2002BlueWS6

Ok, I've got a 2001 WS6 with 18" Boyd Coddingtons Smoothi II's. The car's suspension is completely stock right now. ANyway, I'm looking to lower it about 1" and maintain the factory ride quality. My biggest concern is that I don't want the car to track the bumps and cracks in the road any worse than it does now. I'm thinking about DMS springs with KYB or Koni shocks...what is the optimal setup for my criteria? Price is not very important. Compliant Ride quality is more important than price to me. Any help is greatly appreciated!!
Thanks
Daniel

John95Z28

OK, I know everyone has an opinion about this, so please don't jump all over me for offering my humble comment:

-BMR lowering springs (1" advertised drop, near OEM spring rates on softer end of progressive rate)
-stock anti-roll bars
-Koni single adjustable

PSU_Engineer

oK opinion #2

Hotchkis Springs 1" drop
Bilstien Shocks HD
Stock sway bars (upgrade later)

2002BlueWS6

cool guys thanks for the info and suggestions---now how about price on those setups? Which is cheaper? Also, what are the main differences between bilstien shocks and koni shocsk?? Keep the suggestions coming>>>>>

Ackattack1

iTrader: (7)

Options 3
Cut your stock springs and keep the stock shocks.
Doesn't effect ride quality, just lowers the car, and its free (well you'll need an alignment)

hawgs

iTrader: (3)

I did option #2 and think its great. The Bilstiens were a little rough at first but I have gotten used to them and love the stance/ride. SFCs go on this weekend and sway bars are coming in a month.

2w0s060

Eibach Sportlines
Bilstein HDs

Incrediable ride and great height

BAD ASS TA WS6

iTrader: (5)

Don't do this....

Do it right, and lower your car with springs and do shocks at the same time. As posted above, it would be smart to do swaybars later. This way you can adjust the feel of the car after you've had the chance to drive it with the new parts.

If your going for a 1" drop, the DMS springs will be a little bit too much. They are around a 1.5" drop, so I would say it's border line for a daily driver.

IMO Hotckiss springs will get you the perfect the stance (not too low, but a tad lower than BMR) and the Bilstein HDs will go great with them. The combo will really wake up the car, and get rid of the factory 4x4 look. Your looking at probably around or under $600 setup, not including labor.

Rob

Ackattack1

iTrader: (7)

What's wrong about it, because its free?

Am I not mistaken that lowereing springs are just shorter, and usually have a higher spring rate? If this is the case, then by cutting the stock springs you get a shorter spring (just like the lowering ones) and end up with near factory spring rates (actually a little higher, but not enough to matter, I did the calculations).

I'll give you that this probably is not the best set up from a handling standpoint, but neither is stock. I wouldn't put this down as a performance mod, but an appearance mod, which from reading the original post is what he is looking for.

BADZ

iTrader: (5)

I cut my springs, and removed the spring purches and used heater hose. and manage to cut low 1.3x 60ft's doing it all day long. I would invest in some adjustability in your rear cause once you lower it, it throws the rear off center causing tires to rub etc. Adj lca's and phr will play a great roll in your set up and hal shocks will be a good investment as well..

00PewterSS

iTrader: (3)

Mine rode like hell with this combination because it bottomed out all the time. I guess if your roads are good then it is ok. Any bumps, hard accel or hard cornering and my rear bottomed. Just my experience though.

Brian

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

Actually, the problem is that you need increased spring rate to keep a lowered car from bottoming out. Cutting the springs will raise the spring rate, but only a few percent and not nearly enough to keep the car off of the bumpstops. A car that is constantly slamming into the bumpstops (all cars bump them, but cutting springs will put you in contact much more often and much harder than normal) does little for ride quality. That is the reason he said not to do it. I think everyone here is all in favor of free mods, but only the ones that "work". I noticed in the original post that he wanted to keep the stock ride quality (not sure why, I hate the floaty feeling the stock suspension has, but to each his own), and cutting the springs will probably not work for that goal. This is one of those rare cases where I may actually suggest BMR springs as they are on the "softer end" of the lowering springs as far as spring rates are concerned. I'd think those and the Bilstein HD's would be one of the best combinations for a "soft" ride.

My thoughts.

absolut_speed

iTrader: (1)

If money is not an issue as you say, get the Ground Control or Global West coilover kits and then you can adjust your height to whereveryou want it. Too low? Riding on the bumpstops? Scraping the driveway? Adjust them up. Too high still? Give the adjusters a couple of quick turns lower. Voila! This will cost you a couple hundered more, but you can dial the height in exactly without swapping springs again after you discover your new ones aren't quite what you were looking for.

2002BlueWS6

Jeez...thanks so much for all the replys. The reason I want to keep the stock ride quality is because I do a considerable amount of freeway driving and I really hate when a car "track the road"
As far as cutting my springs--no way. I did that before and it was really bad news. Like a week later I was back under the car putting another pair of springs in. SOunds like the BMR and the Bilstein HD's will do the trick. What's the best place to get these parts?

Cal

iTrader: (1)

The "rut following" or tracking that you are refering to has nothing to do with springs and shocks. It's a function of tire width and sidewall stiffness, as well as the amount of caster in your wheel alignment. If you want to minimize rut following, get some cheap tires with a soft side wall and put them on a set of 16x8 wheels.

As for cutting springs, if done properly it works quite well with no noticeable sacrifice in ride quality. I've cut both the stock springs and a set of 1LE springs for my car with excellent results.

Koni shocks are a good idea on a lowered car and will improve corner handling dramatically, but they definitely will NOT give you a soft ride! KYB shocks are much cheaper than Koni's, but wear out quickly; another case of "you get what you pay for." For your goals I would recomend Bilsteins.

2002BlueWS6

I don't know man. I had a 1995 Z28 at stock ride height with 275-40-17 and then I lowered it about 1.5" with those same tires and it tracked the rode much worse...

Cal

iTrader: (1)

Most likely because you didn't get a wheel alignment after lowering it. You probably had some toe-out plus more positive caster and negative camber after lowering. That's what happens with the type of front suspension that we have when you lower the car. The negative camber won't casue the tracking, but the toe-out and caster definity will.

BADZ

iTrader: (5)

It might also be time for some lca's and phr...

BAD ASS TA WS6

iTrader: (5)

CAL, your right it can be done correctly. For 200 bucks I can't see myself doing it though. I've seen some real hack jobs with people cutting springs, and heating them as well.

How many coils did you end up cutting off? Most people were cutting off a coil and a half or so correct?

NVDZ28

I also did this and couldn't tell much of a difference....Only think i could tell is it rode a little ruffer, but nothing that will rattle you to death...Plus you have money for some go fast goddies....