70 Deville Front End Parts/springs

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

Hello,
70 Coupe Deville.
Well, looks like I may have a broken front spring.  Will have to check it out, but have to do some front end work anyway.  I have a shop manual but not the parts book. 
--Does anyone have one they could post here?  Lot of bushings,etc up there so want to get all the right parts the first time. 
--Also, where is the best place to get the rubber and a spring if necessary. 
--What is everyone's opinion on used springs?  The new ones are a bit pricey but I'm afraid a used 40+ year old spring is a still a 40+ year old spring. 
--Should I replace the springs in pairs?

This morning started out with a front end alignment.....looks like it is going to end up with a set of jackstands. 

Thanks,
Jeff

[Scot Minesinger]

Jeff,

Just finished restoring a front end and feel like I can help you.  When working on our 1970 SDV we plan to keep it a while and did not spare it anything.  When we disassembled the front end, the control arms and all other possible parts were removed, media blasted and powder coated.  So maybe we have gone overboard.

1. The springs do need to be replaced in pairs or the car will not sit level after and this makes it impossible to align.  I recommend replacing all four springs.

2.  You are right big risk in getting wrong parts.  I bought the USA Parts front end re-build kit part # 6.170H (verify w/USA Parts 304-724-6600) @ $349.95 and everything was correct.  It includes upper and lower ball joints, upper and lower control arm bushings, stabilizer bar bushings, stabilizer bar end bushings, and strut rod bushings.

You will need a shop press that you can get from Harbor freight for about $200 to do this job.  Alternatively you can buy the control arms with new bushings and ball joints pre-installed, but that alone will be $1,000 or so and you loose the rich experience of doing it yourself.

I have a pair of front springs brand new you can have for $180 plus freight

Call or write me rscotm@cox.net for further info, as we just finished and have much experience fresh in my mind.

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

Nice job.  I love the look of new nut/bolt hardware against the black.  What is the sensor that is just behind the caliper (in the picture anyway) on your first picture?
I am not going to be able to go to the trouble you went to.  I will just replace a few bushings that I see are bad for now and/or you have to go to this level to do.  The shop tugged and pried everything under there.  Believe it or not, the ball joints and most everything else are still in good shape so I will keep them and the upper control arm bushings appear to be OK.  I have a slight bend in the tie strut on that side so I will find one from a salvage yard.  There are rubber bushings there that will need to be replaced.  I guess there was some sort of trauma to that corner of the car at one time-- or one doozy of a curb. 
Jeff.

[chrisntam]

Yeah, definitely replace the springs in pairs and get new ones!

And agree on the nice job Scot did on the front end rebuild.  I like the "rich experience" part.     I understand!

Since we're on the subject of suspensions, what rear springs are available for '70 convertibles with the auto leveling suspension?  what was special about those springs?  I don't think they're available, what do people use?

[Scot Minesinger]

The sensor behind the caliper is an oil pressure sender so I will get oil pressure reading in dash.  This gauge cluster is removable with just one bolt and un plug the connector.  It is oil press, temp, vacuum, and volts by Autometer-real nice to have while driving.  This is a driver, use it 5k a year when weather is nice during the season.

On the back springs, here is my opinion.  I have standard replacement springs in back that have been there ten years and when I load the car with a floor jack, tools, and other GN materials plus have people in the back seat the car never sags-ever.  To me the auto level is not worthwhile with a replacement set of springs.  Here are your options:

1.  Replace the rear springs with standard units and don't have level control, replace shocks too with standard.  Up front leave the level control in place and looking operational-plug any potential vacuum leaks.

2.  Find the softer variable rate springs (no idea where to get them), replace air shocks, re-build level control vacuum powered air compressor, insure controls are operational and make sure everything works, and your car may operate as well as if you just did the first option.

Also the back suspension bushings are worth replacing although they are rather durable.  On a 1970 you don't have to worry(at least not on the three I did) that the bolts will be rusted and all.  You do have to remove the backseat though-read shop manual.

On the upper control arm bushings - those seem to be the weak link on a 1970 Cadillac, maybe yours have been replaced.  That was the trigger to me restoring the suspension-was hoping to wait another year on that.

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

Good pix of the instrument cluster.  I got excited for a minute because I thought I saw dirt on your dash...... Turns out it was just something on my screen.  Oh well.

Looks like that spring isn't broken after all.  I think it has just spun in its mount.  The 2 coils touch facing the front instead of the side.  I can see how the guy thought it was broken tho.  Will have to see if I can spin it in its mount.  I'd hate to break open the ball joint for just that. 
My plan, for now, is to just get her aligned.  It's trashing my tires--which are bad too.  I will dive into the front end at some other time and do everything at once.  Just trying to get her a little more road worthy at this point..... However I have driven her a lot and she is great.  Still needs this, and that, and this and that........
Jeff

[Scot Minesinger]

Jeff,

On the red Caddy with the gauges in the picture there is always something.  Today spent all day replacing e-brake cables so I can get thru inspection.

The springs are impossible to spin.  Don't waste your time even trying.  Mine were installed wrong when I got it.  I drove it a while that way so, don't see a huge problem.  Fix them when you are ready.

There is no way you would have a broken spring without a serious sag on one side.

I sure hope you are driving your Caddy to NY at GN in July!

Enjoy your Cadillac,

Scot

[chrisntam]

I wish mine had the auto dimming feature.  The gauges do look great! 

[Scot Minesinger]

Thanks for the compliment on the gauges, but the purists hate them and that is why I made them removable.  Frankly being an engineer, I can't drive without them.

On the auto-dimming headlight feature, you can add it in.  My car was a standard headlight switch car and added the sentinel feature to turn the lights on and off automatically.  However the head light switch that has just this feature and not both auto dimming and sentinel was not available, so used the dual purpose switch anyway, but do not have auto dimming. 

I never turn on my bright headlights to drive at night ever on any car.  Our area is hilly and has a lot of traffic.  Dimming would be a huge pain, and the auto feature is not that great with hills and twists and turns.  My headlights on non bright are aimed just a little higher than normal and I turn my instrument cluster on low so it does not blind me while looking on the road at night.  I drive my Caddy on low beam all the time at night and see no problem.  I also walk my dogs at night with no flash light to keep my night vision exercised.

Enjoy your Cadillac,

Scot

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

My eyes are getting older every day.  I used to wonder why grandparents didn't drive at night.  Now I see why.  Might have to give it up in 25 years or so. 
I have just regular bulbs in the Caddy.  What a difference there is from the bulbs on the new cars with a 'whiter' bulb. 
I do use the hi beams.  Something special about dimming the lights with your foot.  I had my kid try to dim the lights.  Funny watching him.  I watched to be sure he didn't break the signal arm.
Jeff

[chrisntam]

I replaced my stock headlight bulbs with Halogens from Rock Auto.  Pretty cheap and they do make a difference!  So much so you'll have to wear  at night.  Ok, maybe not, but you get the idea.

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

I'm looking for the rubber bushings from where the Tie Struts meet the front cross member.  I've looked at a couple of on-line places and have not been able to find them.  Any ideas?
Jeff

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Try Rock Auto.
Greg Surfas

[Scot Minesinger]

My headlights are not the T-3's did not look, but probably Halogens.  You can add the auto-dimming, call Cadillac Tim, he sells them.  That is where I got my sentinel option from.

USA Parts also sells the tie rod bushings.  They are low cost.  The washers that come with the replacement kit are flat and the originals are convex/concave-curved, and I re-used them.