[BrianChevy]

Friends,

I am doing my off season upgrades and just finished calling Arlyn at Strano Parts and ordering my new Koni Yellow Shocks/Struts and my ES swaybar bushings. I thought I would ask a couple questions since I am going to start on this next monday .. (off work).

1) I expect to be able to do the Energy Suspension Kit for front and rear, i have a 34MM front Sway and 21MM rear Sway.
How difficult is this job? I want to take off the sway bars, sandblast them (18 years of rust and dirt), and paint them -- otherwise, is there anything I should worry about on this one?

2) I am likely going to tow the car over to Grand Tursimo East (here in Atlanta) and get the shocks/struts installed. That's NOT a job that I think I could HANDLE it besides, i will need a new alignment. Does anybody know what they charge, OR what the ballpark charge for a strut/shock install and alignment?

I am looking forward to the new handling characteristics of my '87 IROC and looking forward to my Evolution school here in Spring with Sam Strano so I can LEARN how to direct this new found control..

Brian LaRose
ATL SCCA
#18, ESP

[trackbird]

On a 3rd gen. You must pull the sway bar endlinks (to change springs only, if you're doing sway bars at the same time and struts, even better), remove the caliper (and it may help to remove the rotor, but I won't say you "have" to do so), pull the 2 bolts out of the spindle that hold it to the shock (with a floor jack under the balljoint and the spring compressed when you do so). Once the bolts are removed, you can pull the strut from the top mount and drop it out (since you're likely changing it anyway) and then lower the jack (DO NOT stand right in front of the spring, on occasion they launch out of there and I don't want you getting hit by it), most springs can then be removed with a gentle pull on the coils (you may need to stand on the balljoint area to force the control arm down a little lower to make it easier to pull the springs out). Pull out the spring, replace the parts with the new parts and assemble.

NOTE: I've never used a spring compressor with any luck on the front of a 3rd gen. I'm not going to tell you that you shouldn't, just that I never have. Most 3rd gen front springs will just pop out once you have the A-arm pulled down out of the way, I've only ever had one that was difficult and I pryed it out with a 6 foot section of roll cage tubing and launched it several feet when it came loose (this is not safe or considered to be good form, do as I say, not as I've done). So, each car is different. The lowering springs are shorter than the ones you'll be removing and will be much easier to install than these are to remove. If you must, you could cut the spring in half with a sawzall and then pull out the 2 pieces once you do so, it may be safer than prying it out (if you have one of the softer springs that tend to be "longer" in free length and harder to remove). Or, find a suitable spring compressor and use it. That may be the best idea of all of them.

Be careful, springs can store enough energy to seriously injure or kill you or someone else. If you are not sure you are comfortable with the job, get qualified help. It's rare that I say that, but in this case, it applies.

The rear stuff is easy, do that yourself for sure.

Have fun and be safe.