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1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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speed
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Sep 12, 2009, 9:21 PM
Post #1 of 18
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1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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hi there i have a 1996 v6 3.8L camaro rs and i hit a median back around febuary or march. the problem is my car leans to the right. i dont think its anything major just the spring looks bad. i was wondering if i need to change anything else along with my spring or if i can just change my passenger spring. thanks for reading
GM ASEP 26 SCC Milford ASE certified in Brakes and Electrical on Thursday April 5th 2012
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Sidom
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/ Moderator
Sep 12, 2009, 9:31 PM
Post #2 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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If you sure it's just a spring and there is no other damage it would be best to change out both springs if you want you car to sit level. Springs lose their tension over time & this makes the car sit lower, if you put in one new spring the height isn't going to match the older one on the other side & the right side will probably sit higher...
Also it would be a good idea to get an alignment afterwards.
If you are unsure of the rest of the suspension it would be a good idea to take it in for a frt end check. If you are going to go to the trouble of changing the springs & have it aligned, you might as well replace any other damaged or worn out part while your at it & do it right....
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speed
User
Sep 12, 2009, 9:47 PM
Post #3 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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thanks for the pointers sidom
i got an alignment after i hit it and it was only the passenger side im not %100 on all the suspension but after the accident i got the fender, rims and tires, and alighnment done and it seems fine. it drives perfectly normal no problems at all i just want to take care of the lean in the car now that i have some money for it. i was also wondering if i need to change the strut along witht he springs or if just the springs will do. ive taken to a few friends of mine and theyve done a little suspension work and have all said "it looks like your spring is the problem" and i dont have a lot of money so i dont think a suspension check is within the bills limits right now thanks again for reading guys this is a good site and people here
GM ASEP 26 SCC Milford ASE certified in Brakes and Electrical on Thursday April 5th 2012
(This post was edited by speed on Sep 12, 2009, 9:55 PM)
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Sidom
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Sep 12, 2009, 10:50 PM
Post #4 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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If you have the extra money and the struts have a lot miles on them it wouldn't be a bad idea to change them out while you're in there.
Sure would hate to see you put that money into on springs & struts only to find out you have a bent control arm or frame. Your call though...
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speed
User
Sep 12, 2009, 11:28 PM
Post #5 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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yeah no kidding bout the waste i only have around $250 and dont get a check for another week need gas and each shock alone is around $130 so even if i dont get the spring i dont think thats enough to service bent frame or control arm but i assume youd know more about that so ill let you tell me lol
on a side note my dad said i only need to change the fualty spring if thats the problem this doesnt sit well with me and if you see any thing wrong with this idea stop me now
also if you could list some symptoms or simple checks i could do to check my control arm that'd be great too
i forgot my car has 153xxx miles on it i also got a new transmision before the crash after i bought it cuz it went out and when i went in for an alignment they didnt say anything about my control arms but i think they said the bushings or somthing like that maby bearings of a sort also needed replaced and that was around $150 more. wouldnt they notice the control arms or something of the sort? id like to hear your take on this too please.
also here is what happened when i crashed if it would maby help you see any other problems or a different cuase
i was driving around having a good time and since i recently got my first car i thought hey i want to have some fun
so i went to a street close to home that led to the country no parking double laned.
i took off down the street trying to top out my car but since the road heads into gravel i had to slow down before i could get to top speed. so i turned around and gunned it back. on my way back there is a median and a turning lane before the median. i thought it was the second lane so i kept going trying to top it out. i was a around 100-120 mph and then i saw it and immediatley hit the breaks unfortunatley my antilocks dont work so they locked up. i didnt try to turn for fear of somehow rolling a camaro. so i hit the median dead on. i hit far enough on the median to hit the turning lane sign with the passenger side of my car and managed to bend it about half to a foot from the ground. so i hit the medain a good ways into my car probably had the medain about halfway under my car. also to help with the distance i left a skid mark at least 50 feet long then for about 20-30 there is no mark then the media. so to clarify i started stopping probably 100-150 feet away. maybe im off but there wasnt enough room to move out of the way. what puzzles me about this is how i have skid marks from them locking up then no skid marks does this mean my antilocks kicked in eventually? if so any ideas about those?
sorry for the lengthy explanation but thanks a lot for taking the time with this Sidom and anyone else.
GM ASEP 26 SCC Milford ASE certified in Brakes and Electrical on Thursday April 5th 2012
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Sidom
Veteran
/ Moderator
Sep 13, 2009, 9:14 AM
Post #6 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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Some damage is less obvious than other damage. If you told the tech about the wreck before the alignment he should've of been able to see some damage or at least tell something was going on with the SAI & other readings.... If you didn't say anything, it would make is easier for him to miss something, especially if he was less experienced....
Most places will charge in the $20 to $40 range for an inspection. Now unless you are positive (can see a collasped coil) it would be fairly cheap insurance to get the inspection....
Well at least you are forthcoming about what really happen.......lol
I'm not going to get into a big long post about this but just say this. You sound like you are still young & just started driving... Driving at those speeds you really need some sharp skills (something you can only get over time). At those speeds when something goes wrong, stuff starts happening very fast and you have very little time to react... If you want to go fast, that is fine but you need to do it in as safe as possible way...... If you have a local track, most places have some kind of night for kids (grudge night, pinks, etc) that is the place to learn & get experience from people who know & can help.
Just to underscore the point (and don't go out & try this) but from your post. You were totally unaware at those speeds when your wheels locked up......You have no steering, you would've moved the wheel & your car would've continued on in the same direction.......Your wheels have to be rolling at those speeds to have steering.......
(just so you don't try this.......If your wheels are positioned wrong, at those speeds, when you do get steering back, the car will roll)
(This post was edited by Sidom on Sep 13, 2009, 9:16 AM)
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Guest
Anonymous Poster
Sep 13, 2009, 1:19 PM
Post #7 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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ok thanks for letting me know about the price that sounds a lot more affordable than i thought it would.
so ill get that done soon hopefully we dont have a track here but after my accident im not going to ever go faster than that unless on a track. it scared me enough to where i wouldnt drive it home and didnt want to drive for about a week. also thanks for clarifying about rolling my car all my friends keep telling me that its almost immpossible to roll a camaro since its less than 4 inches from the ground but they arent experts. also i dont know but could my abs system have kicked in sometime during my wheel lockup? from the skid marks it looks like they did a little before i hit the median.
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speed
User
Sep 13, 2009, 1:20 PM
Post #8 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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oops forgot to login i posted that lol
GM ASEP 26 SCC Milford ASE certified in Brakes and Electrical on Thursday April 5th 2012
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Sidom
Veteran
/ Moderator
Sep 13, 2009, 10:17 PM
Post #9 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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Well it's good you've slowed down.....
Camaros do have a low center of gravity but trust me.......they aren't impossible to roll.
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crashed camaro.jpg
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speed
User
Sep 13, 2009, 11:07 PM
Post #10 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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oh i have no doubt about that thx again for the help youve been very helpful in deciding what to do
GM ASEP 26 SCC Milford ASE certified in Brakes and Electrical on Thursday April 5th 2012
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 14, 2009, 8:37 AM
Post #11 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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Sidom's pic! OMG - tad more than flesh wound!
T
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chickenhouse
Enthusiast
Sep 14, 2009, 9:36 AM
Post #12 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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MY posts tire you out reading ? ?
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 14, 2009, 10:39 AM
Post #13 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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! Why would you ask that? No - I do read thousands of them all over the place though!
T
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chickenhouse
Enthusiast
Sep 14, 2009, 1:11 PM
Post #14 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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No Tom, I was refering to Sidom on another thread. No harm no foul.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 14, 2009, 1:41 PM
Post #15 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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CH (if I can call you that now) -- this site is about folks helping folks with assorted skills all done by volunteers. Perhaps I belong in the looney bin for adding some fun now and then - pics or whatever.
The only real rule is keep it clean as I never want to hear of this site being restricted because of content.
Sidom is top shelf with no reservations! I'm the one who struggles fixing a garden hose! Laugh and just kidding,
T
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chickenhouse
Enthusiast
Sep 14, 2009, 2:46 PM
Post #16 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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Of course he is Tom- so are you and Hammer, All you guys are. It was an attempt by me to add a little humor- that's all. Not trying to step on toes at all.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 14, 2009, 3:08 PM
Post #17 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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Back to the topic. Do springs, shocks or struts in pairs. That goes for brake work too IMO. I keep cars forever and eventually they get those items. Me bad - I measure wheel lip to ground while level and as little as a 1/2 inch ticks me off!
Remember both gas shocks and struts has some lift to them. Alignments can be done but won't be just right if they aren't the same,
T
Laugh - I make the most mistakes here which is why pencils have erasers!
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speed
User
Sep 14, 2009, 5:02 PM
Post #18 of 18
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Re: 1996 camaro rs front passenger spring
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lol yeah i may have to wait another month or two now though i am in need of rear tires badly and probably spending my 250 on tires since they arent cheap to get decent ones. especially for snow. i know i know stupid to have a camaro for snow but what else can you do right? lol
GM ASEP 26 SCC Milford ASE certified in Brakes and Electrical on Thursday April 5th 2012
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