Monte Carlo Suspension - We Install A Complete Street Suspension Kit In An '85 SS

1985 Chevy Monte Carlo Suspension Upgrade

Though the car belongs to our illustrious art director, all of us staff guys have driven it, and we were all in agreement: Edwin's '85 Monte Carlo SS was totally clapped out. After a turn behind the wheel, Editor Glad was fondly recalling the handling of his since-sold '67 F-250.

Twenty years is about the limit of the stock suspension's bushings, springs, and shocks, and the car was more jiggly than a bowl of Jell-O. Edelbrock came to the rescue, offering up its Pro Touring handling package and doing the install. So we kidnapped Edwin's car and dropped it off at Edelbrock's headquarters in Torrance, California. When we picked it up, the difference in its handling was as different as night and day. Interested in discovering the potential of your GM coil spring car? Read on.

Edelbrock's Pro Touring suspension upgrade kit comes with just about everything to make a hero out of your subpar performer. Of course, it comes with lowering springs made by Eibach and Edelbrock's own upper and lower rear trailing arms, but it also comes with cool bits like the billet, threaded tie rod adjusters, rear frame support rods, IAS shocks, and billet sway bar mounts with urethane bushings. "It's an entire suspension in a box," Edelbrock's Karl Stuber tells us. He's not kidding, either. The only thing not included is a set of front control arms. The kit, PN 52005, retails for $1,547.95.
Edelbrock's Pro Touring suspension upgrade kit comes with just about everything to make a
We won't go through the process step by step in this article because it is a pretty straightforward, bolt-on affair. Instead, we want to point out some of the interesting things about Edelbrock's parts. First is the front sway bar, which is made from 4130 chrome-moly steel. Why chrome-moly, you may be wondering? We asked Stuber the same question. "We use chrome-moly for all our front bars. It doesn't take a set like mild steel does." That makes sense when you think about it: A sway bar is essentially a spring. Think of it as a torsion bar or even an uncoiled coil spring that connects the two lower control arms together. Just like springs can sag and settle over time, a sway bar can get lazy as it travels through the same range of motion year after year. According to Stuber, chrome-moly resists this fatigue much better than steel and maintains its crisp control of body roll over a longer period of time.
We won't go through the process step by step in this article because it is a pretty straig
Edelbrock bends all its bars in-house. Weight-saving freaks will be happy to learn that in addition to using a chrome-moly alloy, Edelbrock makes its front bars with hollow tubing, allowing you to shave a few extra pounds off the nose of your car. The rear bars, however, are solid, mild steel.
Edelbrock bends all its bars in-house. Weight-saving freaks will be happy to learn that in

The Edelbrock sway bar follows the stock routing and is mounted to the frame with urethane bushings and endlinks.
The Edelbrock sway bar follows the stock routing and is mounted to the frame with urethane
Billet tie rod adjusters replace the stock stamped-steel piece. We're guessing they're a little stronger than the stock stuff, don't you think?
Billet tie rod adjusters replace the stock stamped-steel piece. We're guessing they're a l
The stock upper rear control arms were replaced with these adjustable ones. They utilize a urethane bushing on the axlehousing and a spherical bearing where they mount to the frame. "This allows greater articulation and more range of movement before the suspension binds," Stuber says.
The stock upper rear control arms were replaced with these adjustable ones. They utilize a

These beefy lower rear control arms replace the stock stampings, which are notoriously flimsy. "They were built to flex to allow a comfortable ride," Stuber says. Sharp handling wasn't part of the equation. Eliminating the flex in the suspension pieces will really improve the handling. Edelbrock's rear lower arms use urethane bushings at both ends and are equipped with grease fittings, allowing periodic lubrication to quell any potential squeaking.
These beefy lower rear control arms replace the stock stampings, which are notoriously fli
The rear sway bar mounts to the car at reinforced attaching points. Smart move, too-we've heard of bigger aftermarket bars pulling out the stock mounts during hard cornering.
The rear sway bar mounts to the car at reinforced attaching points. Smart move, too-we've
Finishing off the suspension is a set of Edelbrock's IAS, or Internal Active System, shock absorbers. These shocks are valved to be less resistant to sudden large movements of bounce and rebound but to firm up under more gradual oscillations. In other words, they allow the suspension to travel over bumps and potholes with little resistance but maintain a firm ride under sustained loading while cornering.
Finishing off the suspension is a set of Edelbrock's IAS, or Internal Active System, shock

To take full advantage of the Monte Carlo's new handling potential, we shelved the stock 15-inch wheel and tire package for a set of Center Line Qualifier wheels, sized 17x 8.0 with a 4 1/2-inch backspacing. They're not only good looking, but they weigh a mere 19 pounds each. We mounted a set of General Exclaim UHPs sized 235/45R17, front, and 245/45R17 on the rears. The wider tires do a better job of filling out the Monte's wheelwells, and the bigger contact patch will allow it to carve corners with aplomb.
To take full advantage of the Monte Carlo's new handling potential, we shelved the stock 1

Parts List
Description	PN	Price
Center Line Qualifiers	721-7805-547	$369.95 each
Edelbrock Pro Touring suspension kit	52005	$1,547.95

Second gear had been slipping, as evidenced by the blue spots on the steel rings, indicating that the whole assembly had overheated. In addition, our direct clutches and overdrive band were toast. The seals around the reverse band apply servo were also shot, explaining the annoying driveline shudder when reversing at low speeds.

He gave us a can of cleaning solution to flush out the cooler and lines. You don't want to contaminate your new transmission with trash left behind from your old one.

SOURCES
Edelbrock 2700 California St. Torrance CA 90503 310-781-2222 www.edelbrock.com	Center Line Wheels Santa Fe Springs CA 800-345-8671 www.centerlinewheels.com
General Tire 1800 Continental Drive Charlotte NC 28288 800-847-3349 www.generaltire.com