'98 STS front strut replacement

1968 Views 14 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Krashed989, Sep 28, 2005

sjwoodruff

Discussion Starter · Sep 14, 2005

Hello all,

I need to replace the front struts on my '98 STS. Couple of questions for those of you out there that have done this...

1) I'm leaning toward passive struts, simply to save money. Has anyone out there recently replaced the active struts with passive? Any suggestion on brands/price range? How is passive handling vs. active (assuming non-worn struts) and how does one avoid throwing constant RSS service ride control codes?

2) I've never replaced struts myself, but if it is possible to do over the course of a day, I'd be willing to give it a try. What tools would be needed, how much time would it take, what is the difficulty level?

Any insight or advice is greatly appreciated.

1 - 15 of 15 Posts

JimD

· #2 · Sep 14, 2005

sjwoodruff said:
Hello all,

I need to replace the front struts on my '98 STS. Couple of questions for those of you out there that have done this...

1) I'm leaning toward passive struts, simply to save money. Has anyone out there recently replaced the active struts with passive? Any suggestion on brands/price range? How is passive handling vs. active (assuming non-worn struts) and how does one avoid throwing constant RSS service ride control codes?

2) I've never replaced struts myself, but if it is possible to do over the course of a day, I'd be willing to give it a try. What tools would be needed, how much time would it take, what is the difficulty level?

Any insight or advice is greatly appreciated.

1) Can't help you here.

2) You will need GOOD jack stands, possibly an impact wrench for convenience, a spring compressor, and a torque wrench. It is doable at home.

Hit the mounting bolts with a penetrating fluid the night before; my favorite is Break Free. First stop after the job will be an alignment rack.

Dadillac

· #3 · Sep 15, 2005

I can't help you with the passive strut question, as I have an SLS, which doesn't have the electronic struts. But, with basic hand tools, and the cheap bolt type spring compressors, it took about 2.5 hours to change both sides.

Don

Douglass Harroun

· #4 · Sep 15, 2005

you don't need jack stands. Put a jack under the frame and let the suspension droop. The two large bolts through the lower strut are splined. Leave the loosened nut on the bolt to protect the threads and hit with hammer to drive out. the upper plate three bolts are easy. My struts have self centering white plastic nibs at top- seems to locate the camber, I've changed out the struts several times without alignment- no problem. I don't see how castor and toe can change either. What made a really big improvement was putting in new springs at $70 ea.-car had settled 1/2 inch at 130,000 miles Got the upper and lower spring pads, too. Only a few bucks. I pulled the tower bearing apart- many ball bearings can fall, cleaned and lubed- saved $100 ea. Tried Boston Suspension passiveshocks. Couldn't get rid of the RSS code, got speed limited to 90. Dennis had no idea what was wrong. It seems some cars' electronics don't like his resistors. This has been beaten to death in previous months.
Doug

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zonie77

· #5 · Sep 15, 2005

We tried Boston's also and have same problems.

Pjs

· #6 · Sep 15, 2005

Anyone tried Arnott's? I'm thinking about ordering a complete set

Dadillac

· #7 · Sep 15, 2005

Douglass Harroun said:
you don't need jack stands. Put a jack under the frame and let the suspension droop. The two large bolts through the lower strut are splined. Leave the loosened nut on the bolt to protect the threads and hit with hammer to drive out. the upper plate three bolts are easy. My struts have self centering white plastic nibs at top- seems to locate the camber, I've changed out the struts several times without alignment- no problem. I don't see how castor and toe can change either. What made a really big improvement was putting in new springs at $70 ea.-car had settled 1/2 inch at 130,000 miles Got the upper and lower spring pads, too. Only a few bucks. I pulled the tower bearing apart- many ball bearings can fall, cleaned and lubed- saved $100 ea. Tried Boston Suspension passiveshocks. Couldn't get rid of the RSS code, got speed limited to 90. Dennis had no idea what was wrong. It seems some cars' electronics don't like his resistors. This has been beaten to death in previous months.
Doug

I finally got around to getting an alignment on my car. I went to Sears, they brought the car in, and the tech came and got me after about ten minutes. He showed me that the alignment, did not need to be done. So anyone, with at least a '98 - '04 Seville, does not need an alignment, as the struts do not hold any adjustment. Just thought I would pass the info along.

Don

Krashed989

· #8 · Sep 15, 2005

On each dampering valve on your old struts there are two flat edges. You can use these two flats unscrew the valve from the strut with an adjustable wrench. Since the struts are not gas packed like the passive struts, they will not have much pressure in them (if any, it will be like opening a soda bottle). Once you have the dampering valves off of your old shocks you can reuse them to supress the SRC message. I would recommend putting them in a plastic bag with a wire tie sealing it, so they last longer. Also make sure you zip tie them off in a safe place so they are not in the way. Be careful when you dispose of the old struts because now hydrolic fluid will be seeping out of them. The fluid does stain, but the smell is worse than the stain.

sjwoodruff

Discussion Starter · #9 · Sep 17, 2005 (Edited)

Thanks for all the input. I'll probably order some struts and tackle this in the next couple weeks.

Has anyone installed passive struts and avoided issues with the RSS? That's my main concern...I don't want to go through the hassle of changing things out to have constant codes thrown or worse, having the top speed limited. If anyone has had success with a specific brand of passive struts, please let me know!

Krashed989

· #10 · Sep 17, 2005

If you follow my instructions in my previous post, there won't be any codes. It basically makes the RSS module think that you're still using the OEM struts, and in esscence you are still using a part of them.

There are other ways of keeping the SRC message from coming up. One other way makes the IPC totally forget that there is RSS altogether. You do it from the DIC, but I am not exactly sure on how to do it. I still like my way better, because it makes it possible to install the OEM struts again, if by chance the price drops.

mrnextel

· #11 · Sep 22, 2005

Krashed989 said:
On each dampering valve on your old struts there are two flat edges. You can use these two flats unscrew the valve from the strut with an adjustable wrench. Since the struts are not gas packed like the passive struts, they will not have much pressure in them (if any, it will be like opening a soda bottle). Once you have the dampering valves off of your old shocks you can reuse them to supress the SRC message. I would recommend putting them in a plastic bag with a wire tie sealing it, so they last longer. Also make sure you zip tie them off in a safe place so they are not in the way. Be careful when you dispose of the old struts because now hydrolic fluid will be seeping out of them. The fluid does stain, but the smell is worse than the stain.

ARENT MOST OF THE CODE PROBEMS DUE TO A BAD CONNECTION AT THE STRUT? IM NOT SURE IM FOLLOWING YOUR PROCEDURE, BUT IM OPEN TO LEARNING, CAN YOU LAY DOWN MORE DETAIL? AND HAVE YOU DONE THIS IN ABSOLUTE SUCCESS? PLEASE KEEP IN MIND I HAVE AN OBII 96

Krashed989

· #12 · Sep 22, 2005 (Edited)

The module keeps tabs on only one part of the struts, the dampering valve. The dampering valve is the thing on the struts that the wires are going into. If the dampering valve goes bad then a code will be displayed saying the strut is bad. If thats your case then my procedure will not work, but if you aren't getting any codes like that already you can reuse that valve so the module thinks everything is OK (just unscrew it from your old strut). As long as that valve is in good condition, you won't get any codes. The module will still open and close that valve accordingly from the data it receives from the ride height sensors and accellerometers, but they won't be controlling you new struts.

Also yes I have done this, but only to almost absolute success. Its a code that been popping up off and on for a few years, I think its just a bad plug connection. I could get it to go away most times by playing with the wires near the compressor but now it stays up. I don't think it was from a problem with the valves. The code was S022, its not on OBDI website. I had to get the definition from alldata, it basically means that the circut to my left rear dampering valve is open.

I've attached some pictures of one of my dampering valves, but I believe yours are slightly different, with more than two wires attached to them. Also this dampering valve was hard to install because I broke the wire off the valve on accident, had to take a lighter and burn the plastic down to where I could solder new wires on it. Sorry for the blurryness of the photos.

Ohh yeah, Sjwoodruff, You may have an alternate option. They did the switch to the CVRSS system in 97, and yours is a 98, so you might be able to do what Closet Boy did in this thread;

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51885

I'm not sure about it though because yours is a 98 and not a 97.

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2

sjwoodruff

Discussion Starter · #13 · Sep 22, 2005

Thanks Krashed...

I'm looking into a possible Delco passive system and I think I'll try and use your Damping valve advice if the struts are actually compatible. For all following this thread, they are Delco part number 503-379, if I recall. GM part number is also listed in my other thread, as I have another open on this topic. An entire passive set is only $218 shipped from GM parts direct. Not a bad deal. I've contacted AC/Delco and they're confused as to compatibility / installation / etc. I'm hoping I've simply communicated with an idiot, as they're looking into it again for me.

slingblade

· #14 · Sep 28, 2005 (Edited)

Krashed989 said:
On each dampering valve on your old struts there are two flat edges. You can use these two flats unscrew the valve from the strut with an adjustable wrench. Since the struts are not gas packed like the passive struts, they will not have much pressure in them (if any, it will be like opening a soda bottle). Once you have the dampering valves off of your old shocks you can reuse them to supress the SRC message. I would recommend putting them in a plastic bag with a wire tie sealing it, so they last longer. Also make sure you zip tie them off in a safe place so they are not in the way. Be careful when you dispose of the old struts because now hydrolic fluid will be seeping out of them. The fluid does stain, but the smell is worse than the stain.

Will this method work for a '97 STS??

Krashed989

· #15 · Sep 28, 2005

slingblade said:
Will this method work for a '97 STS??

Yes it will, but I would recommend doing what Closet Boy did in this thread;

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52608

Although it still doesn't hurt to keep the old dampering valves just in case. :thumbsup:

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