Suspesion options for 5ktq

[Bernard Littau]

> Looking to find out my aftermarket suspension options for my 87 5ktq.
> Currently the car is bone stock suspension wise.  I know more than a few
of
> us have gone aftermarket.  Can i hear costs and reviews of different
brands?
>
> As i dont have that much money to throw around at once, i think im going
to
> start at the rear of the car and do that half 1st as im fairly sure the
> shocks back there are leaking and the fronts have been replaced with new
> stock units.
>

Hi Robert,

Shocks are not all that difficult to replace, especially if you can borrow
the tools needed.  There is a special socket for removing the cap on the
strut for the front shocks.  If you do the shocks, I would do all four at
once.  www.shox.com

Another thing you might consider is that on a car as old as yours (as on
mine :-) most of the bushings will be very worn.  You can get a whole set of
bushings for your front and rear for  less than the price of shocks.
Renewing all the bushings, and getting a good alignment, will make your car
handle much better.

Check your ball joints as well.  A loose ball joint on the control arm or
tie-rod will make alignment difficult, and your handling poor.

About the least expensive thing you can buy are springs :-)  They go for
$250 or so.  However, I wouldn't consider springs until you have new
bushings and shocks.  It is nice to do all three (bushings, springs, shocks)
together so you only have to take the front end apart once.  While shocks
can be done with the car on the ground, the bushings and springs will
require the front end to come apart.

You can order bushing kits from Blau, or just order bushings a la carte from
thepartsconnection.  Blau sells a kit of bolts, nuts and washers for the
bushing job, too.  I went for the new bolts and stuff, but I am not sure it
was necessary.  Everything I took off looked really good.  (West coast car,
YMMV)  Naturally, the one bolt like thing, which I couldn't replace, the
threaded portion of the sway bar, had some damage to the threads.

Best,

Bernard Littau
Woodinville, WA
'88 5ktq