Some questions about suspension rebuilding.

[andrewro]

I am beginning to look over the suspension on my '02. It is pretty much completely worn out. I know I'll need shocks, possibly springs too. Then there is the matter of rebushing and replacing ball joints, etc. Here are two things I'm wondering about at this early stage:

1. Does anyone sell a complete rebush kit? I see BMP has a kit with their red polyurethane bushings. Are these tolerable on the street? Is there a version of the kit with stock bushings? I'm afraid I'll miss something if I'm not careful.

2. In looking at people's restoration diaries, it appears rebushing is a real bear when you're just crawling around underneath the car. I am considering finding some inexpensive subframes, doing a bench rebuild, then swapping them in and selling my old ones upon removal. I'd like minimal downtime and I'm hoping I could swap the front subframe over the course of a weekend, then the rear over another weekend. Does this sound feasable?

Thanks very much everyone, always a big help!

Andrew

[Lee]

Hi dude.

Urethane bushings are not as hard as some people mention. They do add a bit of noise, but it is very bearable when considering the benefits. Those bushings are VERY easy to install, much easier than the stock rubber bushings and do not require any tool as they are usuall two part bushings. One half comes in from one end, the other half from the other end, insert a sleeve. Voila.

The toughest part is to remove the old hardened rubber bushings.

BMP sells a front end kit, and rear end kit. Bith kits are complete and you will not need anything else, except perhaps for the rear subframe mounts.

Hope it helps. I 'd say: GO FOR IT!

[dlhoovler]

up front, and it's not harsh at all. Very easy to install, and the rubber comes out easily by heating the sleeve with a torch until the rubber melts slightly, then pullingb the sleeve out with pliers. The rubber can then be pushed out with a screwdriver. The really hard part was getting the old, rusty nuts off!

Someday I'll do the trailing arm bushings, after I've forgotten what a pain using an air chisel on those upper ball joint nuts was...

-Dave

[andrewro]

Dave - you mentioned the nuts being tough to remove. Did you guys replace or reuse fasteners when doing the bushings? Are the fastener specs on the realoem listings or otherwise readily available prior to climbing around under the car and getting stuck without all the necessary parts?

Thanks!

[dlhoovler]

Ball joints should come with proper nylock nuts for the top and appropriate bolts and nuts for the lower flange (originals were rivited to the control arms). One of my new ball joints was missing the lock nut, and the car was tying up a friend's garage, so I put it back together with just a regular nut of appropriate thread, locktite, healthy torque and a prayer.

And yes, before I put the car back on the road, I'm going to go in there as part of a brake re-do and replace that whole ball joint and nut. While I've made a special point of checking for slop on that front corner every chance I've had, just using a regular nut was, frankly, stupid, and it gives me the willies to think how far I've driven the car like that...

For some of the other pieces, I did have to bum some used castle nuts off of a helpful board member after mangling mine getting them off. New would be good, so it wouldn't hurt to hit the dealer and get or order some. Or if you have the specs, a really good hardware place probably has 'em. Don't forget a selection of cotter pins!

-Dave

[BillWilliams]

discussed here before and had parts lists with them then

For the front bushes use this to remove and insert

Here is what a new one looks like:

I borrowed this tool but another board member discussed how to make one last fall for the trailing arm bushes

Hardware, rusty as it is, will fight you all the way. Penetrate it with PB Blaster several times a couple of days before you start work. Heat what you can, and then wack it without deforming threads. Most rusty nuts and bolts will come off using this sequence.

If the hardware is not reusable, Maryland Metrics in Pikesville MD is the best source for hardware I have found and has a good website and telephone support. Some say Wurth is the best, I have never found a dealer for Wurth stuff.

Also, Bolt Depot in Weymouth, MA, has a good selection, website and telephone support

I think Keith's website has a good write up on this if I recall.

The website address is not coming to me right now. Maybe you know it or someone can chime in. I know it in the links section of this site.[/img]

[BillWilliams]

The lower bolts, that you can see the black heads are grade 10 and come with the ball joints along with grade 10 split washers and nuts. Use them and torgue properly,

The shiny blingy bolts you can see, which have nuts on them to keep them together until the strut goes on, are the bolts that should have red loctite and safety wire.

You may be able to see blue sway bar bushes, those are Spicer ones from an 80 model Cutlass

[BillWilliams]

When you remove the old bushes make sure you get the upper and lower metal sleeve off of the idler arm. They often blend in with the arm itself.

The new bushes slide on the top and bottom leaving the blue plastic on the bushes

[andrewro]

Thanks Bill, great pics!!

[Marty]

If you can find some used sub frames in your area thats the way to go. You can take your time getting them cleaned up and have the drivers side engine mount reinforced and the whole thing painted, then when your ready just switch them out, you'll have a nice clean set up and you can switch them out over a week end easily.