Quote Originally Posted by jrprattjr View Post
Hi all, first time posting here. I'm replacing many suspension components because of wear. 166,000 miles!! As I type this the repair shop is cutting my left front bearing hub with a cutting torch trying to get it out. The axle shaft is frozen to the hub and the hub to the knuckle. I'm not sure if I'm unlucky or the shop is incompetent or both!
I had the frozen axle to hub happen before, but not hub frozen to knuckle. You would be better off just pulling the knuckle, they are like $30 used on ebay. your gonna need a new axle anyways and obviously a Hub.

Sounds like they rounded the bolts and screwed up the hub themselves really.

Now if you want to replace everything else, well New LCAs from W-body store or the MOOG LCA's are your best bet, comes with everything you need and just about the same price as a new bushing and Balljoint (plus you get a new front rubber mount, which you CAN'T replace).

Struts, there are the OEM options with sticking with the Comp G struts (shopgmparts.com) they can be a little pricey but they are good struts. If you really want to spend the dough Bilstein struts ($1,000). And then the Aftermarket option is just KYB GR2 (the only one we all suggest for 04s cause all other aftermarket struts are just pure junk).

From there you can pick to keep your stock spring or drop a little. SSC's are a popular option for lowering springs, I suggest B&Gs though.

Then there are your strut top mounts, I suggest new fronts only because of the thrust bearing. The rears don't have a bearing just a bushing and the car never engages that bushing is stock form really. Monroe quick struts are a good option for the cheap.

From there you can inspect everything else and decide what to do.

Tie-Rods are rubber and do tear over time, so Moog is the best replacement they are greaseable too which is a plus.

Rear trailing arms tend to suck in stock form, aftermarket upgrade is the best here; UMI, GMPP tend to be good options

Sway bar endlinks can be replaced, best option is the Moog, they are cheap

Sway bar bushings can wear out, mainly the front ones, Moog again is a good option to replace with.

That pretty much takes care of all the Rubber parts that are worth replacing (I just did it this year on my car)

At this point as well with 166k miles I would replace the engine and tranny mounts to the solid rubber before the stock ones break and spew the oil all over the place. ZZP and most local auto parts places have that.

Lastly we have no front Sway bar upgrade for the 04+ as a comp g, but for the rear you can get the addco (thickest you can buy now) or save some money and buy a GMPP one. Our Comp G rear sway is hollow so it does rust and break, the aftermarkets are solid. Our front sway is solid and won't rust and break.