New suspension

[85HOT-T]

I want to get new suspension on my T. Front springs/shocks, and rear everything.

Who do you guys prefer. I have seen a couple peoples products that look good, but there are some price differences. Do I get what I pay for?

Thanks for any advice or user feedback,
Matt

 

[RobV6]

I used PST graphite on everything with KYB shocks. It handles better and rides better than my 4,506 ORG GN.
CAr was a 163,000 mile Limited.Leave the body busings rubber... Just my .02 cents.........................Rob

 

[85HOT-T]

Anyone else? Anyone have some success stories or horor stories.

Im looking for something good for the strip, but i can also haull booty down the highway and corner good.

Thanks for any input.

 

[mikesvwservice]

Check with Gyrhead and Sons. They stock OEM type Moog parts. Complete front end rebuild kit for under $400 bucks. I used it and I'm pleased...

 

[85HOT-T]

do they have boxed rears? or should i go with tubulars?

 

[mikesvwservice]

do they have boxed rears? or should i go with tubulars?

No, they just stock OEM/GM parts - nothing high performance.

I boxed my rears with the plates from H&R Parts and used the Gyrhead bushings (Moog) - what a #$%ing job...

Can't comment on tubulars as I wanted my GN to look "stock"...

 

[Marc87GN]

Anyone else? Anyone have some success stories or horor stories.

Im looking for something good for the strip, but i can also haull booty down the highway and corner good.

Thanks for any input.

I installed Kirban front/rear springs, front/seat braces & Bilstein shocks and the car handles excellent in turns and still launches well. I'm also running UMI upper/lower rear control arms.

 

[zeus87gn]

I used the complete PST front end kit with the Poly graphite bushings as well. Did the springs and KYB's on the front and rear. Got some square tubing upper and lower arms for the rear with Poly bushings. Made a worlds of difference in ride and handling.

Now I just wish I could keep the Poly bushings quiet from squeaking over speed bumps. They work great but seem to need lubrication quite often.

 

[RobV6]

I used the complete PST front end kit with the Poly graphite bushings as well. Did the springs and KYB's on the front and rear. Got some square tubing upper and lower arms for the rear with Poly bushings. Made a worlds of difference in ride and handling.

Now I just wish I could keep the Poly bushings quiet from squeaking over speed bumps. They work great but seem to need lubrication quite often.

Glad there was someone else. Mine hasn't sqeaked yet. If it does I'll deal with it. Have to put bars in. Car had 153,000 miles when I got it. So I wanted to do it right. And not just to go straight. ....Thanks

 

[zeus87gn]

Glad there was someone else. Mine hasn't sqeaked yet. If it does I'll deal with it. Have to put bars in. Car had 153,000 miles when I got it. So I wanted to do it right. And not just to go straight. ....Thanks

Yea, the squeaking just get's on my nerves. I usually end up servicing it all about twice a year. Friday it will be done again. We had about 140k when we did ours, it was actually good and quiet for the first 10k or so.
They are great for making the car handle like a champ, but the squeaking has got to have a solution over time.

I did the rear myself, had a shop do the front. Rear was actually easy...with air tools.

 

[85HOT-T]

Well I bought my setup. UMi boxed lowers and tubular uppers. Kyb all around, and eibach springs. Front is pst polygraphite setup. cant wait to get it all on .

Just out of curiosity, roll bar (sway bar) what ever you wanna call it. Who do you recomend? The hrparts looked cool, but wasnt sure if a full bar would be better.

Thanks

 

[zeus87gn]

Just out of curiosity, roll bar (sway bar) what ever you wanna call it. Who do you recomend? The hrparts looked cool, but wasnt sure if a full bar would be better.Thanks

I kept the stock sway bars.
They seem to work just fine for me, but I don't drive it that hard.
Others may have different opinions.

 

[TURBOV6]

PST poly graphite bushing super front end kit (I think they have something better now). QA1's all around. UMI uppers/lowers in the rear.

The car rids much better than stock, but the suspension is much stiffer now. My interior is noisy inside because the panels are rattling. Also the poly motor mounts could had factor the noisy interior.

I would HIGHLY reccomend the body bushing if you are planning on getting the front end kit from PST. Don't forget new bolts for it!

 

[VadersV6]

I was quoted about $900 just to do a new front end rebuild. Including ball joints, tie rod ends, all new bushings and re-alignment...not including springs or shocks. Seemed like an awful lot of money. This is a big pep boys garage too. Thought they would be cheaper.
Whats the best direction to go in for the money? I dont want a stiff ride where all the panels are rattling. I want a glass smooth ride, and handling like a go kart isnt important to me. But I dont want it to handle like a dump truck, and I dont want the body to keep twisting and cracking open the bondo in 8 inch long stretches like it has been. I want a good balance.
My cousin has KYB shocks in his 5.0, and the thing feels like a stagecoach in a rock crawling contest. I HATE it.

 

[FastRegalWE2]

4 Bilstein shocks, Kirbans front/rear springs, PST poly deluxe front end kit ( ball joints, tie rods etc), urethane body mounts, Metco rear lowers and adj uppers, and HRParts rear sway bar....... :biggrin: all the bracing kits, rear seat, underhood, and front frame

 

[VadersV6]

4 Bilstein shocks, Kirbans front/rear springs, PST poly deluxe front end kit ( ball joints, tie rods etc), urethane body mounts, Metco rear lowers and adj uppers, and HRParts rear sway bar....... :biggrin: all the bracing kits, rear seat, underhood, and front frame

Not that I'll ever go that extreme, but what would you say made the biggest improvement in "cruiser" ride quality?

 

[FastRegalWE2]

I would say prolly the shocks/springs. The Bilsteins are pretty nice, I had gas shocks on it before, Monroes I think, 1 front was blown so it was a world of diff in front end dive etc. even before the front end kit, after I added the new shocks and the HRParts bar, it seemed to ride as good as my 01 Z28. I didnt notice anything wrong with the front end before I replaced the bushings, just seemed like the thing to do given all the other stuff I had done to it.

 

[RobV6]

I agree with the poly bushing. Except i put rubber body busings. Because I was told that it would or might make interior noise.
I also agree with the braces. I've had the back seat one and the lower fronts since my first GN in 92'......Just rying to help.

As for price mine went for 1,100 dollars...I chocked....HTH"ed

Have to go with VADER<<<<<

 

[FastRegalWE2]

I did all my own stuff with the exception of pressing in the new front upper and lower control arm bushings

 

[TURBOV6]

I dont want a stiff ride where all the panels are rattling. I want a glass smooth ride, and handling like a go kart isnt important to me. QUOTE]

Well the ride is not that stiff. You are comparing rubber to poly bushing. Right now its a good time to change all the suspension/body bushings because it's almost 20 year old! If you want the handling you will have to go with the poly bushings.

Doing the suspension work on the TR is very costly because all the labor work involved but after its done it pays off because you will noticed a big difference!