nitrous1 Posted July 3, 2004 Report Share Posted July 3, 2004 I've been amassing a collection of new parts for my STS over the last few weeks and I'm just about ready to begin. I bought a set of four Arnott Industries struts to replace the original (110k miles) set on the car. While I'm at it, I'm replacing the front and rear sway bar bushings, strut rod bushings, control arm bushings, ball joints and outer tie rod ends. I've also got four new calipers and rotors, front and rear Raybestos QuietStop ceramic pads, and new parking brake cables. I've had the car for about three years now and it has been relatively good to me. The only major repair I've had to do so far is rebuild the tranny last year (under warranty thankfully). The car needs to last me for a few more years and it has become a little skittish to drive, so I thought I'd go ahead and replace all the wear items in the suspension and the brakes all are showing signs of needing replacement so I'm replacing everything at once. After I've replaced everything and had it aligned, I'm going to put on four new tires and it should be good for a few more years of trouble free (I hope) driving. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfoo Posted July 3, 2004 Report Share Posted July 3, 2004 Sounds like you have a lot of work ahead of you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wake Posted July 4, 2004 Report Share Posted July 4, 2004 I'd order a set of strut mounts to have on hand also... You don't want to tear the front end apart and realize you need to have these... I replaced the struts on my previous 94 and did the mounts at the same time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocFey Posted July 5, 2004 Report Share Posted July 5, 2004 Please post results and whether it was worth the time, effort, and busted knuckles. My STS has 111K miles on it and it makes some strange clunks now and then but seems pretty tight. It had 80K on it when we bought it so have never experienced a "new" ride. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 I did a total rebuild on my 91 Seville and it made a big difference, I would advise that you have the control arm bushings pressed in by a machine shop familiar with the process... otherwise the only big job is getting the rivets out of the ball joint.. Have Fun, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 I have done ball joint's rivets recently. A drill press will make big difference. Very low RPM and A LOT of cooling liquide did the job. Use first 1/4" REGULAR bit and then 1/2". It will help if someone assists you. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitrous1 Posted July 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 I'd order a set of strut mounts to have on hand also... You don't want to tear the front end apart and realize you need to have these... I replaced the struts on my previous 94 and did the mounts at the same time... Wake, Thanks for the suggestion - I didn't even think of ordering new mounts. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitrous1 Posted July 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 Please post results and whether it was worth the time, effort, and busted knuckles. My STS has 111K miles on it and it makes some strange clunks now and then but seems pretty tight. It had 80K on it when we bought it so have never experienced a "new" ride. Thanks I'll be sure to post my results when I'm done. I expect it to take me a few weeks to get everything done. While I've got the suspension apart, I plan on painting a few things to keep them looking sharp. I painted my new calipers, tie rod ends, and the outer edges of my rotors over the weekend. I can't stand looking thru my rims rims and seeing rusty rotors and calipers. I bought my STS with about 80,000 miles on it as well and I am anxious to see how it turns out with all new parts. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitrous1 Posted July 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 I did a total rebuild on my 91 Seville and it made a big difference, I would advise that you have the control arm bushings pressed in by a machine shop familiar with the process... otherwise the only big job is getting the rivets out of the ball joint.. Have Fun, Mike Thanks for the tip, but I work in a machine shop and have access to all the equipment necessary to press in the bushings. I don't expect the ball joint rivets to be that bad. We've got over $2,000,000 worth of machinery on the floor. I hope I can find something to get them out. If all else fails, I could always use the torch - last resort only , of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitrous1 Posted July 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2004 Work is progressing on the car rather slowly. I have the rear end completely disassembled and I have started installing the new components. The Arnott struts fit very nicely, but I did need to bend up the lip on the strut mount to provide a little clearance for them. They are a little bigger diameter than the OEM struts, but no major surgery was required for them to fit. Also, the wiring harness is a little longer than the OEM struts, so I coiled up the excess in the frame channel near the wiring connections and zip-tied in it place. I will keep updating post this as I progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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