Basic suspension upgrades
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 183
Likes: 1
From: West Palm Beach, Fl
Basic suspension upgrades What would be some good basic suspension upgrades to help with launching and handling? Also what kind of prices? Thanks in advance for any advice.
Last edited by LS1SS01; Feb 26, 2008 at 05:29 PM.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Tuscaloosa, AL.
LCAs help a lot. (prevent wheel hop). Other than that, sticky tires (read nittos, MTs, or BFGs) are likely all you need at your power level. However, other basic suspension mods would be springs to help weight transfer. Probably outta move this post to suspension section.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,798
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From: St.Charles MO
Keep in mind, car set up for handling will ride and brake better (and be way more stable and predictable) than a car setup for drag racing, and still be able to launch ok. While a drag car will only be able to go fast in a strait line, and not really anything else.
Go to the suspension forum and search for "koni", I think you will like what you find.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 183
Likes: 1
From: West Palm Beach, Fl
Just about anything you do for a better launch is going to hurt handling, and most things that you do for handling will hurt your launch. You're going to have to lean more toward one side or the other.
Keep in mind, car set up for handling will ride and brake better (and be way more stable and predictable) than a car setup for drag racing, and still be able to launch ok. While a drag car will only be able to go fast in a strait line, and not really anything else.
Go to the suspension forum and search for "koni", I think you will like what you find.
Keep in mind, car set up for handling will ride and brake better (and be way more stable and predictable) than a car setup for drag racing, and still be able to launch ok. While a drag car will only be able to go fast in a strait line, and not really anything else.
Go to the suspension forum and search for "koni", I think you will like what you find.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,251
Likes: 0
From: Tuscaloosa, AL.
Just about anything you do for a better launch is going to hurt handling, and most things that you do for handling will hurt your launch. You're going to have to lean more toward one side or the other.
Keep in mind, car set up for handling will ride and brake better (and be way more stable and predictable) than a car setup for drag racing, and still be able to launch ok. While a drag car will only be able to go fast in a strait line, and not really anything else.
Go to the suspension forum and search for "koni", I think you will like what you find.
Keep in mind, car set up for handling will ride and brake better (and be way more stable and predictable) than a car setup for drag racing, and still be able to launch ok. While a drag car will only be able to go fast in a strait line, and not really anything else.
Go to the suspension forum and search for "koni", I think you will like what you find.
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Joined: Nov 2005
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I'd have to say I disagree with the handling issue. Anything you do for handling will still be a step up over stock.
I had my car setup for track, 35mm front sway bar, 1 inch (25mm) solid rear sway bar, LCAs, LCA relocation brackets, panhard rod, panhard rod relocation kits, Bilstein shocks. It's more a go straight car than a handling car.
A few weeks ago while being blinded by the sun a bit didn't notice a semi rig on a 2 lane road had lost it until the last second and went almost head on into me. Not only did my "drag" car let me maneuver around it, but I managed to get it to drift in the direction I wanted then get it to go back into my lane after from going almost completely onto the shoulder. It handled PERFECTLY and predictably beyond my wildest imagination, almost video game like. If I was driving my 07 Monte SS I probably would have met front door to front end of semi rig.
I'll tell you what will really make dramatic differences in the handling of your car and what affects comfort and the ones you won't feel as I did each mod in stages and had a few weeks to a few months to feel the difference between mods.
Lower Control Arms: reduces wheel hop
Lower control arm relocation brackets, adds more traction on launch
Panhard rod: helps keep the rear more balanced, reduces bias of car to go sideways
Front sway bar: reduces body roll (gives more confidence at high speed banking)
Rear sway bar: reduces body roll, but not as much as the front, keeps the rear more stable on hard launch for more straight and easier to control and predict when the tires are spinning
Shocks: will be a big improvement over the orange decarbon shocks, will make ride a bit stiffer, but will allow for more road feel and feedback from the tires, reduces the "floaty" feeling while driving
Torque arm: gives more stability on launch and a bit more bite while launching
The only thing I haven't done is springs so I can't comment on how that feels. What I can say is that depending on what feel you don't like or what you want to fix initially, you can go by my list there and choose your priorities, or if you have a particular setup in mind and can do all of them at once, then in the Suspension section of this forum, Sam Strano is the man to ask.
I had my car setup for track, 35mm front sway bar, 1 inch (25mm) solid rear sway bar, LCAs, LCA relocation brackets, panhard rod, panhard rod relocation kits, Bilstein shocks. It's more a go straight car than a handling car.
A few weeks ago while being blinded by the sun a bit didn't notice a semi rig on a 2 lane road had lost it until the last second and went almost head on into me. Not only did my "drag" car let me maneuver around it, but I managed to get it to drift in the direction I wanted then get it to go back into my lane after from going almost completely onto the shoulder. It handled PERFECTLY and predictably beyond my wildest imagination, almost video game like. If I was driving my 07 Monte SS I probably would have met front door to front end of semi rig.
I'll tell you what will really make dramatic differences in the handling of your car and what affects comfort and the ones you won't feel as I did each mod in stages and had a few weeks to a few months to feel the difference between mods.
Lower Control Arms: reduces wheel hop
Lower control arm relocation brackets, adds more traction on launch
Panhard rod: helps keep the rear more balanced, reduces bias of car to go sideways
Front sway bar: reduces body roll (gives more confidence at high speed banking)
Rear sway bar: reduces body roll, but not as much as the front, keeps the rear more stable on hard launch for more straight and easier to control and predict when the tires are spinning
Shocks: will be a big improvement over the orange decarbon shocks, will make ride a bit stiffer, but will allow for more road feel and feedback from the tires, reduces the "floaty" feeling while driving
Torque arm: gives more stability on launch and a bit more bite while launching
The only thing I haven't done is springs so I can't comment on how that feels. What I can say is that depending on what feel you don't like or what you want to fix initially, you can go by my list there and choose your priorities, or if you have a particular setup in mind and can do all of them at once, then in the Suspension section of this forum, Sam Strano is the man to ask.
I'd have to say I disagree with the handling issue. Anything you do for handling will still be a step up over stock.
I had my car setup for track, 35mm front sway bar, 1 inch (25mm) solid rear sway bar, LCAs, LCA relocation brackets, panhard rod, panhard rod relocation kits, Bilstein shocks. It's more a go straight car than a handling car.
A few weeks ago while being blinded by the sun a bit didn't notice a semi rig on a 2 lane road had lost it until the last second and went almost head on into me. Not only did my "drag" car let me maneuver around it, but I managed to get it to drift in the direction I wanted then get it to go back into my lane after from going almost completely onto the shoulder. It handled PERFECTLY and predictably beyond my wildest imagination, almost video game like. If I was driving my 07 Monte SS I probably would have met front door to front end of semi rig.
I'll tell you what will really make dramatic differences in the handling of your car and what affects comfort and the ones you won't feel as I did each mod in stages and had a few weeks to a few months to feel the difference between mods.
Lower Control Arms: reduces wheel hop
Lower control arm relocation brackets, adds more traction on launch
Panhard rod: helps keep the rear more balanced, reduces bias of car to go sideways
Front sway bar: reduces body roll (gives more confidence at high speed banking)
Rear sway bar: reduces body roll, but not as much as the front, keeps the rear more stable on hard launch for more straight and easier to control and predict when the tires are spinning
Shocks: will be a big improvement over the orange decarbon shocks, will make ride a bit stiffer, but will allow for more road feel and feedback from the tires, reduces the "floaty" feeling while driving
Torque arm: gives more stability on launch and a bit more bite while launching
The only thing I haven't done is springs so I can't comment on how that feels. What I can say is that depending on what feel you don't like or what you want to fix initially, you can go by my list there and choose your priorities, or if you have a particular setup in mind and can do all of them at once, then in the Suspension section of this forum, Sam Strano is the man to ask.
I had my car setup for track, 35mm front sway bar, 1 inch (25mm) solid rear sway bar, LCAs, LCA relocation brackets, panhard rod, panhard rod relocation kits, Bilstein shocks. It's more a go straight car than a handling car.
A few weeks ago while being blinded by the sun a bit didn't notice a semi rig on a 2 lane road had lost it until the last second and went almost head on into me. Not only did my "drag" car let me maneuver around it, but I managed to get it to drift in the direction I wanted then get it to go back into my lane after from going almost completely onto the shoulder. It handled PERFECTLY and predictably beyond my wildest imagination, almost video game like. If I was driving my 07 Monte SS I probably would have met front door to front end of semi rig.
I'll tell you what will really make dramatic differences in the handling of your car and what affects comfort and the ones you won't feel as I did each mod in stages and had a few weeks to a few months to feel the difference between mods.
Lower Control Arms: reduces wheel hop
Lower control arm relocation brackets, adds more traction on launch
Panhard rod: helps keep the rear more balanced, reduces bias of car to go sideways
Front sway bar: reduces body roll (gives more confidence at high speed banking)
Rear sway bar: reduces body roll, but not as much as the front, keeps the rear more stable on hard launch for more straight and easier to control and predict when the tires are spinning
Shocks: will be a big improvement over the orange decarbon shocks, will make ride a bit stiffer, but will allow for more road feel and feedback from the tires, reduces the "floaty" feeling while driving
Torque arm: gives more stability on launch and a bit more bite while launching
The only thing I haven't done is springs so I can't comment on how that feels. What I can say is that depending on what feel you don't like or what you want to fix initially, you can go by my list there and choose your priorities, or if you have a particular setup in mind and can do all of them at once, then in the Suspension section of this forum, Sam Strano is the man to ask.
Based on what I've read, the Konis are the way to go for suspension. The LCAs, panhard bar, and sway bars are also pretty critical. After doing all those, springs are the next step, but I've heard that they should be last, as they don't do as much for the ride as the rest of the mods (not to say they don't help - they really do, just not as much as the other mods, from what I've read).
Anyway, I'd suggest trolling around in the Suspension section of this forum. A lot can be learned from other people's questions. Good luck!
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TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,798
Likes: 16
From: St.Charles MO
What I was saying was things like QA1 shocks, removing the front sway bar, relocation brackets etc. will hurt handling, and benefit launch.
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From: Central Valley, Ca
Coilover Kit For Ls1 Camaro? Anyone out there know of any coilover kits for the 98-02 camaro? or any information regarding a coilover kit. I have heard many things and not sure which way to go..if coilovers or shocks, struts and lowering springs? i want to upgrade my suspension first before i go for hp. Anyone please put in ur 2 cents.. any info will help thank you....
