95Z suspension mods for 1/4 mile - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

lookingformore · 04-25-2006, 07:47 PM

Still have all stock components in the suspension aspect of my car......looking for the a good combination for a drag racing application......doesn't see the street much, only to drive to the track.....if any suggestions are made, what would be the labor involved doing the install.. THANKS

Ian · 04-25-2006, 09:51 PM

do you want a budget supension build up or are you gonna go all out?

Tru2Chevy · 04-26-2006, 01:44 AM

I would start with tubular LCAs and relo brackets, then a torque arm. Subframe connectors will also help.

- Justin

BMF · 04-26-2006, 08:23 AM

The Torque arm can remain stock.

Buy Pete Z (Appletree enterprises)'s rear suspension setup. It turns the lower control arm into a very short ladder bar setup that absolutely WORKS!

It doesnt end with the rear suspension though. The Key to getting any car to work, is to have the entire suspension system working in tune.

Eliminating the friction in the bushings of the front lower control arms is Key, along with the right shocks on all 4 corners.

-Global West Spherical bearing lower control arm set that allows the control arms to rotate in their travel with no friction.

-Del-A-Lum upper control arm bushings.

DO NOT spend your money on Poly bushings, they create whats called "Sticktion" where they stick in their rotation and slow and bind the suspension travel.

-Afco Double adjustable shocks

-With the front end weight, the correct springs can be chosen, you should weigh the front end.

BMF · 05-01-2006, 10:45 AM

Am i wasting my time replying to this post or what? I basically laid out a suspension capable of low 1.30 or better 60fts on 9" wide slicks, do you plan on using it?

IcemanSS · 05-01-2006, 11:58 AM

I dunno about him, but I might.....

Savage_Messiah · 05-01-2006, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMF

Buy Pete Z (Appletree enterprises)'s rear suspension setup. It turns the lower control arm into a very short ladder bar setup that absolutely WORKS!

Where can I find more info on that?

Tru2Chevy · 05-01-2006, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Savage_Messiah

Where can I find more info on that?

All I could find on Google was a phone number:

Apple Tree Enterprises....(315) 483-6412

- Justin

lookingformore · 05-01-2006, 07:50 PM

Bascially lower control arm- Global West
Uppers from Del-a-Lum
And shock all around AFCO....
Well i haven't heard of any of those...

Maybe its just the names but is the design or concept of these products special or something.......

And will one at a time installs be ok or should it be all or none......

Where do you guys get these parts too...i mainly go to the local speed shop for my stuff....

Ian · 05-01-2006, 08:06 PM

sub frame connectors, tubular lower control arms with grease-able poly bushings, or like brian mentioned, aluminum bushings, LCA relocathion brackets, adjustable panhard and possibly a stiffer rear sway bar.

If you're not gonna drive the car too much on the street, ditch the front sway bar so you can unload the front suspension better. maybe get some tubular lower control arms for the front. If you want to get serious, get a tubular K member too.

Tru2Chevy · 05-01-2006, 08:31 PM

Tubular lower control arms and K-member for the front can come from several different manufacturers - just ask around to see who likes what parts better.

The AFCO shocks are top shelf items, very pricey, but very good. QA1 coilovers are good compromise - they don't cost as much, and they are still a very good shock.

- Justin

98tadriver · 05-01-2006, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMF

The Torque arm can remain stock.

Buy Pete Z (Appletree enterprises)'s rear suspension setup. It turns the lower control arm into a very short ladder bar setup that absolutely WORKS!

Hell yeah, thats what i have on my car, and no torque arm (since the 9inch i bought has no mount, and the "Zbars are adjustable to set pinion angle.)

all i can say is sick traction !! i love em!!

BMF · 05-02-2006, 12:17 AM

Well, at least i know some of you guys are reading this:

to address some of the questions:

try the posted number for Appletree, looks right, if it isnt i'll get the number from my guys.

these parts are very specific peices, the global west bushings are a Delrin liner/aluminum shell bushing thats grease-able.
www.globalwest.net

the swaps can be done one at a time, but for the best improvement i would suggest doing the entire swap at one time.

One the note about the QA1 shocks, QA1 arent worth the money they get for them, a host of my friends have been dissappointed with their shocks, one in particular later went to AFCO double adjustable and was very impressed.
AFCO's are truely double adjustable (true meaning independent) where the QA1 doubles will effect both compression and rebound, making the tuning extremely tough to do.

If you cant afford AFCO, strange Double adjustable "bolt-on" shocks are an excellent second choice.
However i feel the AFCOs are the best in this price range.

Shocks are key to making the suspension work, and the right shocks will make adjusting your suspension possible in a handful of runs, allowing enough of a valving range to cover the entire spectrum of possibilities.

The Qa1's work ok, and they're on a few of the cars that i work on that do work Killer INSPITE of the shocks (not becuase of them).

The worse the weight bias of the car is (like i'm sure alot of cars on the board, which are truely street/strip cars) the more important the shocks become.

here's a few shots of my car, and one of the ones i tune, i dont have any shots of the late model camaro however.

My Camaro (Afco double adjustable on 4 corners)

this car had a 57/43 weight bias at the time, and hooked on an Ice cold, torn up track surface!

You can see some of things i did over the winter to alter the weight bias, including the electric pump/fans and manual steering box
(its now 55/45)

The Chevelle stocker (AFCO front, QA1 rear)

qwikz28 · 05-02-2006, 01:54 AM

brian are you sure this applies to a 4th gen camaro? i have never seen any ladder bar setups for our cars...

thunderracing now has madman products which are pretty good stuff

Savage_Messiah · 05-02-2006, 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwikz28

brian are you sure this applies to a 4th gen camaro? i have never seen any ladder bar setups for our cars...

thunderracing now has madman products which are pretty good stuff

scroll up... 98tadriver has it on his car

BMF · 05-02-2006, 11:14 AM

Absolutely, and i use it on the late models, i just dont have any pictures available.

The Pete Z system is excellent becuase its bolt-on (you need to drill a few holes i believe) and the pickup point on the upper link is closer to the front of the LCA.

Tru2Chevy · 05-02-2006, 11:16 AM

I'd be very interested to find out more about this setup. Does anyone know if anyone else has it? More detailed pictures?

- Justin

qwikz28 · 05-02-2006, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy

I'd be very interested to find out more about this setup. Does anyone know if anyone else has it? More detailed pictures?

- Justin

thats the coolest thing i ever saw. will it work with a 10/12 bolt?

BMF · 05-02-2006, 08:02 PM

the Pete Z setup works with a 12 bolt that has the factory F-body suspension brackets.

You guys should come out to the track next time i go to englishtown, a few of the guys i race with have the Pete Z setup.

98tadriver · 05-10-2006, 10:30 PM

heres how good that setup hooks! and this is on sumitomo 245 50 16 street tires!

Click here to see Video