[NSW] Where to go for suspension/shocks near Gosford?

[theSeekerr]

Hi everyone,

I've got a VR Series II Exec Sedan, and I'm looking for bang-for-buck handling improvements. Yes, I'm a NSW P-Plater, so I can't touch anything that looks like it's related to the engine, transmission or diff, but as I understand the rules, most other things are fair game, so long as they're roadworthy. Well, I'm looking to increase roadworthiness, so the rules and I should get along OK in this case.

I'm guessing the shocks are pretty knackered, although I know that the rears were done a few (er...maybe quite a few now) years back.

So, a few questions:

1. If I wanted the greatest handling improvement for the least money, what should I be doing?

2. Is it worth replacing the shocks without doing the suspension?

3. What other related components should I be thinking about?

4. If I should be re-doing the suspension, but don't want to go lower, what are my options there?

5. Finally, and possibly the most important of all these questions - given that I'm completely untalented in mechanics (I'm at uni doing ELECTRICAL engineering for a reason...), are there any shops between, roughly, Sydney and Newcastle, preferably around Gosford itself, where I could get reasonable advice, prices, and fitting?

Thanks for any and all answers!

[TheForgotten]

1)ok... as a bare minimum, replace all bushes. personally i would replace the shocks too
2) yep it's worth it, providing the springs aren't sagging
3)if you're not lowering it, just shocks and bushes will be adequate, however uprating things like swaybars will improve handling
4)options are just as varied for stock height as for lowered. pretty sure all spring and shock manufacturers all make factory height components
5) won't touch that one, i'm not down that way. rears on a live axle are pi55 easy, even for a rookie, fronts are easy when you know what you're doing. i did mine with no knowledge at all (except a mate who had done a VN- slightly different), but not everyone likes doing things that way

[alex2_s]

If you're going to be replacing the shocks anyway, perhaps some lowered springs at the same time (this will give better handling without a doubt). There's a chance with the age of the car the springs are sagging anyway (uneven tyre wear etc)

Heavier-duty sway bar and a strut brace are also options if you want to spend a bit more... although a heavy sway bar with weak soft shocks will be useless.

[greenacc]

shocks and bushes definately, superpro polyurethane bushes if you don't mind it a bit rough, rubber strut tops, and judging from my car i'd say do the springs as well. I have replace everything else but not springs, and the springs are still way too soft.
On a budget you ould get FE2 or some aftermarket springs, and maybe wagon sway bars from a wrecker.

[theSeekerr]

Thanks for the help guys,

Say I went for bushes and shocks, what sort of $'s would I be looking at? Brands?

What, exactly, does the sway bar do? Not that I doubt it would help, just that I've always wondered. And again, $'s?

Doubt that the budget will stretch to having springs done, just wanted the info for future reference. For further future reference, what brands should I be looking at? I've heard all sorts of things around this forum, that pedders are rip-offs, kingsprings are junk, etc....well, what are those "in the know" using?

Would still like to know if there are any decent places down this way, only suspension joint I know of around here is a Pedders.

[theSeekerr]

Hi folks,

Do you reckon it would be useful or rude to crosspost the request for a decent shop over in the NSW section? I'd keep the technical advice requests here, of course.