autox suspension setup?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta, GA
autox suspension setup? I'm going to be going to a novice autox event in about a month. I went last week just to watch and it sure looks like a blast, so I thought I'd give it a try.
I really have no interest in drag racing (i know, i'm weird). I have a mostly stock 1998 Formula with a couple boltons (air lid, K&N). C5 rims with 275/17 kumho ecsta's.
I'd like to upgrade the suspension before I got autox it though. Aside from improving the 'handling' i'd like the car to sit a little lower and have a more aggressive look to it. Anyone suggest 2 or 3 good suspension mods I should get, keeping in mind i want it to handle well and have no care about how well it hooks up.
Just from reading posts, I'll take a guess in the dark and say some pro kit eibach springs (drop it 1.25" according to some site i found), BMR sub frame connectors... and what? shocks? what kind? does a swaybar (and i assume a sway bar is that thing that goes in your engine bay, right?) do much if anything?
I dont have longtubes or an ORY so ground clearance is not an issue.
So am I heading in the right direction with just the eibach springs, bmr SFC and some shocks? are there any other "big" suspension upgrades i should do instead of any of those three?
Also i dont have access to a lift or a welding kit or anything. Would I be able to put any of these mods on my car myself, or am i gonna have to goto some shop and pay them to do it?
thanks
I really have no interest in drag racing (i know, i'm weird). I have a mostly stock 1998 Formula with a couple boltons (air lid, K&N). C5 rims with 275/17 kumho ecsta's.
I'd like to upgrade the suspension before I got autox it though. Aside from improving the 'handling' i'd like the car to sit a little lower and have a more aggressive look to it. Anyone suggest 2 or 3 good suspension mods I should get, keeping in mind i want it to handle well and have no care about how well it hooks up.
Just from reading posts, I'll take a guess in the dark and say some pro kit eibach springs (drop it 1.25" according to some site i found), BMR sub frame connectors... and what? shocks? what kind? does a swaybar (and i assume a sway bar is that thing that goes in your engine bay, right?) do much if anything?
I dont have longtubes or an ORY so ground clearance is not an issue.
So am I heading in the right direction with just the eibach springs, bmr SFC and some shocks? are there any other "big" suspension upgrades i should do instead of any of those three?
Also i dont have access to a lift or a welding kit or anything. Would I be able to put any of these mods on my car myself, or am i gonna have to goto some shop and pay them to do it?
thanks
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 196
Likes: 0
You've got a decent list to start with, However I'm wondering if your mistaking a strut tower brace for an anti-sway bar. The anti-sway bars are under the car in the front and rear (sorry if I'm the one who's mistaken about what your meaning). A Strut tower brace would be a nice extra to have for autox though. They mount at the top of your shock towers and reach across from one to the other, goes right over the engine (usually)
Increasing your sway bars dramatically decreases body roll, but do them in matched pairs so you don't introduce over/understeer. Shocks and springs are a must. Go with Koni'$ if you can afford it, other wise heavy duty Bilsteins or revalved Bilsteins are nice.
Oh, SFC's are a must. Do the weld in kind if at all possible, and don't go with any that reduces ground clearance if you can avoid it. I really really like my GlobalWest Suspenion SFC's. They are stout as hell.
But Springs, shocks, strut tower brace, panhard bar, SFC, upgraded brake pads will take you along way.
Increasing your sway bars dramatically decreases body roll, but do them in matched pairs so you don't introduce over/understeer. Shocks and springs are a must. Go with Koni'$ if you can afford it, other wise heavy duty Bilsteins or revalved Bilsteins are nice.
Oh, SFC's are a must. Do the weld in kind if at all possible, and don't go with any that reduces ground clearance if you can avoid it. I really really like my GlobalWest Suspenion SFC's. They are stout as hell.
But Springs, shocks, strut tower brace, panhard bar, SFC, upgraded brake pads will take you along way.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta, GA
Ah, yes i was mistaking the sway bar for the strut tower brace. now I know though!
although, now that you've told me what sway bars are... thats what i thought subframe connectors were. Whats the difference between front and rear sway bars, and SFC's?
And as far as the springs go, are the eibachs ok? I've always heard they are the best but researching on this board it seems like lots of people are complaining of their rear end sagging with the eibachs.
And whats a panhard bar do for me?
although, now that you've told me what sway bars are... thats what i thought subframe connectors were. Whats the difference between front and rear sway bars, and SFC's?
And as far as the springs go, are the eibachs ok? I've always heard they are the best but researching on this board it seems like lots of people are complaining of their rear end sagging with the eibachs.
And whats a panhard bar do for me?
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 196
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by briantech
Ah, yes i was mistaking the sway bar for the strut tower brace. now I know though!
although, now that you've told me what sway bars are... thats what i thought subframe connectors were. Whats the difference between front and rear sway bars, and SFC's?
And as far as the springs go, are the eibachs ok? I've always heard they are the best but researching on this board it seems like lots of people are complaining of their rear end sagging with the eibachs.
And whats a panhard bar do for me?
although, now that you've told me what sway bars are... thats what i thought subframe connectors were. Whats the difference between front and rear sway bars, and SFC's?
And as far as the springs go, are the eibachs ok? I've always heard they are the best but researching on this board it seems like lots of people are complaining of their rear end sagging with the eibachs.
And whats a panhard bar do for me?
My Eibachs are recently installed, though my car came with the Bilstein level one suspension option, which included Eibach springs and Bilstien shocks, though they are tuned to SLP's specs. They are not as stout as the Eibach pro-kit springs or the standard HD Bilstien shocks. A very good friend of mine has been kind of a mentor for me on fbodies, and suggested the pro-kit over my SLP Eibach/Bilstien setup to me. He's been running his for 3 years w/no sag at all, and he's got a stroked and blown 383 LT1, (~700hp) and like I said no sag. My car handles amazingly now. While I'm sure there's still much room for improvement (ie. aftermarket control arms, higher durometer bushings in the lower control arms etc...) I'm satisfied for the time being.
Panhard rods keep the rear centered under the body, The stock ones are relatively flimsy stamped metal, and it's a cheap and easy upgrade to go to a tubular aftermarket one. I don't believe an adjustable on is necesary on a lower car in most conditions.
fwiw, there are basically two kinds of strut tower braces, one goes from shocktower to shocktower,and one that goes from the shock tower to the firewall, and then to the other shock tower. The latter being a better one.
Launching!
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 271
Likes: 0
From: Regina, SK
Originally Posted by 4mula1
fwiw, there are basically two kinds of strut tower braces, one goes from shocktower to shocktower,and one that goes from the shock tower to the firewall, and then to the other shock tower. The latter being a better one.
While it is proven that triangulation and multiple mounting points make for a stronger part however, in this case, we don't recommend it. The cowl area of the 4th generation F-body is extremely thin and protrudes over the engine bay virtually unsupported. Because of this area's weakness, there is nothing to gain by connecting into it and doing so could possibly crack the windshield through load transfer from the shocktowers.
By the way, I'm not endorsing BMR's engineering knowledge or skill, but the explanation seems to make sense...
Check the rules before you mod yourself out of a competitive class, particularly if this is SCCA sanctioned. No 3 point shock tower brace and no subframe connectors.
Mod 1: 35 or 36mm hollow front sway bar (Strano or Hotchkis)
Mod 2: Shocks (Koni if you have the $$$)
Mod 3: Springs (Coil-over setup if you have the $$$)
Mod 1 is actually race tires, but don't use those til you've learned how to drive autocross.
Mod 1: 35 or 36mm hollow front sway bar (Strano or Hotchkis)
Mod 2: Shocks (Koni if you have the $$$)
Mod 3: Springs (Coil-over setup if you have the $$$)
Mod 1 is actually race tires, but don't use those til you've learned how to drive autocross.
Listen to absolute ... getting bumped into SM gives you ZERO chance. There are some well sorted cars running in that class.
Get some Carbotech Panther or Hawk HPS pads for stopping power and sign up for an evolution school. Use your racing budget wisely.
Get some Carbotech Panther or Hawk HPS pads for stopping power and sign up for an evolution school. Use your racing budget wisely.
Trending Topics
Originally Posted by mitchntx
Listen to absolute ... getting bumped into SM gives you ZERO chance. There are some well sorted cars running in that class.
Get some Carbotech Panther or Hawk HPS pads for stopping power and sign up for an evolution school. Use your racing budget wisely.
Get some Carbotech Panther or Hawk HPS pads for stopping power and sign up for an evolution school. Use your racing budget wisely.
Have fun!
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Verdad Gallardo I would have suggested stock if it weren't for the fact he already had bolt-ons and 17" wheels, most of which will bump him to street prepared anyway. Hindsight's 20/20, and it's certainly easier to go out and race first, and not jump into the mod game. It seems silly at first, but retrospect will tell you that's the way to do it.
The most important mod for AutoX IMO is a set of Koni single adjustable shocks; they are expensive but will do more than all that other stuff put together (except for the race tires.) If you want to save money, put the Koni SA's on the front only, then put Bilsteins on the back. The rear Koni's would be turned down almost to minimum anyway.