My '94 GXE floats like a old Buick on the highway, enough is enough -

My 16 year old son is going to be driving it and as it is now, the first time he slams it into a corner it will buck his *** right off the road.

Seems like the shocks are just worn out, maybe the GXE is just a floater, is there anything I can do for not a ton of money to firm it up a bit?

How much of a PIA is it to change the front and rear shocks/struts?

Thanks in advance

 

I'm sure you could throw a few hundred pounds of weight in the car

But replacing the struts isn't that hard or expensive if you get the cheapies

 

Get some KYB GR2's? I know they're a little stiffer than stock.

 

the fronts are easy peasey....the rears are a pita to put it nicely.....especially if rust is an issue...

doing the work yourself will definitely save a large chunk of change in labor..

 

Now we're talkin'!

Only a couple hundred bucks, heck, that leaves enough for me to pay someone else to put them on!

http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/S...94&autoModClar=

Awesome, thank you

 

Easy I like, without air tools PITA might be best left to my buddies at the local shop, an alignment probably would not hurt anyway.

Car is actually pretty rust free, thank goodness.

Be nice to do it with my son, his first experience working on the car might be best saved for something easier -

Like replacing the busted exhaust studs

Maybe a oil change would be a better break-in....

 

the rears are a pita with air tools

 

The rears are a shock in sleeve design. Absorbor is in-cased in a sleeve (tube) that is mounted to the knuckle. After removing the entire assembly from the car you would then of course use a spring compressor in the process of removing the spring. Once thats accomplished at the base of the piston where it meets the sleeve is a retaining nut (I believe its hex). Remove with pipe wrench and vise (thats how I did). Watch out because as soon as you loosen it freely enough the hydraulic fluid will spill out. Dispose it properly and insert the new GR2 replacement or whatever brand you get. After all of that reverse the process from the hex nut for installation. While your at all of this it wouldn't hurt to inspect your strut mounts, bump stops, ball joints and any other suspension related bushing that may be worn (since your son will be behind the wheel). Go in once and take care of everything. Getting that retaining nut is about the only pita there would be for you.

 

lol I just used a breaker bar.