Energy Suspension bushings for the S13

[K]

I've got the kit and now i'm looking around for a shop to do the install. I do a decent amount of work myself but this looks like a major PITA to do, so i would rather hand it over to a decent chassis shop. Does anyone have an idea how much i should expect a shop to charge for the install? I'm guessing something in the $350 to $400 range.

FYI: this is for an '89 240 hatch.

Thanks for the info,K

[kansaschity]

ha i wish you lived close to me, id do it for 200. its pretty simple to do but can be frustrating, it should only take a few hours to do yourself

[K]

I wish you were around here too. $200 would be cheap. I've done some light engine work, brake work, R&R'd trannies and so forth, but this just plain looks like a pain in the *** to do, and i can't really spare the time any time soon anyway. I've been looking around at alignment shops but they seem hesitant to take on the job and that makes me nervous too. I'll keep looking.

Thanks,K

[BarnDog296]

Alot of times shops dont want to do this kind of work b/c you bought aftermarket parts and they dont really like people to bring them stuff, they make alot of money on selling you parts. Its hard to find a good (ie - honest) shop that will let you bring them parts. I bought some brake pads for a shop to install once and it turned out they were the wrong ones... this caused a big mess b/c my brakes were all disassembled and they had to put them back together with the old ones. But they were a good shop and they gave me time to get the right ones in until they charged me to do the work.And no, b4 you snicker, it was alot of brake work, pads, rotors and lines - i was scared to do the lines honestly.

[teddy]

Some of those bushings you should be able to install yourself, like the subframe inserts and the rack and pinion bushings(although it may be a pita with the engine in).

I also believe that the new energy kits use 3 piece inserts for the tension rods, which is much easier than the one piece. You could have any machine shop press out those old bushings for $5-10, then install the new ones yourself.

[BarnDog296]

I saw that the kits are using the 3-piece insert.But they are glued together, what is up with that? would that really hold anything, it make me nervous that they are doing that...Am I being too worried? does this stuff actually hold together? I just dont want my bushings to fall apart while im driving and that just doesnt look safe at ALL.

[teddy]

The 3 piece bushings are the tension rods only iirc. It's basically the tension bushing cut i half, then the metal sleeve that goes through it. The tension bushing shoulnd't be able to fall out since it gets wedged into the lower part of the power brace(lack of the proper term) and then bolted tight.