What a weekend. I did something that I haven't had time to do in a long time. I worked on the Camaro. All day Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday I spent trying to fix what I thought was a bad rear wheel bearing. It had (still has) a speed related clicking noise from the rear end. Also when I put it in a hard left turn you could hear a rubbing sound. It didn't make the noise in a right hand turn. So I thought it was the right rear wheel bearing. So I replaced both axle bearings and seals. The left bearing and seal came out great. The right came out in pieces. I used a gear puller and it broke the race on the right side. I still got it out OK. The new ones slide in perfect. I put it back together and while I was there I finally put in the BMR springs that have been sitting in the carport for 2 months. I took it out for a drive and it still makes the exact same noises. I don't what else it could be except normal. Maybe I'm being too picky. It seam like I read somewhere that there was a TSB for noisy 98-02 rear ends that had the Torsen in them. Does anybody know of that?
Sunday was a beautiful day in Atlanta. It started with brunch at our favorite breakfast place. So then it was off to rent some front spring compressors so I could put the BMR front springs in. I thought it would be a couple of hours to do the job. Boy was I wrong. I'll spare all of the details but what a surprise it was to get the shock/spring assembly out to find the shock bolt rusted worse than anything I've ever seen before. The right one was still wet with water. I wire wheeled it off as best as possible before the neighbor put the air gun to it to try and get it off. The nuts stripped really bad. One split in half. The threads on the shock were not usable at this point. I measured them and the measured .382 so I figured they were metric. Since I didn't have a metric die set they are now 3/8"-16.
The one thing I don't like about GMs is they use many different size nuts and bolts. Metric and Imperial. When I had a Mustang I used to carry a box wrench that had a 1/2" on one side and a 9/16" on the other. You could take apart about 90% of the car with just that. I LIKE Fred's comment the other day about the Camaro being a parts bin car. How true that seams. It's hard to believe after all the time I have read this board that nobody has complained about changing the front shocks and/or springs. I'm pooped.
I need to make a comment on the BMR springs. Someone a while back said that they had heard that they ride rough. I can say that in mine that they are no rougher than the stock ride. In my 10 mile ride just now there wasn't a noticeable difference in ride quality. I was worried that they would be hard but they are not. BMR claims a 1" drop. That is hard to tell too. It did drop it a little, probably an inch. It's tight to get the jack under the front now. I couldn't imagine trying to get a jack under it if it were any lower.
I'm pooped. It's bed time. later guys and gals.
Saturday I spent trying to fix what I thought was a bad rear wheel bearing. It had (still has) a speed related clicking noise from the rear end. Also when I put it in a hard left turn you could hear a rubbing sound. It didn't make the noise in a right hand turn. So I thought it was the right rear wheel bearing. So I replaced both axle bearings and seals. The left bearing and seal came out great. The right came out in pieces. I used a gear puller and it broke the race on the right side. I still got it out OK. The new ones slide in perfect. I put it back together and while I was there I finally put in the BMR springs that have been sitting in the carport for 2 months. I took it out for a drive and it still makes the exact same noises. I don't what else it could be except normal. Maybe I'm being too picky. It seam like I read somewhere that there was a TSB for noisy 98-02 rear ends that had the Torsen in them. Does anybody know of that?
Sunday was a beautiful day in Atlanta. It started with brunch at our favorite breakfast place. So then it was off to rent some front spring compressors so I could put the BMR front springs in. I thought it would be a couple of hours to do the job. Boy was I wrong. I'll spare all of the details but what a surprise it was to get the shock/spring assembly out to find the shock bolt rusted worse than anything I've ever seen before. The right one was still wet with water. I wire wheeled it off as best as possible before the neighbor put the air gun to it to try and get it off. The nuts stripped really bad. One split in half. The threads on the shock were not usable at this point. I measured them and the measured .382 so I figured they were metric. Since I didn't have a metric die set they are now 3/8"-16.
The one thing I don't like about GMs is they use many different size nuts and bolts. Metric and Imperial. When I had a Mustang I used to carry a box wrench that had a 1/2" on one side and a 9/16" on the other. You could take apart about 90% of the car with just that. I LIKE Fred's comment the other day about the Camaro being a parts bin car. How true that seams. It's hard to believe after all the time I have read this board that nobody has complained about changing the front shocks and/or springs. I'm pooped.I need to make a comment on the BMR springs. Someone a while back said that they had heard that they ride rough. I can say that in mine that they are no rougher than the stock ride. In my 10 mile ride just now there wasn't a noticeable difference in ride quality. I was worried that they would be hard but they are not. BMR claims a 1" drop. That is hard to tell too. It did drop it a little, probably an inch. It's tight to get the jack under the front now. I couldn't imagine trying to get a jack under it if it were any lower.
I'm pooped. It's bed time. later guys and gals.
RIVELINE
Comment