1 Bad Ass Formula

iTrader: (7)

I'm getting ready to begin a mini-restoration on my 100k mile former DD 98 Formula and would like to know what the best Springs & Shocks combo would be? I'm not really looking to lower my car at all or at most an inch, just looking for good ride quality & and handling, at least as good as the factory pieces if not better. I'm completely clueless to suspension parts like this. I'm also thinking along the lines of a setup where I'll just be able to install the parts and be happy with it, it's a street car not a road racer or anything. Just thought maybe some of you guys have some experience with the different setups and might have some good advice for me!

The Guz

iTrader: (8)

Well let me be the first to tell you that you are going to hear everyone tell you to get the koni single adjustables. I have them and love them. Well worth the money. As far as springs if you want to lower it aout an 1" BMR and Hotchkis offer 1" lowering springs. A lot of guys are happy with the strano springs as well. Give Sam Strano a call. He can give you more info.

1 Bad Ass Formula

iTrader: (7)

With the Koni's I've heard that you have to play around with the adjustment to get it right Is that what I can expect from the Single adjustment Konis? Or with these would I be able to just slap them on and call it a day? Out of Eibach and Bilstein springs which is better? Saying that I did buy the Koni Single Adjustment Shocks.

dankl

iTrader: (1)

I have the Koni DA, but have yet to adjust on the fly. I set them up how Sam Strano reccomended, and I have had no complaints. I may have to tweak them a touch when the new motor goes in, but probably not. I'm on Koni/Strano and love the stance, driveability, and handling.

1 Bad Ass Formula

iTrader: (7)

Cool, Thanks for the replies so far guys! Definitely a big help, as long as I can find good recommended settings that would help. Dnkl, do you have any pics of you car with the set up you mentioned?

Also anyone else with any other good set up combos feel free to chime in because I'd love to see what all is out there and the best!

chupr0kabra

iTrader: (10)

Koni SA's and Hotchkis. The stance is perfect, IMO. Not too slammed, not too high. I had a set of KYB GasAJust shocks with the same springs and it was not fun. The ride was harsh and when I wasn't bottoming out, I was floating around like the SS Minnow. With the Konis, it is a totally different car. Everything is very predictable and responsive.

The only time I ever adjusted them was after I got my 12-bolt. All the unsprung weight had a huge impact on handling, so I had to play around with the settings to get it to settle down again.

Had I to do it all over again, I would have bought either Hotchkis or Strano springs (the drop is about the same, from what I can tell), but would have bought the Konis right off the bat.


-Mike

JD_AMG

I also vote toward Koni SA if you want a good combination of ride and handling. And yes, you don't want to just throw them on and call it a day, you want to adjust the rebound to your liking (they will come set to either full soft or full hard, both of which are too extreme in either direction IMO).
If you are not looking to lower you could try and find some 1LE springs, but stock springs on konis will be more than enough to surprise you.

slomarao

iTrader: (6)

koni 4/4 all day. have em, bought them from Sam Strano. I would go with koni's and sam's springs. I am about to buy the springs soon. The rest of the half stock suspensinon is going to be addressed over the winter.

No matter what you do if your going to spend any money on shocks and springs speak to strano, you owe it to yourself. He doesnt give you some bullshit sales pitch, he breaks things down for you so YOU understand. Once you understand how a f body suspension works you will realize why every single person who has responded to your thread told you to pick up koni's.

They do wonders for our cars. I remember taking my first turn with them, couldnt believe the difference them made. Ya the $800 price is hard to swallow but it is money extremely well spent.

The springs will lower it enough. Not too little, not too much. Will look very good with 17/18's.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Since everybody else has mentioned Konis, I have to put in a plug for Bilsteins. If you're not installing lowering springs and not looking for the ultimate handling suspension, they provide a very nice ride and improved handling at less than half the cost of Koni's.

WS6Jim

iTrader: (9)

Yes Koni has gone up in price but they are a quality piece. I have the 4/3 SA and eibach prokit and the car is good to me. Plus the Koni has the spring perch so you can lower the front a little and then use the heater hose mod on the back to save money if you want the konis but don't want to lower it too much. Certain things for cars you just need to spend the money once and do it right shocks are one of the most important suspension pieces because of their control or in some cases lack there of(decarbons anyone) of the suspension.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Thank you to those customers who recommended to me to the OP. It's very rewarding to know I've done my job well enough to get some unsolicited props.

To the original poster: Options aboud. *I* certainly can't make a solid recommendation based on the little amount of information in your post. I do feel Koni's are the best dampers for the car mostly due to a combination of quality, range of adjustment that's useful, and the fact we can get a bit of lowering without springs. Bilstein's are very good quality, but not ideal with lowering springs, and do not offer the slighly lower height you can get from Koni's.

I also sell Tokico, Edelbrock, KYB, Monroe and others, so my thinking is not based on the fact I couldn't sell you something else if I tought (or think) it's appropriate.

The long and short of it is that recommendations and "prescriptions" so to speak, depend on the information we can give each other. I am fond of saying that parts are different than medicene, you don't take meds that fix something you don't have. And a Doctor won't (or shouldn't) give you anything for something that's *not* wrong. And they also won't prescribe meds based on a e-mail. I can't recommend parts based on e-mail either, at least not if you want to make sure you get the best stuff you can for what ills your car.

Koni's rock... but aren't necessary in every case. There are even times I recommend against using them for certain situations (but not super often).