Suspension Restoration, How Much Improvement

[CoBeerToad]

I had 90k on my '97 and I had the clunking. Then some bastard at a garage broke something when attempting an alignment causing my brand new rear tires to go bald in a couple thousand miles. I wasn't sure exactly what was broke, but I heard that at 100k it was time to replace the whole ball of wax...

So we dipped into the 401k and bought the upper and lower arms and the trailing arms. New bushings all around and shocks. I also bought new bearings, but the shop was going to charge me $500 per wheel and I didn't want to dip that deep into my reserves so I passed on that for now.

The difference is night and day. It still drove, what I thought was well, before I did all of this, but it is amazing now. It's been about 500 miles since I did it and I'm still getting used to how tight everything is. And no more clunking!

If you have the financial means, I vote yes.

[BYprodriver]

You have to do it eventually & it saves alot of labor to do it all at the same time. Maybe just do the rear 1st.

[Timco]

Originally Posted by BYprodriver

You have to do it eventually & it saves alot of labor to do it all at the same time. Maybe just do the rear 1st.

Agree. When I did the clutch there was no way I was reinstalling old drop links and sway bar bushings or a clunking trailing arm. Didn't do control arms, no clunk.

[Luv2Box]

I replaced my OEM suspension at 85K with the ROW M030 Sport suspension and it was like driving a different car. Bumps and ruts that wore my back out from not being absorbed by the suspension were no more. The car became a pleasure to drive again and handled much better.

[Gilles]

Originally Posted by BYprodriver

You have to do it eventually & it saves alot of labor to do it all at the same time. Maybe just do the rear 1st.

Focusing on a single axle is a great idea and split your cost in two however, you will have to pay two alignments (unless they charge you 1/2 for a single axle)...
.

[hancock1701]

Originally Posted by CoBeerToad

The difference is night and day. It still drove, what I thought was well, before I did all of this, but it is amazing now. It's been about 500 miles since I did it and I'm still getting used to how tight everything is. And no more clunking!

If you have the financial means, I vote yes.

Makes sense. I recently did the front engine mount, and the difference was night and day too. I was fine with/used to that little vibration in my back, but now I know it's not supposed to be there at all, and the car feels so much nicer.

[EJ-Fresno]

Originally Posted by hancock1701

Makes sense. I recently did the front engine mount, and the difference was night and day too. I was fine with/used to that little vibration in my back, but now I know it's not supposed to be there at all, and the car feels so much nicer.

I changed the engine mount too, and I now miss that kick in the butt at every gear shift

[kk2002s]

With every replacement I have never felt that night and day difference
I'm suspecting that I'm doing it early enough before parts are completely worn
65k miles front engine mount - Old was cracked so it was going but notice no difference after

Front suspension 75k (Lower control arms, tie rods inners & outers, Drop links and Sway bar bushings)
Only really feel difference is at hard braking. I don't have that shutter that vibrates up to the steering wheel

My thoughts, waiting past 80-100k on these parts is past their prime

Ahh - sports cars and their sensitive nature