Hi all , I'm back...
I'm restoring the suspensions but I'm going step by step

In past days I have done:
-washed the underside
-greased all front susp fittings
-replaced front springs with the standard springs ( the PO cut the oem coils-badly-to lower the car , but the drivers side was lower than passengers)
-replaced front sway bar links and rear spring links.

please look at pics.

the car behaves far better on front control with new coils , but there are still many problems.

1) the car is still sitting low at drivers side because of the rear spring . The spring links I bought allows me just 1/5" height adjustment. too few to raise the susp 1" as I need ?the OEM spring has the leaves misaligned too.
restore the oem spring ( Gymkhana) or should I go for a composite?I'm quite happy with the steel leaf spring...

2)steering . still some play and loss of control...the PO already replaced the lower ball joints. I have still to replace the idler arm and tie rod ends and PS control valve( possibly rebuild the steering box). Is there anything else I should do ?
I must admit that after greasing the steering fittings , I didn't noticed any improvement. the coils replacement made a big difference instead

3) VERY IMPORTANT !!!!
I have serious problems at the rear suspension , I think.
this is what happens :
-I feel the rear end going sidewise when decelerating and when I quickly move the steering wheel left-right ( chicane). the higher the speed the bigger the problem. Very scary!
-when I accelerate the car go straight , but when I release ther gas the steering wheel is moved clockwise and the car becomes very unstable ( going sidewise)
-when I apply the brakes , the car goes straight but the steering wheel moves clockwise
-in 4th gear , from 40-50mph on , when I apply-release gas , the car is very unstable ( totally scared!)

I don't feel the wheel bearings very loose. I believe the problem is the the trailing arms bushings and other rear susp bushings that are very worn
please let me know whatI shouldreplace

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pics of worn bushings and left-right pics of my car ( please check the different height from the floor)

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aldous,
I am still new to this so i can't really help. Nice car though, I have one exactly like it! My interior is white and gray, how about yours.
Dan

Sounds like you are on the right track. I would definitely suspect the trailing arms and assorted bushings in the rear suspension. It sounds like when the power is applied, everything is lined up and working well, but when the rear wheels aren't pushing against the weight of the car, things are getting out of alignment. I would do trailing arms and a complete rear bushing set next, especially since you plan on pulling out the rear leaf spring anyway.

bill.

Aldous, check this site out. They rebuilt my trailing arms . came back like new for a good price, only waited two weeks. http://www.bairs.com/page321.asp

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Thanks to all

I can't go for a total trailing arms rebuild because I'm in Italy and shippings from-to USA are very expensive for large-heavy items.

I'll go for bushings replacements .
Not totally sure that i want to replace the OEM spring with a composite ( also because high shipping costs- 200$ about)I would like first to restore the OEM. the drivers side is 1" down in respect to passengers one.
Do you think that a spring restore like the pictured one would be successful or just time wasted?
riley6riley, you can see some pics of my 79 going to my Forums album

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Strut rod bushings are easy to replace, especially if you have access to a press but a vise will do.

Trailing arm bushings are a little harder but the hard part is getting the bolt out. I've always had to saw them out either with a hack saw blade (no handle) or an air reciprocating saw (a lot easier). If you go with the OEM rubber bushings, then you'll need a special tool (about $60 USD) to properly compress the rubber and flare the sleeve.

I agree with the others that a loose rear suspension is probably causing the rear end wanting to lead when you get off the gas.

73shark,

I'll go for poly bushings at trailing arms , so I don't need a press. Also because I don't want to remove completely the trailing arms. I want to take them out from for the frame pocket and replace the bushings in place not on a work bench.
Is it possible?
so you saw the bolt that fix the trailing arm in place , right? So better to get new bolts and nuts along with the bushings.
do you still have the OEM rear spring on your 73? or a new one?
I suppose you have kept your 73 substantially OEM...

Hi Aldo, you are making some progress in restoring your car, good for you. Just keet in mind that you can not replace some of the parts and hope for the best.
I'm not sure what you mean about your Vette being lower on one side. Many times the body mounts compress and the car will be 1/2 inch lower on one side or the other, also some came from the factory that way so it's no big deal.
If it were my car I would have replaced the upper and lower ball joints while you hadthe front endapart.

Front steering: If you need tie rod ends and an idler arm than you won't get the front steering 100% untill you replace those parts.

The strut rod bushings are shot, also it looks like the trailing arm bushings have seen better days, you may also need new inner and outer bearings, you can not just change the spring bushings and think that will correct the problem.

While you have the rear apart you might as well install new "U' joints on the half shafts and on the drive shaft. Also see how far the yokes on the differential pull out, over 3/8 of an inch my indicate that the rearend needs some work.
When the trailing arm bushings deteriate the car will usuall pull to one side when you accelerate but it's possible that they shift when you try to brake, that problem must be corrected asap before you crash the car or kill youself or some one else. If it's a mater of money than park the car untill you have the funds.
It takes lots of money to restore a 29 year old car back into proper shape. PG.

Hi PG,
thanks for the tips.
that's not exhactly a matter of money. the problem is that I'm realizing problems in the time. the first days I drove my Vette , everything seemed OK to me.

- I'm waiting to be delivered to me: idler arm , upper-lower ball joints ( the lower were replaced by PO) and tie rod ends. Once I'll fit them , I think that the front end will be OK

-rear end.
yes I need to replace those bushings asap. while waiting for them , I'll go slow and I'll be careful...
Probably I should repack the rear bearings too, even if the play is not so much in my opinion and the same for left-right wheel

I already checked the main shaft for play ( almost nothing , just 1/8") but i haven't checked the half shafts...I'll do it

the rear spring is sagged at drivers side, making the car sitting 1" lower at that side in respect to the other. I have checked some C3 pics on ebay and i have seen that many c3 for sale ( with oem monospring) have the same problem

Hi Aldo, your doing real good, you find a problem and then get right to it. You must have good skills as it seems that you are doing everything yourself.
Keep up the good work and you'll soon have it 100% and then you can just enjoy driving it.
PG.

Aldo, I've done a lot of things to my car. Read the ROTM write-up or the short version is I added factory A/C, factory PW, factory maplite, factory right side mirror, and factory side exhaust. Played around with a Rochester FI from a '65 and Hooker "nest of snakes" header side exhaust. Also have AR Vector wheels.

Edit: Also have original nine leave spring.

Re: poly trailing arm bushings - Pros: easier to install Cons: the trailing arm not only moves up and down, it also twists a small amount as the wheel camber changes such as when you corner or hit a bump or pothole. Since the poly essentially doesn't allow this twist, it sort of binds up your rear suspension which can affect handling. You also lose isolation from shock and vibration with poly anything in place of any of the rubber parts such as control arm bushings, strut rod bushings, body mounts, etc. If you are going to autocross or race, then poly would be the way to go but for street use, I'd advise against it. I put poly control arm bushings on my friend's '66 and it will jar your fillings out now. [:o]

You might not have to saw the trailing arm bolt if the car hasn't seen a lot of road salt. The problem is if you can get the nut off, the bolt might be frozen in the sleeve inside the bushing and you can get to it with a punch to drive it out. Try soaking it with Kroilhttp://www.kanolabs.com/ first.

While you have the trailing arms off, you can check the spindle end play to see if the bearings are OK. If not, you might consider getting rebuilt trailing arms from some place like Van Steel. Just did a set on my friend's '66 and they're just a bolt-on job. :)

73shark
thanks for the advise about poly bushings on trailing arms. I can't put rubber bushings there because i want to replace bushings without removing completely the trailing arms. So poly...( rubber needs a press...). I think I can live with some road harshness more...
Unfortunately the high shipping costs to-from USA doesn't enables me to to make a restoring job as I would like : I can't send out the trailing arms and can't send cores for restoring. For example I can't had my PS control valve remanufactured on my core, but bought a brand new. If I'll need to restore my steering control box, it would be the same... that's life!

So you have still your oem steel spring... Is it still OK ? not sagged at drivers side? all the c3 I've seen on Ebay with unrestored OEM monospring have this problem ( and mine too...)

I love the colour of your car , and even if that Orange wasn't a 79 option, I'm thinking to paint mine just in that way...

Aldo, I don't believe you can replace the T-arm bushings on the car, that is you'll have to remove completely to get the old ones out and new ones in, even poly ones.

Still original spring but it is a nine leaf, not the fiberglass mono-leaf that came out later around 1980. It has settled to where it is basically straight across the bottom leaf at rest so it will need to be replaced.

Thanks for compliment on color. :)

73shark , thanks

I'll try to restore my 9 leaves spring. it'sbecome straighton driver's side only , the other side is OK.
any advise about?

Aldous, Shark is right on, you have to remove the trailing arms to replace the bushings,no matter what kind you put in. For me that was a winter project, amongest other items like new half shafts, strut rod bushings,shock mounts, had to cut off tried heat but no luck,brake calipers, lines, steering valve, pistonand rotors. A sawzall is the best way to cut the bolts. I don't think you will be able to get theoriginal out. Just take your time and make sure you get everything involved so you don't have to go back to changeanything else involved at a later date. The inner and outer bearings and seals can be replaced with the trailing arm on the car. But much easier off the car. Good luck and again take your time.

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Batesy80,
thanks for the tips.

I can't take so much time to do this job. I have to do it soon because my car is not enjoyable as I would like with all those faults ( quite scary indeed).
So I have to remove the trailing arms...
I'll check on the shop manual , but How difficult to detach the half shaft from the wheel?
which the correct method to check for play at halfshaft? today I went underside the car ( car on the floor ) and find no play trying to rock the halfshafts. Or should I make this test after jacking up the car?

the original bolts for the half shaft bracket take a 12 point 5/16 I believe. spray them first with some penatrating oil. I had a couple that striped on me so I delt with them after I removed the T arm. I just bent the clip over and bought new clips and all new bolts. I like to do things right the first time. I don't want to go back to do it again, hate that. When I got the shafts out the needle bearings on the originalu-joints were toast, no grease left and had indentations. my advise... if you take them out change them, and you won't have to worry about them while you have this vette!

ORIGINAL: aldous

73shark , thanks

I'll try to restore my 9 leaves spring. it'sbecome straighton driver's side only , the other side is OK.
any advise about?



Is the bottom leaf bent up on the driver's side. Not sure if it's not, how the spring could be causing your problem.

To get the T-arms off, you'll need to crank the strut rod to max negative camber after you separate the half shaft from the spindle flange. You'll also need to disconnect the spring at both ends. Put a C-clamp on the spring inboard of your jack as you relieve the pressure on the long bolt so it doesn't slip. Then you need to get the T-arm bolt out and that'll probably take a Sawzall or air saw to cut ends off the bolt, probably both ends as it'll probably be frozen in the bushing sleeve. Keep track of the shim pack so you can put about the same ones back in and go to the alignment shop. Oh, yeah, use stainless shims and strongly recommend putting in a stainless steel parking brake setup.

Concur with batesy80 on replacing U-joints.

OK Thanks

let's see what happens...I hope to be able to do the job in the right manner.
I don't have a sawzall , I hope that a grinder with a cut disc will work fine.
I'm going to finally get the italian licence plates this week , after 3 months waiting. My vette will be registered as historic car paying just 200$ per year for insurance

I'm going also to dismantle the steel leaf spring and take it to a restore shop. I hope to solve my problem with it

Aldo, I don't believe you'll be able to get any kind of grinder in the recessed area where the T-arm bolt is plus you'll probably have to cut both ends off.

Leafs from springs can be rearched. You'll just have to see if anyone does that where you are.

Great deal on your insurance. :)

When I removed the front trailing arm bolts I taped up half a hack saw blade with duck tape and went at it after I got a few of the shims out, took a while but it worked. That is one tight spot to work in. A sawzall will make it a lot easier and quicker.
I used poly bushings and new ss shims. PG.

Glad you got 'em out. Before I got a Sawzall, I did as you did with the taped hacksaw blade. Not much fun but got it done.