CobaltSSilver

Ya most the time they are great....once in a while....

YelloEye

iTrader: (3)

And your springs sit flush against the bumpstops? What is the production date on them?

ls1fbody

Use a caliper to measure the end coils of the spring. One end will be slightly larger, that goes on the bottom plastic mount, smaller goes on the bumpstop.

Use a water based lubricant and shove that sucker on. It'll fit, but it'll take some persuasion.

YelloEye

iTrader: (3)

Melting was easier for me lol

ls1fbody

well, melting isn;t the best idea.

Southtown57

^This. And I didn't even pay attention to the manufacture date.

tglems

iTrader: (3)

I tried persuaded it with some white lithium grease. No dice...and I noticed one end bigger than the other, and put them on appropriately, but in the end melting worked for me too.

007CobaltLS

I don't really know if I even noticed which way I put mine in to be honest....perhaps I'll have to re-do the rears. I broke a stud on each of the rear so I got fed up and drove it to a shop to replace those and I told them I wanted all lug nuts broken loose for me so when I got home I could install suspension components....guess what...I get the rear done no problem after that...try the front...can't break them loose. I wasn't about to muscle it and break more studs so I'm heading back there today to find out why the hell they didn't do anything to the front like I had asked (I bought spare lug nuts and wheel studs and told them to replace any that they may break in the process or any that look like they need replacing....would've been extra money in their pocket to take the time and do what I asked...especially if they'd broken any more, could've gotten me for a bit more labor...to be honest I would've been fine with that just for the satisfaction of knowing that I would've been good to go).

Now it's raining all day today and part of tomorrow and I have FE1 struts/Sportlines on front and Pedders/FE5 shocks in back....mad rake right now. The rear looks really high to me so I'm wondering if I installed it right even.

I did have trouble getting the lower driver's side perch to seat correctly, it eventually did with some coercing from my dead blow hammer and a socket wrench I decided to pound on a little...they seated the rest of the way while hitting bumps while out driving, just seems so high compared to what I was expecting. I mean it's sitting a good inch and a half to 2 inches higher than Sportlines and I was under the impression it would only be a little higher and then settle to about 1/4, maybe 1/2" higher.

So when I get the fronts done eventually, we'll see how it looks. Hopefully I can get them done tomorrow.

My other option is to go to Discount Tire (since I got my tires there and ask if they'll rotate them...hopefully they get the front lugs off without breaking anything). I have a bad habit of not using my impact wrench after hand tightening and so I use my Gorilla wrench...well I put way too much torque on the lug nuts and that's why I've replaced 3 studs now. 5 really if you count the 2 I cross-threaded.

Will heat work to loosen up the lug nuts? I can run to the hardware store and pick up a new canister for my propane torch and give that a shot as long as it isn't going to be too hot on there...suggestions?



Basically I have 2 problems, number one: I over tighten my lug nuts and need to use a torque wrench from now on or just use my air tools because I know I won't over tighten with that. And problem two, I have to cover my lug nuts or get new ones since they're open ended.

tglems

iTrader: (3)

Yes, heat will work. A blowtorch is perfect. The nuts will expand at the same rate as the bolt, but since the nuts are at a larger radius they will come loose first, expanding further.

007CobaltLS

I shall run to the store and grab one and try that hopefully tomorrow. I really want the fronts installed before next weekend.

The good news is I can really feel a difference in the rear end right off the bat with how it handles on turns and through curves and what not, but with the Sportlines/FE1 up front, it kind of floats so I can't do anything too fun yet (don't want the mix-matched suspension to cause life endangering problems). I truly am excited about getting everything done now since I can tell such a huge difference in just the rears.

I only wish I knew what the FE5 were like with the Sportlines to see what the difference would be spring vs spring rather than complete suspension difference.

YelloEye

iTrader: (3)

For the rear springs you dont have to remove your wheels, I pulled my rear springs 3 times in the last week this way (1st for pedders install, 2nd to seat the upper bumpstops, 3rd to rotate the springs to the correct direction)

koch1ar

since theres action in here, do you guys have tq numbers or a link to numbers. I'm leaving in an hour to go get it done

YelloEye

iTrader: (3)

Wheel lugs are 100 lb ft.

You dont need to remove the rear wheels or the lower shock nut to change rear springs, just the top 18mm bolt. with the rear end on jackstands or a lift

Cobalt Rear Suspension Torque Specs
Specification

Metric
English
-----------------------

Shock Bolt Lower
110 Nˇm
81 lb ft


Shock Bolt Upper
90 Nˇm
66 lb ft


Cobalt Front Suspension Torque Specs
Specification

Metric
English
----------------------

Stabilizer Link to Strut Nut (swaybar link)
65 Nˇm
48 lb ft

Strut Assembly to Steering Knuckle Nut (2 bottom nuts on strut)
120 Nˇm
89 lb ft

Strut to Body Nut (3 Top Nuts)
20 Nˇm
15 lb ft

Strut Shaft Nut (center nut)
70 Nˇm
52 lb ft

007CobaltLS

Yeah, but when I'm wanting to rotate my tires I do. Plus, I don't have a jack that will lift the car high enough to put them on stands that will allow for the wheels to not touch the ground when I remove the strut bolts...the tires if I jack it up are only a couple inches off the ground...if I remove the strut bolts the tires are touching the ground once I'm pushing the rear axle down to get the springs in or out.

jt87

So I just finished installing the springs. Those rears were a definite issue. Both the top point and bottom point were wound too tightly. For the bottom perch, I tapered the round edge at the top so that you could basically smack on the lower perch. For the top, I made the ribs a little smaller, as the spring would slide up to the metal ring, but not further. Damn those rears! Fronts went on without an issue.

That said, the car feels much better.

ls1fbody

do it the way i said you won't have problems. It's not that hard.

jt87

I measured both tops and bottoms, neither was close to fitting either end without modifying the perch/mount. I sanded the round edge into a taper, which helped the bottom wedge in. The top one I smoothed out some edges and ribs, and used a pulley puller to slowly force the top perch on. But it's all said and done now. Time to enjoy .

koch1ar

******* database!! been tryin to post this for 3hrs

these are the ****!!

you can get the tops almost halfway on with force. i heated the bottoms and got them just on as well. just made sure they were square. place on car. jacked one wheel all the way repeatedly, then switched. now bottoms are good but tops still arent. Drive!! one fell pulling out of the garage and the other going down the curb. might be ghetto but it worked

OBZ

I just installed mine onto my SS/TC shocks/struts last night also. The fronts were cake, The rears were a PITA! I used a little grease to get them to seat, but only worked on one side. The other only dropped about half way down and wouldn't budge! Tried bouncing the car up and down no go.. So this morning i dropped it again, pulled the spring and flipped it. It went in a lot easier but still a pain in the ass! lol

Took it for a ride and i could tell a difference the second i pulled out of the driveway! the car handles SO much better! I really didn't realize it would be such an improvement over my SSC springs! It handles bumps and what not much better, and it is SO much more stable in the corners!

Moral of the story, Rear install is a pain, but definitely worth it! Usually the fronts are more difficult lol

koch1ar

mine felt supa still in the back for a bit but now they seem a lil smoother after 100miles

007CobaltLS

I resorted to this right away. Last night I couldn't tell, but something in the rear on pass. side was clunking. So today I'm driving and listening and it's annoying as ****.

Decide to pull off both wheels, remove the shock completely and unseat the spring from the top, re-seat it. Put it all together, go for a drive and voila, no more clunking.

I am so ready to do the fronts tomorrow (I don't care if it is supposed to rain), I'll just get it out of the way.

koch1ar

hmm i dont have any clunking, just drove to seat them 100%. they were 15% seated and decided to drive to get em all the way

CobaltSSilver

Is there a 'how to' on this install?

koch1ar

for others yes...well i've seen them before. but I couldn't find them to reference tho. It's very straight forward to install springs. pedders take some street skillz for da back springs. BTW this was the first car i lowered. Took me 3hrs but I had a huge lunch and a test drive in there

007CobaltLS

I'm in the middle of the front's today...I need help...I got the pass. side no problem. I just can't get the damn nut off for the driver's side for the sway bar...the pass side loosened up a little so I could get a vice grips on the back side to hold it while I spun it off.

Any ideas how to get that off? I tried using a propane torch to heat it and that isn't helping...I had problems with this nut the last time I did this (when I put Sportlines on)...it's pissing me off.

HELP!!!!????!!???!!?!!???

I wish I had just bought new end links like I had wanted to, then I wouldn't worry about it and would cut it off.