Suspension maintence after 3 years of sitting

[GSXSixteenG]

Well guys, after 3+ years of a slow rebuild and the car being located 6 hours away. It's finally time to put her back on the road. So, I can drive her (6 hours) to a local body shop for some fresh paint.

But before that happens, I want to make sure my baby is up to the task of being on the road again. What should I look for in the suspension before its back on the road? I plan on replacing the front tie rods and lower control arms. What else should I look for? Suspension is the one things I haven't touched on the car yet. Shocks are blown so those will be replaced as well.

Do you think it would be best to buy a full bushing kit and getting it done with?

 

[koz99eclipse]

haha...6 hours isn't exactly "local" but yes, i would recommend doing the urithane bushing kit, you get a much better feel of the suspension and keeps wheel hop under control.

 

[stuckwithgsx]

This is actually a good question i've never really thought about. But in my opinion, and what i've done before, is before moving the car at all I would check all suspension components visually. Check for cracks, bends (unordinary ones), missing pieces, just anything obvious. Then when you start driving go slow and turn back and forth pretty fast and listen for bad sounds. After all that i'd go to the car wash (your car will love you for it, and the body shop will be happier) After the car wash then again look to see if you may have uncovered a crack that you couldn't see before, or the water pressure blowing out a rubber bushing. After all that, then again start driving slowly and steering back and forth while listening, if all sounds and feels good then you SHOULD be good to go

I take no responsibility for leading you in the wrong direction. But these simple tests have worked for me very well in the past.

Edit* I believe the OP was talking about driving 6 hours, and then he would be local and finding a local body shop. Not finding a shop 6 hours away. Lol

 

[GSXSixteenG]

This is actually a good question i've never really thought about. But in my opinion, and what i've done before, is before moving the car at all I would check all suspension components visually. Check for cracks, bends (unordinary ones), missing pieces, just anything obvious. Then when you start driving go slow and turn back and forth pretty fast and listen for bad sounds. After all that i'd go to the car wash (your car will love you for it, and the body shop will be happier) After the car wash then again look to see if you may have uncovered a crack that you couldn't see before, or the water pressure blowing out a rubber bushing. After all that, then again start driving slowly and steering back and forth while listening, if all sounds and feels good then you SHOULD be good to go

I take no responsibility for leading you in the wrong direction. But these simple tests have worked for me very well in the past.

I will try this, I'm trying to think of anything that would have to be checked besides replacing what I mentioned previously, upper balljoints are the only thing I can think of at the moment.

Edit* I believe the OP was talking about driving 6 hours, and then he would be local and finding a local body shop. Not finding a shop 6 hours away. Lol

This is correct. I'm driving from upstate NY (Lake Placid area), to Buffalo, NY. The owner of the body shop is a very good friend of mine. The paint is actually still pretty good besides some rock chips on the front bumper.

 

[DOHCTA]

Don't drive FAST and avoid any major pot holes and keep an eye on your strut dowels dont bend or come out of the housings (first thing that will happen with a blown strut). Recommend you spend the dough on coilvers (ie. megan racing, tein, yonaka). It will accomodate future mods well.

And like what "stuckwithgsx" mentioned about slower speeds and testing the steering components, try to get a good body roll and listen to all four corners at varying speeds, while accelerating and braking.

- DOHCTA