Scudd

Does Anybody have any idea how much it would run to have a mechanic install these?Thanks!

73 LS-4

If it was brought into my shop I'd charge straight time on one of those, everything really depends on the cam bolts being frozen or not and how much of a pain the shock mounts will be coming off, if both are easy it's not much work but it both have been in there a while then it may take a lot of time and effort to get them out. I put smart struts on mine last year so the center eccentric bolts I didn't have to deal with and one of the shock mounts came out easy but the other took over an hour and a lot of beating to get it out, then of course you have to realign it when your done. If you were dealing with all new parts I could probably swap both sides within an hour, but with old rusty parts it could take a couple of hours not including the alignment.

:cheers:
Pat Kunz

mapman

Scudd,

I presume that the car is currently together, i.e. the old strut rods are in the car, and you want to install strut rods with new bushings or you have adjustable strut rods you want to have installed.

If the rear suspension has not been apart for some time it is likely the old strut rod and the shock mount bolt are rusted tightly together.

Removing the shock mount bolt requires a special tool to minimize damage to the threads.

Even with spraying the shock mount bolt/strut rod with PB Blaster for several days the two parts were rusted solid on my 1980. My attempts to remove the shock mount bolt resulted in breaking off one of the "ears" on the bearing support ($160 for the part only).

You might contact Van Steel, or some one elso that knows what they are doing, to get an estimate of what this would cost.

I did this myself as part of the t-arms removal process. and I broke some parts in the process. However, I chalk it up to education expense and quality time with my Corvette! :)

LT1driver

Soak the bolts and nuts good with PB Blaster or something similar to break rust and ease taking them off. :D

WESCH

Hi
Installing them is easy. The problem is as already saied to take the old rusted rods out without damaging the rest.
I had to cut them out. No way to get them off otherwise without damaging other parts.
Good luck Gunther

NHvette

Like Wesch, I had to cut mine off, too. I ended up messing up a shock mount
bracket before realizing this. If soaked with blaster for a while and a few
sharp smacks don't start it out - then most likely the inner spacer inside the
bushing is fused to the shock bracket.

You cut the outer collar of the strut rod - as shown above. After prying and
getting the strut rod out of the way, you cut the rubber bushing material
away. Finally, you need to either heat the inner spacer to get it free - or cut
through it along the length. All of the 'cutting' should be done with a 4"
grinder or an air-powered cutoff tool. Sparks will fly - but you won't cry.

I hope they just pop out for you. :lol: :lol:

Good luck :seeya

Twin_Turbo

whooaa, those rods are BENT :eek:

PB82CE

Me and my mechanic had to torch mine off... :(
Luckily, I bought 2 new shock mounts, camber bars, bushings and don't forget the adjustment kit.
Total bill, parts and labor, just over $250.00 :cry
After it was done, the car rode and sat alot better... :yesnod:

WESCH

whooaa, those rods are BENT

Hi, not anymore. They are presently recycled in a electro steel melting oven of our Luxembourg steel industrie.
:lol:
Funny enough, the camber bolts still had adjustment left over, so no nead to bent the rods for alignment. :reddevil
Anyway, the rubber bushings where so worn through that the inner stell sleeve was already grinding the rods eye-end. :bb
I still wonder how it could pass for over 10 years the bi-yearly governmental technical inspection. They do put the car onto a shaker to locate worn driveline bushings. :nopity
Gunther