Springs???
11-12-2008, 04:42 PM
#1
Springs??? I have done search, after search! Everyone is talking about how everything is crap except for these sam strano springs, and koni's. I don't want to autocross my car. Never have and probably never will. I do like to drag race, but it's not an every weekend ordeal. I want something that will give my car a lowered stance, and great ride. I was thinking of putting on the eibach pro kit with bilstiens. I drive my car every day and really don't see why I would spend 700 + for shocks that I would use in compititon maybe once a year? What do you guys think. I know there are plenty of you out there with the pro kit and all the other springs out there, tell me what you guys use for your daily driver. If this was a track car and nothing else then that would be fine, but I live in arkansas and the roads are not that great. I'm not trying to sound like an *** or dumbass but I just want to know before I shell out the money. My car is practically stock except my exhaust and i'm not big about having to buy **** twice.
11-12-2008, 05:14 PM
#2
Your assumption is that I'd tell you that's the only way to go. It's not. It is the best way to go IMHO for the best driving car, but you can do a lot of other things that aren't bad (and of course some suck).
Here's the first thing you need to understand. Shocks are spring dampers. The shocks on the car stock do a pretty poor job of dealing with the stock springs, and as a result the feel of the car suffers in ride, stability and impact harshness. That's not because the springs are too stiff in general, it's because the shocks are too soft to deal with the springs.
Most shocks that aren't Koni's aren't really ideal for lowering springs and the extra rate and shorter travel you get from them. Can you do Bilstein's and Pro-kits? Sure you can. But the Bilstein's aren't really right for lowering springs, and the Pro-kits come in various kits. The LT1 Pro-kit set is even stiffer than my springs and that much further beyond what the Bilstein's can handle over the long run. At first, they'd be great, but as time passes the shocks will get overwhelmed by the work they are asked to do. And the LS1 Pro-kit has a different issue. Too soft to account for the drop. While the Bilstein's can adequately damp those springs, the springs themselves cause you to smack off the bumpstops more often and bit harder than other springs that better support the mass of the car.
And you must understand that the best ride comes from the taller, softer springs (like stock) and great damping. A car on stock springs and Bilstein's will ride softer than a car on any lowering spring and even great shocks like Koni's. But by the same token, a car on Koni's and stock springs will ride better than a car on lowering spring and Bilstein's. The springs matter, and frankly if you think of a pick-up, the trucks with the stiffer springs ride firmer, period.
If you want the best ride you need to keep the wheel rate in check, and the dampers need to keep the car from moving around in bad ways.
You have options, but I can't really give a recommendation by way of e-mail. You could run stock springs and Bilstein's, lowering springs and Bilstein's. Stock springs and Koni's, lowering springs and somthing else. Hell, we have a lot of options to offer you on springs too. I have mine, but also sell other brands because sometimes mine don't fill the need quite right.
There is a reason you keep coming up with the same answers, because others have been down the road of buying stuff twice and found something they really like. That doesn't mean you don't have options to weigh for yourself. Everyone is different, but the laws of physics don't change. We need a well matched set of springs and shocks if you want the car to work the best it can for your needs.
And let me finish by saying that everyone likes to say "I don't race" as a reason they don't want a certain part. That's fair enough, but let's understand the car has no idea if you are "racing" or not. Parts do a job, and in the case of shocks and springs, that job is to deal with controlling the mass of the car. And the car doesn't weigh less on the street than when someone is autocrossing.
What happens is folks don't by Koni's and such because they are racing. They buy them because they might want a certain result in terms of control or a feel from the car. If they like a car that handles, it happens they want the same sort of qualities that those that compete also want.
Most folks that buy Corvettes don't race, but you can bet things learned from the ALMS cars trickle down to the street cars. While a base Vette is not slouch on the performance side, the Z51 Suspension is better handling. It's an option that many that don't race still buy because the result is a better handling car.
Here's the first thing you need to understand. Shocks are spring dampers. The shocks on the car stock do a pretty poor job of dealing with the stock springs, and as a result the feel of the car suffers in ride, stability and impact harshness. That's not because the springs are too stiff in general, it's because the shocks are too soft to deal with the springs.
Most shocks that aren't Koni's aren't really ideal for lowering springs and the extra rate and shorter travel you get from them. Can you do Bilstein's and Pro-kits? Sure you can. But the Bilstein's aren't really right for lowering springs, and the Pro-kits come in various kits. The LT1 Pro-kit set is even stiffer than my springs and that much further beyond what the Bilstein's can handle over the long run. At first, they'd be great, but as time passes the shocks will get overwhelmed by the work they are asked to do. And the LS1 Pro-kit has a different issue. Too soft to account for the drop. While the Bilstein's can adequately damp those springs, the springs themselves cause you to smack off the bumpstops more often and bit harder than other springs that better support the mass of the car.
And you must understand that the best ride comes from the taller, softer springs (like stock) and great damping. A car on stock springs and Bilstein's will ride softer than a car on any lowering spring and even great shocks like Koni's. But by the same token, a car on Koni's and stock springs will ride better than a car on lowering spring and Bilstein's. The springs matter, and frankly if you think of a pick-up, the trucks with the stiffer springs ride firmer, period.
If you want the best ride you need to keep the wheel rate in check, and the dampers need to keep the car from moving around in bad ways.
You have options, but I can't really give a recommendation by way of e-mail. You could run stock springs and Bilstein's, lowering springs and Bilstein's. Stock springs and Koni's, lowering springs and somthing else. Hell, we have a lot of options to offer you on springs too. I have mine, but also sell other brands because sometimes mine don't fill the need quite right.
There is a reason you keep coming up with the same answers, because others have been down the road of buying stuff twice and found something they really like. That doesn't mean you don't have options to weigh for yourself. Everyone is different, but the laws of physics don't change. We need a well matched set of springs and shocks if you want the car to work the best it can for your needs.
And let me finish by saying that everyone likes to say "I don't race" as a reason they don't want a certain part. That's fair enough, but let's understand the car has no idea if you are "racing" or not. Parts do a job, and in the case of shocks and springs, that job is to deal with controlling the mass of the car. And the car doesn't weigh less on the street than when someone is autocrossing.
What happens is folks don't by Koni's and such because they are racing. They buy them because they might want a certain result in terms of control or a feel from the car. If they like a car that handles, it happens they want the same sort of qualities that those that compete also want.
Most folks that buy Corvettes don't race, but you can bet things learned from the ALMS cars trickle down to the street cars. While a base Vette is not slouch on the performance side, the Z51 Suspension is better handling. It's an option that many that don't race still buy because the result is a better handling car.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
11-12-2008, 06:03 PM
#3
I have the 17x9.5 and 17x11 tt2 set up on my car with the lakewood traction control arms. That's all i've done with my suspension. I have 164,000 miles on the factory shocks and springs. I was only looking at the bilstiens and eibach because of the reputable name and price. I can get the springs and the shocks for less than just the koni's. What is it about the koni's that make them so much better? The valving, the build...I don't know that's why I ask. I only know one person where I live that has a modified F body and he has koni's in the front with bilstiens in the back with the lt1 eibach pro kit. The firm ride his car has is what I like, but with the long tubes I think he scrapes on the road paint which is cool but not very practical for everyday use. Also my car is an LT1 also.
11-12-2008, 06:56 PM
#4
In and of themselve the Bilstein's and Eibach's aren't hateful. But they don't team up perfectly, and the parts individually aren't necessarily right because you know the name.
Koni's have adjustable rebound damping. Bilstein's have no adjustment. Other shocks are adjustable, but in a much cheaper way (actually cheaper parts that do no work the same way) and the result is stiff and soft, but not necessarily with good control. Koni's offer a lot of useable adjustment that gives control without killing your kidney's. And on the quality side they and Bilstein's are the best. Koni has the best warranty when and if it comes time to use it. Nobody is as helpful or willing to take care of any potential warranty issue (which is secondary because they don't often break).
So it's the valving, the damping range and the build that makes them better. And let's be honest, a GMMG system is a LOT more than say a Magnaflow and exhausts are a lot simplier to build and tune than shocks are, and are frankly less important to the way the car drives.
Being frank, with 164k miles, anything we put on will be better. The shocks on a screen door might be better... And that leads many to think that "ok" stuff is great because they've come from such crap.
If you want Bilstein's, that's fine, I sell those too. But Bilstein's are not meant to be used with lowering springs and over time you will see them degrade from being matched to something beyond the intent. Bilstein's also aren't all the same and I will not use the "standard" rear shock everyone else sells as it's a mess and much more like stock rears than they should be (and than they were 5 years ago). That's right, the new valving is worse than the old one, just like "new" Coke was a disaster back in 1984 (I think) and why we now have Coke "Classic".
You can probably buy a set of PepBoys tires and cheap rims for less than a set of Eagle F1D3's cost alone.... is the result better?
I bet what you hate is all about shocks, not so much springs. You might not want to change springs at all but think you need to. That's not true. If you want to, we can talk options there (mine, Eibach, Hotchkis, etc., I sell a bunch).
Koni's have adjustable rebound damping. Bilstein's have no adjustment. Other shocks are adjustable, but in a much cheaper way (actually cheaper parts that do no work the same way) and the result is stiff and soft, but not necessarily with good control. Koni's offer a lot of useable adjustment that gives control without killing your kidney's. And on the quality side they and Bilstein's are the best. Koni has the best warranty when and if it comes time to use it. Nobody is as helpful or willing to take care of any potential warranty issue (which is secondary because they don't often break).
So it's the valving, the damping range and the build that makes them better. And let's be honest, a GMMG system is a LOT more than say a Magnaflow and exhausts are a lot simplier to build and tune than shocks are, and are frankly less important to the way the car drives.
Being frank, with 164k miles, anything we put on will be better. The shocks on a screen door might be better... And that leads many to think that "ok" stuff is great because they've come from such crap.
If you want Bilstein's, that's fine, I sell those too. But Bilstein's are not meant to be used with lowering springs and over time you will see them degrade from being matched to something beyond the intent. Bilstein's also aren't all the same and I will not use the "standard" rear shock everyone else sells as it's a mess and much more like stock rears than they should be (and than they were 5 years ago). That's right, the new valving is worse than the old one, just like "new" Coke was a disaster back in 1984 (I think) and why we now have Coke "Classic".
You can probably buy a set of PepBoys tires and cheap rims for less than a set of Eagle F1D3's cost alone.... is the result better?
I bet what you hate is all about shocks, not so much springs. You might not want to change springs at all but think you need to. That's not true. If you want to, we can talk options there (mine, Eibach, Hotchkis, etc., I sell a bunch).
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
11-12-2008, 08:00 PM
#6
In and of themselve the Bilstein's and Eibach's aren't hateful. But they don't team up perfectly, and the parts individually aren't necessarily right because you know the name.
Koni's have adjustable rebound damping. Bilstein's have no adjustment. Other shocks are adjustable, but in a much cheaper way (actually cheaper parts that do no work the same way) and the result is stiff and soft, but not necessarily with good control. Koni's offer a lot of useable adjustment that gives control without killing your kidney's. And on the quality side they and Bilstein's are the best. Koni has the best warranty when and if it comes time to use it. Nobody is as helpful or willing to take care of any potential warranty issue (which is secondary because they don't often break).
So it's the valving, the damping range and the build that makes them better. And let's be honest, a GMMG system is a LOT more than say a Magnaflow and exhausts are a lot simplier to build and tune than shocks are, and are frankly less important to the way the car drives.
Being frank, with 164k miles, anything we put on will be better. The shocks on a screen door might be better... And that leads many to think that "ok" stuff is great because they've come from such crap.
If you want Bilstein's, that's fine, I sell those too. But Bilstein's are not meant to be used with lowering springs and over time you will see them degrade from being matched to something beyond the intent. Bilstein's also aren't all the same and I will not use the "standard" rear shock everyone else sells as it's a mess and much more like stock rears than they should be (and than they were 5 years ago). That's right, the new valving is worse than the old one, just like "new" Coke was a disaster back in 1984 (I think) and why we now have Coke "Classic".
You can probably buy a set of PepBoys tires and cheap rims for less than a set of Eagle F1D3's cost alone.... is the result better?
I bet what you hate is all about shocks, not so much springs. You might not want to change springs at all but think you need to. That's not true. If you want to, we can talk options there (mine, Eibach, Hotchkis, etc., I sell a bunch).
Koni's have adjustable rebound damping. Bilstein's have no adjustment. Other shocks are adjustable, but in a much cheaper way (actually cheaper parts that do no work the same way) and the result is stiff and soft, but not necessarily with good control. Koni's offer a lot of useable adjustment that gives control without killing your kidney's. And on the quality side they and Bilstein's are the best. Koni has the best warranty when and if it comes time to use it. Nobody is as helpful or willing to take care of any potential warranty issue (which is secondary because they don't often break).
So it's the valving, the damping range and the build that makes them better. And let's be honest, a GMMG system is a LOT more than say a Magnaflow and exhausts are a lot simplier to build and tune than shocks are, and are frankly less important to the way the car drives.
Being frank, with 164k miles, anything we put on will be better. The shocks on a screen door might be better... And that leads many to think that "ok" stuff is great because they've come from such crap.
If you want Bilstein's, that's fine, I sell those too. But Bilstein's are not meant to be used with lowering springs and over time you will see them degrade from being matched to something beyond the intent. Bilstein's also aren't all the same and I will not use the "standard" rear shock everyone else sells as it's a mess and much more like stock rears than they should be (and than they were 5 years ago). That's right, the new valving is worse than the old one, just like "new" Coke was a disaster back in 1984 (I think) and why we now have Coke "Classic".
You can probably buy a set of PepBoys tires and cheap rims for less than a set of Eagle F1D3's cost alone.... is the result better?
I bet what you hate is all about shocks, not so much springs. You might not want to change springs at all but think you need to. That's not true. If you want to, we can talk options there (mine, Eibach, Hotchkis, etc., I sell a bunch).
11-13-2008, 11:38 AM
#7
If you want an all around good car, you don't want drag springs....
I'm quite sure I know what you're after, but it still doesn't cover the details well enough. Think about this, nobody says they want a car that's great at one thing and sucks at another. Suspensions are about compromise when the car is used for more than one thing. But where you lean on springs, shocks and so on does vary from person to person.
There really isn't anything in between the Bilstein's and the Koni's on quality. You can go KYB AGX's and at least get some adjustment the Bilstein's don't have, but it's not in the same ballpark as what the Koni's have in terms of what's driveable and useful. And the quality of the AGX's is about 100 miles from the European stuff.
I said it before... I think you need to pick up the phone if you want a good, detailed explanation and for me to begin to give you a recommendation based on the information I can give to you, and you give to me. It's like consulting, that's my job. My job is not to give you pretty blind advice on the 'net, because I can't know the details. You can't get a good consult from a doctor or lawyer by e-mail, and I can't give you one as good as you should have (or any customer should have) by e-mail either.
A call does not obligate you to anything. There is no charge to call me @ 814-849-3450. I do ask that if I make sense to you, and you get your questions answered that you consider that when making a purchase, but that's all.
My springs are meant to handle and put power down pretty well (we don't use as stiff a rear rate as some do). The springs are that way because my thing is handling, and I want a car to work as best it can on real world surfaces without killing someone. Lowering springs in general are not for everyone, some folks need to be on stock springs given their ride wants. I do autocross, which more than anything else is like hard street driving. It happens on real world surfaces, and you are often pulling out of corners that have you in bottom-mid 2nd gear which puts a premium on getting power down. My spring rates and ride heights come from I found to work best for that use. Should that cause you to feel they must be super stiff, you'd be wrong. In fact my springs are actually a touch softer than the LT1 Pro-kit is....
Again, I'll fill you in on any details you want, but it's way too much to try and cover online... And with the misinterpretations and all it's just not a good use of time for either of us. I don't know you want springs at all, or that mine are the best ones for you. I can't determine that without speaking to you.
I'm quite sure I know what you're after, but it still doesn't cover the details well enough. Think about this, nobody says they want a car that's great at one thing and sucks at another. Suspensions are about compromise when the car is used for more than one thing. But where you lean on springs, shocks and so on does vary from person to person.
There really isn't anything in between the Bilstein's and the Koni's on quality. You can go KYB AGX's and at least get some adjustment the Bilstein's don't have, but it's not in the same ballpark as what the Koni's have in terms of what's driveable and useful. And the quality of the AGX's is about 100 miles from the European stuff.
I said it before... I think you need to pick up the phone if you want a good, detailed explanation and for me to begin to give you a recommendation based on the information I can give to you, and you give to me. It's like consulting, that's my job. My job is not to give you pretty blind advice on the 'net, because I can't know the details. You can't get a good consult from a doctor or lawyer by e-mail, and I can't give you one as good as you should have (or any customer should have) by e-mail either.
A call does not obligate you to anything. There is no charge to call me @ 814-849-3450. I do ask that if I make sense to you, and you get your questions answered that you consider that when making a purchase, but that's all.
My springs are meant to handle and put power down pretty well (we don't use as stiff a rear rate as some do). The springs are that way because my thing is handling, and I want a car to work as best it can on real world surfaces without killing someone. Lowering springs in general are not for everyone, some folks need to be on stock springs given their ride wants. I do autocross, which more than anything else is like hard street driving. It happens on real world surfaces, and you are often pulling out of corners that have you in bottom-mid 2nd gear which puts a premium on getting power down. My spring rates and ride heights come from I found to work best for that use. Should that cause you to feel they must be super stiff, you'd be wrong. In fact my springs are actually a touch softer than the LT1 Pro-kit is....
Again, I'll fill you in on any details you want, but it's way too much to try and cover online... And with the misinterpretations and all it's just not a good use of time for either of us. I don't know you want springs at all, or that mine are the best ones for you. I can't determine that without speaking to you.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Last edited by Sam Strano; 11-13-2008 at 11:43 AM.
Trending Topics
11-13-2008, 11:47 AM
#8
The reason is because the primary, well the only way I know of, to lower the stance of the 4th gen is to reduce the spring, either in lb or free height.
That achieves the desired stance, but it significantly reduces suspension travel.
So that leaves you with either pounding on the stops or using a stiff enough spring to keep the car off the stops.
Also keep in mind that "a great ride" has no definition. It's different for every one out there. There is no way to measure it.
11-13-2008, 12:08 PM
#9
I agree in so far as the best ride comes from stock springs, being they are taller and softer. If you want to lower the car that's fine, but then you have to start weighing the priorities, and tell me if "ride" means how firm the car is, how harsh the car is, or both.
Good dampers that have the right control over the springs make the ride no less firm, but less floaty and less harsh. It's cheap shocks or shocks that can't deal with the springs that make the car ride like a sledgehammer (and why stock cars tend to ride like that).
You want the best handling and ride combo? You do stock springs and killer dampers to keep the roll and pitch rates very taut. But if you lower the car you better have reasonable springs (not slammed, and with just enough rate to keep you from riding on the bumpstops all the time) and shocks that can control them. Notice the shocks are important either way? That's because the car has weight, and you need to control the movement of that weight either way.
Shocks are the best mod for both ride and handling, period. If you want lower you can do that but as Mitch said, you a lowered car and a "great" ride isn't something that is possible given what most folk's idea for "great" is, which generally means the best it can be. That won't happen on a lowered car.
Good dampers that have the right control over the springs make the ride no less firm, but less floaty and less harsh. It's cheap shocks or shocks that can't deal with the springs that make the car ride like a sledgehammer (and why stock cars tend to ride like that).
You want the best handling and ride combo? You do stock springs and killer dampers to keep the roll and pitch rates very taut. But if you lower the car you better have reasonable springs (not slammed, and with just enough rate to keep you from riding on the bumpstops all the time) and shocks that can control them. Notice the shocks are important either way? That's because the car has weight, and you need to control the movement of that weight either way.
Shocks are the best mod for both ride and handling, period. If you want lower you can do that but as Mitch said, you a lowered car and a "great" ride isn't something that is possible given what most folk's idea for "great" is, which generally means the best it can be. That won't happen on a lowered car.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
11-13-2008, 09:05 PM
#10
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Hey Sam,
Thanks for putting up some good info on spring selection
and giving my friend a call.
I still need to throw down some cash to get a set of your autox springs.
Thanks for all your great advise over the years.
I'll be talking to you soon.
Jeff Paul
Thanks for putting up some good info on spring selection
and giving my friend a call.
I still need to throw down some cash to get a set of your autox springs.
Thanks for all your great advise over the years.
I'll be talking to you soon.
Jeff Paul
11-14-2008, 10:07 AM
#12
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
11-14-2008, 03:58 PM
#14
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Honestly if you go with koni's and a good set of lowering springs (strano or hotchkis in my experience) you will actually end up with a car that will ride much better than stock. I've had Hotchkis/Bilstein, Hotchkis/Koni, and Strano/Koni all on my daily driver. None of them road bad enough for my girlfriend to even complain (that should tell you something). The biggest change was going from the bils to the Koni's. The adjustment lets you dial the shocks in to what you want and they simply control the springs better than Bilstein. The best way I can describe it is when you hit a bump with Koni's the car simply handles it better and recovers quicker. You know you hit the bump but it's not a major event. The difference in the Hotchkis and Strano springs was noticeable but not huge. Basically to me it was more the change from progressive to linear rates and I personally feel the linear rates make the feel a bit more predictable. Hope that helps. Definitely give Sam a call. He will make sure you get what you need (He won't sell you something you don't need, that is for damn sure), just make sure you have the time to go through everything with him.
11-14-2008, 04:08 PM
#15
Hey John I appreciate the referral.
It's always nice when someone else with experiences on different setups can add some light to the differences.
If you read John's post carefully you'll see he's basically confirmed what I'm always trying to tell people. The shock damping matters, in fact it matters more than springs that are in an around similar rates. And he's gotten to see how the Bilstein's work relative to the Koni's with the very same springs on the car (the Hotchkis) so he knows what the springs are responsible for and what the shocks are responsible for.
You'll notice he didn't hate the other springs, but prefers mine and finds them more predictable, which was one of the things I was after with my rates, aside form the lighter weight.
I think that the post you see above might be one of the most to the point, and well-stated posts I've seen regarding these matters in quite a while.
The only thing I'd mention is that I'm not sure everyone would think the car rides better than stock. It's firmer than stock for, but also less harsh than with stock shocks. The tradeoff of more firm for less harsh does make most folks feel the car is actually a better ride, even though it's not softer.
It's always nice when someone else with experiences on different setups can add some light to the differences.
If you read John's post carefully you'll see he's basically confirmed what I'm always trying to tell people. The shock damping matters, in fact it matters more than springs that are in an around similar rates. And he's gotten to see how the Bilstein's work relative to the Koni's with the very same springs on the car (the Hotchkis) so he knows what the springs are responsible for and what the shocks are responsible for.
You'll notice he didn't hate the other springs, but prefers mine and finds them more predictable, which was one of the things I was after with my rates, aside form the lighter weight.
I think that the post you see above might be one of the most to the point, and well-stated posts I've seen regarding these matters in quite a while.
The only thing I'd mention is that I'm not sure everyone would think the car rides better than stock. It's firmer than stock for, but also less harsh than with stock shocks. The tradeoff of more firm for less harsh does make most folks feel the car is actually a better ride, even though it's not softer.
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www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
11-14-2008, 04:14 PM
#16
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The only thing I'd mention is that I'm not sure everyone would think the car rides better than stock. It's firmer than stock for, but also less harsh than with stock shocks. The tradeoff of more firm for less harsh does make most folks feel the car is actually a better ride, even though it's not softer.
11-14-2008, 04:43 PM
#17
Personally, I am going with a set of Sams HD shocks, with a set of stock springs to keep my ride height so i dont bottom out. Keep in mind all the times you bottom out trying to get out of driveways stock... That's my reasoning for not lowering it.
11-15-2008, 09:12 AM
#18
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The only thing I'd mention is that I'm not sure everyone would think the car rides better than stock. It's firmer than stock for, but also less harsh than with stock shocks. The tradeoff of more firm for less harsh does make most folks feel the car is actually a better ride, even though it's not softer.
Although I don't have a whole lot of experience with anything but stock stuff vs Sam's springs and Koni's
I can say that the harsh jarring impacts from the old suspension is gone.
The best simple description of the Strano/Koni ride was said by someone on here awhile ago. "It is Firm without being Harsh"
11-15-2008, 06:59 PM
#20
well if you want something good i have bilstein with eibach sportlines on them already... they are just the front but its something to start with. ill sell them if your interested. but other than that im not real sure on a good brand that gives a good aggressive stance like what you are lokking for.