Best handling setup
06-06-2009, 02:53 PM
#41
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For everyone who's reading this thread, I'd like to share some info. I can be a real tough piece around this forum, however I'd like to give some an idea of what I and have tried (NOTE: I've been modding since 2000):
5 sets of SFC's
7 STB's
2 K-members (which were poorly designed and failed)
5 sets of front upper control arms
2 sets of front lower control arms
a set of LCA relocation brackets
a PHB lowering bracket set
15 LCA's
5 PHB's
2 coil-over "sleeve" retrofits
6 sets of shocks
3 sets of motorsports coil-overs
7 front rates, 5 rear rates of "coil-over" springs.
4 rear swaybars
5 front swaybars
a "replacement" set ES of poly-bushings
a bump-steer kit
two big brake sets (one C5 conversion and one four-piston setup).
Heck at one time, the total amount of rod-end and ball bearings ended up being around 19. As some can imagine those can make for quite a bit of NVH, however for a road course/track environment that's the tradeoff to be expected.
Now, AFA the list above some of the parts actually were useful for my road racing vehicle, which was more or less akin to what 00 Trans Am uses. For my street car, the majority were useless.
FWIW, my rationale for posting the way I do is not so much what I do for a living (Materials Engineer), but to inform people that appearance and "language" doesn't always convey the complete truth about how these items work (for better, for worse, or simply no change at all).
This is why I suggest to anyone who's both new to the F-body and the forum to please peruse very carefully. And yes, if some can find some of my earlier posts from the time I joined, they'll see that I too didn't know too much about F-body suspension.
In short, it's a foregone conclusion that it's the buyer's perogative in the end, however I can state that it helps to carefully plan things out and to get a fair idea of how these mods really work (if they do at all).
5 sets of SFC's
7 STB's
2 K-members (which were poorly designed and failed)
5 sets of front upper control arms
2 sets of front lower control arms
a set of LCA relocation brackets
a PHB lowering bracket set
15 LCA's
5 PHB's
2 coil-over "sleeve" retrofits
6 sets of shocks
3 sets of motorsports coil-overs
7 front rates, 5 rear rates of "coil-over" springs.
4 rear swaybars
5 front swaybars
a "replacement" set ES of poly-bushings
a bump-steer kit
two big brake sets (one C5 conversion and one four-piston setup).
Heck at one time, the total amount of rod-end and ball bearings ended up being around 19. As some can imagine those can make for quite a bit of NVH, however for a road course/track environment that's the tradeoff to be expected.
Now, AFA the list above some of the parts actually were useful for my road racing vehicle, which was more or less akin to what 00 Trans Am uses. For my street car, the majority were useless.
FWIW, my rationale for posting the way I do is not so much what I do for a living (Materials Engineer), but to inform people that appearance and "language" doesn't always convey the complete truth about how these items work (for better, for worse, or simply no change at all).
This is why I suggest to anyone who's both new to the F-body and the forum to please peruse very carefully. And yes, if some can find some of my earlier posts from the time I joined, they'll see that I too didn't know too much about F-body suspension.
In short, it's a foregone conclusion that it's the buyer's perogative in the end, however I can state that it helps to carefully plan things out and to get a fair idea of how these mods really work (if they do at all).
06-06-2009, 03:00 PM
#42
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If I may also add, Sam Strano and I have had previous conversations where we both have unanimous agreements and mutual disagreements. At times I've actually been guilty of "tyre kicking." Despite some differences we may have, I'd still go to the trouble of importing items from him to AUS, because his information (along with several others who don't run a complete shop or aren't sponsors here) has been valuable.
