| Author |
 Topic  |
|
| |
Current Topic Rating:  | Join the Forum to Rate this Topic at: www.VNCommodore.com Support Forums
|
|
|
foxtrot.tango
P Plater
86 Posts
 |
 Posted - 28 Apr 2006 : 4:38:54 PM
|
|
How much would it cost and what are my options approx for me to get the suspension replaced on my VN?
|
VN Executive 1988 - Auto 3.8V6 |
|
Report to Moderator |
|
|
mouce
National Driver
1525 Posts
|
Posted - 28 Apr 2006 : 9:41:12 PM
|
Depends on what you want to do.
If you want to keep it at standard height, then a new set of stuts/shocks should only set you back about $300 for all four (and that's going to be fairly good stuff). Springs...You can pick them up fairly cheaply from almost anywhere. Do the labour yourself (free) and it isn't hard...
Or...as I'll be doing in a few months (when I've got the $$$ for it), I'll be getting a full Whiteline suspension kit, Lowered Springs, Shocks/Struts, Panhard Rod, Radius Rods, and throwing Nolothane bushes at as much of it as I can, a strut tower bar and a few other goodies for about $1500 for parts only, I'll fit it all myself and take it to the local tyre shop for a wheel alignment once it's all in.
Failing that, I could get it fitted for me and that would add another $400 to the price of it.
You could always look at airbags (if you've just won Tatts AND Powerball), or adjustable coil-overs (if you've won Tatts).
For suspension the sky is the limit.
Answering the following should help: Do you want it lowered (if yes, by how much)?, Do you want it stiffer?, Can you fit it yourself? |
Bite off more than you can chew, and chew like hell - Peter Brock (1945-2006) |
Report to Moderator  |
|
|
CanadaMoose
Starting in the driveway
4 Posts
|
Posted - 02 May 2006 : 12:09:29 PM
|
| Replacing the rear shockers is easy, but you probably will want to have a professional change the inserts for the front. |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
mouce
National Driver
1525 Posts
|
Posted - 02 May 2006 : 9:58:27 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by CanadaMoose
Replacing the rear shockers is easy, but you probably will want to have a professional change the inserts for the front.
Why get someone to do the fronts? A bit of muscle, a spare afternoon and a few beers and the job is done. |
Bite off more than you can chew, and chew like hell - Peter Brock (1945-2006) |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
James Mongan
P Plater
78 Posts
|
Posted - 09 May 2006 : 2:16:27 PM
|
| hey guys me again, it took me almost a whole day to take out the front springs in my vn it was a pain in the ass (i hadnt done it before though) but now with new monroe shocks and ultra low king springs, it still has a pritty good ride and better handling. and on the other hand it probably is the lowest vn around that hasnt got cut springs.(lots of tyre in guard all round) it hatews speed humps thou and i think ill have to re-locate my neons as i dont think there having a good time under the car. as with the adjustable panhard rod i dont think there really necessary as i put my mates 18's on it and there was still plenty of room between the rim and guard. looks cool though |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
lolo
Fully Licenced
503 Posts
|
Posted - 28 May 2006 : 10:12:54 PM
|
| Can anyone tell me how much a full set of circuit spec adjustable coilovers would cost me plus labour... handling is **** and I scrape anything and everything |
Marcus Rogulic R.I.P (1980-2007)
"The Good Die Young" |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
mouce
National Driver
1525 Posts
|
Posted - 29 May 2006 : 12:25:58 PM
|
If your handling is crap and you scrape everything then I'd be saying that's it's not just your shocks/struts that are gone. From your other post you're going to have some masive power trying to get to the ground, a full set of Nolathane bushes (front and rear), strut tower bar, matching spring/shocks/struts (all from the one manufacturer) would be the way to go. I'm looking at one of the lowering kits from whiteline, because all the springs/shocks/struts come from the one place you're more likely to end up with a really good ride.
Don't get me wrong, a set of coilovers would be nice to have, can you fit coil overs to all four corners of the VN? But don't forget that there's much more to a suspension than springs/shocks/struts. |
Bite off more than you can chew, and chew like hell - Peter Brock (1945-2006) |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
foxtrot.tango
P Plater
86 Posts
|
Posted - 14 Sep 2006 : 2:37:21 PM
|
| Well i'm finally replacing my suspension. I'm going with a set of KYB Excel-G shocks and King Spring Lows and installing it myself with a mate. Is there anything else i should replace while its all apart? |
VN Executive 1988 - Auto 3.8V6 |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
mouce
National Driver
1525 Posts
|
Posted - 14 Sep 2006 : 3:32:31 PM
|
Any rubbers that have started to split or crack. Check out the rubber plate at the top of the front strut tower (the little rubber bits you can see at the top of the towers in the engine bay). If these have started to crack, replace them.
Since you're going to lower it, get an adjustable pan-hard rod so that you can re-center the diff, otherwise you're going to kill either your diff or your uni-joint a hell of a lot quicker than normal.
Check the condition of the ball-joints and the bushes for the lower control arms. |
Bite off more than you can chew, and chew like hell - Peter Brock (1945-2006) |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
foxtrot.tango
P Plater
86 Posts
|
Posted - 14 Sep 2006 : 11:47:33 PM
|
| Oh isee i thought i read somewhere that it wasnt really necessisary to get and adjustable panhard rod if you wern't lowering it to much. What sort of price should i pay for one? |
VN Executive 1988 - Auto 3.8V6 |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
chooba
P Plater
57 Posts
|
Posted - 15 Sep 2006 : 10:49:03 AM
|
James mongan- can you do me a favour? Please take the neons out of the car? You dont have to of coarse because its your car and you may do as you wish with it. But if ive learnt anything about cars in my life, its that Holdens(espessially older models) can best have neons left out of the picture. We can have aussie built muscle turning into hondas and toyotas now can we? Im not having a go at you, but if you dont, ill come and kill you. lol, nah i dont care what you do.
ps. what sort of rims do you have on your car. Because ive got 16" septers on mine and the reargaurd comes about half way between the top of the tyre and the rim. Its low as on the back. Youve got competition for a lowrider matey. Have you got pics? |
A VN quote to Remember...
'THE MIGHTY SLEDGE HAMMER SOLVES ALL VN PROBLEMS'
Anything can fit if its mashed into place... |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
foxtrot.tango
P Plater
86 Posts
|
Posted - 17 Sep 2006 : 6:11:32 PM
|
| New suspension is now installed. The ride is smooth but rigid and you feel all the imperfections in the road alot more. How much of a difference would installing a strut tower bar make? |
VN Executive 1988 - Auto 3.8V6 |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
mouce
National Driver
1525 Posts
|
Posted - 19 Sep 2006 : 8:20:11 PM
|
@chooba: I've heard of 16" interceptors, but have been told that they are not actually true 'ceptors. They are just a larger knock-off version of the real things.
As for the strut tower bar, it will normally make a HUGE difference. Even with a good suspension setup, there's still a LOT of flex in the front end. Getting the strut tower bar will tie it all together really nicely. Well worth it, as long as you get a good quality one. |
Bite off more than you can chew, and chew like hell - Peter Brock (1945-2006) |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
trizo
Forum Moderator
3091 Posts
|
Posted - 19 Sep 2006 : 9:14:36 PM
|
| I think peoples options on wat they put on there car should b left up2 them not sum1 on the other end of a keyboard!!!we can only suggest not tell!!sorry but I feel if u haf sumthing like that 2 say there is such a thing as I private message box (note i'm not using it 4 a reason)!neons look good even on aussie built muscle (not mentioning that the motors that run in these vn's r american BUICK)so as I said mate if u want neons stikem on if u dont then dont put the things on every 1 has there own opinion on wat looks good but as far as knockin another mans ride Not on! |
3 can keep a secret if 2 are dead |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
Brum
P Plater
65 Posts
|
Posted - 27 Sep 2006 : 5:50:09 PM
|
Hey guys, just wondering, my car is a berlina with calais options, like LSD etc, and my car sits reasonably low compared to other VN's. On my engine plates, it say my suspension is standard, not FE2, is there anyother way to check?
Also, will FE2 from a VN SS fit in VN V6? Can i just change the springs to FE2 and not the shocks? I was only looking at doing the front end, as this takes most of the crap - is this not wise?? |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
CanadaMoose
Starting in the driveway
4 Posts
|
Posted - 28 Sep 2006 : 4:54:11 PM
|
The shockers are the same in the front for both standard and FE2 suspension. They're different in the rear, however: the FE2 rear shockers are shorter, to accommodate the shorter spring length.
If you're going to have the front springs changed, do the shocks as well. The toughest part of the job is already done: new shockers are just inserts inside the strut tube. [BTW, putting oil inside the strut tube before inserting the new shockers apparently conducts heat away from the shock insert.]
Changing the rear shocks and springs is dead easy, on the other hand. You might want to do this yourself before taking your VN into the shop to get the fronts done.
I'm told that Monroe GT Gas is the best bang 4 yer buck, but YMMV. |
| Report to Moderator |
|
|
mouce
National Driver
1525 Posts
|
Posted - 28 Sep 2006 : 5:13:28 PM
|
There's no great mystery about the front end suspension in a VN, as long as you can get your hands on a good set of spring compressors (and no a g-clamp will NOT do the job), you can do it yourself. A rattle-gun makes it even easier again, but it's possible to do it without one.
As for the brand of the shocks/struts that you use, it's hard to make a statement about one brand to rule them all. It depends on the springs you get. Some shocks work really well with a certain type of spring, but they aren't worth crap with some other brands of spring.
If you're after a good quality handling package, then your best bet is to change the springs and shocks/struts as a package. There's a few brands that will do packages, my personal preference is the Whiteline packages, but Pedders do some good ones too. The advantage of the 'package' approach is that they have 'matched' shocks and springs in the package. The good quality packages also come with an adjustable pan-hard rod and depending how low you go, radius control arms for the front.
If all you want to do is dump your VN in the weeds so it looks tough and you don't care about how it handles, then get yourself the lowest legal King Springs and some shortened shocks. The look will be the same, but the handling/ride won't be anywhere near as good. This is the cheaper option though. |
Bite off more than you can chew, and chew like hell - Peter Brock (1945-2006) |
| Report to Moderator |
|
| |
Topic |
|
Topic Locked
