Hi

Does anyone know where I can source "standard" suspension parts for a base 89 Firebird?

The suspension, particuarly the rear is extremely harsh and I beleieve that base models had a softer ride to their Formula, Trans Am counterparts.

The softer ride is required for our UK roads!

If your shocks and/or struts are worn out, you may just need new shocks for the rear and struts for the front. At 110,000 miles (177,000 km) on my 1991, I replaced the original struts/shocks with inexpensive new ones from the local auto parts store. They made the ride much less harsh.

However, I should have purchased better quality. So now at 132,000 miles (212433 km) I just ordered Tokico "Blue" HP series. They are not high performance, but good quality and I expect they will give me better handling and a comfortable ride. Others swear by adjustable struts/shocks.

You said the rear ride is the biggest issue. Rear shocks are very easy to replace and even good quality ones are not very expensive. I suggest you don't make my mistake and buy cheap ones. Pay the extra for quality.

People on this forum mention KONIs, Bilstein, Tokicos, and KYBs as being good quality brands. Some vendors include, Ebay, Summit Racing, and Hawks Third Generation. If you decide on a specific brand, you can also go to their web site which may have a good price and ship to you.

Replacing bad shocks/struts will make a big difference in ride and handling.

Stewie

Thanks for the advice. My car has done just short of 99000 miles and given what some British roads are like the struts and shocks would have done well to survive this long!

There are quite a few parts suppliers in the UK who specialize in parts for US cars. I will probably get a quote from a few and go from there.

Hoping that it will just be struts n ' shocks and not bushes etc.

TW

Is there a way to differentiate rear shocks vs bushings replacement/problems?

Shocks dampen spring oscillations. Give the car a bounce and see if it continues rocking.

Bushings allow free movement of the suspension. Damaged rubber bushings will make noise or bind or have a lot of free play in the wrong directions.

InfernalVortex is right. But, it looks like you are a novice in this area. Let me give a little more detailed information and opinion.

There is a link at the end that has a picture ofwhat worn out bushinsg look like and how to replace struts.

Do the shocks/struts 1st. I have 130,000 miles on my car and the large bushings are OK. There are some 1inch diameter bushings that are cracked and need to be replaced. My mechanic friend calls those "grommets." Those are easy. For the large bushings, plan on using a hammer, pry bar, and, maybe, a torch (the hot kind; not what we call a flashlight. LOL).

At the mileage on your car, you may need front and rear sway bar links. While you are replacing end links, check the bushings on the clamps that hold the sway bar to the body. If you need to replace those, also replace the rusted clamps. Don't take all the end links and clamps off the sway at the same time. Do one at a time. You will probably need to break or cut off the old rusted end link bolts. Leave all the bolts loose until all the new parts are in place. Then tighten up all the bolts. Don't over tighten the end link bolts or you will ruin the bushings.

One more thing, replacing the struts is more challenging than the rear shocks. Check the link at the bottom to learn how to do it. Again, I would install quality struts & shocks first and see how much that improves your ride comfort.

Keep us posted on your progress, If you run into problems, just post a request for help.

You might want the bookmark this link as it provides great info and how-to on suspensions: https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...nsion-how.html

Thanks to both of you. The information is super helpful. You are right; I am a novice but you all, taking the time to advice novice like me, certainly makes a big difference. I will keep you up to date.
Thanks again!

I got my Firebird in 2007. I did not drive it much and took it to a repair shop if anything significant needed to be repaired (e.g. heater core). But, I was a novice until January of this year when I started doing a lot of work on my car. I don't have a garage or driveway. So I make my repairs and improvements on weekends on the street.

I spent a lot of time searching this forum and found a wealth of helpful information. I finally joined in May 2012 so I could contribute and ask questions. Once you start working on an F Body, you quickly become an expert.

TW89FB - I just ordered new tires for my car which made me think of you wanting a more comfortable ride. Tires can make a big difference. If you have performance tires, you have a harsher ride. If you have smooth riding tires that give you a cushy ride on rough roads, they will have less handling and grip than performance tires. After you replace the struts/shocks, if the ride is still too harsh for you, when it is time to replace your tires, consider getting a set that take the bumps smoother. Passenger all season or Standard Touring tires fit this category.

But, just remember, your Firebird is a sports coupe and was not designed to give as smooth a ride as a big 4 door family car. Part of the fun of owning a Firebird.

Difference between shocks and struts besides location? Is it just to differentiate between front and rear? I have heard both called both.

the basic explanation is that a strut replaces a suspension member. A car will not support itself with a strut removed. In our cars, we use a modified version of the McPherson strut suspension, and the strut replaces the upper A-arm. Im sure youve heard of a "double a-arm" suspension. The Strut serves as part of the pivot system for the spindle. Hence without the strut installed, the car iwll not support itself, etc. So it is called a strut. This applies to the front of our cars. This is a big part of why front struts are so much more expensive.



In the rear we have plain old shocks. You can actually remove them and drive around. All they do is simply dampen spring oscillations. The car would bounce all over the place on a rough road without them.

Gotcha