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Can I swap suspension from 96 into 91?
Topic Started: Nov 1 2016, 05:12 PM (516 Views)
geopanda
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Do it Yourselfer

Hey guys I'm scrapping my 96 3/5 and I'm saving as much as I can. Can I swap the front shocks on my 96 with a 91 ? Like spring and shock combo. Also what about the rear? I hear you can put a sway bar from a 96 on a 91 but not too sure how accurate that info was when I read it somewhere on the forum
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geopanda
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Rock auto says they will fit but still cant find info on that swaybar add in for pre 95
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sphenicie


the front suspension components are considered an upgrade. using the knuckle and heavier brakes and lugs will require using 13" wheels. the struts would work just fine. I have not done the sway bar, but the control arms are different from pre 95 to 95+. I would think that the mods needed are quite minor.
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idmetro
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Yes you can - I am running 96 suspension parts on an 89. Keep the control arms that came on the vehicle with the vehicle - the later ones are a bit wider and will cause alignment challenges if moved over to the earlier model shell, I still put cam bolts in mine to ease any alignment challenges (not sure if that was required or not).

The sway bars can be added to the earlier vehicles but will likely have interference issues with the exhaust, my work around was to run a later model exhaust on my earlier car, to do this you need to plug the bung for the second O2 sensor (you could just leave an O2 sensor in place but not use it or do like I did and buy a stainless plug from Amazon) and some of the exhaust hangers had to be relocated.

You will also need to make some spacers to support the swaybar bracket in the rear where you will bolt it to the spare tire well, some guys have used stacks of washers, I used some 1" metal tubing and some flat plates that I hammered into the contour of the spare tire well to help spread out the stresses.

The front struts work but have the brackets for the brake lines in a slightly different orientation so I also moved over the rubber brake lines as the originals were not able to fit in the welded on tabs. You do have to run the 13" wheels as mentioned. It might be my imagination but I suspect the springs from the later models are a bit heavier duty than the earlier models so the nose of my car seems to ride a bit higher than it did (eventually I will get around to remedying this). Rear drums are a straight bolt on with the only discernable difference being the larger wheel studs in the newer one. All of this is an upgrade well worth the effort in my opinion.
Edited by idmetro, Nov 2 2016, 07:06 AM.
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geopanda
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Ok some queations got answered but now I have more. So do I need to swap over the hub's to run bigger wheels? I plan on keeping the stock exhaust and if it will have exhaust issues I'll pass on the sway bars . How do I swap over the longer studs?
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sphenicie


use the entire knuckle and hub off the 96. studs are already 12mm in the 96.

use 91 control arm.
Edited by sphenicie, Nov 2 2016, 04:30 PM.
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idmetro
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:gp
geopanda
Nov 2 2016, 02:02 PM
Ok some queations got answered but now I have more. So do I need to swap over the hub's to run bigger wheels? I plan on keeping the stock exhaust and if it will have exhaust issues I'll pass on the sway bars . How do I swap over the longer studs?
to put it simply: that is probably the best option

You can get there three ways I am aware of:
1) You can run "bulge" lug nuts which have a large flared shoulder - they will run on the smaller lug nut and accommodate the 13" wheels but that is putting increased stresses on the smaller studs. I'm not aware of any failures but if you are a "spirited" driver that may be more risk than you want to take
2) You can swap over the front hubs/brakes if you want to take advantage of the larger wheel studs and run bigger wheels without having to modify the hub and as a bonus you get rotors that are separate from the hub making for much easier future work and bigger brakes to boot. Swapping in the later model struts and brake lines will make it an easier fit.
3) Modify the front hub to accept the larger wheel studs - this one seems like the least reasonable option as you would have to pull the hub, press out the old studs, drill the hub and press in new studs
Edited by idmetro, Nov 2 2016, 04:46 PM.
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geopanda
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So can you change the knuckle and rotor but keep your caliper? Swapping it all seems like a lot of work for the amount of time I have available to me
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idmetro
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You need th later model caliper - that is how you get more brakes...
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geopanda
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I believe I'm going to go with option 1. I have the buldge nuts on the 96 already and money is tight for now and I can't go without a car so the entire swap seems beyond my reach. I'm ok with 91 brakes and the ones on the 96 are shot. Thank you guys so much for your help. I hear that if I just swap over the front sway bay it will have u dersteer? Anyone care to weigh in on that?
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Woodie
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Yes, sway bars are a matched set, if you put on just the front you will increase the understeer that the car already has.
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geopanda
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I'll keep the m and install when I can afford new bushings
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