'71 GS Total Front Suspension Rebuild: How Difficult for the DIY'er at Home?

From Hectors thread: "One thing I need to mention is most 70-72 cars already came with the quick ratio 3 turn option so for the ones that already have it it will just be a rebuild."

If my stock '71 GS 350 already has a 3 turn/lock-to-lock box, I don't gain anything by swapping to a NAPA/Hector box, do I?

Thanks

 

I've owned five 70-71 GS cars and none of them had a steering gear box that was less than 3.5 turns lock to lock. It is easy to tell just turn all the way to the left and count the turns to all the way to the right.

 

My stock '71 GS is ~3.5 turns, lock to lock.

Would I benefit from a NAPA/Hector box?

Thanks

 

It depends on what you want. I, personally, like the quick ratio because it makes the car more responsive to my input. Some might call it twitchy as ever slighter movements are needed to affect the same steering response to the road. You quickly grow used to it and never notice until you again get in a standard 3.5 turn car.

 

Nice. This will be my first spring 2017 mod.

Thanks

 

Beside the bushings for the upper & lower control arms, what's back there that needs to be replaced?

Thanks

 

It is a good idea to use some chain or strong ratchet strap to secure the coil spring while removing it so it can't jump out at you.

 

Isn't the spring already secured/compressed with the spring compressor, prior to removal from the upper/lower control arms?

Thanks

 

Perhaps this is too obvious... but there are shocks and springs back there .

I bought some 1" lowering springs from... someone, at some point, and found them to be way too low. I switched back to a stock-style replacement spring from OPGI- not sure who they are getting them from, but they had the correct pigtail on them, unlike the 'performance' lowering springs I had tried. Your '71 (probably?) uses the more common, non-bolt-on spring perch style.

That plus some garden-variety Monroe shocks from O'Reilly got rid of that weird bouncy float that these cars seem to get. If the Monroes ever wear out I will replace them with something fancier.

ALSO, because of the horrible lessons I learned about cars (and myself) doing the front control arm bushings, I ended up buying new lower control arms from OPGI. They have the factory-style boxing plate welded in, they have brand new bushings installed, they are powdercoated black... massive labor-saver. At $205, they are a steal IMO.

https://www.opgi.com/skylark/KR00445/

 

Mine is leaking from both the high pressure and the return line fittings, from what I can tell. Its an incredibly minor leak- less leaky than any steering box I've ever owned. The threads look wet, and if I wipe them down, there is fluid on the towel. Its not leaking enough to hit the floor. It could totally be 'operator error', from me not wanting to tighten these flare nuts any more. I just can't risk a blowout right now, so my plan is to live with it.

The box is so fun to drive. JW has apparently never had a leak, and he's a better man than me. You should get it, you'll love it. :beer

 

I need help getting the spring back in. I've compressed the spring with an internal compressor, but it compresses both sides equally - so no "arc" as you mention. I can get the spring nested into the top spot on the frame, but since I dont have that arc, the spring hits the frame before the bottom gets nested into the lower control arm. The red circle in the picture is where it crashes and the yellow circle is where it needs like an inch more to get into place.
Help is most appreciated!!
72 LeSabre conv. 455

 

Dont neglect the top coil of the spring (top pigtail) needs to clock into position against the pigtail stop. That may gain you the inch you need. I just did the fronts on my '64 and used taller springs. The weight of the motor not installed caused the whole front end to lift off the stands when raising the lower control arm. I ended up using a come along to close the upper ball joint. Still needed a MOAB (mother of all bars!) to seat the spring in the lower C.A. pocket.
The 2 black new springs went in. The OEM V6 is on the right, and the left unit is a GS 401 spring. I was looking for an extra inch in ride height. ws

 

Thanks Jason, but I am just at a total loss to understand how you got there. Even with the spring compressed over 1.5", I still cant pry the sucker in there using the giant crowbar. (I tried the compressor before finding your post.) Without the compressor I cant even wedge the spring into the 'jaws' between the top pocket and the lower CA much less get it into the nest spot in the lower arm.
Feel like an idiot here, but what am I missing?

 

MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE. Are the new springs THAT much longer than the OEM units? I had to pry the lower CA down even more to get the spring into the saddle. It wont land in position until you start to load the lower arm. Bars, pipe wrenches, hammers, but NO FINGERS>

I had to work alone on a freezing concrete floor in January! ws

 

No, they are the same size as the OEM ones. I was trying to pry it in just now but the bottom end of the pigtail was catching on the lower shock opening. Like, not even close to going thru. Again, this is with the spring already compressed 1.5"

 

Did you gain anything on the lower arm by "stepping" on it? I had to stretch my lower arm down. It was stiff from sitting for 30 years. ws

 

If it looks like this you might want to fix it