Discuss your 2000-2005 Bonneville SE, SLE, SSEi, Buick Le Sabre 00-05 and Buick Park Avenue 97-05. Please use General Chat for non-mechanical issues, and Performance and Brainstorming for improvements.
2004 LeSabre getting a suspension overhaul; right now needs lower control arms, front bushings on them are shot here at 156k miles (and probably well before that). Seems the Dormans are the way to go.
Got the rear shocks no problem (MA822's with K29 kit because compressor shot and not worth the $$$), but when trying to install front struts, got the big nuts but could NOT get the strut-to-knuckle bolts to budge...not with a breaker bar and six foot pole, not with a torch and penetrating oil, not with a BFH. Had to give in and get it done at a $hop.
So how likely are the lower control arm big bolts without air tools?
2004 Buick Lesabre Limited, Gran Touring
Bone Stock
Holy smokes! Look at this ghost who's come back to life! Welcome back buddy. As to your question, no idea. Never did LCA's, lol.
Bye Bye: RIP sandrock
Sirius wrote:Think about it. You’re tooling down the road in your Prius, knowing full-well that this thing being green is as big a sham as federally mandated ethanol-enriched gas, Russia pulling out of Ukraine, and Obamacare.
Yeah, the Buick has just been the back up car for some years now since my wife got an Outback wagon, but my youngest daughter gets her license soon and she wants my SE-R, so the LeSabre must be resurrected for my daily driver use.
The Nissan seat was killing my lower back, so I'm ok with it.
2004 Buick Lesabre Limited, Gran Touring
Bone Stock
agrazela wrote:Got the rear shocks no problem (MA822's with K29 kit because compressor shot and not worth the $$$), but when trying to install front struts, got the big nuts but could NOT get the strut-to-knuckle bolts to budge...not with a breaker bar and six foot pole, not with a torch and penetrating oil, not with a BFH. Had to give in and get it done at a $hop.
Thought you might want to know the problem, in case you want to remove those bolts in the future.
Unlike earlier years, the head ends of the bolts are splined , so you'll never be able to turn them.
Had to remove mine by spraying with PBBlaster, putting the nuts back on enough to protect the threads and pounding them with a small sledge hammer.
MKMike is exactly correct.
We did mine that way on my 2001 Bonneville except we used a large sledge hammer.
Make sure the splines are lined up when you reinstall them.
00Beast wrote:Holy smokes! Look at this ghost who's come back to life! Welcome back buddy. As to your question, no idea. Never did LCA's, lol.
Sorry for the off topic but x2.
Cool to see your name pop up.
When I first saw it I thought I was going to have to yell at someone for dragging up an old post! LOL
Bye Bye: RIP sandrock
Sirius wrote:Think about it. You’re tooling down the road in your Prius, knowing full-well that this thing being green is as big a sham as federally mandated ethanol-enriched gas, Russia pulling out of Ukraine, and Obamacare.
I just did mine a few months ago if you look at my post you will see it's pretty easy. I did it on a lift but didn't really need air tools. I got complete arms with bushings and ball joints on rock auto. Surprisingly cheap.
redzmonte wrote:I just did mine a few months ago if you look at my post you will see it's pretty easy. I did it on a lift but didn't really need air tools. I got complete arms with bushings and ball joints on rock auto. Surprisingly cheap.
For posterity, here's what I did on my 2004 LeSabre, about a 3 hour and 2 beer job going slow and easy (and not counting the alignment):
LCA's:
DORMAN 520169 Front Left Lower
DORMAN 520170 Front Right Lower
(On my old LCA's the front bushing rubber was nearly completely gone, the sleeves were easily pulled out by hand; rear bushings looked great. Someone cheap and crafty could probably "fix" the front bushings with some pour-in polyurethane...not that I'm suggesting it)
Swaybar bushings/brackets:
DORMAN 928521 Front; 30 mm I. D.; Firm Ride and Handling Suspension (F41)
(Fit my FE3...there's a 28mm version for the FE1 suspension, DORMAN 928513)
Endlinks:
MOOG K8989 Heavy Duty Stabilizer bar link (2 sets)
(Not specified for this car, but they do fit; urethane bushings and grade 5(?) hardware)
PROCEDURE:
Measure front trim heights (top of fenderwell to ground) Left:___________in
Right:__________in
(My trim height just after new shocks and struts was 29") Drive up on ramps; spray all relevant HW with penetrating oil
Spray HW again!
Loosen LCA big bolts, but do not remove 21mm socket for bolts; 18mm nuts are "held" with wings/tabs, no need for tool
Remove any airdam needed, or just "bend" out of way Back off ramps
Loosen front lugs, jack up front onto jackstands, remove front wheels
Compare parts visually for sameness (LCA's, endlinks, swaybar bushings/brackets)
Visual inspect brake pads (since you're in there)
Remove (or cut away) stock endlinks 13mm wrenches/sockets Separate ball joints from knuckles 18mm open-end wrench for castle nut
Try hammering to pop; use picklefork if must, no need to save Remove LCA big nuts/bolts; remove LCA's May need hammer and prybar or somesuch to drive bolts out Remove and replace old swaybar bushings and brackets, and torque Lube rubber swaybar bushings with silicone spray
13mm socket
Torque spec: 35 ft-lb
Could only get torque wrench on front nuts; rears just as tight as could Install LCA's; insert big nuts/bolts finger tight, but do not yet fully torque down Lube bushings and ball joint boot with silicone spray
May need to pry open rear mount for fitment; silicone spray really helps, too! Install ball joints into knuckles; go ahead and fully torque castle nuts Jacking up knuckle will help with properly positioning ball joint
Torque spec: 50 ft-lb
BUT impossible to get socket on with axle in the way,
so as tight as can, then a little more for inserting cotter pin Install new endlinks; go ahead and fully torque Lubricate urethane bushings with whatever you want
Jacked-up knuckles makes this a lot easier, too
Torque spec: 13 ft-lb Spray down all other rubber in bushings, mounts, boots, tie rod ends, etc. with silicone spray…why not!
Replace front wheels and lugs to hand-tight
Lower car, then final torque lug nuts Torque spec: 100 ft-lb Drive up on ramps
Torque LCA big nuts/bolts Rear torque spec: 117 ft-lb
Front torque spec: 93 ft-lb You need the weight of the car on the LCA's before torqueing down,
to not pre-load the bushings and thus to get the trim height right Back off ramps
Check trim heights similar to before Left:___________in
Right:__________in
(My new front trim height was 29.5"...close enough for me, I just put an extra few psi in the rear shocks) Test drive; feel for slop/clunk, listen for squeaks, solid braking, pull or drift, etc.
Go get an alignment, you'll very definitely need it
2004 Buick Lesabre Limited, Gran Touring
Bone Stock
