noob to suspension stuff
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 793
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix,AZ
noob to suspension stuff Hey guys i have a 94 z28 and i have all stock suspension. Im wondering what the best stuff to start off my suspension is. My car is daily driven and wont really ever see the track maybe only 3 times a yr if that. I know i need to get the koni/strano shocks and springs but what else do i need when i begin the suspension process. I want the car to handle well and also be comfortable to drive on long trips. thanks for the help everyone i look forward to hearing ur responses.
Hello, i would suggest lower control arms and your going to need an adjustable panhard bar when you lower your car. If you decide not to go with strano's springs we have a very good set that will lower your car 1.25" and gives a very good ride. An adjustable torque arm is something to also consider along with lca relocation brackets. We also offer a 32mm front and a 22mm rear sway bar that will decrease the body roll and increase your handling. It will depend alot on your budget and how fast you want to do the changes. If you have any questions please give me a call.
Last edited by BMR Tech2; Dec 9, 2008 at 09:25 AM.
While flattering to say you need to get my stuff, I don't know that's necessarily the case. Depending on what I gather by way of a telephone conversation we might find you could use other parts and get to your particular goals.
This is why I prefer to speak with people, so we can both be happy with the parts chosen and for what reasons.
The shocks are the big big deal, and you can't go wrong with the Koni's. But if you are basing your needs simply on what you have now (on a 14 year old car) the perspective is certainly something to consider. Also you don't need springs to make a car handle very well. They do help if you have needs that require springs, otherwise the stock springs can handle quite well when you use good shocks.
Other parts, well if you opt for springs, you should have an adjustable PHB but that's all you'd "need". There might be other things your particular car would require, but again we'd have to talk about that. Maybe the bushings have been change. I don't know stuff like that without talking with you.
This is why I prefer to speak with people, so we can both be happy with the parts chosen and for what reasons.
The shocks are the big big deal, and you can't go wrong with the Koni's. But if you are basing your needs simply on what you have now (on a 14 year old car) the perspective is certainly something to consider. Also you don't need springs to make a car handle very well. They do help if you have needs that require springs, otherwise the stock springs can handle quite well when you use good shocks.
Other parts, well if you opt for springs, you should have an adjustable PHB but that's all you'd "need". There might be other things your particular car would require, but again we'd have to talk about that. Maybe the bushings have been change. I don't know stuff like that without talking with you.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 793
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix,AZ
well i wanna get all the bushings changed out cause for all i know they are as old as the car. I bought it a couple yrs ago and have just been keeping up maintanence on it until now. But in early january im gonna be getting some money together to start modding the car. and i know suspension is a key factor in putting power to the ground from all the threads i have read.
well i wanna get all the bushings changed out cause for all i know they are as old as the car. I bought it a couple yrs ago and have just been keeping up maintanence on it until now. But in early january im gonna be getting some money together to start modding the car. and i know suspension is a key factor in putting power to the ground from all the threads i have read.
I recommend against urethane bushing kits (though I can sell them if you are hell-bent on them). I carry stock replacement rubber which don't bind, don't break in the front arms (urethanes do). And of course we have aftermarket arms with bushings or rod-ends as well. So we can cover you anyway you decide to go on the bushings and/or arm changes.
Certainly poor bushings will render all the best parts in the world less useful, so you need to start with a good base.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
When you lower a vehicle it changes the angle of your lower control arms. The lower control arm relocation brackets allow you to correct this angle. The angle of your lower bar effects how your car transfers weight. This is not as important in daily driving or auyto crossing as it is in a drag race car. The brackets are not something that you have to have. Our springs do have a very similar drop to the strano springs.
Trending Topics
The angle of the brackets change the instant center and how hard the rear tires are planted. But they also cause changes to the rear axles movement and can cause roll steer (the axle twisting as the given length of the LCA crosses through level.
I didn't see anything in EliteCamaro94's post about serious drag racing. Maybe 3 times a year, if that... And the fact is the car would well not wheelhop. If it does, we can address it with various parts. I prefer to apply the parts required to fix your big hates first, then review the result. If you are happy, we're done. If not we critique what's going on and move forward. That could involve LCA brackets, it also might not.
I didn't see anything in EliteCamaro94's post about serious drag racing. Maybe 3 times a year, if that... And the fact is the car would well not wheelhop. If it does, we can address it with various parts. I prefer to apply the parts required to fix your big hates first, then review the result. If you are happy, we're done. If not we critique what's going on and move forward. That could involve LCA brackets, it also might not.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Topdon ONE vs. Artidiag 800 BT2: Which is the Diagnostic Tablet For You?
Pouria Savadkouei
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
See, that's where I disagree.
I don't see shocks on the list at all (or in your sig). Bars are effective for roll control, but not everyone feels they have too much roll especially when good shocks slow the rate of the roll you do have so much that many folks actually claim the car "rolls less". That's how much of a difference shocks make, they can fool folks into thinking something happened that really didn't!!!!
I wouldn't waste money on a PHB unless the car is lowered and/or gets put through heavy cornering loads and/or has bigger tires than stock. Again, there are times and places for them, but this year in a stock PHB car I was pulling over 1.2g laterally (not my car, not allowed to change it in the class it was running). There are times to run a "better" PHB, but I can't say I know this is one due to a severe lack of information.
TA and LCA's. Maybe. Does the car wheelhop? If not they'd not be high on my list either. If needed, we'd know it from trying the car out. Hate selling parts for no good reason
I don't see shocks on the list at all (or in your sig). Bars are effective for roll control, but not everyone feels they have too much roll especially when good shocks slow the rate of the roll you do have so much that many folks actually claim the car "rolls less". That's how much of a difference shocks make, they can fool folks into thinking something happened that really didn't!!!!
I wouldn't waste money on a PHB unless the car is lowered and/or gets put through heavy cornering loads and/or has bigger tires than stock. Again, there are times and places for them, but this year in a stock PHB car I was pulling over 1.2g laterally (not my car, not allowed to change it in the class it was running). There are times to run a "better" PHB, but I can't say I know this is one due to a severe lack of information.
TA and LCA's. Maybe. Does the car wheelhop? If not they'd not be high on my list either. If needed, we'd know it from trying the car out. Hate selling parts for no good reason
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
See, that's where I disagree.
I don't see shocks on the list at all (or in your sig). Bars are effective for roll control, but not everyone feels they have too much roll especially when good shocks slow the rate of the roll you do have so much that many folks actually claim the car "rolls less". That's how much of a difference shocks make, they can fool folks into thinking something happened that really didn't!!!!
I wouldn't waste money on a PHB unless the car is lowered and/or gets put through heavy cornering loads and/or has bigger tires than stock. Again, there are times and places for them, but this year in a stock PHB car I was pulling over 1.2g laterally (not my car, not allowed to change it in the class it was running). There are times to run a "better" PHB, but I can't say I know this is one due to a severe lack of information.
TA and LCA's. Maybe. Does the car wheelhop? If not they'd not be high on my list either. If needed, we'd know it from trying the car out. Hate selling parts for no good reason
I don't see shocks on the list at all (or in your sig). Bars are effective for roll control, but not everyone feels they have too much roll especially when good shocks slow the rate of the roll you do have so much that many folks actually claim the car "rolls less". That's how much of a difference shocks make, they can fool folks into thinking something happened that really didn't!!!!
I wouldn't waste money on a PHB unless the car is lowered and/or gets put through heavy cornering loads and/or has bigger tires than stock. Again, there are times and places for them, but this year in a stock PHB car I was pulling over 1.2g laterally (not my car, not allowed to change it in the class it was running). There are times to run a "better" PHB, but I can't say I know this is one due to a severe lack of information.
TA and LCA's. Maybe. Does the car wheelhop? If not they'd not be high on my list either. If needed, we'd know it from trying the car out. Hate selling parts for no good reason
You ought to update your sig.... 
I don't recall saying that a PHB had no effect, did I? I think we are losing sight of what the OP was headed for and has. The fact is all the other stuff is added much more easily at anytime, and not as important as the dampers.
I don't recall saying that a PHB had no effect, did I? I think we are losing sight of what the OP was headed for and has. The fact is all the other stuff is added much more easily at anytime, and not as important as the dampers.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
JK I did say that.... as in it's a waste of money to do as a first step before way bigger issues. It's not like we have a78-04 Mustang rear suspension or a G-body rear setup that doesn't even have a PHB.
And fwiw if you are really serious about locating the axle as best you can, you'd want to be looking at the Watts Link instead anyway. My car will be getting one as soon as some other issues stemming from an accident are resolved.
And fwiw if you are really serious about locating the axle as best you can, you'd want to be looking at the Watts Link instead anyway. My car will be getting one as soon as some other issues stemming from an accident are resolved.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 793
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix,AZ
thanks for all the help guys, yeah im just lookin for a good daily driveable set up and the basics of where to start. Im hoping to be doin this stuff in jan. I cant wait to have my car perform and handle alot better than it does now.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion