Can I Use FE1 Struts on FE2 Suspension?

9355 Views 11 Replies 6 Participants Last post by arogers260, Mar 21, 2015

Jaysfordays9

Discussion Starter · Mar 18, 2015

Hello I drive a 2005 CTS with a 3.6 engine. I recently purchased struts for my car thinking I had FE1 suspension. While decided to change the springs I found that I have FE2 Suspension. If I still used the FE1 struts with FE2 suspension, will i have any issues? I understand that I would have a slightly softer strut paired with a slightly stiffer set up, but i wouldnt mind a softer ride.

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CTSM

· #2 · Mar 18, 2015 (Edited)

That's a good question, I've always wondered about the opposite, I have FE1 and interested in upgrading to FE2 myself.

What part of the US are you in? We might be able to swap springs

Looking into it further, I don't see a different front springs at least for the 2.8L/3.6L CTS the V has different springs front and back but it seems like the front springs on the V6 CTS are the same, the rear ones are different.

Front V6 CTS Spring part# 25739210
Front CTS-V Spring part# 25752925

Rear V6 CTS Spring part numbers:
w/Soft Ride Suspension 25734805
w/o Sport Suspension; Ride & Handling Suspension 25734802
w/Sport Suspension 25734802
w/Performance Suspension 10387989

Rear CTS-V Spring part number;
25752977

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arogers260

· #3 · Mar 19, 2015

CTSM said:
That's a good question, I've always wondered about the opposite, I have FE1 and interested in upgrading to FE2 myself.

What part of the US are you in? We might be able to swap springs

Looking into it further, I don't see a different front springs at least for the 2.8L/3.6L CTS the V has different springs front and back but it seems like the front springs on the V6 CTS are the same, the rear ones are different.

Front V6 CTS Spring part# 25739210
Front CTS-V Spring part# 25752925

Rear V6 CTS Spring part numbers:
w/Soft Ride Suspension 25734805
w/o Sport Suspension; Ride & Handling Suspension 25734802
w/Sport Suspension 25734802
w/Performance Suspension 10387989

Rear CTS-V Spring part number;
25752977

I'm looking to go with kyb gas adjust (fe1) from fe3. I just don't like the stiffness and the rear Nivomats are just too damn expensive to put on a 12 year old car.

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CTSM

· #4 · Mar 19, 2015

Exactly why I want FE2 I haven't driven an FE2 CTS, but from what I'm hearing it seems like a good middle ground in between FE1 and FE3.

Personally on this big sedan I don't mind FE1 much at all, I don't feel like my car can't corner aggressively while maintaining control, I just would like to feel the car being a bit more stiffer that's all.

However, I think it makes most sense if you are going with FE1 shocks in the rear and FE1 struts in the front, then since the front springs are identical in the front, then you need to get the rear springs of a FE1 CTS.

I still don't know if it will ruin handling to keep FE3 or FE2 springs with FE1 shocks I just think that's a safer route, the FE2 shocks are tuned for FE2 rear springs and FE3 shocks are tuned for FE3 rear springs don't think the car will handle better with mixed struts and springs unless someone who had actually done it can comment on their experience. I know the differences in springs aren't huge, after all there are those with FE1 suspension and V front and rear springs just don't know how good that setup would actually be like on the road.

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ghettomike

· #5 · Mar 19, 2015

CTSM said:
That's a good question, I've always wondered about the opposite, I have FE1 and interested in upgrading to FE2 myself.

What part of the US are you in? We might be able to swap springs

Looking into it further, I don't see a different front springs at least for the 2.8L/3.6L CTS the V has different springs front and back but it seems like the front springs on the V6 CTS are the same, the rear ones are different.

Front V6 CTS Spring part# 25739210
Front CTS-V Spring part# 25752925

Rear V6 CTS Spring part numbers:
w/Soft Ride Suspension 25734805
w/o Sport Suspension; Ride & Handling Suspension 25734802
w/Sport Suspension 25734802
w/Performance Suspension 10387989

Rear CTS-V Spring part number;
25752977

ive never looked at the part numbers, but i had a FE1 or FE2 front strut assembly i had to pull some parts off for my cts before selling it, and i can tell you that the spring on it was not the same as my FE3 front springs.
ive also run CTS-V springs with FE4 struts(my fave setup for handling, and reliability) and i ran FE4 with eibach pro kit (loved the handling but it blew the struts crazy fast)

i currently have a set of FE3 springs sitting in my garage.

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arogers260

· #6 · Mar 20, 2015

Is rippy still around on here? If so I'll try and get a quote on new fe3 struts/shocks before I fully decide on downgrading. I'm gonna be buying the poly lower and upper control arm bushings to install too. I would imagine those pry won't help avoiding stiffness if I downgraded.

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CTSM

· #7 · Mar 20, 2015

arogers260 said:
Is rippy still around on here? If so I'll try and get a quote on new fe3 struts/shocks before I fully decide on downgrading. I'm gonna be buying the poly lower and upper control arm bushings to install too. I would imagine those pry won't help avoiding stiffness if I downgraded.

No they won't help avoid stiffness. The least stiff Creative Steel and Revshift poly control arm bushings are claimed to be OEM stiff.

I think FE1 is your best bet. FE1 springs all around are going to be cheap to have they (Base CTSs are a dime a dozen) and FE1 struts and shocks and are cheap on rock auto $70-$90

And as I said FE1 ride is comfortable plenty, I have no complaints about them, the only reason I'm interested in FE2 is that I have been driving on the original FE1 since the car was new, I have 110K miles so far on them and I know it's going to be time to change and since I'm going to change things up, might as well try FE2 and see if I like a slightly stiffer ride.

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bobstoy

· #8 · Mar 20, 2015

If you go to any of the GM Parts suppliers you can see the diagrams and the part numbers explained. There are 4 different front struts offered but all share the same front springs, except for the V car. So yes, you can use any strut. They range from soft to performance. I had the FE5 suspension on my sport and it was way too stiff for me. I just installed FE1 soft ride and pleased with the ride. I also installed soft ride rear springs. The rear shocks are noted for 17 or 18 inch wheels so i left them on. My local dealer said they can only replace what came on the car. it was not easy, but i did it myself.

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CTSM

· #9 · Mar 20, 2015

I agree bob in my posts above I was not able to find a part number for front springs for anything other than the ones that come with the FE1 or the ones that come with the V.
The rears are different among the V6 CTSs but the fronts seem either to be standard springs or V springs.

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DopeEffect

· #10 · Mar 20, 2015

arogers260 said:
Is rippy still around on here? If so I'll try and get a quote on new fe3 struts/shocks before I fully decide on downgrading. I'm gonna be buying the poly lower and upper control arm bushings to install too. I would imagine those pry won't help avoiding stiffness if I downgraded.

I would look for different bushings or stick with OEM. While the ones offered by Creative Steel and Revshift are nice and much better than OEM especially in regards to durability, they are shit when it comes to retaining silicone. The bushings are completely smooth where you apply silicone. If you don't want your bushings to constantly squeak, you will need to remove the upper and lower control arms, and re-lube them using silicone lube anywhere from once a month to once every 3 months depending on weather, how much you drive, and road conditions.

If creative steel and revshift offered bushings with cross hatching on the areas where you apply silicone, I would fully support their product. But after having them on my car for close to 2 years, they have since been replaced with regular OEM bushings.

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CTSM

· #11 · Mar 20, 2015

DopeEffect, I use the greaseable CreativeSteel bushings they come with grease fittings.

I have them so far on my rear upper control arms since they were cracked. Before that I used their diff bushing.

Next up when I replace my strut mount next week I'm installing their greaseable upper control arm bushings there too.

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arogers260

· #12 · Mar 21, 2015

DopeEffect said:
I would look for different bushings or stick with OEM. While the ones offered by Creative Steel and Revshift are nice and much better than OEM especially in regards to durability, they are shit when it comes to retaining silicone. The bushings are completely smooth where you apply silicone. If you don't want your bushings to constantly squeak, you will need to remove the upper and lower control arms, and re-lube them using silicone lube anywhere from once a month to once every 3 months depending on weather, how much you drive, and road conditions.

If creative steel and revshift offered bushings with cross hatching on the areas where you apply silicone, I would fully support their product. But after having them on my car for close to 2 years, they have since been replaced with regular OEM bushings.

Inyeresting. I never even considered that being a potential problem. When you put oem did you replace the entire control arm or just bushings?

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