BMR or Eibach Pro Springs?

[Foosh]

Well i'm finally starting to add stuff to the T/A, and wanted to know everyone's opinion, i am planning on going with most BMR parts at this point unless you guys have better suggestions...

Also whats the deal with the Rear lower control arm relocation braket, is that a nessesity?

[creeper]

before reading please note that i am not always a "Strano nazi":

BMR revised their springs and copied their spring rates from Strano (they're almost identical). smart from a business standpoint, but i personally will not support them simply because of that. vain? possibly. but bigger companies copying what others have done and trying to do it cheaper bothers me. Stranos are only a tad more expensive ($275 shipped) and weigh less (no big deal but it can't hurt). BMR/Strano springs are linear, which is better for handling, but may ride a little stiffer.

If you go with the prokit, I would recommend the LT1 kit. they have "better" rates than the LS1 set and the rears don't sag over time.

relocation brackets are up for debate. none of the springs you're considering have a super high spring rate in the rear like most other sets so launching probably won't be too bad. when i had stiff springs in the rear i definitely needed them. now i have softer springs so i'll probably adjust them to the middle hole or remove them altogether. we'll see. get the springs first and then see if you need them.

also, i hope you're planning on/have good shocks too

[Tru2Chevy]

The rear LCA relo brackets are to correct suspension geometry on lowered cars.

You mentioned springs in your thread title - what suspension mods are you planning on doing?

BMR is a good trusted brand, but UMI and Spohn are as well. Some of our sponsors such as JS Performance and Whiplash might be able to get you a good deal on parts.

- Justin

[creeper]

Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy

The rear LCA relo brackets are to correct suspension geometry on lowered cars.

yeppp. but you have to keep roll oversteer/understeer in mind if you're going for handling. relocation brackets will correct the geometry, but the bottom hole is often too low. for launching you want the rear of the lower control arm lower than the front. for handling you want it close to level or the front slightly lower than the rear.

just one of the many reasons it's so hard to get a car to both hook and handle well.

[Foosh]

Well i'm going more for handling... i don't see the drag strip as apealing as auto x and maybe eventually some roadcourse driving. So I'm looking for stiffer tighter springs that for now are going to put me in a good starting dirrection, the first wave of mods are springs, LCA's (relocation brackets too), and adj panhard bar. with the next purchase i'll do Boxed welded in SFC, strut tower brace, and swaybar kit. So whats the best handling springs that aren't going to sag over time?

[creeper]

the general consensus is strano or bmr nowadays. what kind of shocks do you plan on using?

[Foosh]

I already have decarbons i believe... shocks i'll address in a few months, from what i've seen i really like the kyb adjustables.

[Jensend]

If you intend on driving on road courses, I'd be very careful to do some thorough searching before using certain BMR components. The cornering loads and stresses of road courses on sticky tires for extended time priods (20-30 minute sessions) are far greater than anything the car would see on the street or at an autox venue. Some BMR components are not designed to handle those stress levels. Search the tech on boards like FRRAX or corner-carvers and you should get enough info to make an in formed choice for your car.

[198esp1]

I would go with the strano spring my buddy has them on his fiirebird and loves them. If you are going to do the mods one at a time I would go in this order,because it makes no sense getting springs that the shocks cant dampen correctly

1. sway bars front first( best bang for the buck)
2. shocks (koni, bilsteins, not kyb talk to sam about shocks
3. springs.
4 offset control arm bushings adds -.5 of camber you will want
5. a good diff
6. r- compound rubber
I would def buy from Sam he has tested on the 4th gen more than any body i know and is willing to share the secrets he has learned over the years. If you buy from him its a win win you get a winning set up and the years of knowledge is only a call away.

[creeper]

Originally Posted by Foosh

I already have decarbons i believe... shocks i'll address in a few months, from what i've seen i really like the kyb adjustables.

decarbons come stock and are ehhh even with stock springs. you'll definitely want to upgrade the springs/shocks at the same time just so you don't have to do the install twice. the fronts are kind of a PIA. also, i have not read great things about the KYB's. i'm happy with my bilsteins (although i definitely wouldn't go with anything cheaper) and koni's are just amazing. i'm upgrading soon.

[Foosh]

1. sway bars front first( best bang for the buck) is there a big difference between brands, prices go from 390 to 570... the one's i've been looking at are 35mm and 25mm... just noticed spohns are solid so they look like they're outta the picture, from research it looks like i want to use hollows.
2. shocks- i'll deal with later, they do make a big difference but don't need to spend that much yet
3. springs- still the big debate cause cost is an issue
4 offset control arm bushings adds -.5 of camber you will want- still a weekend and nice day car, so i wouldn't want less than -.5
5. Ford 9 inch
6. Nitto 555R's

[creeper]

Originally Posted by Foosh

1. sway bars front first( best bang for the buck) is there a big difference between brands, prices go from 390 to 570... the one's i've been looking at are 35mm and 25mm... just noticed spohns are solid so they look like they're outta the picture, from research it looks like i want to use hollows.

right now i have a 35/21 combo (hollow front, solid rear), and definitely wouldn't go any bigger in the rear. if you want hollow both front and rear 35/22 is the way to go. i've had 30/19, 32/19, 35/19, and 35/21 and the 35/21 is perfect. too much rear bar will cause oversteer. ST, UMI, Spohn, and most others make solid bars. i think strano has the only aftermarket 35mm front bar. just for the record i have had a 35mm solid UMI front bar and it was great. i just recently upgraded to a 35mm hollow off of a Bilstein Ultra package Firehawk. there is no difference in performance, the hollow bar just weighs 8-10 lbs less. if that's worth the extra cost to you, then go hollow. it's unsprung weight and it's in the front of the car.

Originally Posted by Foosh

2. shocks- i'll deal with later, they do make a big difference but don't need to spend that much yet

i would still reconsider this. they're one of the most important parts of the suspension, especially with stiffer springs. keep in mind you'll have to pay for an alignment again the second time when (not if, but when) you realize you need new shocks.

Originally Posted by Foosh

3. springs- still the big debate cause cost is an issue

i would save until you have enough to do springs/shocks together. otherwise i'll probably be selling my front springs/shocks in a month or two if you're interested haha.

Originally Posted by Foosh

4 offset control arm bushings adds -.5 of camber you will want- still a weekend and nice day car, so i wouldn't want less than -.5

you will probably get at least -.5 out of the factory adjustment without them. i did. some people claim they get over -1.0, so you might not need those.

Originally Posted by Foosh

5. Ford 9 inch

that's a lot of unsprung weight, but if you need it you need it

Originally Posted by Foosh

6. Nitto 555R's

drag radials are not great for handling due to their softer sidewall. 555r's aren't too bad at all for handling considering they're drag radials, but there's other options that will handle better.

[Foosh]

1. ok From what i've researched BMR makes a good product (but thats why i'm asking you guys) and there prices are cheap. one of their big plus's is that they're hollow and have pretty good reviews from gm high tech performance.

2. i've got the money, i'm just trying to budget abit. And Firestone has lifetime alignments for like 150!

3. ok

4. already have it curtesy of previous owners so i'm not messing with something thats already more than good, a little extra weight in the back isn't a concern.

5. I've got open ears... i have to replace the rears fairly soon anyways.

[creeper]

only thing i don't like about BMR's bars is how big the rear is (if you're looking at their newer 35/25 setup). i've never run anything bigger than a 21 in the rear but with my spring rates i really see no need for anything bigger, let alone 4mm bigger.

since you're on a budget you may want to pick up a 35mm hollow (or solid if you wish) for the front and try to find a 3rd gen or 1LE 21mm bar for the rear. i got mine for $75 from 198esp1 and you can probably find one even cheaper off of a 3rd gen. only weighs maybe two pounds more than the solid rear bar that's on your car already and saves you some $$$.

that's a good deal on alignments, just talk to them and check out their rack before you pay. took me quite a few phone calls to find a place that would even touch a lowered car, plus it didn't clear a few of the shops' ramps, and others didn't want to do the specs i wanted with the negative camber.

[Foosh]

just noticed BMR says "lightweight tubular bars" not hollow? hmm anyone know if they're solid or not?

Firestone is typically pretty good, me and a bunch of my friends have used them for lifted trucks and they are always really good about doing the work and keeping the lifetime section of their deal open. My one friends been back to them 3 times in the last 8 months.

[creeper]

Originally Posted by Foosh

just noticed BMR says "lightweight tubular bars" not hollow? hmm anyone know if they're solid or not?

i actually noticed that and did a quick search on tech before but couldn't find anything. if they're calling a solid 35mm bar "lightweight" there's something wrong with them haha.

[198esp1]

i would not go any bigger than 22mm rear bar unless your going to lower the rear roll center a bunch. I have a 24 mm but my rear roll center is 4 inches lower and im running a 225lbs spring,and im not sure i like it better than my 21mm 150lbs set up.

[Foosh]

ok, so i'll stick with the smaller bar i guess... I'm buying springs LCA's and the adj panhard bar tonight so thats one less thing to worry about, still not sure about the springs.

[V]

when i did my lowering springs, and kept stock shocks, i blew out my rear shock like 2000 miles later, and the car only had 35k miles on it.

[ws6 jim]

sway bars i got a front 1le 32mm and read its best to just leave the 19mm rear but upgrade to poly bushings

i spent the extra $ on konis after reading everyone wished they did with a lowered car i have a prokit but want to go back to stock springs but put them on the lower spring perch for some lowering
lca relocation brackets are important to avoid violent wheelhop like i had before

lcas and adj panhard help everything stay in place back there

the big difference maker was the sfc and tunnel mount tq arm these 2 things tied everything together and just made it feel more solid

everything works as a system good luck with the upgrades

i have bmr