Sure honey, I'm just going to the garage to replace the inner and outer tierod ends. And so it began. I noticed the swaybar endlinks were garbage and the swaybar mounting bushings didn't look much better.







So lets try taking them apart so I can replace tham.



I think it needs to be lowered a bit in the front as well.



What the heck have I done.



Now I have some questions. Am I better off buying aftermarket end links and swaybar bushings or will the ones from the local parts store do the same job at half the price? I also noticed the the hole in the lower arm is alot bigger than the bolt that goes through the endlink. Is this normal for movement of the link or has it become bigger over time. I would like to try and cut the factory spring down to lower the front of the car about an 1". I assume you guys cut the bottom of the spring a little at a time till is sits where you want. No, I won't be using torches. I may also replace the shocks, rotors and pads wile I am in there. None of them are really bad but it's apart, why not. The reason for all of this was the front end was junk when I bought the car. I did a new centerlink last year but never got the rest of it done. The previous owner aligned the front end with a pipe wrench on the tie rods. The front wheels are towed in so much that it tries to drive the wheels under the car and lifts the entire front end. Driving in a strait line makes the front tires squeal. Any info or advice on where to go from here would be great. Thank's

Phil

 

u could just do moog replacement sway bar end links but i would get a set of poly energy suspension peices. they will last over 20 yrs and improve your ride handling (less deflection) if u just want to rebuild the front u could also do poly sway bar bushings. u just need to kno your sway bar size.

the holes in the Aarm are normally alil larger. they will not become larger... thats why the bushings are there.

your stock springs are prob already sagging so i wouldnt cut them... if u do dont go it much. you have a GTA so u have the moog 5662s front springs. you could replace them... they are cheap like 55$ if u look around. and then cut them. if u cut ur saggin spring u could lower it too much. cutting a half a coil off will lower the car approximatly 1" just so u kno. use a cut off wheel to hack it off. and cut it off the bottom of the spring that fits in the Aarm pocket. then index it correctly in the Aarm.

i would replace the tierod ends if u really wanted to freshin things up. moog is a great replacement. and get rid of the stock type tie rod adjusters and get some performance UMI/hotckins/edelbrock etc tie rod adjusters. they will increase the strength etc and look a ton better

if u want stock replacement shocks i would go with the KYB Gr2 front struts. they are about 50$ a pop and are alil better than your stockers which prob need to be replaced.

brakes are easy. get some slotted rotors and ceramic pads... summit sells a kit thats like 160$ it will take care of the whole front end. also check ur front rubber brake lines that go to the calipers... if they are stock i would replace them, u can go stock rubber or get braided stainless.... the braided would be better of course. and u will have to rebleed the brake system.

i would do everything so u have all new parts. i would spend the 50$ or so and get new moog 5662 front springs and then hack a 1/2 coil off. your stockers have to be saggin alil. then replace the front stuff. when your all done i would get your car aligned by a good shop... your tires should not squeel while just driving around. that is not good. after u do all the mods and lower the car u get the alignment done.

 

Step 1: Buy Spohns bushings for swaybar and endlink (Yes the hole is bigger on the a-arm) http://www.spohn.net/shop/1982-1992-...s-Accessories/

Step 2: Look at this http://www.spohn.net/shop/1982-1992-...GM-F-Body.html and most likely buy it.

Step 3: Do what you want with ride height and brakes
Step 4: An alignment is in need.

EDITED Or just do what blackbird is saying lol.

 

End Links are discontined item from the dealers. OEM part #464167.
I put a cheap end link in for immediate use. I plan on getting the Energy Suspension bushings kit and it comes with new end links.
I would just stay away from the rubber ones. There is a set of the OEM made with Urethane one Ebay right now.
Just get a set with Poly-Urethane or Urethane. They will last way longer then rubber.

 

Argh, I cant view Spohn.net at work. They be running a blocker.

 

Never really thought about the age of the springs and maby starting with a new spring and cutting it down. The inner and outer tierod ends are allready here. That was one thing I forgot about. I want to get rid of that factory stamped threaded "thing" that your tierods thread into. Thank's for the heads up on that. I don't think I will be needing the slotted rotors and ceramic pads. I don't find that the car runs out of brakes wile going to the bank or picking up dinner. However the drilled and slotted rotors, ceramic pads and 6 piston brembos on the supercharged C6 next to the GTA in the garage come in handy from time to time. I would like to more than just rebuild it. Some fancy parts would be nicer than parts store parts. I will have to do some searching. Thank's so far.

Phil

 

the slotted rotors and ceramic pads not only is a performance upgrade but will improve braking which is always a good thing no one ever says YOUR BRAKES ARE WAYYYY TO BIG AND GOOD AND COOL FOR YOUR RIDE LOL. they will also increase brake rotor/pad life and the ceramic pads will create less dust... so u have to clean your wheels less. u never know when a riced out honda will slam its brakes in front of u. can never be too safe.

really depends on how thick your wallet is. and how fancy u want to get. also how your gona drive the car. i would say get coil overs and billet strut tower bearing caps and etc but do you really want that while driving to the bank or getting dinner lol.

since u have that all apart u could rip out the Aarm and replace the stock rubber bushings with poly. this made a notice in my car. since my rubbers where so dry rotted. they will have to be pressed in and out etc.

 

the slotted rotors and ceramic pads not only is a performance upgrade but will improve braking which is always a good thing no one ever says YOUR BRAKES ARE WAYYYY TO BIG AND GOOD AND COOL FOR YOUR RIDE LOL. they will also increase brake rotor/pad life and the ceramic pads will create less dust... so u have to clean your wheels less. u never know when a riced out honda will slam its brakes in front of u. can never be too safe.

really depends on how thick your wallet is. and how fancy u want to get. also how your gona drive the car. i would say get coil overs and billet strut tower bearing caps and etc but do you really want that while driving to the bank or getting dinner lol.

since u have that all apart u could rip out the Aarm and replace the stock rubber bushings with poly. this made a notice in my car. since my rubbers where so dry rotted. they will have to be pressed in and out etc.

 

Dont cut springs. To many good options on aftermarket lowered springs.
And drilled & slotted I was told will still make ceramic pads dust alot. Dunno, I will find out I just put some on mine.

 

If the hole is still round, fine. If the hole is egged out, then the end link, over time, has worn it out of round--probably because the bushings failed at some point. My guess is that that problem is fairly common.

JamesC

 

Yeah, it's egged out and looks kind of thin around the edge of the hole. I guess I will be giving spohn a call and getting some parts.

Phil

 

OE 1LE end links (GM 10221779) are still available from

http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/index.c...TOKEN=43475709

and from http://www.top-downsolutions.com/

I would imagine they're also available from a dealership.

BTW, I prefer the Energy Suspension version over the 1LE. The ES poly seems to fit/protect the hole in the arm better than the 1LE nylon.

JamesC

 

Got the front swaybar and front shocks off this afternoon. I think these need to be replaced.





This is the hole in the A-arm.



So far it looks like I will be ordering a set of springs, shocks and various bushings for the front and rear. Also going to order the sleeve that the tie rod ends thread into. Thank's for the help so far guys.

Phil

 

Any one know how big the swaybar is on my car. I see they want it in mm but both of my calipers are dead and all I can do is use a tape measure. Should it be round or are they an oval. Mine is 1 5/16" in one direction and 1 1/2" in another.

Phil

 

My guess is that you have a hollow 36 mm front bar (and a solid 24 mm rear). Check for drain holes near the end links.

JamesC

 

It is hollow and has drain holes. Thank's

Phil

 

TDS, in the link above, provides greaseable front/rear sway bar bushings. You might consider them.

JamesC

 

How many miles are on that car? Mine looked pretty good with <70,000K on the car.

 

92,000 miles but it has been up north by me for it's entire life. It was driven every winter till I bought it June 08'.

Phil

 

where are the drain holes on the sway bar? i never saw any on mine. and i had the largest sway bars front and rear due to the WS6 suspension. your Aarm hole is elongated. but ur better off buying a used front control arm. new ones are almost as expensive as tubular.

 

If your car is an 82-85 model, you wouldn't have the hollow 36 mm front and solid 24 rear combo, which didn't arrive in Birds until 86. The drain holes, as I point out above, are located near the end links.

I had the egged hole in my a-arm build up with welds, smoothed a bit and rounded, and while I've seen zero problems with it in the intervening six years, I'd probably salvage one from the bone yards if I had to do it over again.

JamesC

 

so my 87 doesnt have drain holes? i didnt see them on mine.

 

If you don't have drain holes, you don't have a hollow bar (perhaps you have a solid 34).

JamesC

 

hmm i swapped my rubbers to poly a while ago... cant remember what size bushing it was.... i kno it was one of the bigger ones.... the bar does way a butt load.

 

Springs and shocks are ordered and will be here wednesday. I just have to call Spohn and order the end links, swaybar bushings, tierod sleeves and various other bushings. About the dial there number right now.

 

what springs and shocks did u order and from who?

 

Hotchkis springs and a basicly factory KYB GR-2 shock and strut from summit.

All other stuff has been ordered. Sunday will be a busy day.

Phil

 

Should be a fun little project!
Here is what mine looked like after i told the wife i was going into the garage to replace some bushings

 

Yeah, I like how it works out. Just going out to change the oil. Next thing you know the motor is on the floor. This car is well worth the time and money so why not. Maby some day I will make it fast enough to hang with my truck.

 

there lowering springs? not the best. eibach had higher rates. from what i hear the hotchkins are too soft.

 

I have used both in the past ans didn't really care for the ride of the eibach. If I want it to ride like a brick I will jump in the 3/4 ton. Some day I will build a different kind of car and will definately use the Eibach springs.

Phil

 

i thought u were goin with stock moogs so i recomended the KYB GR2s. the GR2s are not designed for lowered vehicles. u will wear them out pretty fast. i had Gr2s for almost a year wit my sportlines and i just pulled the car all apart. they dnt seem the same when i stuck them on. im sure there pretty worn. since they werent designed for the lowered ride height. ud be better off with struts designed for lowered heights. some brands are tokio blues (cheaper in price compared to ) tokio illuminas, KONI yellows, blistens etc

ppl who buy sports cars want them to ride like bricks. kinda the point. u want a smooth ride u buy a caddy or a new car.

softer springs and rates on a lowered car is not safe.

 

I guess I'm not like most people. I don't look at this as a sports car. I like the way a 3rd gen looks and that's where my interest ends with this car. The 500 miles a year I will drive it shouldn't be the roughest 500 miles I have ever driven. Some of us don't like sports cars anyway. We like sports trucks.

Phil

 

Well, it's all done. Here is new parts with old parts.











Phil

 

Parts installed.









Springs and shocks in the rear as well

 

The ends result was pretty good.

Before today it looked like this.



Now it's a little lower.



Phil

 

Looks awesome. You need to throw some bigger brakes on the front lol. I like the C6s on the bird. Nice work!

 

Those rims compliment the stance so nice now! Looks like a nice dairy in the background too, yours by chance?

 

looks good. shoulda painted the Aarm and spindal tho lol. the hotchkins really dropped the rear alot. my sportlines werent nearly that low. did u put the stock rear isolator back in the rear? i like the rear stance alil better with the stock spring in the first pic. but with the hotchkins front spring. will give u even fender gap front and back and alil rake and less A$$ drag stance.

looks good. like the vette rims too

 

Thank's guys. I would have liked to have painted some stuff but I knew once I started ordering parts this project was far from over. I still need to get it aligned and replace a ball joint in the steering shaft and we will drive it for the summer like it is. This winter will see alot of changes like A-arms, rear LCA's and whet ever else I can replace. Also want to go with a biger breaks of some kind. It rides better than I could have ever hoped for and handles pretty well too. It really does need paint but it will clean up well enough to drive for now.

Phil

 

I have a pic of it with the front done and the rear still stock. I also forgot to mention that the front springs are about 90 degrees out of the spring pockets. I wanted to see what it would look like. the front should go down some more once they are turned and correct.

Phil