Ronerik

iTrader: (2)

Got my rears on and they were pretty easy even for someone that has never done it. Tore into the fronts yesterday. Used spring compressor from autozone. The one that uses a 3/4 socket to tighten. Got it up on jack stands. Tried to loosen top T50 bolt but no go. Could not get to it. Tried everything including unbolting master. Socket was too tall. Took me a while and a trip to autozone to get the bit with the right height to get under it with rachet. Had to buy a set for $16.00 just for the T50 bit that was half as short as mine. Got back and got the driver side apart. Nut was rusted even for a car that has not seen rain for over 10 years. Not even a puddle. Dremelled the nut off. Took me about 30 minutes. Unbolted sway bar bolts and snapped them both. Oh well just a bolt. Got it off and put my new Konis together with BMR springs. Go to put it in and bolt holes don't line up on the strut mounts. New strut mounts were Master Pro's . Took it all apart again and had to take back strut mounts. Gave me my money back and ordered AC Delco's from RockAuto. Ordered sway bar bushing kit and new insulators. It's been a project....... Car is sitting on jack stands in the garage. Right now just wire brushing and painting parts that had some rust on them. Parts are being overnighted but won't make it till Tuesday. Some of you said it would be a bitch and it is........

Here are some tips if you are attempting this. Don't buy MasterPro's strut mounts. Buy the insulators and mounts new so you can just torch off the nut instead of fighting it. I found it more work to loosen the sway bar bolts than to just snap them and buy new ones. After the driver side I just snapped the passenger side on purpose. The Ac Delco bushing kit with new bolts is only $12.00, spend the money and just replace the stuff. Put mounts in BEFORE attaching to shocks to see if the mount holes line up. Best way is to run the bolts through the bottom of the threaded inserts so it will be like all 4 sides have studs. Then just reach under fender and try to insert. If it doesn't fit you just saved some time and frustration.

I'll update this as the progress goes.

SparkyJJO

iTrader: (11)

I'll add to this - I tried another brand of mount and while the bolts lined up the shock was at a weird angle.

Moog or AC Delco ONLY. Personally I preferred Moog because they didn't use that stupid Torx bolt on the driver side but instead used standard bolts like the passenger side has.

sjsingle1

iTrader: (1)

guess someone did not get the memo.......ALOT of after market strut mounts DONT fit.....ps...i have some brand new duralast strut mounts for sale REAL cheap

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

I installed the Monroe replacements in my car, not because the OE pieces appeared to be bad, just 15 years old when I put in another set of shocks/springs. I agree, that the "aftermarket" pieces don't fit exactly correct coming out of the box, but they can be "massaged" into fitting.

I understand the sentiment to use Moog or ACDelco parts, but now that the newest 4th gen cars are now 10 years old, how many companies do you think are making replacement parts for them??

Ronerik

iTrader: (2)

I could not get it to fit. I tried wiggling it and massaging it but the holes were just too far off. I measured a 1/4 inch. I tried but the insert started spinning on me. I got the AC Delcos for the same exact price as the Master Pro's, $70.00 a piece. The Moog's were $83.00 at Advanced. The NAPA's are fit tested according to their website but if I could get the OEM ones for the same price I'll buy OEM. I agree that parts are hard to get now but I don't think it will be as bad as you think for another 20 years. Too many of these around. Heck, I see at least 2-3 every day just driving to and from work. I bet there is at least 3 within a 10 block radius of me. Might not be SS's or Z28's but there still 98-02 Camaro's and let's not forget that most parts are the same as the Pontiac's so add them in there too and there are plenty of people wanting parts for these cars.

anemonarium

do you have the part numbers for acdelco mount and bushing kit/bolts?

Tried searching but i dont want to do guess work. I want to order them a week ahead of time so im not without a car if i have the same problems!

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

That's interesting, because I work part time for Advance, and we don't stock those mounts in Moog, just Monroe....at least when I bought mine, 2 years ago. With respect to the OE pieces, have you priced them?? If not, you'd better A) have a couple of beers first, and B) be sitting down....

SparkyJJO

iTrader: (11)

Advance could get the Moogs for me by ordering them next day. You can get the Moogs at Rock Auto or Amazon or the likes.

Ronerik

iTrader: (2)

You mean these?? 501148 and 501149. Kit is 45G0013. They jumped the price up to $84 for the right side after I bought mine. Unless I bought the wrong parts those 2 strut mounts, swaybar bushing kit, and 2 new insulators were $220 overnighted. Shipping was $43 so price for parts were $180. I'm still sitting down and drinking beer..........



As far as the guy who said Advanced did not stock Moog's then take a look..

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...hedFrom=header

See the prices........... $108 for KYB's at Advanced compared to $70 at RockAuto. Come on man..... Talk about raping you.

Ronerik

iTrader: (2)

More links..... These OE parts are available for cheaper than aftermarket. I don't know where your paying $150 for them but I suggest you shop elsewhere...

http://www.oehq.com/acdelco-parts_AC...trut-Mount.htm

http://www.oehq.com/oeparts_501148.htm

http://www.davesdiscountautoparts.co...rce=GOOGLEBASE

http://compare.ebay.com/like/2707414..._lwgsi=y&cbt=y

Amazon has them for $56.00. http://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-501-14...ata/B0012PQ95W

anemonarium

Thanks for the links, I bought the sway bar end links and im hoping I dont need the mounts...

If I cant get the bolts off the front mounts I will just change rear socks only and do the fronts another day!

EDIT - on second thought it might be better to replace them, ordered the one on amazon prime now i need to find the 501-149 side one for around 50 bucks too!

Ronerik

iTrader: (2)

Well, got to work on it last night. Spent about 5 hours out there in the garage. The AC Delco strut mounts have regular bolts, no more T50's. They are a tight fit!! Had to dremel out the control arm about a 1/16 just to be more comfortable threading the bolt in. It just had that feeling like you got a 50/50 shot of not messing up the bolt if you start tightening it down. Got it all back together and the sway bar bushing kit that I got is crap. The bushings are fine, it's the bolt that is too short. Right now if you put it together off the car there is only 2 threads on the bolt that you can put a nut on. With it installed, the bolt is 1/2 inch too short. Damn........

Going to chase down new bolt today. Damn car's been on jack stands for a week now and it's been 80 here with no rain. Car is almost done and it's going to rain for the next 3 days. Go figure.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

You CAN'T install the sway bar links with the car on jackstands, and the suspension unloaded. The suspension HAS to be compressed on both sides, in order to install the links...

SparkyJJO

iTrader: (11)

This. I'll usually do one side at a time. Jack it up, put on jack stand, then use the jack to load the suspension and put on the end link.

Ronerik

iTrader: (2)

I tried that. I jacked up the one side until it was off the jack stand. The shock and spring were compressed to the max. Made me un easy. Ill post a pic of the links off car so you can see just how short they are. The factory bolt is longer than these.You would have to compress the bushings a good 1" to get the nut started. I can barely get it started off the car. How do you compress the bushings with no nut to compress them? There's not even enough room to get the spacer on let alone bushing, spacer, nut.

Ronerik

iTrader: (2)

So this is how they all come?? This is off the car with everything on the bolt that needs to be installed. You guys telling me that I have to compress these bushings to get it on the car? Why not give me a bolt that is another 3/4 inch long. The nut only goes on 2 threads OFF the car. Mind=blown.

SparkyJJO

iTrader: (11)

Hm no mine weren't like that. I used standard rubber moog endlinks I think (I don't remember, it was a long time ago).

Ronerik

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, it's messed up. Go here and look at all the pics of the assembled ones. Almost all are like 1/2" longer than these. Look at how many threads you have.

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php

anemonarium

My endlinks are like that too but I can get the nut on barely flush off-car. It's going to take some coercion for sure.

I was thinking about maybe shortening the middle hollow cylinder that is betweed the rubber, cut it a centimeter or something.

DOUBT IT

iTrader: (13)

I had the same issue last night with the passenger side strut mount. The strut shaft had rusted ( read:welded ) itself to the strut mount sleeve. I cut the nut off the top, and even ( don't try this at home kids ) let the spring get full pressure against the mount while beating the mount with a 4lb sledge. Didn't even budge.

I eventually compressed the spring again and drilled the rubber out between the sleeve and mount to get the spring off, and get to the spring mount under the spring.

I bought a Gabriel strut mount at Autozone, and lo-and-behold, the holes were off by about 1/4". My solution was to run one of the bolts up from the bottom, tighten the other one ( now lined up just fine ), as well as the two nuts on the studs as tight as they would go. Then I backed the bolt out and put it back in from the top with a little anti-seize on it, and it went right in, no cross-threading. Just something to think about when you're in a bind.

I learned my lesson, and the shaft of the Koni is now coated thoroughly in anti-seize where it goes through the strut mount.