I’m thinking about doing a lot of work replacing suspension components on my 2002 SS. Both passenger side wheels bang around when I hit certain bumps and I can feel my ride getting harsher as the weeks go by. The shocks and struts seemed fine when I gave the corners of the car some good pushes. I jacked the car up and checked out the bushings and lo and behold, they looked pretty beat up, pretty cracked, pretty worn. I’m no mechanic and I barely count as a DIYer (rather I aspire to be a DIYer) but the bushings looked in bad shape. I’m going to ask a neighbor who is a mechanic about the condition of these components but I’ve included some pictures with this post. This neighbor-mechanic is the guy who told me that if I have bushings that are bad it would be easier for me to put new parts with bushings into the car rather than trying to press bushings in or out.


The questions I’m asking are about the condition of bushings shown in the photographs, about the quality of the manufacturer of the parts I’m thinking about replacing, and I’m also asking if while I’m in there should I be replacing anything else? Like when I do the front sway bar should I put in new brackets? If I replace the outer tie rod ends should I also do the inners? Should I absolutely spring for the polyurethane bushings? If you’re thinking “he probably knows enough that I don’t have to remind him to _____,” allow me to inform you that you’re wrong :P Please, inform me as much as you see fit. If anybody has recommendations for sites with the part for cheaper I’d be glad to hear it. I’m pretty sure this car has had minimal work done and she’s just rolling past 130,000 miles. Let’s get to it:

Sway bar endlinks, you can see a lot of the damage. There is more wear but it's hard to see because of the flashlight.
Tie rod end, same story on the other side.
Trailing arm bushing, pretty heavily cracked up. Same story on the other side.
Control arm bushing, doesn't look so bad in this photo but it's much worse in real life.


Sway Bar (shouldn’t it be called an anti-sway bar?)

--->GM Performance Parts #12498643, from gmpartsdirect.com paste the part number above into the search bar and hit enter. Comes with rubber bushings and end links and doesn’t include the bracket. Is the bracket something that I should replace as well while I’m in there or is it an “only if it’s ruined” kinda thing?

--->My front end definitely plows a little bit, but seeing as I have no idea how much a new MC would or wouldn't plow I can’t comment on the magnitude.

--->If you were to recommend I get the polyurethane end links The W Body Store has them for $15,. Would I need to bring these somewhere to get them pressed or what would be the procedure for putting these together? Would it cost enough to have them pressed by a shop that I should just buy them with the GMPP sway bar together from ZZPerformance for $112?



Both Trailing Arms

--->Moog, from SummitRacing, $27 each. These are for the Pontiac Grand Prix and it says it’s compatible with the 2002 Impala LS which is not an SS like mine, maybe that’s why they are so cheap.

--->W Body Store boxed set, $50 for the pair.

--->ZZPerformance, $112 for the pair, 4340 Alloy steel with polyurethane bushings. This is the expensive option.

--->StockWiseAuto has a bunch of options (ACDelco, MAS, Dorman, Mevotech, Moog) ranging from $18 to $44 dollars each. (You’ll have to specify 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the drop down menu on the left).


Outer Tie Rod Ends

--->If I replace the outer should I do the inners as well? Is it important as a symmetry thing or do you think it’s likely that the inners need it too? The boot for the inner end is in fine shape but I haven’t tried to take it off to look inside. Since there are inner and outer tie rod ends I assume the tie rod is also replaceable, how would I know if the rod was showing signs of wear?

--->The W Body Store, $25 each. Grease fittings (any opinion on grease fittings? Any information really? I know some BMWS use them but I know nothing about what “grease fitting” means).

--->StockWiseAuto has tons of choices (ACDelco, MAS, Dorman, Mevotech, Moog, Raybestos) for a wide range of prices between $11 and $43 each.


Control Arms

--->As I’ve gone searching through sites I’ve frequently come across sites that list these as “lower control arms” and some sites that say “control arms.” Now I’ve been inside my wheel arches a couple of times and I only saw lower control arms. Am I being blind?

--->Dorman 520-165 and 520-166, from StockWiseAuto, $50 each/ Is Dorman the OEM?

--->The W Body Store, $180 for the pair. Says that they come with the ball joints and bushings already set up in it, just bolt the new parts on. I think this would be very nice because I don’t have a drill or a bushing press.

--->ZZPerformance also has a pair for $170 but doesn't have any of the nice words that The W Body Store said to make me feel like it will be easy to install.


I know there is a lot of text here and I really, really appreciate it if you made it this far down. I’m open to any suggestions and am happy to accept any information.


Radagast