Mike's02Z28M6

On old tread in the dry the car is much more planted on take off and through the corners. More control all around. Rides surprisingly well. Would love to say she rides on rails but without an alignment I didn't have the cohonus (sp) to push it. The Z28 model should have come with this set-up from the factory! :Two thumbs up: :should have been a first mod:

Sam Strano was a pleasure to do business with. I highly recommend his set-up and customer service.

Bonus! Shocks/springs and the next day an alignment and new tires.

Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500 tires - 245/50 R16:

TIRES ARE AMAZING IN THE RAIN. I flat out have more straight line traction in the wet then I did in the dry (with low tread). Haven't run them in the dry yet. Guy at the tire shop got to drive it before it rained and his opinion was "it's a bitchin' set-up."

With the new rubber and suspension set-up the car feels so confident that pushing her in the wet corners was an ear-to-ear grin experience. Conclusion in the wet: damn near feels like an AWD vehicle in comparison to her previous set-up.

The Mighty Texan

iTrader: (4)

Glad you are pleased with it!

Cheap Guy

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the review. I ordered SLP's from Strano and now I'm thinking about going with springs just for S&Gs, just a little worried about the drive-ability with the lowered ride height even though I'm running stock exhaust.

tmdz28

iTrader: (2)

i have strano springs and shocks waiting to be installed. along with pol/roto-joint adj phb. Cant wait!

Mike's02Z28M6

Cheap, the lowering springs have been a give n take. The car handles most situations better then stock springs and a couple bumps not as well. So far the good has out weighed the bad by a long shot. I can't figure out why but some places that i scraped when i was stock i am not scraping when lowered. Go figure.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

It depends on what you were scraping before.... my springs are stiffer than stock, so it's likely a matter of just not as much travel in those instances vs. stock springs. Of course that's the deal with the bumps too. The springs are stiffer... while mine are some of more moderate rates/heights out there they are still stiffer and lower than stock.

That's why I tell folks if ride is the A #1 concern the best ride comes from stock springs and good dampers. The best ride on a lowered car comes from springs that aren't too stiff or too low (like mine) and good dampers.

Frogger

Always good when a suspension expert chimes in on suspension tech. I have a question while we are on the topic. when you say stock springs do you mean stock gm 98-02 springs or slp level 1/2. I guess the slp's are considered stock to some. do they count as stock for "comfort?"

reason I ask is because I was wanting to update/upgrade my shocks from decarbons to slp bilsteins but fear my z28 factory springs won't work well with them as they have a lower spring rate then level 1 or 2 slp's. the package with shocks and springs is a bit steep for me now. should i just wait?

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Stock springs. They're what Bilsteins work best with.

The Sad

iTrader: (8)

Sounds like a great review. I can't wait for spring to come so I can try the same combo out.

Frogger

Thats what im hoping. But why do the sell a combo and claim they are tuned to work together? maybe for my stock springs i just need bilstein HD's instead of bilstein slp's?

gav91183

so sam, for a daily u r saying good dampers and shocks with stock springs? I havent put my shocks on yet, still waiting for my car to get back from the shop.. its been 3 weeks and they cant find a good rear quarter. since its been sitting im thinking of lowering it when im done but dont want a crazy bumpy ride for the daily. what are some good dampers? what are they used for? how much do they run?

thanks!

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

They'll work fine with stock springs, not a problem. SLP springs are kind of 'tweeners on height and rate between stock and a set of springs like mine. And there are springs out there that are stiffer and shorter than mine, which just get to be too much for those shocks to handle well.

ReCoil

iTrader: (3)

Would the SLP Billstein's be a better fit with Strano Springs than the KYB AGX Shocks or the Billstein HD Shocks? I am marginally interested in a smooth ride, but I would like to have a good combination of stability at speed and in tight corners as well as somewhat daily driven comfort.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Bilstein's are in my opinion the superior shock to the AGX, especially in ride quality. I sell AGX's too, and they are a similar price.

HD vs. SLP. Over the years there have been various valvings. Today they are pretty much the same thing. Again, I sell "both", but pre-packaged SLP's are cheaper to buy and ship... $384.99/set vs. HD's at over $400.

gav91183

edited for a question i have.. sam how much of a drop do your springs give over stock also?

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

We list them as approximately 1.2". You'll notice the approximately because there are so many different springs and stock ride heights that it's not possible to say any number exactly... This would fall under the whole heading of "a picture is worth 1000 words". If you notice we don't slam the car, most feel it just looks right. Some think it's too low, some not low enough--the number really doesn't matter.

Realistically, most cars are right around the 1.2-1.3" kind of range.

ncfastls1

iTrader: (1)

Hmm I would love to get these springs as I'm tired of my car looking like a 4x4 and handling like a boat but I am concerned about scraping. I have the Bilstein HD's right now and there is no way I could afford the Koni's anytime soon. It's the cats on my kooks y-pipe that scrapes. Over almost any speed bump/slightly raised or steep driveway, I have to go sideways or else it will scrape. I feel like that if I got these springs I wouldn't be able to go anywhere without scraping badly. It is my daily driver after all and I need something that can get me places lol. Idk if it makes a difference but I have the staggered C5 Z06 rims, 17 in front 18 rear with heavy subs in the back. The gap in between the front tire and wheel well is a lot more than in the rear.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

That's really not the case... Folks drive them all over the place. They are a bit lower, but the car has such a long nose that it tends to scrape already.... and a lot of exhausts fit poorly and hang too low causing them to drag, even on stock springs.

Lowering a car isn't for everyone, but if you ask around I think you'll find driveability issues are few and far between.

ncfastls1

iTrader: (1)

Well, as much as I like to do things the right way (Koni's) I might ****** up a pair of these when I get my tax return or something. I really would like a better handling car to keep up around the corners with all the damn ricers in my class lol.

gav91183

see im not racing my car, I just would want them for looks purposes lol. I mean I do 1/4 mile stuff but never have tried AutoX type stuff before. Also the whole boat thing drives me crazy. The shocks were a problem and will be getting replaced, just kicking it around just to do the springs too and lower it while im there and knock it both out. which is a tough choice for me LOL