Count of Monte Carlo

Well when I went to get my new tires the tech said my front bearings were worn... I'm like "?????" Sure enough they were not only worn but very worn. Got a front set of Ebay bearings for $110 Shipped. They dont have the brake rotor retention screw boss...not that it was needed or wanted anyways. Before I put the bearings in I went to Advance Auto and picked up a universal Polyurethane stabilizer bushing set from Energy Suspension for $11.

The car feels like new, and is quiet up front, steering is very touchy. And it definately corners much flatter, not bad for $11. I didn't think anything was wrong with the car...mainly because it was relatively smooth, I am pretty shocked that they were so worn and not all that loud.

The stock bushings are mushy...BLEH....

Nacho SS

iTrader: (4)

My car eats wheel bearings and tie rods. I need to fix this. P/Ns or link?

06 SS

81000 miles here and the second set of bearings are needing to be replaced soon. The second set of tie rods are still ok, but I expect to be on the third before 100K miles.

Nacho SS

iTrader: (4)

You seem to have some good LS4 knowledge, is that just a product of having a FWD V8 or what? I've had the car in for service quite a few times and they took out old tie rods showing me how worn they were twice to replace them...

06 SS

Nope, while a small block is essentially a small block, I know nothing about w-bodies. Needed a front or four-wheel-drive vehicle for traveling for work in the snow and have not had a GM V8 go less than 200K miles for me in decades, so I pulled the trigger. First (and last) FWD car with any amount of torque I will ever buy. Since I put about 30K miles a year on it, it won't last long after I finish payments and will finish it's life as it started, as a Winter beater.

I was shocked at the suspension wear myself, although I am off road in fields and such about 5000 miles a year, figured GM would have solved that sort of problem in the 17 or so years they have been making that platform. Guess not. Without knowing for sure, I would guess the LS4 is lighter than the V6 and that, due to the expense of changing the suspension, that they made it fit without any unproven changes to same. Do the other W-bodies have such (imo) excessive suspension wear?

Count of Monte Carlo

I too actually post relevant service information from time to time, Whether or not people choose to read on it and take it to consideration is another story....

OH I'LL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHY THE BEARINGS WEAR OUT! GM had the torque spec for the axle nut at 118. To me that sounded low, and it is. GM changed the spec in Alldata to 140. I cranked it to 150. Typically those things are up at 180. So next time you install bearings, make sure you snug it up alot more and don't forget to use red lock tight on the axle nut or it WILL loosen. The axle bearing needs to have a certain amount of preloading on it, too much or too little will cause excessive wear. The bushings I got because it was a nice cheap and easy thing to do, the stockers were fine, though definately mushier as rubber normally is.

Energy Suspension Endlink Bushing Kit- 9.8105R, reuse your old hardware.

Wheel Bearing/Hubs-
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevr...Q5fAccessories

Not for nothing I have low trust anyone working on my car, further compounded by the fact that the dealer was messing up much of my car and I had to play their game alot to get things rectified. Someone says I have something wrong, I will either go into the shop and verify for myself, or I will tell them to drop the car and I'll go home and check it.

I cannot say for sure as to why your tierod ends are wearing. Numerous casues could be, continuos driving over broken pavement, a nasty pull in the tracking of the car IE: bad tires, alignment. If you car is lowered I would definately say that is a big factor as that nominal angles of the suspension are not at where they are designed to be. If the joint is sitting at a permanant abnormal angle then the loading will be set at a section of the joint that has lesser integrity, thus the joint will wear faster. And this can be said for all suspension parts, including the drive axles. If you drop the car you will accelerate wear. For longevity, things need to be at the range they were set to operate. So just keep this in mind.

BTW those El Cheapo Ebay slotted and cross drilled rotors are in good shape for what they are. 30K on them. I think they are called Kinetics.So therez...

Nacho SS

iTrader: (4)

Yeah my car is lowered, but I had these aforementioned problems before it was dropped too. So I'll just ride this one out and end up replacing those stock parts that are worn.

Wbodies....ehhh

Count of Monte Carlo

One thing you could do to combat the problem is to get greasable tie rod ends, which are readily available through the aftermarket.

AlabamaGuy

iTrader: (5)

I'm guessing most of our suspension products are modular with earlier W bodies?

blakss

iTrader: (4)

not really.. i heard we got the older W bodies best sways. except for the addco option. wheel hub and bushings should be interchangeable. the rear latteral arms are still upgradable and the trailing arms are not.shocks and struts are not and i think that about covers it but feel free to comment on it.just by memory dont quote me on this

Nacho SS

iTrader: (4)

Not all of them. I think 03 and previous its different but don't quote me on that.

AlabamaGuy

iTrader: (5)

That makes sense. I think we're still technically a part of this most recent generation.

Count of Monte Carlo

Well for $11 that was certainly not a bad upgrade at all. It corners quite a bit flatter now, much more confident.

Nacho SS

iTrader: (4)

I see you have STBs, you would really like the combo of this mod, STBs and some SSCs.

Count of Monte Carlo

Well I have to say that I dont feel anything from the front STB, so to be expected, the rear on the other hand felt better. Based on my reservations, I'd rather not drop the car, besides I like how it rides, and the fact I can drive over hazards. What I would like to do however is change the inner stabilizer bushings to something a bit harder like what I did to the outside. I'll at least have the roll resistance and similar ride. I think I'll actually do that...

Pauls325

iTrader: (1)

when you guys are talking stabilizer bar is that the same as the sway bar?

im thinking on gradually changing all the rubber components i can to poly ones minus the motor mount

suspension is an area where i am not very knowlegable but after driving my sisters mazda 3 around during break it would be nice to get this thing to ride on rails like that little car does although it will never corner exactly like that.

Count of Monte Carlo

YUPPO! Stabilizer Bar= Sway bar, Anti-Sway Bar, Roll Bar, Anti-Roll Bar. You have to be careful with polyurethane bushings, because they will transmit an strong amount of NVH into the car. Poly engine mounts will vibrate the car pretty good.

DP 08 GXP

iTrader: (3)

the poly mounts i got dont vibrate the car a whole lot more then when it had the rubber one in.

Nacho SS

iTrader: (4)

True, but if you still have DOD you feel the shudder of it engaging when you brake with the car in Drive. It's kinda annoying.

Pauls325

iTrader: (1)

im not too picky the motor mount puts enough power down as far as im concerned im talking more about poly mounts to aid handling