Suspension Setup
 

Well; I decided that my next upgrade will involve me suspension and lower the car. I want to do this ONE TIME and RIGHT; lol, so i need advice.

The car will be used for the "twisty's"; bare, curvy backroads. The car might see some 1/4 mile action but not much and not often. If i can find a AutoX track then maybe some recreational usage, nothing competition based. This is moslty a cruzer, show car. My SS isn't my DD, but i want it to be a "functional car".

LCA's: I read this link (http://www.ws6zxr.com/showthread.php?t=23014), and now im not sure what to do. "Road Noise", how bad can it be? I'm not looking for Cadilac quiteness (it would have to be some serious freakin noise as my car already raddle's, ect), or Porche GT2 performance. Now, i want an improvement over stock (obviously), but don't want to spend a fortune on LCA's. I was thinking UMI or BMR (non-adjustable), any one have suggestions? Like ROD ENDS???!!!

Panhard bar: Again i need an adjustable one and i was again thinking BMR or UMI. Single adj / dbl adj?? Rod ends???

SFC's: 2 point or 3 point? difference's, pro's con's for my application??? Weld-in or Bolt-in, differences in application (besides weld-in being stonger).

Springs: The big question; how low should i go? I can get a set of hotchkis springs pretty cheap. I was looking @ a 1.5" drop in front & 1.3" in rear. However; i do want headers soon, and i don't want my butthole to pucker up to the size of a pin head whenever i go over a bump. I know that QTP and KOOKS say they have no clearance issues but i would like 1st hand opinion. Other then that; they have a 1.2" front and rear drop springs i might go with if u guys think it is too low. also, what lbs spring rate???

Shock Re-valving: What is the deal with this? It is required? I know the shock bound and rebound should be set with the spring rate but does anyone have first hand experience with have them re-valved? like does it really make a difference or is it necessary for my application? Also, who does them and how much $$$? The shocks I have are the same ones that come in the SLP shock and spring package.

I want tp buy parts once and be done with it. I want to advoid the expense and headach of experimenting with parts and 'ish.

any help is greatly appreciated!

you dont need rod ends and wont want them on a car that sees 90% street duty...go with single adjustable with poly ends......

A rod end on one side wont hurt.
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FIX PS3

other than being noiser and needing lubrication quite often.....he said he dosent want the car to rattle, so he dosent want rod ends

Thanks guys; how bout the rest of the stuff???

Yes, but rod ends are also the best for what he wants from the car....non DD that is built for handling.

- Justin

well since he said he didnt want loud i stated my opinion......my car = loud ( i have rod ended lca's, panhard, and tq arm) i also have to clean them and re lubricate them almost every time i take it off the trailer. especially if the road is wet or sandy/gravely

Yea, i already have some raddle from the car. Im used to it and it doesn't really bother me, besides my stero drowns the rest out.

unless having rod ends sounds like a bunch of monkeys in a wind chime shop, then a little more noise won't hurt.

why so much, i thought they self lubricated???

Your best bet would prolly be to find someone close to you that has several rod-ended suspension parts and go for a ride in his/her car. Then decide for yourself if you can deal with the extra noise.

Some do, some don't. You'll want to make sure that you get parts that have high quality rod ends. You'll have to clean and lube them periodically if you want them to stay 'quiet' and last you for a while.

- Justin

I was thinking UMI and the QA1 single adj ones.

i have umi and you have to lubricate. same with the wolfe phr

LCA's: I read this link (http://www.ws6zxr.com/showthread.php?t=23014), and now im not sure what to do. "Road Noise", how bad can it be? I'm not looking for Cadilac quiteness (it would have to be some serious freakin noise as my car already raddle's, ect), or Porche GT2 performance. Now, i want an improvement over stock (obviously), but don't want to spend a fortune on LCA's. I was thinking UMI or BMR (non-adjustable), any one have suggestions? Like ROD ENDS???!!!

I would go with UMI non-adjustable LCA's with the poly ends so you dont have the added noise and dont need to lubricate them as often as rod ends. Make sure that you also get LCA relocation brackets. You can do weld in or bolt on, I chose to do the weld on. This will help with wheel hop issues after lowering the car.

Panhard bar: Again i need an adjustable one and i was again thinking BMR or UMI. Single adj / dbl adj?? Rod ends???

I would go with UMI dbl adjustable PHB and would skip out on the rod ends.

SFC's: 2 point or 3 point? difference's, pro's con's for my application??? Weld-in or Bolt-in, differences in application (besides weld-in being stonger).

You can wait to do these I kind of wish i had. I got all my stuff at the same time so it was harder to "feel" what made a big or little difference. As far a 2 or 3 point I would go with 2 point just because of the issues you might run into down the road if you do exhaust modifications.

Springs: The big question; how low should i go? I can get a set of hotchkis springs pretty cheap. I was looking @ a 1.5" drop in front & 1.3" in rear. However; i do want headers soon, and i don't want my butthole to pucker up to the size of a pin head whenever i go over a bump. I know that QTP and KOOKS say they have no clearance issues but i would like 1st hand opinion. Other then that; they have a 1.2" front and rear drop springs i might go with if u guys think it is too low. also, what lbs spring rate???

As far as springs I would go with a set of Strano springs. They lowered the car just right IMO I ocassionally will scrape my front air dam when pulling in a steep driveway. I am about to find out if there will be any issues with my Kooks headers once i figure out what else I want to go with.

Shock Re-valving: What is the deal with this? It is required? I know the shock bound and rebound should be set with the spring rate but does anyone have first hand experience with have them re-valved? like does it really make a difference or is it necessary for my application? Also, who does them and how much $$$? The shocks I have are the same ones that come in the SLP shock and spring package.

Shock revalving is needed on the Bilstein shocks for them to be comaptible with lowering springs and still give you a decent ride. If I would do it again I would have skipped my revalved Bilsteins and waited to buy the Koni's from Sam.

If you live close by to the Turnersville Washignton Township area I would be more than happy to come show you my car and take you for a ride. Also if you would like me to take any pictures just let me know. If you do a search I had a post a while back about my new setup on here as well as LS1tech. And last if you have the time give Sam Strano a call he is a great guy and helped me out alot with my setup. Right now he is very busy as it is basically just him running his business so just leave him a message and he will get back to you. Goodluck on your setup and let us know how it goes!

thanks man, and i do live near there and will def hit u up when i'm ready. I bought the bilsteins last yr b/c the orig shocks i had were shot to hell. But like i said, i want to do this right. I read some sticky's and posts on LS1tech and didn't realize how easily it was to mess up the suspension when you change things and make it handle worse (as simple as choosing the wrong size sway bar). I might just buy the kit from UMI with the Koni's b/c that is what EVERYONE is sayin is the best; even if that means i have to wait another yr to buy it Id rather pay $1500 once then go 2 yrs with headachs, never being happy, and spending twice as much buying parts ala'cart and never getting it right.


Issues with 3-point SFC, might be a stupid question, but what kind of issues could i see with exhaust mods (i plan on haing a 4" one put on when i do my engine mods)

Here goes my opinion, FWIW,
LCA's and panhard: Go with any single adjustable for both (since you are lowering the car). I would stay away from rod-ends because they are noisy and yes they are better then poly but not by a whole lot.
SFC's: 3 point are stronger but can cause alot of clearance issues with exhust and the ground, for your car a good set of weld in 2 points will be just fine.
Shocks and Springs: Spend the bucks for Koni adjustables oR QA1's. If you don't plan on doing alot of 1/4 mile time singke adjustable is the way to go.

A couple things you are overlooking (don't know if you did it already or not) is a STB and most importantly a torque arm. The STB is dirt cheap and really helps the nose on turn in in tight corners but I would DEFINATELY get a tubular torque arm. I've had a few and SPohn and UMI make nice adjustables but I went a new route on my car that has ben awesome. I bought a BMR non-adjustable and the BMR front mount relocation kit. It costs a little bit more but you get to keep a full length torque arm and still have adjustment (it has 4 or 5 different mounting points on the front). It isn't the easiest adjustment in the world so if you plan on alot of changes a regular chassis mount adjustable may be hte way for you to go, but in the turns it makes a world of difference having the longer torque arm.

already have a STB and wow what a difference. Good deal with the 2-point SFC, they r cheaper and i don't want clearance issues with exhaust (planning on a 4" one when i do the engine mods). The TRQ arm was what i was concerned about; i remember a post on here that had a link describing different TRQ arms setups. It stated that short chassis tunnel mounted ones can cause rear wheel hop during breaking. i sure don't want that so i was hoping that a full length one and a relocation bracket would work. As far as adj, i'd let the shop i use to install the stuff (Josh or TTP) make them and leave them alone. i think they would kno the optimal settings for my needs better then i would. ill also prob get a PHB relocation bracket while im at it.

The Koni/Strano package on UMI's site seems to be what i need. I dont need the 4/4's b/c i don't see myself making adj, i just want a mean street machine.

anything else i need to be aware of guys???

Talk to sammy he can put a nice package togeather for you. I just put front upper and lower rod ended control arms on my car with a custom koni shock also rod end mount no noise yet with about 2500 miles on them. arms are umi. my front fender hight is 25.5inch .With a stock shock mount i would not go lower than 26.5-26.7 or you will be riding on the bump stop and then the car will be a big go cart a bad handling gocart. like i said talk to sam the man is a weath of knowledge and he probably talk you out of buying stuff you think you need but dont. His car is stupid fast around turns. with all rubber bushing ,except upper front control arms they are offset delrin. I have qtp headers no ride hight problems. good luck if you got any questions just ask.

dont buy the qa1's the dont have enough rebound. I tried to get a set valved the same as my koni's and they could not get close at all ,these cars need lots of rebound!!! I would do sway bars /shocks /springs in that order and see how you like it.

you're all right; i talked to Sam on LS1tech and he told me he'd be more then happy to talk to me and guide me. The price; eh...about $2K, but that is to do it right, and that is what i want to do. If i have to wait another yr to justify spending the money (I'm 23 and still live @ home, i'd like to move out b/f i'm 30, lol) then so be it, but atleast it will be done right and done once. lol.

So i guess my summer project will be to finish up all the little crap i have yet to do. Some of it involves painting some trim pieces, rewiring my system, and touching up the paint on my car. I found some nice sticky's on LS1tech that I need to check out (i can't get over the abundance of info they have on their site, no to knock here of course).

do it one piece at a time thats how i did it . if you do it piece by piece you learn what affect that part had. and if the part is adj you can learn how that adj changes the car.
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1. front sway bar 35mm hollow
2. rear sway bar factory 1le
3.rear shocks koni sa or revalved bills
4. front shocks. koni sa
5. springs front 500-550/rear stock or 150
6. big r-compound race rubber.
7. adj torque arm
8. t2r rear diff
9.alum flywheel
10. go to a driver school (because 1-9 still wont make you fast if you cant drive :nod:)

Only problem with doing one at a time is you get killed in shipping charges

He didn't say order the parts one at a time....just install them one at a time. The thing i would prolly skip on a 4th gen is doing the front springs/shocks separately.

- Justin

it took three years to get the car fully prepped for esp so long that the shipping doesent really come into play and if sam has it in stock you usallly get it the next day.