# Suspension noob. Please advice



## 5mgelt1ls2 (Apr 20, 2013)

Short and simple.. I need a suspension haul.
My ride is POS. I feel every pebble, I can hear loose washers, some clunking noises etc. Today I started hearing a some what of a clunk noise upon braking slightly hard, and feels like something moves forward.


Anyway, I want to replace everything.
Problem is I don't know what to replace. What bushings for example?

I want to replace all bushings, and I want a set of coilovers. I mean, I need complete suspension...

What bushings go where for example, where are they located on the car?
I can work on the stuff myself but I need to know what the bushings are for and located to get an idea. I'm mechanically inclined but I've never ever dealt with suspension in my life.



I've tried searching I found the full bushing kit from a vendor but they just look like red things. No idea what is what bushing, what's it for or where do they go. I'm pretty lost. The car is my daily driver, I'm at work mon thru fri, by the time I get home it's dark... I'm ready to drive this sht off a cliff. Im frustrated, I'm lost... 

Someone please help me lol.


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## Steamwalker (Mar 9, 2012)

If you don't like feeling every pebble in the road, you may want to rethink replacing all your bushings with poly and going the coilover route.


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## 5mgelt1ls2 (Apr 20, 2013)

Thanks a lot. I was looking for something like this.

I can just google their function and location later.
Are all the bushings included this image or is there more?

Is it hard to install coil overs?
I'm a fast learner all I need is diagrams and knowledge of what I'm looking at.


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## 5mgelt1ls2 (Apr 20, 2013)

Motivated learner.
I can pay someone to show me too.
In in SoCal, LA area.


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## svede1212 (Nov 1, 2005)

You described a bad front radius rod bushing. Bad ones ore borderline dangerous. The Front RR bushings and strut bushings/bearings as well as all dampers are must-do first suspension mods. Spring are a nice addition as especially the rears are saggy and weak. Once I got those done I "might as well as I'm doing this" replaced all the other bushings and sway bars too. The sways are IMHO the last thing I'd do as there is not much difference for the price. To re-do everything you're looking at well over $2,000. 


Good luck Googling as the only "advice" you usually get is vendors selling their stuff and under-educated musings.


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## johni53 (Feb 10, 2010)

svede1212 said:


> You described a bad front radius rod bushing. Bad ones ore borderline dangerous. The Front RR bushings and strut bushings/bearings as well as all dampers are must-do first suspension mods. Spring are a nice addition as especially the rears are saggy and weak. Once I got those done I "might as well as I'm doing this" replaced all the other bushings and sway bars too. The sways are IMHO the last thing I'd do as there is not much difference for the price. To re-do everything you're looking at well over $2,000.
> 
> 
> Good luck Googling as the only "advice" you usually get is vendors selling their stuff and under-educated musings.


How hard would you say it is to DIY on replacing these bushings/bearings on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being the hardest and are any of these press fits requiring taking them to a shop for changeout and any special tools needed other than a hammer and wrenches?


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## svede1212 (Nov 1, 2005)

It wasn't horrible. You need a jack and jack stands, springs compressor, hand tools and some ingenuity. It was more time consuming than anything maybe a 2 or 3 on a scale of 1 to 5. 

If you decide to do the rear radius rod bushings or front control arm bushings you may want to get them pressed out. I'd say they would be the last ones to do on a scale of impact on the car. The rear control arm bushings (inner and outer) are pressed in really hard too but I made a simple tool and by first drilling out some of the middle and applying heat from a propane torch I got the second one out in 15 minutes after I figured it out on the first one. The rear subframe bushing needs a breaker bar to get the center bolt out as it's really on there. Those bolts are TTY so you need new ones. You need to do the outer rear control arm bushing at the same time as the rear subframe bushing to get the bolt out when you drop that side. Do one side at a time to keep the subframe somewhat aligned.


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## NucciGOAT (Dec 10, 2013)

Steamwalker said:


> If you don't like feeling every pebble in the road, you may want to rethink replacing all your bushings with poly and going the coilover route.


This is the best picture ever!! Thank you so much for posting this!! I am looking at all these bushings to buy and not sure which ones to get first etc.. I can't afford to get them all at once. There are so many front and rears insides and outsides. This helps so so so much thank you!!!arty:


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