mgenin Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 I've got a 95 Lumina, and I've been wanting to upgrade the front rotors to the 11.25" ones, and swap out the back drums with discs next time I change the brakes. I also have a 04 Century, and noticed that on newer w-body cars they have aluminum knuckles all around. So obviously i'm wondering if I could go to the wreckers and get these aluminum ones for my Lumina? I know you can do this upgrade with a Cutlass with rear discs and whatnot, I assume I would also need the front struts, since my Lumina's are all one piece with the front knuckles. Or even if the back ones would fit, they look damn similar, I bet the trailing arms are identacle. Has anyone got newer aluminum ones to fit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwmin Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 they wont swap in without replacing everything and thats gonna take some fabricating. theres a guy on 60degreev6.com that cut his front caliper brackets off and cut and welded the tabs so they sat out farther to accomodate f-body rotors. i think he had to grind some off of the a arms too for clearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BXX Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 01-04?? Mustang Cobra 13" rotors FTW!!! They go right onto the hub and have a nearly identical offset as w-bodies do. But sorry, i haven't been able to go any further into the swap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgenin Posted August 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 I'm not nessisarially looking for larger than 11.25" brakes, I'm just wondering if the rear or front aluminum knuckles would fit from later w-bodies, since all the 94-96 w-bodies here are rusted out to hell. I'm not looking into grinding my front knuckles down, just swapping them out and using their calipers as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwmin Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 you are right about the trailing arms being identical. afaik, no one has tried a 2G rear swap, but i believe someone tried to do a 2G front swap and couldnt do it. i would just get the stuff from a 96-97 1.5G w/ the larger fronts and rear discs. if theyre that rusty, i would have them sandblasted and powdercoated. the metal SHOULDNT be rusted through, probably just a lot of surface rust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgenin Posted August 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 yeah they have a lot of surface rust, mine has little rust at all. Why just to 97? would a 98-00 Lumina front strut towers fit on my 95? I read on the w-body upgrades that the part numbers changed for the REAR in 97, so i should look for 94-96 only for the rear. I plan on getting the rear calipers from the wreckers at the unlimited parts day tomorrow if i can find some, and then trading them in at NAPA for re manufactured ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwmin Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 i wasnt being specific, sorry, just saying a 1.5G w/ rear discs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgenin Posted August 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 I know the back knuckles can be from a CS, but what about the front ones? Are those the same in the CS as the Lumina/Monte? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwmin Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 the fronts are all the same in 96, yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgenin Posted August 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Alright, so I got front strut towers from 98 Lumina, and rear knuckles from a Cutlass. I'm going to take them to the machine shop at school and sandblast them before I paint. The Fronts come off easy, and you dont need a spring compressor. But when I took the rear off the cutlass, it was under a lot of compression, from the strut tower or that plastic mono leaf. So when I go to install these on my lumina, will i need something to compress the rear struts? Or just jack up the car, and unbolt everything? Also, should I be replacing all the bushings/bolts? BTY, I got my rear knuckles from a 97 Cutlass, They look the same as the 94-96 which the w-body pages says will work for the upgrade. Does anyone know if they will fit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwmin Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 ive never replaced the rear knuckles before, but you dont have to do anything but lift the car to get the struts out. 97 cutlass will work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgenin Posted August 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 sweet, i was a little worried about removing the knuckle, but I guess since my car doesn't have a mono leaf, nothing will be putting any force on it. and I was also worried about having a 97 Cutlass since the hub and knuckle part numbers changed, but they look identacle to the 94-96 ones, but the caliper/rotor part numbers never changed. Now its just a matter of getting that last, stripped, rusted, damn bolt off to the hub/bearing and then sandblasting. Thanks a bunch for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgenin Posted August 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 One more question, Is there a way to remove the spring and cartridge from the front strut towers without a spring compressor and without the cartridge tool and without killing yourself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pabz Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 One more question, Is there a way to remove the spring and cartridge from the front strut towers without a spring compressor and without the cartridge tool and without killing yourself? Not without damaging the strut/knuckle assembly. Just rent the tools at a local part source or canadian tire. Get the rear caliper tool as well. If thats a problem you need to find a way to get the spring out without killing yourself, then you can use a vise or something to get the cartridge nut off. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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