The 97 850 R Wagon has about 170,000 on it now. I think it is time to go through the suspension. I was thinking of getting the complete kit from FCPGroton.

http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exe...ategory_id/192

Does anyone have any experience with this kit? Are these shocks good to run with the R springs? We would like to keep the ride quality as smooth as possible, would you guys recommend the OEM shocks, or is there another brand that would provide a softer ride.

Thanks,
Chet

 

Stick with OEM or better. Bilstien TC are supposed to offer a factory feel, maybe slightly stiffer, but not much.

Control arms, go OEM, or might as well run without control arms. You'll be replacing those in a year. I destroyed mine after about 7 months and am sending them back. I would get the Meyle HD sway bar links if you're going aftermarket with them, otherwise get OEM or go with the IPD HD ones. I put on their tie rod ends not too long ago, so I can't say anything about those, but will replace with OEM when I do.

 

got it! I already have the meyle end links so I guess I dont need those in the kit. and I thing I will go with the OEM shocks. would you suggest getting new control arms, or just keeping the origonal ones that are on there?

Thanks,
Chet

 

I installed this kit back in August on my 855 GLT, so I'm not sure of the R spring factor. Since the original suspension had 200K on it, it made a world of difference. The struts & shocks are Sachs (sp?) which is what is installed at the factory (in my car, at least). Very nice and not too firm. I do a lot of highway miles and it's a good ride.

Swap the control arms. I had a major wiggle in my steering, and it was either the control arm or the tie rod - not sure which, I just replaced everything all at once. The arm was a bear to remove and I think it was part of the wiggle issue.

My thought was that you save a good amount of dough with the kit and cars this old should get new stuff. Since you're down there, you might as well swap it all out.

One thing NOT in the kit that should be - the inner tie rods. If there is ANY vibration in your steering, get the inners at the same time. Nothing like slapping it all together just to take it all apart for the inners, you know?

 

Doing inner tie-rods later, means re-doing the alignment.

 

+1. while you're already in there, do it all. the inners are the same age as the outers, in all liklihood, and if the outers are going the inners wont be far behind.

 

Thanks, I will get that ordered

Chet