front suspension is completely done!!!

[newby92]

i just finished replacing EVERYTHING in the front of the car, and lets just say after 240,000 miles it was really in need of it. heres a list of what was replaced.

adjustable strut tension rods
lower control arms
sway bar endlinks
all bushings

previously done work about 5 months ago

eibach springs (one coil cut in the front)
sensatrac struts
adjustable strut mounts
new strut bearings
aluminum sub frame bushings


after all this work and time it is so nice to feel the results. i dont have any clunks or wobbles in the front end. it rides like dream and corners sooooo much better. in a corner that i used to be able to take at 30 with some tire noise, i can now take at almost 40 with no sound at all. it is inspiring as the front end just sticks and for the first time ever i am experiencing over steer in very hard cornering. it is a whole different car and a pleasure to drive again.

 

[38SHO]

very nice, I need to redo mine with some better performance stuff

what kinda swaybars are you using?

 

[Brett]

very nice, I need to redo mine with some better performance stuff

what kinda swaybars are you using?

How many miles on setup? Curious to know how the sensatracs hold up to a cut eibach.

Were your drag times before or after all of the front end work? It'd probably be good for a tenth or two as id imagine you'd be able to plant the power a bit better.

 

[newby92]

the track times were after the first set of suspension upgrades, but after the the sensatracs and eibachs and subframe bushings

the only reason i went through and did the rest was because i nasty front end clunk. after all the work it turned out to just be sway bar end links, but all of it new makes me sleep alot better at night.

the sensatracs with cut eibachs perform flawlessly... i am very happy with the set up. it is very firm when pushed and yet comfortable for normal driving. there is no pogo effect at all with almost 5,000 miles of abuse. and i am never nice to this car, it gets thrown into alot of corners way to fast and is always predictable coming out the other side.

like i said it is a night and day difference.

 

[Rythymaxe]

Slight pull and intermittent clunks.....

I just purchased a 91+ I've wanted ever since my ex took the 89 when she split and let it rot...sigh. Anyway, the person I bought this 91 from put the Eibach springs, Tokico struts, new bushings, tie rods, sway bars on it. But, and that's a big but, it pulls to the right and clunks at slower speeds. I took it to a front end shop and the guy there said they have these kits they drill to the top of the strut towers, which supposedly fixes what happens to the suspension when you lower a car and now adjust for the changes. Has anyone else experienced these kinds of problems after lowering. I like the ride, and the cornering in awesome, but the the pull makes for a tired arm on a long trip and the clunks are just annoying. Did anyone have these kits installed on the top of their strut towers, supposedly to take care of the tow in?

 

[newby92]

yes they are called adjustable strut mounts. you can buy them at sho source and if im not mistaken rcm started carrying them recently as well. yes they are adjustable, but not a whole lot, it sounds like your car is in dire need of an alignment more than anything.

 

[Rythymaxe]

Thanks, Newby. I just took it in yesterday for a four wheel alignment, which is what I thought it needed also. That's when the guy adjusted the tow, but told me he thought it needed those kits. After he did the adjustments, the car does track better, but it's still not 100%. He says corporate told him those kits probably wouldn't take care of my what is now a very minor pull, if any. Then he asked me if I still wanted to order them to the tune of $500. After I quit laughing, I told him no thanks and also told him the adjustments he did yesterday for free was good enough for my standards. I'm not really sure I like the new lowered, stiffer ride, but I really do like the handling. The top of the car right behind the moonroof is starting to peel away with the junk primer they must have used in Gen 1's. That, along with a little bit of it happening with the trunk and just under the rear driver's window was estimated at a $1500 fix. After that, if he matches the paint well enough, I'll be one happy camper ready to put it away until next spring and drive the Bonneville until it's time to play again with a better looking paint job. It's the green model. I didn't think I'd like the color, but the more I look, the more I like. Thanks again for the input Newby, I appreciate it.

 

[newby92]

1500 bucks... that a little lofty. we just had my dads explorer painted at macco (dont hate just yet) with base and clear for under 900. in order to get a good paint job from them you have to make sure you do all your own prep work. i mean we stripped everything: lights emblems bumpers grill door handles wipers roof rack locks... the list goes on. after all that we taped everything our selves, i mean meticulous taping. we even skirted the bottom of the truck to keep over spray off the frame and suspension components. we put it on a set of spare steelie wheels to protect the 33x12.5x16's that it rides on. then we went over the entire truck and roughed up all the paint, filled and sanded all the little dings and dents, then sent it off to be painted.

for the entire truck to be painted, two tone light blue on top and black on the bottom, it took three days. the paint is amazing. they know how to paint, they just suck at prep work. check out this route, it only took two days with me and my dad bustin **** to do all the prep work. just be prepared to trailer the vehicle to the paint place as you cant drive it because of no lights and bumpers and all the windows are taped up lol.