Papa D

My 94 has officially hit 300,000 miles. I am wanting to start putting some money into the suspension and the engine, but don't know which to start with. I am leaning towards the suspension since he kinda feels like a drunk school bus on pretty much everything I drive on. Straight lines at low speeds is actually scary. I know the steering linkage needs some work and the springs are shot on the left side.

The engine runs solid but has some oil containment issues.

Thanks for the input.

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Jackass of all Trades

Tri-9 Defined: 1994, 1995 or 1996 B-Body.


1994 9c1- 300,000 miles and counting.

C.E.Divine

If the engine still seems to be in decent shape, and by that I mean if it isn't smoking or anything major, I would go with suspension. Suspension could end up being a life or death decision. If a tie rod busts or someyhing about it causes you to lose control, that might not end well. Engine could probably wait if it isn't showing any major signs of imminent failure.

Papa D

That was what I was thinking too.

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Jackass of all Trades

Tri-9 Defined: 1994, 1995 or 1996 B-Body.


1994 9c1- 300,000 miles and counting.

donmateo

haha, somethin must be in the air. I'm also looking at a list of projects.

I agree, suspension first. That will be a nice project too.

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Burt

How extensively are you thinking about modifying the suspension? After you rebuild the steering, are you just going to do springs(and probably struts) or are you going to start looking into sway bars and the like too?

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'09 Impala LS
-SSC Lowering Springs
-ZZP Front & Rear Strut Tower Brace
-Dorman 927-100 Front Sway Bar
-ZZP Shortened Dogbones
-Addco 639 Rear Sway Bar
-Turner Motorsports End Links

Papa D

I've got a 9c1. I like the Sway Bars already on it. I have Bilstein shocks already. I will probably go with some SS Springs, or maybe go a little lower. I know Impaler did a drop on his. I'm gonna pick his brain a little too.

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Jackass of all Trades

Tri-9 Defined: 1994, 1995 or 1996 B-Body.


1994 9c1- 300,000 miles and counting.

Burt

have you considered new bushings too? Not poly bushings necessarily, but I would have to think that after 300k miles, most of the stock rubber bushings on the car are shot

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'09 Impala LS
-SSC Lowering Springs
-ZZP Front & Rear Strut Tower Brace
-Dorman 927-100 Front Sway Bar
-ZZP Shortened Dogbones
-Addco 639 Rear Sway Bar
-Turner Motorsports End Links

kingnutin

I replaced all my linkage a little while ago, pretty easy job. Saved a bundle by ordering everything from rockauto, would have been a lot more if I got it locally. Replace everything but the pitman arm, those don't wear. Now I need to do my control arm bushings and ball joints, not thrilled about that job... Oh, do your wheel bearings too, unless you replaced them recently. I also ordered sway bar bushings, but realized when I tried to put them on that I got the wrong ones. I got the 15/16 bushings, but I have the 1 1/8 bar like you do.

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1978 Caprice Classic Landau
350 2-bolt, stock 4bbl
Stock rebuilt TH350
Edelbrock performer cam + intake
Dual 2 1/2" Flowmaster exhuast (waiting to be installed)
Edelbrock IAS Classic shocks
95 9C1 3.08 posi
4 wheel disc brakes!
16x8 American Racing Baja's with 225/60/16 Pirelli P4's

Papa D

The body bushings are gonna bet done at some point. I did the Sway bar rebuild last summer. Thanks for the heads up about the pitman arm. I would have bought a new one of those too. Haven't got to get any parts, but I talked it over with my wife and she agreed to get the steering linkage done first then the rest of the suspension before the engine. that was probably the hardest part of the project... getting her on the same page. ;)

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Jackass of all Trades

Tri-9 Defined: 1994, 1995 or 1996 B-Body.


1994 9c1- 300,000 miles and counting.

MrBuick (Magnum)

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I would go with the suspension first. Inner/outer tie rods, Adjuster sleeves, idler arm, and a center link. If the ball joints haven't been done recently, I would inspect those very well and consider them. Then you also need to look at the control arm bushings. I have a 94 Caprice 9C1 that has new everything up front that was just mentioned. Except the control arm bushings. I can feel it shift back and forth rather strongly because the control arm bushings are toast. Mine only has 220k or so.

The control arm bushings are a pain to do. It's worth considering to replace the entire arms. This is going to be an expensive, and labor intensive project. If doing front ball joints, now is the time to do front springs. I have recently seen a few SS sets for sale on ISSF.

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~Cory Magner "My name is Cory, and I'm an addict."


95 DCM Buick RMS 14.21 @ 91.79 "Jesus" Blown Engine at 85k
95 DCM Buick RMS 13.52 @ 99.33 "The Doctor" Blown Engine at 180k
96 DGGM Buick RMW. 263k, still on the factory tranny.

And 5 other LT1 powered land yachts Is there Rehab for this Sh*t?

Papa D

Thanks Cory.

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Jackass of all Trades

Tri-9 Defined: 1994, 1995 or 1996 B-Body.


1994 9c1- 300,000 miles and counting.