Rear Suspension rebuild.

[cutlasssupremepizza]

Both strut bolts broke after soaking the threads on the inside of the trunk with PB Blaster for 2 days. Previous owner ignored broken strut, which chewed through the mount and even cut a notch into the 3/8" thick steel in the tower. This will not be corrected as the new mount holds the rod in place. I will have to paint the stripped paint on the wheel well.

 

 

The trailing arms are getting replaced, severely rusty.

 

 

Should I replace the lateral link bushings? Does it effect ride quality much?

 

 

Tons of new parts on order, will update when done.

[rich_e777]

You might as well replace those bushings too. And the pads(and pucks? or pucks?) at the end of the monoleaf. You might try to fill that gap up with some JB weld product if that is possible. I have no respect for people that neglect the hell out of their car. You might want to look into using the Gen 2 lateral links, Got2BGM will modify a front set for you to work with Gen 1 and the rears for Gen2 are bolt on. That will effectively make all adjustable and probably 3 times as strong. Gen 1 Lat. Links like to bend as they are bar like in design, Gen 2s are tubular.

[cutlasssupremepizza]

I must be gen 2 (1995), because my latteral links are square tubular steel.

 

I tried using a big 1/2 air powered impact wrench with no luck after spraying the nuts down in pb blaster. I think I'm gonna say screw it. I don't think the bushings play a huge part in ride quality. They are not slopped out, just dry rotted.

[cutlasssupremepizza]

Well crap...when trying to remove the other trailing arm, the bolt is rusted to the metal insert on the inside, all it does is spin.

[Imp558]

That totally sucks, my a-arm bushings did that, lots of penetrating oil and swearing.

[cutlasssupremepizza]

Tried all that. It's too high up in the body to hit with a hammer. Might just grind the bushing out tomorrow.

[cutlasssupremepizza]

Here is a pic of the removed trailer arm, as you can see the bushing becomes threaded at the factory, which makes it even harder to remove.

 

Here is the old strut mount.

 

 

Here is a before picture.

 

 

 

 

Once I get the new struts in, I'm going to spray some truck bed coating on the inside where the bolts are.

[l67ss]

I must be gen 2 (1995), because my latteral links are square tubular steel.

 

I tried using a big 1/2 air powered impact wrench with no luck after spraying the nuts down in pb blaster. I think I'm gonna say screw it. I don't think the bushings play a huge part in ride quality. They are not slopped out, just dry rotted.

 

nope ur gen 1.......gen 2 arms are round tubular

[intern8tion9l]

Damn that's neglected. I broke off the top strut mount bolts before; got them out by grinding a flat spot on the part sticking in the trunk and getting vice grips on them. Heated the surrounding area with a torch from inside the wheel well.

 

i also had to cut the trailing arm bolts with a grinder and cutoff wheel

[cutlasssupremepizza]

One hour, lots of cussing, and 2 cut off wheels, got the old trailing arm out.

 

New next to old. The doorman's are made in China (big surprise), but have a square tube instead of a square channel, which means road salt won't splash up in the channel.

 

 

Here is the area I was working on, before and after I wire brushed it and put some paint on it.

 

 

 

Before and after of the hardware. The little bolts are toast, too much rust packed in. I was able to restore the larger, more expensive bolts.

 

 

 

 

 

[Dinsdale]

You are not alone !

 

The pic is of the passenger side, the other side of the 1991 Buick Regal coupe is completely okay.......I guess it's all a lottery. I decided to send the car to the guys at a workshop in town (I've known them for twenty years) for heavy stuff like this involving rusty bolt removal. I don't have a car lift or as many big hammers as they do, so I think they'll have a better chance of success than me laying on the ground to do this stuff.

 

I decided on this course of action after seeing and reading about this kind of problem here in the forums, so thanks very much to all for the info and help!

[cutlasssupremepizza]

Well I got one strut mount bolt out by welding a nut on the top. The other one broke, so now it's broke on both sides. Any suggestions on getting it out? It's flush with the body on both sides.

[GOT2B GM]

Drill it out

 

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[GOT2B GM]

 

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[GOT2B GM]

Drilled these two out on Galens TGP, didn't even damage the threads in the body.

 

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[cutlasssupremepizza]

What the heck did you drill them with? I tried using a cobalt bit and could not budge it. Did you use an easy out or anything?

[cutlasssupremepizza]

I bought the Dorman leaf spring bushings, supposed to not eat the pads like the moog ones.

 

[GOT2B GM]

Those Dorman pads are good. I turned what was left of the broken bolts from the top with vise grips. In your case with one broken on on both sides, I would use an easy out

 

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[GOT2B GM]

I just sharpened some HSS bits

 

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[Luke94vert]

The upper plate for the rear strut is just tac welded on. I've used an air chisel to cut the weld. As soon as the plate came off the broken bolts were easy to get out.

 

It's a option.

[cutlasssupremepizza]

I thought about doing that, but it would eff up the alignment unless I put it on just right.

 

I bought a nice bit and almost drilled the bolt out, then the bit broke off. Tried using another bit, but it dulls it right now.

[Buick666]

I've replaced the leaf springs,pads and rear traillings arms on my old '96 Regal and wow! Felt a lot more stable going through bumpy roads!

[cutlasssupremepizza]

Well I did some rudimentary testing, the lateral arm bushings are cracked all to hell, but still work, so I'm not going to worry. I tried to use pb blaster (too cheap for kroil), a torch, and an impact, no dice, so I'm going to leave it alone.

 

The leaf spring rubber bushings came today, so tomorrow I can start on putting it together.

 

My battery tray looks like this:

 

 

I also replaced the backup light, mine was cracked, and noticed the oddest thing ever! There are supposed to be two holes drilled for the upper ears of the piece, but one side of the car, had no hole! There was also no evidence of prior body work.

[cutlasssupremepizza]

I can't get the calliper pistons to go back in. I took the pistons out and noticed they had some gouges, does this mean they need replaced?

 

I'm wondering if maybe the parking brake is holding the piston out? How do you reset it?

[rich_e777]

For the rear calipers they thread in and out, a special tool is recommended but you can take an open end wrench, put a screwdriver through the other end and use that to spin them in or out. I`ve rebuilt both of mine. Can you take some pics of the gouges and did the caliper ever leak?