ls1ya

iTrader: (2)

Thought I had my plan sorted out till I start buying parts, then I start second guessing. Car is a 98 Z FE2 car. 160k Completely stock other than a lid and cut out. Car is a daily driver I put 52 miles a day on her through los angeles.
Suspension is stock other than some Monroe fronts that got put in at least 6 years ago and Bilstein rears 4 years ago. Fronts are crap. Car needs a rebuild for its 20th anniversary. So I started with the suspension. Looking at coilovers, gonna be doing wheels later and want them to sit right. Also want to ride decently, handle well, and maybe be able to take to a track day once the car gets sorted out. Don't care if it's a lil stiff as long as it feels solid. I have bought adjustable rear lcas, PHB, tQ, weld in Sfcs, relocation brackets and sway links. For the front mostly steering components ball joints, tie rods, rack and pinion, bushings. Not gonna go with tubular front just yet as it's a daily.
What am I missing to rebuild this suspension ?
​​​​​​What coilover setup before I order I know Viking but which one?
Who has the best price?
Who can install and tune around la?

ls1ya

iTrader: (2)

bump

StoneColdLT1

iTrader: (8)

When you say track car, what kind of racing are you talking about?

If I was in your shoes, daily driving the car with 160k, I would probably try the Koni STR.T's shocks and BMR SP001 springs, replace all the bushings with Moog replacements, replace shock mounts and isolators, and while you're in there upgrading sway bars and links, along with an adjustable panhard to re-center the rear and a LCA relocation brackets if needed.

As most guy will tell you, shocks and springs are one of the biggest and preferably first upgrades you should do to a suspension, they'll net you the biggest difference of ride and handling over stock. SFC's make a big difference as well and will most likely be my next suspension/chassis mod. For a daily driver, getting crazy with adjustable LCA's and tubular suspension isn't really needed IMO, unless your current arms are starting to rot through or something.

JD_AMG

Couple notes first: If you want ride comfort don't get too tall with the wheels and especially don't run some thin walled tires, that will kill ride quality. Heavy wheels will also hurt your ride and all around performance.
Also what kind of torque arm did you go with? Full length or short chassis connected one? Hopefully full length.
Make sure to use rubber bushings and not poly on control arms.
As far as coilovers I don't see why you would want Viking if you want good handling and a solid ride, you wont get that out of essentially a tweaked drag shock. If you must have a coilover then look at ridetech or the UMI/strano custom afco coilovers, those are properly valved and properly built shocks that actually work well without compromises.
Dont forget swaybars if you want a further improvement in handling and feel.


Swaybars as well will make as big a difference if not more than what springs make.
SFCs are arguable at best, and I really doubt you will notice a difference if you already have good shocks on the car.

ls1ya

iTrader: (2)

Going to order bushing set later this week, waiting to order shock mounts when I order shocks don't want to buy till I know what coilover or shock setup. already have all the Moog stuff. Already have full length BMR adjustable TQ arm, PHB, and lcas, and weld in sfcs

UMI Sales

iTrader: (1)

Like mentioned you didn't specify the type of "track day" you'll be doing.

If your in the market for a handling/street coil-over set-up your not going to get much better than the UMI/Strano coil-overs;

http://umiperformance.com/catalog/in...Path=7_435_439

If I were personally building a complete suspension I would call a couple different manufactures and ask questions about their products such as....Is your product made from quality material, Do you personally design and Test your product, Is anything outsourced or do you monitor quality control throughout the entire process, How do you stand behind your product, will you be available for any issues I have.

I'm pretty sure once you ask these questions it will make some product decisions much more clear.

Craig

ls1ya

iTrader: (2)

Sorry..... daily driver that's gets a lil fun time on the weekend. might hit one Drag track day a year. But that's more down the line. To be honest right now I just want a firm but decent ride anything is better than it's been. Something that I can adjust down to sit right over my wheels nothing larger than 20" tho. If I decide to take the on ramp aggressively it can handle that, or if I just want to light to light run it can handle that. Those umi look good but 1800. Damn Vikings looked better at 1300

JD_AMG

For what you want it would be strait up insane to pay that kind of money for non-gascharged drag coilovers when you could buy something like Koni SA Sports for under $1000 and have a vastly superior shock for street driving, handling/balance/feel, and lose very very little compared to a drag shock on launching, all while being on the softer stock springs too. Hell, new $400 bilsteins or Koni STR.Ts would be better for what you want over the vikings...
But again if you must have a coilover that rides and handles well I will again say ridetech and the UMI/strano ciolovers are the way to go.
The questions you should be asking is are they gas charged?(shock fade = loss of performance)
Is it valved for a digressive dampening curve? (dont have to compromise when you want lots of low speed dampening, and not a ton of high speed)
When you adjust the shock does it effect how the oil flows through the piston? (far better control)
You will see the drag style shocks are compromised and do not meet these basic standards for a good quality, good handling shock.

ls1ya

iTrader: (2)

If im seeing this correct. SA are right at 1000 plus strano springs at 249. So 1250 at the price I'm thinking might as add a lil and go with the Umi setup

UMI Sales

iTrader: (1)

If your interested in some info give me a call monday at the shop.

We have a few options for coil-overs as well as well as lowering springs.

Craig

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

I'm with JD here in that given your usage, I can't see any reason to spend the money on coilovers. And the Koni SA's will be great with stock springs, so no need to factor in the cost of springs unless you really want to lower the car. Since you have relatively new Bilsteins in the rear, a pair of those or STR.T's up front is really all you need. $250 or so.

ls1ya

iTrader: (2)

Springs have got to be 19 years old. I was thinking about that option of keeping the rear shocks tho. How long do average bilstein last? Probably had them on car for 7 years but car sat for 3 of those years.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

I've had my rear Bilsteins for 12 years and over 100k and they are still firm - perfect, really.

The beauty of springs is that they don't go bad. They may sag a little, but they don't lose tensile strength or rate.

blackandgold

iTrader: (2)

I'd go with Strano or BMR springs for more firm rates if you can swing it. It's only another $250 while you've already torn into the car. I don't understand swapping all of the bushings and ball joints, then sticking with your 19 year old rear shocks. As a side note there are people cutting really good 60' times on the koni sports too so they aren't really a huge compromise.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

I wish I could just blurt out an answer here. You'd think it'd be easy as much as this and very similar questions are asked. But, here's the thing. We are all individuals. We all kind of really have different wants and needs when it comes down to it.

I agree with Craig in that you should probably make some calls. I know it's the only way I can really get to the answers I need to give advice. UMI and Strano Performance Parts work closely together. While there is some overlap we don't do exactly the same things and I have things and experience they don't, and they do things like building things I can't. All in all we work together very well, but come at things from different points of view.

I kind of think of myself as more of a set up shop who sells a lot of options than I do a manufacturer of parts. I make a few things that I wanted specific things from, and since others have followed.

For me, and the way I work, it comes down to two things. What you and I discuss about what it is you want (and that needs to be more than "handle better" everyone says that), and your budget. I'll do the best I can for the budget allotted to get you where you want to be.

ls1ya

iTrader: (2)

So decided I will go the Koni and Strano route. If he won on those shocks and Springs they'll be fine for me. I wanted coil overs mostly for height adjustability but I can do that ground control spring perches. Umi Strano would be to much for a car that never hits the track. And Viking even in road race configuration would not be best either. I'd appreciate if you guys could go over my parts list make sure I haven't forgotten anything. If it has a check it means I have it. The only thing I didn't include were the shock mountso which I'll add, and ground control perches which I'm going trying wait until I see what it looks like on Strano and koni alone.


Front:

Rack and Pinion ✔
Rack and Pinion bushing✔
Outer Tie Rods ✔
Upper Ball Joints- $39.79each @Rockauto
Lower Ball Joints- $18.30 each @Rockauto
Front Sway Links- 2 @6.43 each @ rockauto
Front Sway bar bushings-$8.28 @Rockauto
Front Control Arm bushings- 2 set of front uppers@$15.54 each k6689 and lowers @ $20.79 each k6490
Koni 4/4 Front adjustable
Strano Springs



REAR:

Weld-in SFC ✔
Adjustable LCA✔
Adjustable TQ Arm✔
Adjustable Panhard✔
Panhard Relocation✔
LCA relocation brackets- 60.00
Rear Sway Links- 2 @ 8.36
Rear Sway bushing- $17.09

Koni 4/4 rear adjustable shocks $860.00
Strano Springs $250

blackandgold

iTrader: (2)

Good choice!

Corvett z07

iTrader: (2)

Man I thought this was a suspension refresh not a track day junkie upgrades list

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Sometimes a guy just wants to buy parts whether he needs them or not

ls1ya

iTrader: (2)

car currently rides like **** and is about to hit 20years old. I'd rather do it once. And I feel like I've been neglecting her over the past years.