Specific questions RE: KYB struts/shocks and/or FE3 springs

[gtphill]

Hello!

 

My regal currently has an FE1 suspension with FUX front springs and the "j" (middle stiffness) rear spring. I want to change the front springs to FUZ, and place KYB GR2 shocks/struts all the way around.

 

I am also going to put in new strut mounts as the originals are still on the car. What I need to know is:

 

1. What is the part number for the strut mount that works with the FUZ spring?

 

2. Do I need to order the regular, or heavy duty, KYB struts.

 

3. What is the difference in the mounting of the two types of KYBs?

 

4. Is the rear transverse leaf spring removable without the GM tool? If so, how have you done it?

 

5. Does anyone make a good aftermarket bushing kit that i can put on the car while I am doing the struts?

 

I have an alldataDIY subscription for the car, but it doesn't tell me the parts needed to upgrade from the FE1 suspension.

 

Thanks all!

 

P.S. I know audio backwards and forwards, so if anyone has questions re stereo stuff, perhaps that can be my contribution to the forum.

[gtphill]

Did no one out there do a KYB shock/strut retrofit themselves?

 

Thanks!

[lilloon]

hey man. well, about the only thing i can help you with is the rear spring, yes its removable without a special tool. if yer doin it at home, its a bitch. ive done two in my garage, but alot more at my work. getting it out is alot easier than getting it back in. heres the short, youve got two 21mm or 13/16 nutted blots at the bottom of the rear strut. pull the nuts off and pop the bolts out. theres three 10mm bolts holding a bracket in at the center of the rear spring take those and the braket off. use a clamp or long bolt depending on which setup u have to hole the knuckle in place during the whole thing. on some there is a rubber bumper that kinda looks like an 8, if it has that style, use the bolt, if not, use a clamp. the rest is basicly just fighting it out and reassembling it. try to clean out all the crud from the spring perch when u get it out. itll make the outer bushings last a little longer.

[gtphill]

hey man. well, about the only thing i can help you with is the rear spring, yes its removable without a special tool. if yer doin it at home, its a bitch. ive done two in my garage, but alot more at my work. getting it out is alot easier than getting it back in. heres the short, youve got two 21mm or 13/16 nutted blots at the bottom of the rear strut. pull the nuts off and pop the bolts out. theres three 10mm bolts holding a bracket in at the center of the rear spring take those and the braket off. use a clamp or long bolt depending on which setup u have to hole the knuckle in place during the whole thing. on some there is a rubber bumper that kinda looks like an 8, if it has that style, use the bolt, if not, use a clamp. the rest is basicly just fighting it out and reassembling it. try to clean out all the crud from the spring perch when u get it out. itll make the outer bushings last a little longer.

 

Thanks, I appreciate the heads up. I may have to assent and let a shop do the work, as I have a limited time schedule to get it done, grr.

 

Do you know what the differences between the various strut mounts available for the w-body?

[lilloon]

as far as what i sell at work, there is only one set listed for w's. i think the regal takes a different one than the rest, but im not quite sure on that. we sell monroe where i work, but i am a fan of gabriel. but if you can find a set of monroe reflex struts for yer car, i highly recommend them. its what i put on my lumina, and they ride a bit stiff but it handles sooo much better than the monroe sensatrac. i havent used kyb's so i cant give you a good opinion on em. we replaced oem struts on my buddy's 98 regal with kyb and they ride good. i dont know if they were heavy duty or what model they were tho.

[GnatGoSplat]

1. What is the part number for the strut mount that works with the FUZ spring?

 

No clue, but your existing strut mounts will work.

I must say after a quick test drive with the Suspension Techniques springs that JCW sells, they feel as good as FE3 to me.

 

2. Do I need to order the regular, or heavy duty, KYB struts.

 

KYB's only come in "regulary duty", the GR2's, for our gen 1 W-bodies.

 

3. What is the difference in the mounting of the two types of KYBs?

 

See answer to #2 above.

 

4. Is the rear transverse leaf spring removable without the GM tool? If so, how have you done it?

 

Yes, but you have to be creative! I'm not that creative, I bought the tool. I've heard of people just removing the struts, unbolting the trailling arms, then jacking up the car real high and letting the suspension arms dangle. Then you can pull the spring.

 

5. Does anyone make a good aftermarket bushing kit that i can put on the car while I am doing the struts?

 

I don't know on that one.

 

I have an alldataDIY subscription for the car, but it doesn't tell me the parts needed to upgrade from the FE1 suspension.

 

In addition to springs and struts, the FE3 also adds bigger front sway bar and a rear sway bar (FE1 has no rear sway bar).

The biggest front sway bar you can get will be found on 3.4 DOHC cars, it's 34mm (FE1 is 28mm I think). The FE3 rear sway bars are 11mm (I think) although you can get a 7/8" (22mm) rear sway bar from Addco.

The Addco bar greatly changes the way the car handles and will greatly reduce understeer. However, it also introduces the possibility of oversteer which can be very dangerous in an FWD car.

[gtphill]

Yes, but you have to be creative! I'm not that creative, I bought the tool. I've heard of people just removing the struts, unbolting the trailling arms, then jacking up the car real high and letting the suspension arms dangle. Then you can pull the spring.

 

In addition to springs and struts, the FE3 also adds bigger front sway bar and a rear sway bar (FE1 has no rear sway bar).

The biggest front sway bar you can get will be found on 3.4 DOHC cars, it's 34mm (FE1 is 28mm I think). The FE3 rear sway bars are 11mm (I think) although you can get a 7/8" (22mm) rear sway bar from Addco.

The Addco bar greatly changes the way the car handles and will greatly reduce understeer. However, it also introduces the possibility of oversteer which can be very dangerous in an FWD car.

 

Shaun,

 

That's great! You have really helped me head the right direction. How much does the spring tool cost?

 

As for the understeer, I will be careful about what addons I do there. I've never driven a car that understeers worse than this one in its current form.

[GnatGoSplat]

I paid $100 for my spring tool from Ebay. I think the search string I used was "kent moore spring".

 

That's kind of a lot to spend if you're just going to use it once, but I figured it was worth it considering I have 4 W-bodies!

 

The Addco bar is definitely the way to go to GREATLY reduce the understeer, but it will oversteer on rainy days or when traction is low in a corner.

[gtphill]

Yes, but you have to be creative! I'm not that creative, I bought the tool. I've heard of people just removing the struts, unbolting the trailling arms, then jacking up the car real high and letting the suspension arms dangle. Then you can pull the spring.

 

Shawn,

 

Do i read in between the lines here to indicate that the rear shocks are removable without having to pull the spring?

 

I am not planning on replacing the the rear spring, as it still feels fine. I just need to change the shocks. If I can unbolt them without removing the spring, that would be great!

 

Thanks again!

[GnatGoSplat]

Yes, you can pull the rear struts without removing the spring. Just jack up the rear of the car, set on jackstands, and relieve pressure from the struts by jacking up on the edge of the spring close to the knuckle (I use a piece of wood between jack and spring to prevent scratching the spring). You've jacked it up enough when you can tell that the spring is no longer pushing the strut and wheel downwards. This is the easy way to compress the spring, and probably the way I would do it even though I do have the proper spring compressor.

 

The first time I did it, I didn't even have a hydraulic jack, just the one under the spare that came with the car. I jacked up the rear of the car and put 1 jackstand set taller under the spring by the knuckle, and set the other jackstand under the car body but a little lower. I lowered the jack until the car sat on the jackstand under the body and the other jackstand was compressing the spring.

 

It's real easy to change the rear struts that way if the bolts aren't rusted solid.

[gtphill]

This is the easy way to compress the spring, and probably the way I would do it even though I do have the proper spring compressor.

 

The first time I did it, I didn't even have a hydraulic jack, just the one under the spare that came with the car. I jacked up the rear of the car and put 1 jackstand set taller under the spring by the knuckle, and set the other jackstand under the car body but a little lower. I lowered the jack until the car sat on the jackstand under the body and the other jackstand was compressing the spring.

 

It's real easy to change the rear struts that way if the bolts aren't rusted solid.

 

Sounds good. I own four jackstands, so that should be no trouble. Just out of curiousity, what is the spring compressor for the rear of a w-body like?

[GnatGoSplat]

The spring compressor looks like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2473513228&category=43998&sspagename=WDVW

[GnatGoSplat]

BTW, you're in luck, check out the for sale section, looks like Davis has a set of TGP FUZ springs for sale.