Front end rebuild

[85GPLef41]

I am in the process of doing my C5 brake upgrade. I took apart the suspension apart and will be replacing the bushings,ball joints etc etc. i am looking at the PST kit or Energy suspension kits. What kits are you using? I was going to try to piece it together but it adds up pretty quickly. Which one is better in terms of handleing, squeaks, or any other problems? Any tips or suggestions? For the springs i want to use moog 5662 or 5658 with a 36mm sway bar i am looking to get soon. I would like to drop the car 1-2 inches. What upgrades can i do do the front end to make it handle better using the stock a-arms, s-10 spindles and moog springs?

 

[Blake442]

For all my bushings and ball joints I just bought Moog parts from my local CarQuest, cause the guys working there at the time would give me their employee price if I paid cash... 8)

 

[just plain john]

The poly bushings are cheap enough, but be sure to get some that are greaseable. Otherwise they will squeak. I used Del-A-Lum front control arm bushings and Energy Suspension poly everywhere else front and rear. PST is another common choice. I used earlier S10 drop spindles, but that won't work for the brake upgrade.

 

[85GPLef41]

I will try to get a buddy to price me a moog kit from napa. from what i tried its going to be more than a kit from pst.. does polygraphite squeak as much? does the energy suspension kit require you to reuse the bushing shells?

 

[just plain john]

I can't say if you have to reuse them for the fronts, but I do know you get new ones for the rears.

 

[gbody4life]

If I were you I would just buy the moog rubber bushings because as they have said if you are not careful and dont get the greasable poly bushings they will sqeek anytime you replace the 20 year old factory bushings you are going to see a much greater diffrence for the better. No use spending the big money for the poly bushings moog makes really good stuff. A few things you may want to consider is some of the frame braceing thats avalible on the market which will give you a much tighter stiffer frame up front. some cars come with the cross braceing on the front frame rails and some dont. Its just somthing to consider if yours dont have the extra braceing. One other thing I like to do to the factory control arms especially since you will have them off already to replace the bushings is to use some plate steel and box in your factory control arms which will make them much stiffer and stronger. I do alot of drag racing and deal with alot of chassis flex again not quite sure which type of performance your trying to achive it is just a few low cost ideas you may want to consider since your front end will already be tore apart. One other thing that will make a huge diffrence is replacing your worn body mounts/bushings as well

 

[megaladon6]

assuming that you want handling, get a set of adjustable upper control arms and tall ball joints from a reputable company. i try to avoid poly in a bushing that twists (like control arms) as they tend to bind. as mentioned, get del-a-lums for that. but for compression, like on sway bars, poly is great and will last longer than rubber.
don't forget to replace the rear bushings also, but here you want to stay with stock rubber with tubular control arms or poly with stock arms.if you lower the car you'll want a set of adjustable upper to correct the pinion angle

 

[85GPLef41]

If I were you I would just buy the moog rubber bushings because as they have said if you are not careful and dont get the greasable poly bushings they will sqeek anytime you replace the 20 year old factory bushings you are going to see a much greater diffrence for the better. No use spending the big money for the poly bushings moog makes really good stuff. A few things you may want to consider is some of the frame braceing thats avalible on the market which will give you a much tighter stiffer frame up front. some cars come with the cross braceing on the front frame rails and some dont. Its just somthing to consider if yours dont have the extra braceing. One other thing I like to do to the factory control arms especially since you will have them off already to replace the bushings is to use some plate steel and box in your factory control arms which will make them much stiffer and stronger. I do alot of drag racing and deal with alot of chassis flex again not quite sure which type of performance your trying to achive it is just a few low cost ideas you may want to consider since your front end will already be tore apart. One other thing that will make a huge diffrence is replacing your worn body mounts/bushings as well

I don't plan on doing any drag racing anytime soon but i want a decent handling car. As for the ball joints i got the Napa premium ball joints. I am still debating on the del a lum bushings or some from Energy Suspension. I know the del a lum are more expensive.

assuming that you want handling, get a set of adjustable upper control arms and tall ball joints from a reputable company. i try to avoid poly in a bushing that twists (like control arms) as they tend to bind. as mentioned, get del-a-lums for that. but for compression, like on sway bars, poly is great and will last longer than rubber.
don't forget to replace the rear bushings also, but here you want to stay with stock rubber with tubular control arms or poly with stock arms.if you lower the car you'll want a set of adjustable upper to correct the pinion angle

I know aftermarket a-arms are the way to go and i am looking at the stage 2 arms from SC&C with the tall ball joints but thats still a bit more $$ than i wanted to spend already...Would i benefit from just installing better bushings on my stock control arms? I would like to buy aftermarket arms but $$ is kind of tight now and i want to get my car rolling by summer.

 

[patmckinneyracing]

I just bought a complete polyurethane bushing kit with tie rods, ball joints, etc and reused my stock a arms with no problems at all. That along with the s10 moogs springs gives the car a real nice ride.

 

[megaladon6]

you will see an improvement with new bushings and a good alignment (-0.5 camber, +7caster-PS, +5caster-DS, .05 toe in) BUT it will only be back to stock. and the original handling was pretty bad. BTW you really don't need aftermarket lower arms until you get to the extreme side of handling or lowering. del-a-lum and boxing in are more than enough for the lowers. with the SC&C stage 2 kit you'll get a major improvement.