All Activity

hi

Welcome (back)! somehow I never got out for long, but the last few years I haven't posted as much, been trying to check in more often

Also just now checking some of the forgotten areas of the forum, but Welcome!

I know I;m a bit late but do you have a sound clip? I'm happy with my setup but it still doesn't sound great, I've never heard an LQ1 sound great haha

Chase?

Awesome writeup! How's the 5 speed holding up? I've been wanting to do this swap in my 2004 Impala LS. Do you have any advice/recommendations for making the f23 mount? I have the aluminum subframe. Would it be the same mounting as yours?

Being a GTP which wheels & tires are presently on the car?

Looking to get new shocks and coils. Curious if anyone knows of any good aftermarket parts. I haven’t had any luck finding anything. Only for the next gen. If anyone knows some nice compatible coil overs that would be nice too I’d like to lower mine about an inch maybe two.

Why won't my top go all the way down on one side?

So it seems like unless i have the 94 motor, this pulley wont work on the 91-93?

He hasn't logged in since last Dec, but there's a way to use more commonly available SPST switches. I had a writeup on that which is no longer online, but I could post if that'd be helpful.

Stock is +25mm 7" wide (8" for "crosslace" wheels like in 55trucker's attachment) for 1/1.5, +43 for 2/3. Anything +25mm, 5x115. You can use spacers if you put in longer wheel studs.

Any stock wheel from the Gen 1/1.5 family, the car fitted with drums at the rear?

So what other wheels will fit my 97 Chevy Lumina in the GM wheels family?

'99 GP is the same suspension platform as the '02..........you'll be SOL

Which 2nd gen W wheels? Offset is a lot more positive on the 2nd gens than 1/1.5G, so they'll sit in farther. They usually "fit" IME, but obviously not always. I like it the other way around (1G wheels on 2G's)

I have a similar *Powerbuilt* kit.

90% of the time the only special tool I use is the spanner nut tool that actually unscrews it from the cartridge. Like I said I've had it where as soon as you pull the upper mount the strut rod wants to go hard to one side or the other thats where this tool, circled comes in to help stabilize it while you work.. also obviously make sure you're on level ground. then you jam the spanner tool down over it and spin it out pull the strut cartridge, slam the new one in and tighten it back down.

this is one suppliers kit. https://westerntool.com.au/wp-content/uploads/AT185.jpg

Thank you definitely with keep you posted when I do again. I am going to get the tool again. I sent it back because I couldn’t use it but I’ll be getting another kit.

I have a 97 Chevy Lumina LS with 16" aluminum wheels a guy has 1999 Pontiac GT 16" wheels for sale can I put them on without any problems I made the mistake of buying 4 wheels from a Pontiac Grand Prix from 2002 and found out the wheels hit the front calipers. Tire man said to get them on I needed spacers which I think would be dangerous. My brother said threads are not gonna reach bolts to snug with spacer on.

Please post some pictures or a video so we can see what is going wrong?

Which tool is that because when I’ve tried to use the strut service tool kit from the dealership that was for these cartridges according to my Buick shop manual. Here are the steps I took: let me know if i am missing anything because it’s my first time doing this and i was not successful. - First I removed the strut mounting plate with the 3 nuts. - Next I removed the top nut for the cartridge with an impact socket. The special socket and Torx socket didn’t work. I am assuming because it’s corrosive. It still came off with the impact the nut. - Then I removed the rubber strut mount bumper prying it off with a screw driver. - Next the service manual says to remove the jounce bumper (the little foam bumper)I didn’t see that on mine. That must have never been reinstalled when we had a shop done the cartilage years ago. - Next I tightened the strut extension bar onto the top of the strut cartridge where the nut goes on top of the shaft. The extension bar let me push down on the spring to compress it with the wheel on the ground. -I then removed that tool as soon as I compressed the cartridge down and it was tough because the cartridge would move side to side with that tool when I was trying to loosen it. When it came time to use that other extension bar with the closure nut socket on it to loosen the cartridge closure nut I couldn’t fit that bar down into the strut tower from the top because I had no access to fit it down into the tower hole. I think it’s because the black seat that is fastened to the top of the knuckle is covering the hole so it won’t let me access the closure nut to loosen the cartridge tool. I don’t know why but there is another dealer tool by Kent Moore to actually service the whole knuckle too. It says you need to remove the whole knuckle to use the spring compressor. In this video the guy makes it look easy. He just fits the cartridge tool down in the tower and out comes the cartridge. It wasn’t like that on my regal. So I stopped at the point where I couldn’t get the bar to fit down into the tower to remove the cartridge. PS. Thank you for the kind information about removing the oil that it’s only by choice not required to do so.

These cars are different then most with how the front suspension works. The seat sits well below where the strut nut is it won't be in your way at all. I've had them get to the point where the strut and spring wants to kick to the side when the upper mount is removed, can get sketchy. There is another tool meant to fit inside to maintain order in the event of that situation. As for the oil, keep it, remove it. really makes no difference. Listen to your heart.

Ok well I found out from another post from 2019 this is what strut I have. The seat is fastened to the top of the knuckle assembly. That is why I can’t install the tool inside down into the strut tower to remove the strut closure nut that is supposed to remove the cartridge because the seat is covering any access to fit the cartridge tool down into the strut tower. Do I need to remove the whole strut assembly? *The manual says do not service the strut unless the weight of the vehicle is on the suspension. But some shops have the wall mount spring compressors for that* Seat on top of the knuckle. actual knuckle that the cartridge fits into.