Need help finding springs/shocks

Welcome Guest, we hope you find what you're looking for. Take a few seconds to register for an account and participate in the conversations!

ALL FORUMS ARE OFF-LIMITS FOR 0-POST USERS
CLICK THE SIGN AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF

[buickbear]

I have a 1992 grand prix se and I am looking for some lowering springs, and preformance shocks/struts.  But I can not find anything.  If anyone have some links it would really help .

[3100MPFI]

seeing it is 1992, I am going under the assumption that it is an FE1 suspension, but reguardless, do you know if your suspension is currently FE1, FE2, or FE3?  Also, which engine do you have.

There really is not much for AFTERMARKET, but if you can go to a junkyard, I can tell you what to look for.

For the FRONT SPRINGS, look for a 1995-1996 Cutlass Supreme COUPE with the FE3 suspension.  Then check the sticker on the front springs to see if the code is FUX.  That will be the ones you want for the front.

For STRUTS, I would recommend KYB-GR2's all around.

If your engine is a 3.1 MPFI, then I would recommend looking for a car with the 3.4 DOHC, and get the FRONT SWAY BAR as well.

For the rear of the car, look for a 1992~ish Lumina Z34 and get the REAR SWAY BAR out of it.  If the monoleaf is in good condition, I would grab that as well.

In my car, it didn't really lower it (The FUX springs in the front did lower the front), but it did level it out, and the car now handles EXTREMELY well.  Despite what some people think, the monoleaf setup is REALLY GOOD as long as it is done up right.

[3100MPFI]

I suppose to be fair, I should mention that they make a COILOVER CONVERSION (for the rear) for these cars that have lowering components in them, but I do NOT recommend them.  They add way too much stress to the mounting areas and I have seen them punch through (basically totalling the car).

I do not recommend the coilovers for any car older than 1995, or if it is a car up north where they use SALT in the road in winter, or if you are near the COAST.  There are just way too many risks in my opinion.

Just so you know, there ARE some people that have done it, and have NOT had problems with it, but I have seen about 20 of them that it punched through, and that is about 20 of them too many.  Most of those were in Pennsylvania, and New York.  I have seen 3 or 4 here in Texas.

IF I was to consider doing the coilovers, I would ONLY do it to my 1995 Cutlass Supreme.  It will NEVER be done to my 1988 Cutlass Supreme, or my 1990 Grand Prix STE UNLESS I DO A LOT OF STRENGTHENING TO THE BODY OF THE CAR FIRST!!!!!  And I mean a LOT of strengthening.

[3100MPFI]

one last thing to point out.  In my SIG PIC, tha is my 1988 Cutlass Supreme AFTER I did the work I had mentioned in my first post.  As you can see, the car sits level, and to me, that is more important than how low it sits.  To me, my car sits at the PERFECT level.  It is high enough that I don't have to panic if I see a pothole in the road, high enough to give a smooth ride, but low enough that the car does not lift up when I am going speeds of excess of 100 MPH.

[buickbear]

Yes the car has a 3.1l.  I do not know what suspension it has.
Thanks for the info but i got a little lost.

OK so the springs up front are FUX what are they going to do to the car?
Better spring rate, raise or lower the ride hight?

I under stand the struts.

Then I need to get a front sway bar from a 3.4ldohc car, is this sway bar just bigger?

The only other question I have is all this bolt on or will I have to mod it to work?


Thanks so much for the good info.

[3100MPFI]

All of the mods that I normally mentioned are going to be BOLT ON, unless I say otherwise (I try to give as much info as I can, so I normally start a post with something like "not for the squeemish" or something if it is a difficult install).

There are 3 suspension setups that was offered in these cars.  FE1, FE2, and FE3.

FE1 is the BASE suspension, FE2 is the uplevel, and FE3 is the SPORT suspension.

The FUX springs are the SPORT TUNED setup.  They are stiffer than the FE1 (which in 1995-1996, FE1 front springs are going to most likely be FUY).  They will be stiffer than normal, and help keep the car more level on the road.  In the case of my 1988, they also were LOWER than the stock ones, but it was because my stock springs had almost 3 full coils more than the ones I put in.  When I had them both out side-by-side, the old springs stood almost 3 inches taller than the FUX springs.  With the old springs, my car was taller in the front than the rear.

For the SWAY BAR, the 3.4 DOHC will have the thickest bar availible for these cars.  There are 3 sizes for these cars.  The 3.4 DOHC was the ONLY one to get the thick bar (I do not know about the Buick Regal with the 3800).  But as the Grand Prix, Lumina, and Cutlass Supreme go, the 3.4 DOHC will have the thickest front bar.

If you DO get the thick front sway bar, you will need to get the brackets that hold them in.  THEY ARE DIFFERENT, and the stock ones will not fit.  I think the END BRACKETS will fit, but the center ones are totally different.

For the rear sway bar, you need to first find out if your car has a rear bar already.  If you don't mind spending some money, you can get an ADDCO rear sway bar that is even thicker than the stock ones, and I have heard that they come with everything you need to install it in a car that didn't have a rear bar.

I am having trouble finding a link to the addco rear bar for our cars right now.  I will ask a friend later on if he has the link.

[Jay]

FE2 is TOURING suspension

Yes, the end brackets are the same for all bars...That's why I gave you just the center brackets with that 3.4 bar I gave you.

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

i was phoning around about the monoleaf or whatever its called, and it turned out i heard the stock ones were fiberglass, and a metal replacement can be made at your favorite spring and machine shop... and in doing so you could ask for less of a curve, that might lower it, though i wouldnt go too far...

[buickbear]

hmmm i have been looking around for the used parts but not much luck.  Junk yards around here all been picked thought, I may have to buy some parts new from auto zone, or dealer :x .

[buickbear]

Ok i did some cross rev on summitracing and they have KYB GR-2 shocks for a 1994  Lumina which is also a 1st gen wide body.  So will they work on my 92 grand prix? "same gen wbody?"

[buickbear]

Ok also found front struts for a 97 olds cutlass sup another 1st gen wbody.  Wonder if they would fit 92 grand prix?

[3.1cutlass]

i was phoning around about the monoleaf or whatever its called, and it turned out i heard the stock ones were fiberglass, and a metal replacement can be made at your favorite spring and machine shop... and in doing so you could ask for less of a curve, that might lower it, though i wouldnt go too far...

Google Flex-A-Form they make them.

[SofaKingWeToddDid]

or walk into Edmonton Spring and Machine.

[LownSlow]

Read this:  http://www.w-body.com/forum/index.php?topic=55751.0


I won't get into the argument of using coilovers or not.  It's up to you to decide if you want to "risk" it or not.

[crazy k]

All of the mods that I normally mentioned are going to be BOLT ON, unless I say otherwise (I try to give as much info as I can, so I normally start a post with something like "not for the squeemish" or something if it is a difficult install).

There are 3 suspension setups that was offered in these cars.  FE1, FE2, and FE3.

FE1 is the BASE suspension, FE2 is the uplevel, and FE3 is the SPORT suspension.

The FUX springs are the SPORT TUNED setup.  They are stiffer than the FE1 (which in 1995-1996, FE1 front springs are going to most likely be FUY).  They will be stiffer than normal, and help keep the car more level on the road.  In the case of my 1988, they also were LOWER than the stock ones, but it was because my stock springs had almost 3 full coils more than the ones I put in.  When I had them both out side-by-side, the old springs stood almost 3 inches taller than the FUX springs.  With the old springs, my car was taller in the front than the rear.

For the SWAY BAR, the 3.4 DOHC will have the thickest bar availible for these cars.  There are 3 sizes for these cars.  The 3.4 DOHC was the ONLY one to get the thick bar (I do not know about the Buick Regal with the 3800).  But as the Grand Prix, Lumina, and Cutlass Supreme go, the 3.4 DOHC will have the thickest front bar.

If you DO get the thick front sway bar, you will need to get the brackets that hold them in.  THEY ARE DIFFERENT, and the stock ones will not fit.  I think the END BRACKETS will fit, but the center ones are totally different.

For the rear sway bar, you need to first find out if your car has a rear bar already.  If you don't mind spending some money, you can get an ADDCO rear sway bar that is even thicker than the stock ones, and I have heard that they come with everything you need to install it in a car that didn't have a rear bar.

I am having trouble finding a link to the addco rear bar for our cars right now.  I will ask a friend later on if he has the link.

why is FUX prefered over FUY?   

FUY is heavier per:
http://www.w-body.com/spring-codes.html

And FUX and FUY are seen on FE1 and FE3 cars..........