Time for an update on the suspension:
For the TL;DR group:
Started on the 3rd, finished up yesterday afternoon, and will need an alignment on Monday, but here's what's been done (note the front springs have already been installed):
Pfadt solid subframe bushings (Classifieds here on C5)
Spohn trailing arms with Del-sphere ends (Thanks to JDP Motorsports)
BMR outer trailing arm bushings (JDP Motorsports)
Pfadt upper control arm bushings (Camaro club member here in Denver)
ZL1 Springs (Classifieds on C5)
I'm not going to lie, the install was challenging simply because the only guidance I had were a few posts here on C5 and some youtube videos and I was doing the entire thing in my garage by myself.
Full write up:
First step was to get everything out. Thought I would start Thursday evening at 7ish and get some of the big things out of the way. Get the car up on jackstands, remove the wheels, loosen the cradle to improve access, this was going to be a challenge, but I knew I could do it.
No big deal at first because there were only a handful of nuts/bolts to undo to get the major hardware pieces out (trailing arms, strut/spring assembly, knuckle, subframe, etc). They were all on pretty tight, but with the use of a breaker bar managed to get everything off. I had the passenger side taken apart in little over an hour, leaving only the bushing removal and then reassembly. Figured I would start on the outer trailing arm bushing. Had some PVC pieces, a bolt and washer ready to make my own press. Simple enough right? Nope. 45 minutes and 3 destroyed washers later it was about halfway out. Enter the torch. That didn't help much either, so back to the press. Another 30 minutes of messing around with it I finally got it out. It was now 11pm and everything above my waist hurt. Not sore, I straight up hurt. Those bolts are torqued on there tight, and that stupid trailing arm bushing can suck the <insert choice words here>. Off to bed.
Friday morning. Somehow I hurt more than the night before, but I had to get the car done because I need to drive to work on Monday, so back to work at 10am. I removed the Pedders inserts I had installed a couple years ago. Only thing left to remove were the subframe bushings before I could start reassembling the passenger side. No big deal, right? I had read enough DIY threads to know what to do. Had a torch ready, had my jackstands and jack in place to remove the front bushing, then nothing. Didn't budge. I was lifting my car off of the ground supported only by a single socket. I quickly learned these bushings would be a stronger candidate than the trailing arm bushings to <insert inappropriate comment here>.
Neighbor walks by. Lucky for me he's a bit of a gearhead too, so we start thinking of ways to get those bastards out. Tried some of that spray stuff that's supposed to loosen things up (like WD-40). Didn't work. Car was too low to get the saws-all under there to start hacking up the front one. What about a jig saw? Blade wasn't long enough, but it was a good start. Neighbor leaves and heads down to the parts store to get some stuff for his own car but said he would check to see if there were any pointers. While he was gone, managed to get the rear subframe bushing out thanks to the saws-all (more clearance in the back) and a small hand saw. Now I was starting to understand how these f*ckers were wedged in there. Back to work on the front one. Neighbor returns and tells me I have been heating the wrong area with the torch. Heat the inner ferrule, not the outer casing. 5 minutes later the ferrule was out. Another 10 minutes with the hand saw and the casing was out. Time to install the new bushings, but the <choice comment here> cradle wasn't low enough to clear the rear "peg". Won't go down any further because it's basically held up by the exhaust. Time to remove the exhaust. 45 minutes later I had everything else done.
Pieces and tools scattered across the garage floor and driveway, time to swap the springs. Finally something I know how to do. 15 minutes later I was re-installing the spring assembly. Another 30 more minutes and I had everything back in place but not tightened because I forgot to get blue Loctite
.
Wife comes out and shuts me down for the day because we need to get ready for the 4th of July party at the neighbor's house. Good enough stopping point for the day. Plenty of bbq, beer, explosions, and friends to make any man happy and certainly take your mind off of the continued pain in every joint.
Saturday morning, back to work. After learning how everything was to be done on the passenger side, the driver's side was done in only a couple of hours. Insane how easily things go once you've been through it. Managed to get some Loctite the night before, so it was just a matter of reassembly and tighten to spec (whatever that means, so I just tighten to the point I can't tighten anymore).
Had to run a few errands, so later that evening I was able to return to get the wheel well liners reinstalled (I was amazed how much space there was once they were out of the way), put the wheels/tires back on and take it for a spin.
HOLY $#!+, the car feels better!! Absolutely planted to the ground, no body lean at all, no wheel hop. Car feels like a go cart, and I LOVE IT!!! I can't wait to see how it will feel once the bushings are properly timed and the alignment is done on Monday.
For those curious on installing the ZL1 springs on an SS, they feel a lot stiffer, but ride doesn't feel compromised. Still smooth enough to cruise down the highway, but there is no "float" at all. The car also sits about 1/2" to 3/4" lower. I will get a full measurement once the bushings are timed because it's not quite sitting level yet.