Suspension Woes

bozkm · 07-12-2004

Took my GT to get a front end alignment done. Got a call back saying that my front end needed major work. Left side control arms, top and bottom, were bent. Right side bottom was bent. Also, the steering racks bushings were pretty much gone. Of course to me, the car drove and steered fine, just needed an alignment to keep from pulling right.

I'm going down tomorrow to have a look while the car is on a hoist. I do have a parts car with the frontend still on, how hard is the control arms to remove and install (if they're ok, of course)?? I was going to replace the bushings anyway to polyurethane

Steering rack..easy to remove/replace?

The spring everyone keeps talking about, is the key..I don't want to kill myself..

The guy also said, it was possible to remove the whole frontend from the other car, and they would put on mine. Which is easier?

Sorry for all the questions..what turned out to be 100 dollar front end alignment, is turning into about a grand of replacing the whole front end.

Thanks.

nobody · 07-12-2004

This brings up a very good point, how do you check the arms for straightness either on or off of a car? If you can determine if the other is bent or straight I would rebuild it while you continue to steer right for a bit then swap it complete.

Again if it were me I would use the weight of the car to get the spring out first. It has alot of potential energy stored up so it is best to be overly cautious with it.

Kevin keep me posted on this cause some of what you need is just a drive away.

oldopelguy · 07-12-2004

If the car is driveable as is, even with the pull, "nobody" probably has the best plan. I, too, would get the car back from the shop as is, then order parts and do a thorough overhaul of the spare front end while still having your car drivable, then swap the unit en masse into the car. The spring will present a challenge, but a little research here should yield a few options for removing it safely.

Aside from the spring, nothing on the entire front end of the car requires any tools more complicated than a ball joint or tie rod end separator. The entire rebuild is well within the capacity of a home mechanic, and at considerable savings over shop time.

soybean · 07-13-2004

Actually it's not too bad. The entire front suspension kit with poly bushings is right around $500 from Opel Gt Source. If you decide to pull the front suspension out, Keith Wilford cronicled a good tear down that is listed under tips & tricks in this Forum,(http://www.opelgt.com/forums/opel-tips-tricks/3762-front-suspension-leaf-spring-compressor-removal.html). I have followed it and it has worked very well. If you can find a used front suspension, you can rebuild it, and once it's rebuilt, swap your old one out with the newly rebuilt one. This is what I am in the process of doing now. The major problem will be finding the puller. I found a Matco puller that was right pricey. Namba209 found a place that had them a little cheaper. HTH, Jarrell

bozkm · 07-13-2004

Thanks for the links. I have been reading, and this is what I have come up with. Tell me if I'm on the right track. To remove the control arms, the spring has to be removed. I can remove the spring while it is in the car by using the cars weight. After the spring is removed, the other parts come off "easily"...or I can remove the whole unit. Replace the bushings with polyurethane and replace the new control arms..then the fun part, replace the front spring, the opposite way I took it out..and hope to hell the bolt holes lineup.

Do control arms bend that easy on these things? I can't imagine how 3 of the 4 arms got bent, but the car still drives good. Now I hope my parts car's arms are good...then that just paid for itself.

Also, since I'm replacing the spring anyway, what about the one from OGTS that lowers the car. What benefit does this give..better handling, worse ride? I know that I would have to get the new rear springs also, but I need new springs anyway, if you've seen my post about coilsprings.com.

Thanks

nobody · 07-13-2004

Ok just one bit on this one, your parts car is an early one so it has the small bushing sizes. You should at least think about going to the larger size to make it the best it can be from stock as you are doing this. Just trying to look out for ya somewhat. OGTS has those parts and they are pretty cheap, just tell them what you want and they can help.

I have the OGTS 2 inch drop in mine and the hard pollys. If that helps at all.

bozkm · 07-13-2004

Looks like the control arms on my parts car are fine, along with the steering rack (with the exception of the needle bearing from the steering shaft, but no biggie, this can be replaced according to OGTS).

So any advice on removing the lower control arms (upper ones look fairly easy) would be helpful. I'm replacing all the bushings anyway. This is what I've been reading and looked at under the car.

Put jack stands at the front jackpoints. Put floor jack under spring eye. Remove the bolts holding lower control arm to spring channel. Remove spring eye bolt, and lower spring with jack.

Could I lower the one side of the spring, replace the bushings and control arm, put back up..then do the other side?? This would alleviate removing the whole spring wouldn't it?

bozkm · 07-14-2004

OK, got the steering rack off..and all the bolts for the left side upper control arm. The only thing holding that on is the top long bolt. The nut is off, but I couldn't even get the bolt to turn. Is this one of those that I have to "burn" the rubber out with a torch??

Steering rack....I was able to get off the parts car, but mainly because the front belly pan is pretty much gone. If this wasn't the case, I don't think I could've gotten the top bolts out of the "U" brackets. Is this possible, or am I going to have to drop the whole suspension anyway to get this reinstalled.

GTJIM · 07-14-2004

Originally Posted by bozkm

The only thing holding that on is the top long bolt. The nut is off, but I couldn't even get the bolt to turn. Is this one of those that I have to "burn" the rubber out with a torch??

The long bolt goes through the steel bushes in the middle of the rubber bit and are usually a bit rusted into place. Lots of penetrating oil is needed to get the loose as, until the bush is off the bolt it cannot be withdrawn through the main spar. Protect those bolts with your life - it depends upon them when they are put back in...

The outer and inner bushes are the bits that need to be "burnt out" the penetrating fluid helps here to fuel the fire.

Don't put heat on the bolt, if you intend to re-use it, as it is heat treated and high tensile.....

soybean · 07-14-2004

It just so happens I did that today. I took the right side upper off, and the bushings and sleaves just tapped out.The upper left, I had to heat with a torch, melted it, tapped out the sleeves, and used a small needle nose pliers to pry the bushing out , as GtJim and others have said. It was the first time for me on a Gt, as I've always had Mantas. Took a while and I still have to clean them up before installing the bushings and painting. The pictures are of the lower left and right control arms also done today. Jarrell

nobody · 07-14-2004

Seems like a bit of Liquid wrench was used in the left pic. Are those two really off the same car?

soybean · 07-14-2004

Sure are unfortunantly. They're off the 69 that I cut the clip off for Gene. I estimate I've put a good 20 hrs or more of sandblasting in it and farmed out the front frame to a shop, since it wouldn't fit in my sand cabinet. Smoke wrench helps a lot.

Here's what I started with. Jarrell

soybean · 07-14-2004

Here's the frame and spring apart. And a close up of the side with the spring still loaded. Still have to clean up the spring today. It has been an experence.

Jarrell

07-12-2004	#1 (permalink)
bozkm Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 207	Unanswered: Suspension Woes Took my GT to get a front end alignment done. Got a call back saying that my front end needed major work. Left side control arms, top and bottom, were bent. Right side bottom was bent. Also, the steering racks bushings were pretty much gone. Of course to me, the car drove and steered fine, just needed an alignment to keep from pulling right. I'm going down tomorrow to have a look while the car is on a hoist. I do have a parts car with the frontend still on, how hard is the control arms to remove and install (if they're ok, of course)?? I was going to replace the bushings anyway to polyurethane Steering rack..easy to remove/replace? The spring everyone keeps talking about, is the key..I don't want to kill myself.. The guy also said, it was possible to remove the whole frontend from the other car, and they would put on mine. Which is easier? Sorry for all the questions..what turned out to be 100 dollar front end alignment, is turning into about a grand of replacing the whole front end. Thanks. Last edited by bozkm; 07-12-2004 at 08:48 PM.

07-12-2004	#3 (permalink)
oldopelguy Have Opel, Will Travel Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Saint Michael, MN Posts: 1,727 Logbook Entries: 3 Provided Answers: 2	there's the plan If the car is driveable as is, even with the pull, "nobody" probably has the best plan. I, too, would get the car back from the shop as is, then order parts and do a thorough overhaul of the spare front end while still having your car drivable, then swap the unit en masse into the car. The spring will present a challenge, but a little research here should yield a few options for removing it safely. Aside from the spring, nothing on the entire front end of the car requires any tools more complicated than a ball joint or tie rod end separator. The entire rebuild is well within the capacity of a home mechanic, and at considerable savings over shop time. __________________ 1958 Rekord Sedan, 1958 Olympia Wagon, 1959 Opel Olympia Sedan, 1967 Kadett Coupe, 1967 Admiral Sedan 4L CIH-6, 1968 Kadett fastback 1.1L, 1970 Kadett Wagon Turbo 2.2L, 1971 Kadett Sedan 1.1L, 1975 Manta Wagon 4.3L V-6

07-13-2004	#7 (permalink)
bozkm Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 207	A little good news..I guess Looks like the control arms on my parts car are fine, along with the steering rack (with the exception of the needle bearing from the steering shaft, but no biggie, this can be replaced according to OGTS). So any advice on removing the lower control arms (upper ones look fairly easy) would be helpful. I'm replacing all the bushings anyway. This is what I've been reading and looked at under the car. Put jack stands at the front jackpoints. Put floor jack under spring eye. Remove the bolts holding lower control arm to spring channel. Remove spring eye bolt, and lower spring with jack. Could I lower the one side of the spring, replace the bushings and control arm, put back up..then do the other side?? This would alleviate removing the whole spring wouldn't it?

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07-12-2004	#2 (permalink)
nobody No Access Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: in transit Posts: 3,873 Provided Answers: 1	This brings up a very good point, how do you check the arms for straightness either on or off of a car? If you can determine if the other is bent or straight I would rebuild it while you continue to steer right for a bit then swap it complete. Again if it were me I would use the weight of the car to get the spring out first. It has alot of potential energy stored up so it is best to be overly cautious with it. Kevin keep me posted on this cause some of what you need is just a drive away.

07-13-2004	#4 (permalink)
soybean Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Reidsville N.C. Posts: 2,160	Actually it's not too bad. The entire front suspension kit with poly bushings is right around $500 from Opel Gt Source. If you decide to pull the front suspension out, Keith Wilford cronicled a good tear down that is listed under tips & tricks in this Forum,(http://www.opelgt.com/forums/opel-tips-tricks/3762-front-suspension-leaf-spring-compressor-removal.html). I have followed it and it has worked very well. If you can find a used front suspension, you can rebuild it, and once it's rebuilt, swap your old one out with the newly rebuilt one. This is what I am in the process of doing now. The major problem will be finding the puller. I found a Matco puller that was right pricey. Namba209 found a place that had them a little cheaper. HTH, Jarrell

07-13-2004	#5 (permalink)
bozkm Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 207	Thanks for the links. I have been reading, and this is what I have come up with. Tell me if I'm on the right track. To remove the control arms, the spring has to be removed. I can remove the spring while it is in the car by using the cars weight. After the spring is removed, the other parts come off "easily"...or I can remove the whole unit. Replace the bushings with polyurethane and replace the new control arms..then the fun part, replace the front spring, the opposite way I took it out..and hope to hell the bolt holes lineup. Do control arms bend that easy on these things? I can't imagine how 3 of the 4 arms got bent, but the car still drives good. Now I hope my parts car's arms are good...then that just paid for itself. Also, since I'm replacing the spring anyway, what about the one from OGTS that lowers the car. What benefit does this give..better handling, worse ride? I know that I would have to get the new rear springs also, but I need new springs anyway, if you've seen my post about coilsprings.com. Thanks

07-13-2004	#6 (permalink)
nobody No Access Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: in transit Posts: 3,873 Provided Answers: 1	Ok just one bit on this one, your parts car is an early one so it has the small bushing sizes. You should at least think about going to the larger size to make it the best it can be from stock as you are doing this. Just trying to look out for ya somewhat. OGTS has those parts and they are pretty cheap, just tell them what you want and they can help. I have the OGTS 2 inch drop in mine and the hard pollys. If that helps at all.

07-14-2004	#8 (permalink)
bozkm Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 207	OK, got the steering rack off..and all the bolts for the left side upper control arm. The only thing holding that on is the top long bolt. The nut is off, but I couldn't even get the bolt to turn. Is this one of those that I have to "burn" the rubber out with a torch?? Steering rack....I was able to get off the parts car, but mainly because the front belly pan is pretty much gone. If this wasn't the case, I don't think I could've gotten the top bolts out of the "U" brackets. Is this possible, or am I going to have to drop the whole suspension anyway to get this reinstalled.

07-14-2004	#11 (permalink)
nobody No Access Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: in transit Posts: 3,873 Provided Answers: 1	Seems like a bit of Liquid wrench was used in the left pic. Are those two really off the same car?

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