Modified by 71stingraybigblock, 11:52 PM 2/13/2002]


[Modified by 71stingraybigblock, 11:56 PM 2/13/2002]

Bob Turner

Good choice!! Let me know if you need any help(pictures, etc)!!!!

I would start off by putting the car up on four jackstands and pull ALL of the front end parts off. Do some painting around the frame area, and slowly install the new VB components. It was a fun job!!

Bob :cheers:

71stingraybigblock

Hey Bob,
I agree that this is an excellent time to do some painting. I have already picked up some corroless rust inhibitor and chassis black paint from Eastwood. I have heard that this is great stuff. I will probably hit you up on that offer for advise. I plan on getting started in a couple of weeks.

SmokedTires

Congrats on your new suspension :D . I would recommend spraying all the nuts & bolts with penatrating oil for a couple of days to ease removal of the original stuff. PB Blaster has worked great for me from Napa.

Take your time removing everything and be careful removing the coil springs. What I usually do is put my floor jack undr the lower A-frame, then wrap a chain around the cars frame and connect it to the front of the floor jack. What this does is allows you to lift the spindle assembly with the jack without lifting the car. The frame being chained to the jack pushes the jack towards the groung so the frame won't lift but the coil spring will compress. This will allow you to break the upper ball joint loose (keep the ball joint nut on, just loosened) lower the jack some, with the spring pressure helping to separate the ball joint, but the nut will keep everything from flying at you. Raise the jack abit to take the pressure off the ball joint nut so it can be removed, then SLOWLY lower the floor jack to release the spring energy and then the coil spring.

A bucket and SOS pad will help claen up the frame for painting before installing the new pretty parts :yesnod: .

:cheers:

TJKirby82CE

Is there a web site for speed direct?-Travis

Brian Madderom

Speed direct = http://www.speeddirect.com. Why don't you call the VB tech line for some install tips? Their tech servce is free of charge and their is always someone there to help. :cheers:

Bob Turner

71Stingraybigblock,

Sounds good on the paint. Let me know when you need some help.

My best friend lives in Independence. He lives on Union Street (600 block) just north of Truman Road. His power was out for a week after that ice storm that went through there.

Bob :cheers:

71stingraybigblock

Thanks Bob,

My wife and I lost power for only three hours. One of the lucky ones! Our trees didn't have it so easy though. We are on our fourth truck load of firewood. The rest is left at the curb for the city to pick up. Not fun. Takes away from getting the vette ready for spring.

shawn_cake

suggest you get the a-arms powder coated - the "paint" used by VB&P isn't that good.

mrvette

Smoked, an EXCELLANT good thinking idea about the chain on the jack idea ....
never thought/heard of that before...saves messing with spring compressors...

just one thing to add however, chain that damn spring to the lower A arm leg, so it can't pop outta there and kill someone....them suckers have got a LOT of snap in there....

GENE

Brian Madderom

Last year they started powder coating all of their a-arms and brackets so it already comes powder coated from them. ;)