How To Install Coilovers On Your ‘63-65 Buick Riviera

New Road Comp Coilover Kits From Aldan America

By Ron Ceridono – Photography by Brian Brennan

At one time Buick’s advertising slogan was: “When better automobiles are built, Buick will build them.” Arguably some of the best examples of those better Buicks they made were the ’63-65 Rivieras. Marketed as a personal luxury vehicle, Rivieras were designed to compete with such cars as the Ford Thunderbird, Chrysler 300-J, Studebaker Avanti, and even the Pontiac Grand Prix.

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02 Aldan’s resident technical guru Gary Nelson took charge of installing the Road Comp front coilovers — Aldan’s resident technical guru, Gary Nelson, took charge of installing the Road Comp front coilovers and rear shocks on this ’65 Riviera.

Along with the classy sheet metal for 1963 came a revised version of GM’s X-frame that would be the basis for the Riviera’s new E-body chassis. While the frame was in fact new, the suspension was standard Buick with the roll centers lowered to reduce body lean. As a result, automotive writers of the day gave the Riviera high marks for its excellent balance, comfort, and agility, but there is certainly room for improvement. To that end, Aldan America has found a way to make a good thing better.

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03 The stock front shocks fit inside the original coil springs the upper mounting studs fit through hole — The stock front shocks fit inside the original coil springs, the upper mounting studs fit through holes in the top and bottom rubber bushings.

Aldan has been a leading manufacturer of suspension components since 1981. All their shocks and coilover kits are manufactured in the U.S. from lightweight, high-strength 6061-T6 billet aluminum, which makes them incredibly strong and lighter weight when compared to forged steel shocks. In addition, aluminum dissipates the heat generated by the shock’s movements better than steel. For longevity Aldan shocks use low-friction Viton seals and O-rings and the shock’s shafts are heat-treated, chromed, and finish ground before final assembly to reduce seal friction. Aldan’s coilovers and shocks are fully serviceable and rebuildable and come with Aldan’s Forever Guarantee.

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04 At the bottom the stock shock absorber attaches with a crossbar that bolts to the control arm — At the bottom the stock shock absorber attaches with a crossbar that bolts to the control arm. Note the bolts go in from the bottom.

To add to their comprehensive product line, Aldan recently introduced a front suspension kit for ’63-65 Buick Rivieras in their Road Comp Series (PN 300351). It includes front coilovers with double adjustable shocks and 750-pound springs. The only modification required for installation is enlarging the factory openings for the shock in the lower control arms. To update the Riviera’s rear suspension Aldan offers a direct bolt-on kit with a pair of TruLine single adjustable shocks (PN 300353). A complete Road Comp suspension kit package for the front and rear is also available (PN 300354).

05 With the spindles separated from the ball joints in the upper control arms and the strut rods the lower control arm is slowly lowered on a jack — With the spindles separated from the ball joints in the upper control arms and the strut rods, the lower control arm is slowly lowered on a jack to remove the spring.

Suspension Adjustment Explained With Aldan’s Gary Nelseon

To adjust the ride height of a vehicle with Aldan coilovers it’s a simple matter of changing the preload on the spring—increasing the preload by moving the adjuster up on the shock body raises the car, moving the adjuster down reduces the preload on the spring lowering the car. Aldan recommends starting with a baseline setting of 1 inch of preload on the springs, then adjusting as necessary. While preload changes to our Riviera were made easier with Aldan’s thrust bearing kit, adjustments should still be made with the car jacked up to take the pressure off the springs and the load on the threaded adjusters and shock bodies.

06 Aldan’s complete kit for ’63 65 Buick Riveras includes front coilovers rear shocks mounting hardware and the proper spring preload spanner wrench — Aldan’s complete kit for ’63-65 Buick Riveras includes front coilovers, rear shocks, mounting hardware, and the proper spring preload spanner wrench.

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Single Vs Double Adjustable Coilovers

For those who want to fine-tune their car’s suspension system, Aldan offers single and double adjustable shocks. In the case of the ’65 Riviera shown here, the front coilover shocks are double adjustable, which allows compression and damping to be adjusted while in the rear the TruLine single-adjustable shocks allow the rebound damping to be altered. In both cases the rebound adjustment knob is at the top of the shock body, and for the front shocks the compression adjustment knob is at the bottom.

07 To remove the nuts that secure the front shocks to the control arms — To remove the nuts that secure the front shocks to the control arms, Gary has found smacking the bolts with a hammer easily breaks the factory spot welds.

Rebound Adjustment

For initial settings start by turning the front rebound adjustment knob all the way clockwise to full stiff then backing off 10 clicks, which is the center of the adjustment range. For compression, damping begins with the knob on setting number two of the six positions available, then making further adjustments as necessary. Be aware the compression knob doesn’t have a stop and will rotate 360 degrees. As the adjuster is a barrel valve, if the knob is rotated past six it returns to position 1. In the rear, turn the rebound adjustment all the way counterclockwise to full stiff and back off three clicks.

08 The factory coil spring pocket is cut away to make room for the coilover — Compare the stock Riviera control arm (top) to the modified arm (bottom). The factory coil spring pocket is cut away to make room for the coilover. A plasma cutter or small reciprocating saw works best.

Shock Tuning

To fine-tune the shocks, start with front compression damping. Find a stretch of road with a bump or dip, drive the car through it at 15-20 mph. If the suspension is too soft, increase the compression damping; if it is too harsh, decrease the damping. Repeat the process until the compression damping is optimized.

09 This is the front coilover without the spring The knob (arrow) is for compression adjustments — This is the front coilover without the spring. The knob (arrow) is for compression adjustments.

Damping Adjustment

For rebound damping use the same driving evaluation. If the car is stiff on rebound and it stops moving and you don’t, that is if the seatbelt feels like it tightens up on return after compression, decrease the rebound setting. In the rear, start with the adjustment turned all the way counterclockwise, then back off three clicks clockwise, do the dip test, and adjust as necessary.

10 Before the springs are installed anti seize is applied to the threads on the shock body — Before the springs are installed anti seize is applied to the threads on the shock body. Aldan recommends copper anti seize, adding “it doesn’t have to be frosted like a cake.”

Aldan’s Road Comp system for Buick Rivieras allows the ride height to be lowered properly up to 2 inches. A wide range of adjustment options allow the suspension to be tuned to your liking;. Aldan shocks come with a lifetime warranty. That really is the way to build a better Buick. MR