1G suspension replacement

[BloodBrother]

First post in the forums, yay! Hey guys, I have a '91 Talon TSI that I've slowly been replacing parts on, and I need to plan out my budget for the suspension. Is there anyone who can walk me through what I should replace from first to last? Thanks!

 

[Dhan]

I'm assuming the car runs and drives.

I would simply do a thorough under-body inspection and see what needs attention. Without actually seeing the car in-person, photos of it, or knowing more info (is it from the rust belt, been sitting in a shed for 10 years, etc) it is hard to say what it needs. Also, I'm not sure if you're looking to improve the car's handling or do a total overhaul.

If it were me and the car was neglected, I'd start with safety related parts.

• Brakes. Check the fluid level and fluid quality, replace brake pads, make sure the calipers aren't sticking or leaking, check if rotors are warped, and bleed the fluid system.
• Ball joints and inner & outer tie rods. Like most economy cars, these are a spherical bearing design and protected by a rubber boot. The rubber boot is usually torn and the grease has dried up. If these break at 65mph, you're in for a piss-poor day.
• Driveshaft/axle. Make sure the rubber boots are in good condition. If the car is 'clicking' when you turn, the boots are torn and the grease has leaked out.

Once those things are covered, I'd move on to more intermediate tasks.

• Wheel bearings. Difficult to tell if these need replacing simply by eyeballing it. If they chatter or make any kind of noise when the tire is spinning or you're driving, they are probably shot. You'll need a press to remove them.
• Bushings. There's a lot of these rubber bushings and they'll probably all be dry-rotted. This alone is a big job.
• Shocks/springs. Your shocks are likely blown if it's an old car. If you want to lower the car or improve handling, the shock/spring combo is where most start.

Associated parts I would give attention to.

• Power steering system. On every DSM I have seen up close, the PS rack and pinion system needs a rebuild. Not totally suspension related, but might as well tackle it while everything is apart.
• Tires. It kills me when people drop thousands of dollars on motor and suspension parts but are driving around on el cheapo all-season tires. Check the tire's condition and replace them if needed (with quality rubber).

Pricing will vary with all these parts and if you're not doing all this yourself, be sure to factor in someone else's labor ($50-$150 an hour). If you spent $1000-2000 on all this, I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[BloodBrother]

Thank you so much for a very thorough response! Yes the car runs and drives, (for the most part) and is stock with the exception of it being lowered a bit. My goal at the moment is to Replace parts as opposed to Upgrade parts, if that makes sense. Between this awesome forum, and a Chilton, I am trying to educate myself not only on DSMs but cars in general. I do have fairly fresh tires that came with the car, I do have the front brakes done, and I know I need to do the back brakes (brake fluid loss and grime on rear driver wheel), as well as replace a torn CV axle. I was at a loss on how to proceed afterwards, but now I have a starting point! Thank you again for your time, Dhan.

 

[Dhan]

No problem! Good luck!

 

[luv2rallye]

Ditch the Chiltons and download the real Mitsubishi manuals for free here: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/5k14qlaulb9s1/dsm_mitsubishi

 

[BloodBrother]

Thank you Luv, I'll download that and look at it!