sjaroslo
09-24-2012, 10:25 AM
Greetings:
I have a 67 Camaro with an Art Morrison front subframe and suspension, which is Corvette C6 stuff using coilovers. I need to partially disassemble the front end to install some shims/spacers between the hub and the upright (I have a thread on the reason in the Disc Brakes forum). In order to be able to loosen the lower of the three socket head cap screws that attach the hub to the upright, it looks like I'll need to pop off the lower ball joint from the upright, because otherwise I wouldn't be able to get a wrench on it. So that brings up a few questions:
In a conventional (from the sixties) Chevy front suspension, you need to be very careful when separating the ball joint because of the energy stored in the coil spring--it can be dangerous. It seems to me that this is not the case with a coilover? The spring is retained on the shock body and the explosive release of that energy is not the same concern? Or am I wrong?
#2, is the "pickle fork" or the heavy hammer to the casting still the preferred method for breaking the ball joint loose on this suspension set up? Or is there something more advanced available now? I suspect that the ball joint still uses the same tapered housing into the tapered hole from the old days?
I appreciate any direction or tips & tricks that can be offered. Thank you.
I have a 67 Camaro with an Art Morrison front subframe and suspension, which is Corvette C6 stuff using coilovers. I need to partially disassemble the front end to install some shims/spacers between the hub and the upright (I have a thread on the reason in the Disc Brakes forum). In order to be able to loosen the lower of the three socket head cap screws that attach the hub to the upright, it looks like I'll need to pop off the lower ball joint from the upright, because otherwise I wouldn't be able to get a wrench on it. So that brings up a few questions:
In a conventional (from the sixties) Chevy front suspension, you need to be very careful when separating the ball joint because of the energy stored in the coil spring--it can be dangerous. It seems to me that this is not the case with a coilover? The spring is retained on the shock body and the explosive release of that energy is not the same concern? Or am I wrong?
#2, is the "pickle fork" or the heavy hammer to the casting still the preferred method for breaking the ball joint loose on this suspension set up? Or is there something more advanced available now? I suspect that the ball joint still uses the same tapered housing into the tapered hole from the old days?
I appreciate any direction or tips & tricks that can be offered. Thank you.