Daniel Richards

iTrader: (1)

Need you guys to tell me if the movement in this video is to much and if its time to get new shocks, also whats the best budget shock that gives a smooth ride but can still work with lowering springs down the road.

http://youtu.be/GXNsNNtfXEE

Ghostintheshell

Why don't you listen to what your butt tells you?
When you drive around - how does it feel?

That being said, the stock decarbons are crap and should be replaced as soon as you can afford them.

Shocks are as usual: you get what you pay for.

Bilsteins are a good for the budget.
Konis are good for performance.

xBrandonx

iTrader: (11)

I hope your neighbors did not see you do that video LOL sorry but that must of been awkward....

I'd just replace them for peace at mind if you think there bad....

Daniel Richards

iTrader: (1)

the reason I think its the shocks is because when I hit a bump the passenger rear seams to bounce a lot more then the driver rear and at highway speeds that can make the car very hard to control when hitting pavement transitions at speed. I came here for advise not criticism, the video was to show how much travel was there and if you listen closely there is a squeak of sorts, it may be a bushing or it may be the shock, but I'm super strapped for cash right now having spent nearly all my money just to get the bird so I could use a recommendation on a good budget shock (I've had Koni Sport yellow on my last car and loved them but they are out of budget right now) that would still work with a lowering kit down the road, I don't need something super nice like the Koni's just something with a smooth ride with at least the stock shocks handling capabilities, as this car is my daily driver.

Also no neighbors within eyesight not that I care anyway, hell I've adjusted coilovers in the walmart parking lot I don't give damn what people think, I do what I gotta do to get my point across.

xBrandonx

iTrader: (11)

I wouldn't get lowering springs, that's just me. My Firebird already sits too damn low as it is now with stock springs. I have to go slow in some places where there's a quick incline because my bumper usually would grind.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Epic ... just epic ... ROFLMAO!!! Literally tears streaming down my face

Daniel Richards

iTrader: (1)

so nothing constructive to add? do the world a favor and don't have kids.

Springs would be a while at least another year, I've got to start saving up for a new alternator, and probably the passenger motor (it was replaced at the same time as the driverside one but stopped working, will be testing that this weekend to make sure its the motor and not in the wiring somewhere).

I would be looking at springs for atleast the rear simply because it sits way to high to me, but i'm in a similar situation with my driveway that I would need to really look at before diving that far in, its one of the main reasons I got rid of my last car, that damn thing was just 2 low for where I ended up having to drive everyday.

xBrandonx

iTrader: (11)

For the window motor, mine would be really slow and just stopped working after time, replaced the motor and had no problems since, it's fast I doubt it's the wiring, but they say the wiring doesn't supply enough volts so it puts wear on the motor. They sell a rewire kit so it gets direct power from the battery so it doesn't put wear and tear on the motor.

Daniel Richards

iTrader: (1)

The guy I bought the car from replaced both window motors at the same time, and I've had the door panel off so I can see that it has indeed been replaced and that he wasn't lying about that, he said it just quit working one day, the motors are only about 2 years old but even the guy at advance when I mentioned it says that happens sometimes (the guy at adavanced has owned several birds in the past) he said sometimes the regulators hang or something and make the motors burn out.

Gerb

You could pull the spring isolator in the rear and replace it with some heater hose for cheap. That would give you a drop of 1/2 to 3/4 inch without replacing springs.

garygnu

check the ws6 stores or check out the BMR Konis spring sale.

Daniel Richards

iTrader: (1)

I'm used to being low I drove this for years.

By the way this car was sitting on Koni sport yellows, ground control coilovers (which have eibach springs) and a full SPC performance camber kit. That car in the shot with the 18's would align to perfect factory spec, getting it on and off the alignment rack was a whole nother story. but for about 1300 total in parts for the whole suspension it kicked ***.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

Yeah if you want better control over your suspension travel, you'll want better shocks. Best bet to follow for guidelines is Koni's if you can afford it and Bilsteins as your 2nd choice.

JD_AMG

No surprise, the factory stock Decarbons (orange/black) shocks are terrible, honestly I think they were made for light trucks or something...
The travel has nothing to do with the shock, thats all the springs. The shocks control how quickly the springs compress and rebound. The "push on the bumper" test really only shows so much (if anything at all).

A good budget shock that rides smooth and works well with lowering springs are Koni SA's, or even higher end shocks. The rest either don't ride smooth, or don't work well with lowering springs (at least not nearly as well) or both.
Save up your money and do it once.

Daniel Richards

iTrader: (1)

I think my front is sagging too, this is all factory suspension and my front looks lower then all the pics I see of other stock height birds on here, maybe its me what do you guys think?

SparkyJJO

iTrader: (11)

Hey, my 98 had saggy springs, I didn't mind from an appearance standpoint as it wasn't 4x4 looking like so many of these cars originally did. It was like I had free lowering

Daniel Richards

iTrader: (1)

the sag in the front is one of the main reasons why I will probably do the heater hose mod to get the back closer to level. but i'm going to hold off on all that till I can afford new rear shocks.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

As is pretty normal, JD has learned this stuff well and given spot on advice.
Do you need new shocks? I'm 100.5% sure you do since I get the impression they are just old stock ones. But only do that if you want the car to pretty much do everything better, ride, handle, and deal with bumps and impacts too.

As for lowering springs. You need to decide if you want to lower the car, that's the first thing to do. Your car isn't sky high, and the best ride quality will come from stock springs and excellent shocks. It's a matter of real world thinking. Stiffer lower springs don't do a lot to enhance suspension travel range, or the ability for the wheel to move up and over a bump when you hit it. That's why lowering springs are best teamed with the BEST shocks you can muster... because you are demanding a lot from the damper with the higher rate and shorter travel.

FiredUpZ28

OP - EVERY 4th gen F body with over 50000 miles on oem shocks needs new shocks. Fact.

SparkyJJO

iTrader: (11)

Fixed