Another front suspension nightmare....
03-22-2012, 04:21 PM
#21
Went and bought 3/8x8 bolts at Lowes. Fit perfect. Looks just like the stock bolt. Still had threads when the bushing started bulging out. Just tightened it until they were even with the washer. Now another question before I attempt it. I have it off jack stands and it's sitting on ramps. Since I put Konis on with BMR lowering springs, before I attempt this, will I be ok backing it off the ramps without tearing anything up? The ramps I have are Rhino Ramps. Just being paranoid since it is lowered now.
03-22-2012, 09:05 PM
#22
Well got it down. I just backed off the ramps and went super slow. It was close. I lowered it on the ramps to see if it looked ok. Everything is done on the front. It was an adventure. Never done anything like that before. I have a BMR adjustable panhard bar yet to go on so I'm not completely done. Also I haven't drove it because of the rain. We had a break in the rain so I had just enough time to back it off the ramps and pull it back in. I cant wait until I drive it. I hope it was worth it.
04-17-2013, 01:18 AM
#23
On The Tree
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm just going to do everyone a favor and bump this thread right back to the top since it's "Koni" season and everyone and their mom is buying koni yellows on sale with bmr springs. I personally bought them on sale with strano springs, but, like me everyone is going to have to replace all their upper shock mount crap and this thread is extremely helpful with links to parts and good info on which brands to get the two difference ac delco part number etc. I think the bad ones are the 9000's part numbers and the good ones are 5000's part numbers.
Anyway, show me a car without rust up there in 2013 and I will be extremely surprised.
So, anyone planning on installing new shocks and springs on the front I suggest checking out this thread because chances are your shock mounts are shot. Same goes for all the rubber isolaters and whatever else.
On my car my "upper a-arm supports" where rusted badly. This pissed me off because I found out after I already bought global west upper control arms. Then I found out that the only way to buy new "upper a-arm supports" from gm-parts direct was to buy new upper a-arms that come with the a-arm support for $300 each or something.
Now what do I do...
I could either try to get some rust cleaning agent and scrub them clean or save up another $500-$600 to buy new ones and sell the global west parts cause I would get new upper a arms from gm so wtf... I don't know. Seems to me though that it is impossible for that a arm support part to not be rusted if the shock mount is rusted bcause they touch each other... but what do I know. My car's suspension has never been off the car since it was new 16 years ago. It has 140,000 miles on it now and I get the chance to restore all the shitty rusty parts that GM decided to basically discontinue.
I am ordering new upper shock mounts from amazon for $62 each. Better than gm parts direct prices, part numbers 501-148 and 510-149 AC Delco. As far as I know these are the oem parts. So we'll see how they look when I get them. I let everyone know. I'll still need new islolators (dogbone) and whatever else rubber parts. I think there is one or two above the shock mount and one below the spring? Not sure as this is my first shock and spring install. I just want to do it right.
Anyway, show me a car without rust up there in 2013 and I will be extremely surprised.
So, anyone planning on installing new shocks and springs on the front I suggest checking out this thread because chances are your shock mounts are shot. Same goes for all the rubber isolaters and whatever else.
On my car my "upper a-arm supports" where rusted badly. This pissed me off because I found out after I already bought global west upper control arms. Then I found out that the only way to buy new "upper a-arm supports" from gm-parts direct was to buy new upper a-arms that come with the a-arm support for $300 each or something.
Now what do I do...I could either try to get some rust cleaning agent and scrub them clean or save up another $500-$600 to buy new ones and sell the global west parts cause I would get new upper a arms from gm so wtf... I don't know. Seems to me though that it is impossible for that a arm support part to not be rusted if the shock mount is rusted bcause they touch each other... but what do I know. My car's suspension has never been off the car since it was new 16 years ago. It has 140,000 miles on it now and I get the chance to restore all the shitty rusty parts that GM decided to basically discontinue.
I am ordering new upper shock mounts from amazon for $62 each. Better than gm parts direct prices, part numbers 501-148 and 510-149 AC Delco. As far as I know these are the oem parts. So we'll see how they look when I get them. I let everyone know. I'll still need new islolators (dogbone) and whatever else rubber parts. I think there is one or two above the shock mount and one below the spring? Not sure as this is my first shock and spring install. I just want to do it right.
Last edited by Robbie Wilson; 04-17-2013 at 01:45 AM.
04-17-2013, 11:28 AM
#24
Just wanted to chime in that I agree that basically everyone's shock nut is going to be ridiculously rusted.
My '00 has just shy of 70k and little-to-no corrosion on it. The front end came apart ridiculously easily. The body of the decarbons, although dirty, look amazing - if I were to wipe them clean they'd look brand new.
Seeing all of this, I was really hopeful and confident that *my* upper mounts would be pristine. Not so!
The actual mount looks to be OK. The nut and shock rod are rusted to hell. The triangular isolator is rusty and the rubber it's encased in has delaminated (peeled) off the top side.
Oh, I did get one sway bar end link apart although there was a lot of rust and subsequent creaking when disassembling, but I snapped the passenger side. Plan on replacing both of those as well.
I'll most likely have to cut the nut off to disassemble it, and I am going to need to buy new isolators. I am hoping that's all I'll need. Control arm looks OK, and once I get it apart I can really inspect the mounts better.
If you're in a pinch for time (like, this is your DD), give yourself plenty of time, make sure you have the right tools, and just purchase a new mount/isolator right off the bat. This is a spare vehicle for me, so I am lucky to be able to have time to disassemble and inspect and not blindly order parts.
My '00 has just shy of 70k and little-to-no corrosion on it. The front end came apart ridiculously easily. The body of the decarbons, although dirty, look amazing - if I were to wipe them clean they'd look brand new.
Seeing all of this, I was really hopeful and confident that *my* upper mounts would be pristine. Not so!
The actual mount looks to be OK. The nut and shock rod are rusted to hell. The triangular isolator is rusty and the rubber it's encased in has delaminated (peeled) off the top side.
Oh, I did get one sway bar end link apart although there was a lot of rust and subsequent creaking when disassembling, but I snapped the passenger side. Plan on replacing both of those as well.
I'll most likely have to cut the nut off to disassemble it, and I am going to need to buy new isolators. I am hoping that's all I'll need. Control arm looks OK, and once I get it apart I can really inspect the mounts better.
If you're in a pinch for time (like, this is your DD), give yourself plenty of time, make sure you have the right tools, and just purchase a new mount/isolator right off the bat. This is a spare vehicle for me, so I am lucky to be able to have time to disassemble and inspect and not blindly order parts.
04-17-2013, 06:27 PM
#25
Launching!
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Sierra Mountains and Stockton Ca.
Posts: 224
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
thank you robbie for bumping this thread, i've found it very informative. i just purchased some SA konis and will be tackling this job shortly....so basically from what i can figure, get new strut mounts and isolators? moog or ac delco? correct? i already have some poly sway bar end links to install. this is my daily driver so i want to tackle everything at once so if there is anything else i should do while im there please chime in......
