Taking the GP in for an Estimate. [more silly suspension questions]

[EviLette]

I'm taking my car in for an estimate on Friday, for labor on what we need to do.

 

I'm having all four struts replaced, bearing at the front, and mountings at the rear.

 

Also, that damn tranny mount is getting swapped. I'm also going to have him inspect it and see if we can figure out why my motor is sitting so cock-eyed. I should take a picture. My torque struts are angled to the drivers side of the car, and the plenum is giving the appearance of an angle that points toward the driver front corner... I know I'm not hallucinating it, that plenum is supposed to be almost level isn't it?

 

Anyhow, for the struts and the mount, what do you guys think the -labor- cost should be around?

[meltboy1]

id probably say anywhere from $100-200 for labor... probably low 100s

[EviLette]

okay. It was like 220ish for the motor and tranny mount though... but from my understanding, the issue was the motor mount, not the tranny.maybe i had something else done that day too, I can't remember.

 

I'm trying to come up with anything else I need to get. I decided I'm just going to warranty out the monroes I have, since they are already paid for and under warranty... save me some trouble since I need to get a monoleaf as well. And those stupid pads that nobody EVER calls me back on a quote on.

 

Trying to figure out if there's anything else to tackle while I'm right there (not me literally of course LOL). Soo..

 

Strut bearings for the front

 

Strut mounts for the rear

 

Need dust boots, mine don't stick to the top of the assembly like they should

 

monoleaf

 

pads

 

rear camber bolts

 

Am I missing anything?

[AWeb80]

too bad you didn't live close....I'd do it all for $100

[EviLette]

Why must you incessantly tease me?

 

Hopefully my mech won't charge me too much. I've been paranoid lately about my subframe bushings, as well as the bushings on all these lateral linkages and sway bars that people keep talking about. We'll talk it over on Friday what all needs done...

[GutlessSupreme]

I have a feeling you're gonna get raped. Strut bearings require removing/disassembling the entire front strut assemblies, save the hub. The spring has to be removed. It's not *that* much work if you know what you're doing but I'm sure the job calls for a couple of hours...

 

I never could get my new dust boots to stay seated at the top after took them all apart..

[bodeen2007]

And those stupid pads that nobody EVER calls me back on a quote on.

I might have a set of those if i can find them there yours as long as you pay for shipping.

[EviLette]

LOL Shipping isn't an issue.

 

Just trying to get all my loose threads knotted up before I get into this latest project.

[EviLette]

On a bright note... Oreilly finally pulled their head out of their ass. I am now the proud owner of one set of Moog part number K6544.

 

Told the kid i'd requested a price TWICE for them, nobody had gotten back to me on it.

 

He had the sombitches in stock. WTF.

 

Anyways... they say that the upper strut mounts/bearings whatnot are going to be special order... so I'm almost thinking of going through tirerack and getting the kyb stuff.

[AWeb80]

I "might" have an extra upper bushing too....KYB....I'll check tomorrow

[EviLette]

Okay, still waiting on figuring stuff out on how to do this. I should be able to get it done in a couple days, so I just have to get my ass on top of getting parts for it. Kinda just not quite sure... idk

 

[EviLette]

Also, another question akin to someone similiar on here... should I be getting the trailing arms and whosas and whatnots?

 

My ignorance is showing.

[MonteCarloDude]

if you dont mind spending the money, i would get GMPP trailing arms. http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/results.cfm?perfPackages=1&pkgid=121

one bad thing about trailing arms though, sometimes they are a REAL PITA to get off.

[Stevo]

GM's product number on them has changed.

 

I got a pair for $90 and the stamped steel ones are $90 each. Don't know why the pricing is that messed.

[AWeb80]

I got my pair for $30 shipped.....the GMPP tubular ones....

[EviLette]

D'oh. I'm going through posts looking around and making notes on a stickypad of parts I need to investigate.

 

If I have no clue what it is, guaranteed its stock on my car. And I'm worried about all the assorted bushing and such, at 195k and the car's been driven, y'know.

 

****

 

Besides, everything has to come apart to put on that new monoleaf

 

I'm still hovering on CO conversion, but its too much work to have a shop do, methinks.

[CSI_MuNkY]

In all honesty, if a shop can't install the coil over kit on your car, they can't do the work you want done to replace the parts you have.

- Take both struts off and the subframe mounts and your monoleaf falls out.

- Slide threaded sleeves over strut body, glue in place with a DAB of silicone, just so they don't rotate during adjustment.

- Install new upper mount

- Install adjuster nut on threaded sleeve

- Slide spring on strut

- Install strut the way you would install a normal strut

- Adjust height to where you want it (could be trial and error)

 

The fronts on the other hand are a little trickier... You need to cut the lower spring perch and a bracket off the strut body. Aside from that instructions are the same as rear. You will need a drill and 2 machine screws to fix the upper spring mount to the stock strut mount.

 

I wish I'd kept my old mono leaf, I would of given it to you for the cost of shipping... unfortunately it went in the dumpster

 

Jamie

[EviLette]

LOL that's funny... Jamie I actually have the 13 page long thread from you doing your CO conversion bookmarked on my favorites.... it makes me want to do it so bad... I don't know... its kind of like a tattoo, I guess... once you go there you can't go back.

 

I saw you ahd your mono to get rid of then but I was sure it was gone now, didnt bother to say anything LOL.

 

I really really want to go with Coilovers... if I'm going to have to replace everything... which it looks like I"m going to have to... and if the labor will be nearly or mostly or somewhat the same... I don't know. I couldn't get an estimate with my mechanic... and I've got to figure in the cost of labor too, since I definitely can't undertake this project myself.

 

I really, really need to sit down and make a list of all the components that I need... depending on the avenue I take. I just don't know.. damnit. And i'm ignorant enough about some of this stuff that its just hard for me to make a well-educated decision.

[CSI_MuNkY]

I'd say make arrangements to come to Canada and I'll help you out with it... but I bet thats a bit of a drive, haha.

At first I thought I was in over my head too, but in the end, I wouldn't hesitate to jump in and do it all over again. It was a lot less work than I thought it was going to be. You just have to be prepared for the inevitable broken or seized bolts. Specifically on the trailing arms, I had to cut those bolts with a 5" cut off disk. And I popped the heads off 2 of the rear strut mount bolts.

 

Jamie

[EviLette]

....

 

Jaime? I'm not doing the work.

 

I don't have a jack that will lift my car high enough to set it on stands, let alone the tools, knowledge or equipment to perform this job.

 

I would be having to pay a mechanic to do it...

 

Secondly, I don't know much about suspension, so all the bushings/bearings/wtfe parts I have no CLUE what half the shit is... and I keep reading and I"m still lost... so yeah... really frustrated right now.

 

I'm not diving in. I'm collaborating a list of parts, and total price, for each avenue... and then deciding from there what I want to do.

 

At least, thats the general idea at this point.

[EviLette]

http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/Susptabl.jsp?autoMake=Pontiac&autoModel=Grand+Prix+SE+Coupe&autoYear=1992&autoModClar=&brand=all

 

That, and that page is -really- fucking confusing. Down at the bottom, all the options for strut mounts... I don't know whats what, the only one I can take out of the equation is the "heavy duty suspension" one... but different part numbers, and I'm lost again in the quagmire of confusion.

[MonteCarloDude]

I don't have a jack that will lift my car high enough to set it on stands, let alone the tools, knowledge or equipment to perform this job.

i do stop by ohio and i will do it for 50 bucks.

[EviLette]

LOL. Man I can't even tell you how pissed I was. I was super stoked to have gotten a set of jackstands finally...

 

....only to get out there and discover that I can't lift the car high enough off the ground to get the black bitch on the stands. I was LIVID.

 

On a side note... I'm figuring up prices on a kyb transition, not going to COs just keeping factory setup... PROVIDED that I can find a monoleaf without having to buy one from the dealership

 

I'm sitting at 418 for parts right now... thats minus camber adjustment bolts... should I get the ones that are +/- 1.0 and replaces upper only, or +/- 2.0 that replaces upper and lower? I don't know the difference, other that its a camber adjustment (camber has nothing to do with tire wear, I know, I know.)

[MonteCarloDude]

LOL. Man I can't even tell you how pissed I was. I was super stoked to have gotten a set of jackstands finally...

 

....only to get out there and discover that I can't lift the car high enough off the ground to get the black bitch on the stands. I was LIVID.

 

On a side note... I'm figuring up prices on a kyb transition, not going to COs just keeping factory setup... PROVIDED that I can find a monoleaf without having to buy one from the dealership

 

I'm sitting at 418 for parts right now... thats minus camber adjustment bolts... should I get the ones that are +/- 1.0 and replaces upper only, or +/- 2.0 that replaces upper and lower? I don't know the difference, other that its a camber adjustment (camber has nothing to do with tire wear, I know, I know.)

i could not live without jackstands i got your PM BTW, you should have a new message.

[EviLette]

LOL. Man I can't even tell you how pissed I was. I was super stoked to have gotten a set of jackstands finally...

 

....only to get out there and discover that I can't lift the car high enough off the ground to get the black bitch on the stands. I was LIVID.

 

On a side note... I'm figuring up prices on a kyb transition, not going to COs just keeping factory setup... PROVIDED that I can find a monoleaf without having to buy one from the dealership

 

I'm sitting at 418 for parts right now... thats minus camber adjustment bolts... should I get the ones that are +/- 1.0 and replaces upper only, or +/- 2.0 that replaces upper and lower? I don't know the difference, other that its a camber adjustment (camber has nothing to do with tire wear, I know, I know.)

i could not live without jackstands i got your PM BTW, you should have a new message.

 

Ooh, on Myspace. Replied.