zach branch

I recently took my car to the best frame specialist in Indiana, and much to my dismay she said the shock spring combo, eibach, was making the car bottom out almost constantly. She said that everything was installed correctly. She also told me I need to go back to stock and remove the combo.

I am not doing that because that is one of the first aspects of the car I noticed.

So what me and her have agreed on is going with an air ride suspension. What are the pros and cons of using a air ride suspension on a camaro? What some good air ride suspensions? My budget is between $850-$2000.

I am doing a self instal so the instal money will not be a factor.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

What shocks and pro-kit( LT1 or LS1 )do you have on the car, is the car a factory SS?

zach branch

I have a 2002 Camaro SS, so the LS1. The car is nearly factory with the exception of a full suspension minus the panhar bar and strut tower brace. Other induction components have been added but I dont believe they would affect the ride of the car. The shock/spring set is Bilstein/Eibach (set). I was told I need to change them before I bring the car out for spring.

I hope that is the information you were wanting...?

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

The front LS1 pro-kit springs are soft (400 lb.in. spring rate) but the Lt1 pro-kit are noticeably stiffer (377-600 lb.in.). The LT1 pro-kit is the better of the two. First get some stiffer front springs (525-600 lb.in. range), and second I wouldn't go with Air ride up front since you stuck with shock valving that's less than ideal (even with the double adjustable shocks)

In the rear the ART rear air spring kit works great with koni SA's , very good with Edelbrock IAS shocks.

Your best all spring option is Strano/Koni setup but you lowest cost option Strano springs with you bilsteins, and then there's Stiffer front springs and a ART rear airspring kit with manual air valves.

Also you could go with the front IAS spring (550lb.in.)/shock combo and the rear IAS shocks with ART airspring kit with manual air valves. I've ran this set up for about a year with really good results , but recently put Koni Sa's on the rear and it even better!

FYI, A no cost improvement you could do right now is to remove the rear bump stop 1/2" spacers for a slight improvement in the rear ride quality.

pjb

iTrader: (2)

are you sure it is prokit and not sportlines?

zach branch

The guy I bought the car from said that there are bilstein shox and eibach 2 inch lowering springs...

So I am not sure which kit that would be to be completely honest.

JD_AMG

2" lowering springs are the sportline, arguably the worst springs you can buy for these cars. Way too low and not enough rate.
Search for a better setup, no need for air ride.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Air ride is just a different type of spring....... But here's the rub. The lower you go the less travel you have, regardless of coil-springs or air springs. The geometry and travel issues are still the same. What's more, to lower the car on air springs, you drop air pressure out--which softens the spring rate, just the opposite of what you need as you go lower and lower.

Also, the car has limited travel at each end and it will get onto bumpstops with any setup. That's not the issue. The issue is HOW it gets on the bumpstops. You don't want to have next to no travel, slam onto them, and give the shocks no working room to damp the movement.

My springs, and everyone else's....even the stock ones will get on the stops. But you hear nobody complaining of it with my springs because I didn't slam the rear height and I use enough spring rate, and I recommend the more progressive Z28 type stops vs. SS/WS6 stops and spacers. And, most of all, I recommend the best shocks one can run.

There are many different "Eibach" springs.... some are worse than others. None are great. Are they red???????

RawDawg

Hi Sam,

I bought your strano srpings and yellow Konis for my convertible WS6. I'm having the same issue where it is bottoming out like crazy ...especially if i have passengers in the car. I'm pretty sure I still have the stock bump stoppers. What should I do to get rid of the bottoming out? Should I get some kind of an air bag kit or just replace the stoppers?? Thanks.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

If you have the 1/2" aluminum rear bumpstop spacers on your car remove them and replace the bumpstops if needed, also if you did the "hose mod" remove it, and reinstall the upper rear spring isolators. What do you have the shocks set at? If there set really high that can cause ride and handling problems.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

The car is only supposed to carry about 500 pounds in it in total....

You cannot keep the car off the bumpstops no matter what springs you have (well, I guess in theory you could if you had springs that were more like steel rods).

I'd suggest an supplemental airbag setup that fits inside the rear springs and allows you to add spring rate when necessary. http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=18&ModelID=7

And yes, if your aluminum spacers are there, get rid of them too.