94+ brakes, 96Lumina sway bar and 15 yr old struts

[Hairdo12]

Finally replaced my 15 year old 120k mile rear struts. I also figured since I was getting dirty I would swap some 94+ rear brakes and the sway bar from a 96 Lumina I had in my garage for about a year. My car never had a rear sway bar. My exhaust pipes are from a 93 euro 3.4 and I didn't have any clearance issues with the sway bar either. The camera makes everything look more rusty that it actually is. The 15/16 bolts and the 15mm came out very easy imo. I replaced my 15/16 with a "newer" set I found at the jy a while back. I have the 94+ Ebrake cables waiting to be installed next.

 

I had to replace the steel brake line cause it ruptured while I was bleeding the brakes. Thats why there is fluid on the mono leaf. Better it break there than on the road.

 

Don't worry the wire is gone from the aux springs. I compressed them with my vise and wired them up so I could easily reinstall them. Once installed I cut and removed the wire.

 

Old Struts:

 

[ns87]

sweet. nothing else to do during all this snow huh?

[19Cutlass94]

Nice! Rust though

[Brian P]

You like those aux springs? I kept them off my old Cutlass, and my '95 never even came with them stock. Ride is a bit more predictable without em.

[Q-Ball]

Oh how badly do I want to do that! But my first gen brakes really arent that bad. I also noticed after putting Xlaces and 245 tires on, she grips the road great!

[Hairdo12]

Its going to snow pretty badly here starting tonight... maybe I'll do the front struts on Sunday.

 

I ordered my E-brake cables online, but the Penis Dradles sent me a wrong right side cable (I confirmed I ordered the correct one) so now I have to wait get those on.

 

I really wasn't sure what the aux springs are for, and I didn't find too many posts about them here except for one guy saying something about never seeing a W with the aux springs removed and not looking like a 4x4. Or something like that, thats why I kept them in. I took the 14mm sway bar bushings from a Grand Prix and bored them out to fit the bigger sway bar (save $) and the Grand Prix didn't have the aux springs.

 

I need to do some reading and find out whats involved in replacing the front sway bar with a 34mm one.

 

 

[19Cutlass94]

You like those aux springs? I kept them off my old Cutlass, and my '95 never even came with them stock. Ride is a bit more predictable without em.

 

Could you notice that? I drove mine with them off and on and I couldnt tell the difference between having them on or off. and I still cant find out what their purpose is either!

[Schurkey]

Your brake hose scares me. Looks like you've wound it up about 1/2--3/4 turns. It WILL NOT survive long if it's wound up.

 

Brake hoses generally have a "paint stripe" or other marker that can be used to assure the hose is installed without twist.

[Hairdo12]

Your brake hose scares me. Looks like you've wound it up about 1/2--3/4 turns. It WILL NOT survive long if it's wound up.

 

Brake hoses generally have a "paint stripe" or other marker that can be used to assure the hose is installed without twist.

 

Its not twisted, you can follow the writing on its for most of the hose in the second picture. I might try to cut that big rubber protector off as it of no use and causing the hose to be like it is. The original hoses didn't have it anyways. The original stock hoses lasted 15 years with almost a 180 degree turn (not twist) near the banjo bolt.

[Brian P]

You like those aux springs? I kept them off my old Cutlass, and my '95 never even came with them stock. Ride is a bit more predictable without em.

 

Could you notice that? I drove mine with them off and on and I couldnt tell the difference between having them on or off. and I still cant find out what their purpose is either!

 

They in a small way fight against the monoleaf spring. It tries to keep the spring planted firmly on the knuckle. This is why on some cars that had them, removing the aux springs will raise the ride height. This won't happen on all of them, it really depends on the spring code. It also has a dampening effect, that promotes less of a bouncy ride, again the severity depends on the spring code and type of struts in there.