Tuesday, June 10, 2008 - 10:51 pm, by: Tom Lanyon(Toml)
I took my Celsior to Pedders to have a 'safety check' as its suspension has been losing all dampening and the steering has been wobbly.
They said the following needs replacing: airbags/shocks, upper balljoints, tie rod ends, steering rack ends.
I was already planning on replacing my air shocks with Arnotts and probably replacing bushes at the same time. My question is how much of the rest of this can I replace myself?
Arnotts sell a replacement upper control arm, is that because the OEM replacement is too expensive or its not possible to remove the balljoint from the control arm?
When they say the tie rod end is worn, is this because they have a balljoint where it connects to the steering knuckle and it would be worn?
Is the rack end just a common name for the inner tie rod end?
I figure with both of these steering parts I'll need to get a suspension shop to fit them as they'll need to do a wheel alignment?
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 08:26 am, by: Rich O'neil(Kiwiinaus)
Have a look at the new Arnotts struts with the replacement Bilstein shocks , new shocks not rehashed old units , [ and do they actually refresh them ??? I have cut some apart and I still don't believe they rebuild the dampener part and my dampening in my Arnotts struts has totally failed after 2 years !!] Even though they say they are for the 93 to 94 they will fit and will be a better deal than the other units , $699.00 for the PAIR is a great price . Their upper control arms are the way to go as you are right , the ball joints can't be replaced . I have a set of their upper control arms and they are the biz at the right price . If you are going to do the rack do inner rod ends and the outer ball joints at the same time , you will also need to replace the rack mount bushes as well , they hold the rack from moving side to side and if you don't keep them fresh the input shaft seal can fail and leak , they are not expensive , about $30 and $42 , I have them on the shelf . Also do your lower ball joints , lower control arm bushes and sway bar bushes and the front radius rod bushes , that way everything is working together and no one component is doing more than it should . If you fit new struts and don't freshen up the bushes then your struts are working harder than they should and vice versa .
Tom Lanyon Tinkerer SA Supra MA71 + Celsior C-F V8
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 10:25 am, by: Tom Lanyon(Toml)
Thanks Rich, yes I'm planning on using the Arnotts Bilstein struts for the front. I've emailed them asking whether they are planning on releasing a Bilstein based strut for the rear.
I was also planning to replace all control arm bushings and the lower balljoints at the same time. Thanks for pointing out the rack mount bushes, sway bar bushes and front radius rod bushes - I'll replace them too.
Am I best to go with OEM bushes + balljoints (apart from the Arnotts parts), or are there better alternatives?
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