Suspension rebuild question
02-29-2012, 10:51 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Suspension rebuild question
Hi there,
I plan to redo both front and rear suspension on my 110K mi '95, however I have a question in terms of doing a "complete" job one time. I will be having a shop do the work so I'd rather do the front all at once, and then the rear.
For the front, if I buy NOS control arms (I think includes ball joints and control arm bushings) and a rebuilt steering rack from the vendors, do I need any other bushings? Something about tie rods?
For the rear, I assume getting new control arms/camber rods/toe rods (e.g. Banski) would be complete.
Am I missing anything? This car is my daily driver. Thanks!
I plan to redo both front and rear suspension on my 110K mi '95, however I have a question in terms of doing a "complete" job one time. I will be having a shop do the work so I'd rather do the front all at once, and then the rear.
For the front, if I buy NOS control arms (I think includes ball joints and control arm bushings) and a rebuilt steering rack from the vendors, do I need any other bushings? Something about tie rods?
For the rear, I assume getting new control arms/camber rods/toe rods (e.g. Banski) would be complete.
Am I missing anything? This car is my daily driver. Thanks!
03-01-2012, 01:38 PM
#2
Drifting
Member Since: Dec 2007
Location: woodbury new jersey
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ill give you some info as i did this project on my 94 last year. my list consited of new stiffer springs, shocks, ball joints, tie rods, bushings, u joints, lowering of the car, rims and tires, and a few other little things here and there.
about the NOS control arms: on my car i replaced the ball joints with moog. the price of 4 ball joints was $300. considering you can get NOS arms with new balljoints and bushings, id go that route. in my mind $100 is a fair price to pay to not have to remove the old balljoints and bushings.
i wouldnt replace the steering rack unless it needs to be. i replaced the tie rods with moog replacements, can be bought on rockauto for around $70 a piece. there are 4 total.
the car has many other bushings in the suspension, your best bet would be to buy a complete bushing kit from energy supsension or prothane (seem to be the 2 most popular, i used energy without any problems.) bushings that are included are front control arms, shock towers, rear dif carrier, rear end links, rear spring carriers, and a few others. the ones it is missing is the sway bar bushings (because cars had different size swaybars) and the sway bar end links (can be purchased for additional $30 i believe, on their website.
believe me, youll be shocked at how comfortable these cars are. i lowered my convertible over 2 inches, put stiffer front and rear springs in, stiffer shocks, poly bushings throughout, and 315 rear tires, and it rides smoother then just about all the other cars iv driven. my daily driver 1999 jimmy cant even compare when it comes to comfort.
about the NOS control arms: on my car i replaced the ball joints with moog. the price of 4 ball joints was $300. considering you can get NOS arms with new balljoints and bushings, id go that route. in my mind $100 is a fair price to pay to not have to remove the old balljoints and bushings.
i wouldnt replace the steering rack unless it needs to be. i replaced the tie rods with moog replacements, can be bought on rockauto for around $70 a piece. there are 4 total.
the car has many other bushings in the suspension, your best bet would be to buy a complete bushing kit from energy supsension or prothane (seem to be the 2 most popular, i used energy without any problems.) bushings that are included are front control arms, shock towers, rear dif carrier, rear end links, rear spring carriers, and a few others. the ones it is missing is the sway bar bushings (because cars had different size swaybars) and the sway bar end links (can be purchased for additional $30 i believe, on their website.
believe me, youll be shocked at how comfortable these cars are. i lowered my convertible over 2 inches, put stiffer front and rear springs in, stiffer shocks, poly bushings throughout, and 315 rear tires, and it rides smoother then just about all the other cars iv driven. my daily driver 1999 jimmy cant even compare when it comes to comfort.
03-01-2012, 03:25 PM
#3
Racer
Thread Starter
Awesome, thanks for the very informative reply! 
You're not that far away in NJ, I'm in VA. Did you do the install yourself? Do you remember broadly which bushings "should" be done at the same time? For example, front control arms, ball joints, and front tie rods I imagine would be done at the same time. I'm not as familiar as how the shock towers/rear differential carrier/etc. fit in.
P.S. I don't see "shock towers" bushings listed: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ENS-3-18122G/
Are those itemization details on the website incomplete?
You're not that far away in NJ, I'm in VA. Did you do the install yourself? Do you remember broadly which bushings "should" be done at the same time? For example, front control arms, ball joints, and front tie rods I imagine would be done at the same time. I'm not as familiar as how the shock towers/rear differential carrier/etc. fit in.
P.S. I don't see "shock towers" bushings listed: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ENS-3-18122G/
Are those itemization details on the website incomplete?
Last edited by bolowbc; 03-01-2012 at 03:38 PM.
03-01-2012, 03:55 PM
#4
Melting Slicks
P.S. I don't see "shock towers" bushings listed: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ENS-3-18122G/
Are those itemization details on the website incomplete?
Are those itemization details on the website incomplete?
03-01-2012, 11:59 PM
#5
Drifting
Member Since: Dec 2007
Location: woodbury new jersey
Posts: 1,315
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Received 12 Likes
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Awesome, thanks for the very informative reply!
You're not that far away in NJ, I'm in VA. Did you do the install yourself? Do you remember broadly which bushings "should" be done at the same time? For example, front control arms, ball joints, and front tie rods I imagine would be done at the same time. I'm not as familiar as how the shock towers/rear differential carrier/etc. fit in.
P.S. I don't see "shock towers" bushings listed: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ENS-3-18122G/
Are those itemization details on the website incomplete?
You're not that far away in NJ, I'm in VA. Did you do the install yourself? Do you remember broadly which bushings "should" be done at the same time? For example, front control arms, ball joints, and front tie rods I imagine would be done at the same time. I'm not as familiar as how the shock towers/rear differential carrier/etc. fit in.
P.S. I don't see "shock towers" bushings listed: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ENS-3-18122G/
Are those itemization details on the website incomplete?
sorry, the new shock bushings came with the shock, not the bushing kit. when i did mine i had the whole front suspension out so i did them all together. after the front was all done i had the rear suspension out all together so i did all those together. if you dont want to have the whole entire rear out you can change most of the bushings pretty easily by just removing a few parts. the rear dif carrier bushings arent essential but it is nice to have. i did the entire project myself
