I need to do a front suspension rebuild. My bird has 235,000 kms and makes a good clunk (right front) on acceleration. I was wondering what parts should I replace. I'm not looking for performance. Does replacing the bushings that hold the a-arms to the frame make that much of a diff?

 

i would replace the inner and outer tie rods, solid adjusting sleeves (colaemanracing.com), centerlink, idler arm, ball joints, and A-arm bushings for starters. NAPAonline.com has some great prices for all the above parts.

 

A clunk on acceleration normally means broken transmission mount.

 

NAPA is the best stuff for OE replacement chassy parts. i don't think you can replace just the bushing in the arm. might be one of those parts where you have to replace the whole arm, not just the bushing. i can honestly say i do not know, or have never seen those bushings wear out.

 

you can change the A-arm bushings and they do wear out over time like all other rubber bushings. They need to be pressed out and pressed in. ES and Prothane make poly ones.

 

does the dearler sell bushings though? i know on some parts like that, just the bushings are N/A and the whole piece is required.

lol i've still never seen one worn out. i'm sure it happens though, it is a bushing after all.

 

The real question is why you are going to a dealer, for a bushing.

If you have the money to spend on it, the Global-West Del-A-Lum front a-arm bushings are by far the best ones out there.

BTW, do a search for 'NCP' or 'MRC' i posted a list of ALL the part #'s for a front end rebuild, including solid tie rod sleves, ES a-arm bushings, and NAPA Parts.

 

well its not that i would go to a dealer for a bushing... at the shop when people come in and need bushing whether its an A arm or whatever, the company doesn't offer JUST the bushing on some pieces. we end up calling the dealer, as a last resort, and they to do not offer JUST the bushing on some applications. thats all i was refering to when i mentioned that.

as for del-a-lum bushings, i've never really heard anything great about them untill your post. i hear they ride terrible compaired to others and even OE. i've never used them so i can't speak from experience. all my chassy bushings are from BMR, since they came in the product. i forget which company's bushing they sent with my pieces.

hmmmm this is the 2nd post that it used my brother name instead of mine...wtf is going on here lol

 

I guess that depends on your definition of riding terrible, i myself like a solid ride. :: shrugs ::

 

Napa, autozone, advance all sell the new rubber stock a-arm bushings. I picked up a set for mine when I do my rebuild.

I got rubber ones because I hear its pretty hard to get the a-arm back in with poly ones. I'm personally just using rubber bushings all way around.

 

indeed it does. everyone likes a different ride.

 

The stiffer the ride, the better handling. Better handling will usually result in a ride that feels "bumpy, rigid, and stiff"... it is about association. Some like that (me), and others will sacrifice a little handling for a "mushier" ride.

 

Yeah I would rather have a slightly softer ride. But we all know no matter what we do our cars ride rough. Poly bushings just add to the rigidness. I would definetly get a set of SFC before I went all out with poly bushings. But thats just me....I need SFC anyways though.