96 lesabre suspension rebuild

[mazdamx640]

Hi I have a 96 buick lesabre 3800 that i am fixing up it has been my daily driver for the last few years and with 265k it could use a little freshening up. It currently gets 32 mpgs average and about 38 on long trips. I would like to get the average 40mpgs but thats kinda far fetched with the current motor/auto transmission. I just order all new bushings, ball joints, struts, springs wheel bearings,napa drag reduction clips and a set of Yokohama AVID Ascend LRR tires witch should be allot better than the truck tires on there now

[Joggernot]

Will your suspension rebuild lower the car? That might be something to consider while you're doing all that rebuild.

[elhigh]

It looks to me like your aftermarket wheels have the wrong offset and your wheels are too far out into the wind. I have a coworker with the same generation LeSabre as you, it looks to me like her tires are tucked a bit more underneath than yours.

Love the partial grill block.

[mazdamx640]

They don't make parts to lower these cars some people have thrown parts together to lower them but not without problems... There is a right way to lower them whitch involves using parts off a grand prix and a coilover kit from zzp but for 1500 its just not worth it... Ya these wheels do stick out further than the stock ones but just look so much better plus I got a great deal on them.
I figure that the new parts should keep the suspension in propper geometry and help keep the alignment to reduce rolling resistance

[mazdamx640]

I'm starting tomorrow and most of the parts will arive monday so I plan to have it ready to start reassembly

[baldlobo]

so does yours have the air struts? it looks like your missing the lower valence(it sticks below the bumper). if you can find an olds 98(that's the model) they have fairings for the rear wheel wells, but i dought they will fit with your rims.

oh and most of the front end is plastic; except the hood.

[mazdamx640]

Naw its not air I would like to make an air damn for it but want to learn how to do fiberglass first so it would look more factory. I'm trying to fix the chassis so it will drive like a new car and maybe some day ill put a tdi in it...
There's allot of weight to be lost in doing a tdi swap the 3800 is a heavy motor and the transmission feels like it weighs atleast 200 lbs plus I hate automatics

[mazdamx640]

Change in plans not starting till next weekend some of the parts have been delayed and I found a hole I'm my radiator so I ordered a all aluminum radiator from summit so no more plastic end tanks

[mazdamx640]

Well I finally got the suspension fully rebuilt and it feels like a whole new car!
Fuel milage seems only slightly better than before but the front passenger brake calliper is sticking and worped the rotor so that will be my next project.
The new radiator has been doing a great job of keeping the car from overheating and should give me plenty of cooling to be able to block the lower grill via a air damn

haven't gotten the llr tires on yet

[nemo]

Originally Posted by mazdamx640

Fuel milage seems only slightly better than before but the front passenger brake calliper is sticking and worped the rotor so that will be my next project.

Sounds like a good choice for the next project. Should help the mileage.