Cascade Crew

STEEL

Ya, you guys might remember how my car has damaged passenger side rims? The previus owner said he hit a pot hole, and that damaged the wheels, and knocked the front end out of alignment. I finally get the car to the shop and they were going to align it for me, but then I get a call.

"Sir, I cant align your steering, Im afraid that your strut is bent" bla bla bla something about a bracket shot to hell.

Great. Looks like when I get back from basic and am raiding Pull A Part, I will be bring a cutting torch and just cutting off the right front suspension off an RS, that way I know I have all the bractry and everything!

83Z28BlackBetty · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:33 am Post subject:

lame! sorry bout that. but hey if you are headed to the pull a part near seattle let me know. I may join ya.

~JAKE

Twilightoptics · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:36 am Post subject:

Uh... dude.... if your strut is bent you don't need to get the whole suspension. Just a strut. Which your car probably needs anyways being 15+years old.

STEEL · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:00 am Post subject:

Wow, ok, now I feel stupid. I know nothing about suspension, except that mine is worn out. What are my options on replacing it?

*runs off to do research*

Kage87Z · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:26 am Post subject:

Well, you could always utilize your well-polished-in-Basic marksmanship skills and pay him a visit.

Xophertony · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:38 am Post subject:

BigDaddyVu · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 2:15 pm Post subject:

what usually wears out and most over look is the "bearing plate" where the strut comes through the top. the bearing supposed to rotate, swivel, and pivot with no effort.

STEEL · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 2:27 pm Post subject:

Ok, so these are things that I would have been replacing any way when I put new front suspension on?

I dont want to lower the car, and my main objective is drag racing, what kind of suspension should I install.

Xophertony · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:25 pm Post subject:

well, since the car is to be daily driven your suspension will remain mostly stock (new, but stock style). you will probably want to run some type of drag shock (ask Twilightopics). Moog sells factory replacement springs. other then that just replace all your bushings and ball joints in the front. same with the rear. there are also some points in the rear you may want to convert to adjustable units, but that exceeds my expertise so i am going to stop talking.

also, the bearing plates are not usualy replaced when re-doing suspension. in fact, i think John (dewey316) is the only one in the crew NOT using the factory ones.

STEEL · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 12:19 am Post subject:

I think I understood.... Very Very little of that, lol.

Ok, I was talking to the customer service guy at JEGs, and although he was very helpful, I am not sure if some of this suspension stuff he recommended is good, necessary, and then my big concern, after I install them, will I be able to fit the over sized tires. (275 40 17 fronts and 285 40 17 rears)

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10002_127808_-1
http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10002_12890_-1
http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10002_739010_-1

The guy said that they will be stiffer, but I dont know if they will be stiff enough to keep the tires from rubbing... Will this replace/fix the bent strut tower? Will this help my launches?

I still have alot to learn.....

Xophertony · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:56 am Post subject:

ok, is it a bent "strut tower" or "strut"? this is real important.

these are struts: (the ones with the brackets on)

and this a strut tower:

it is that whole huge peice of metal that the bearing plate mounts too. if it is misaligned that means your strut can never sit at the proper angle. this could effect your camber (how strait up and down your wheel i sas viewed form the front of the car) it could also affact your caster (the angle at which the wheel pivots, hard to explain). the only part of your alignment this won't change is the toe. (if the wheels point in or out as viewed from the top.

STEEL · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 2:28 am Post subject:

Strut Tower. So that means that my car body/frame is bent, so when I get the frame reenforcement done at a body shop, I can have them bend this back as well, correct?

Or am I totally missing the point??

iansane · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:27 am Post subject: