Help! Sick of my Suspension!!!
#1
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I've grown tired of my suspension. I am lowered with Strano/Koni's and while I overlooked the sacrifice in comfort for its gain in performance, I think I want comfort now. I cringe every time there's rough roads ahead and I'm jus' not enjoying driving my car anymore.
Here's my setup:
- Strano Springs w/rear spring isolator
- Strano 35/Adj 22 Sway Bars
- Koni 4/3 Shocks (maybe tweak the front settings first?)
- UMI bolt-on 2-point Subframe Connectors
- UMI Poly/Roto Adj. Panhard Bar
- UMI Poly/Roto Adj. LCA's
- UMI bolt-on Relocation Brackets
Additional Info:
- No added weight in the rear
- On 18's but running taller profile tires (275/40R18 & 295/40R18)
Should I switch back to stock springs? Wasn't there a spring, SLP if I recall correctly, that lowered the car about 0.25"?
Here's my setup:
- Strano Springs w/rear spring isolator
- Strano 35/Adj 22 Sway Bars
- Koni 4/3 Shocks (maybe tweak the front settings first?)
- UMI bolt-on 2-point Subframe Connectors
- UMI Poly/Roto Adj. Panhard Bar
- UMI Poly/Roto Adj. LCA's
- UMI bolt-on Relocation Brackets
Additional Info:
- No added weight in the rear
- On 18's but running taller profile tires (275/40R18 & 295/40R18)
Should I switch back to stock springs? Wasn't there a spring, SLP if I recall correctly, that lowered the car about 0.25"?
#4
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (5)
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I've grown tired of my suspension. I am lowered with Strano/Koni's and while I overlooked the sacrifice in comfort for its gain in performance, I think I want comfort now. I cringe every time there's rough roads ahead and I'm jus' not enjoying driving my car anymore.
Here's my setup:
- Strano Springs w/rear spring isolator
- Strano 35/Adj 22 Sway Bars
- Koni 4/3 Shocks (maybe tweak the front settings first?)
- UMI bolt-on 2-point Subframe Connectors
- UMI Poly/Roto Adj. Panhard Bar
- UMI Poly/Roto Adj. LCA's
- UMI bolt-on Relocation Brackets
Additional Info:
- No added weight in the rear
- On 18's but running taller profile tires (275/40R18 & 295/40R18)
Should I switch back to stock springs? Wasn't there a spring, SLP if I recall correctly, that lowered the car about 0.25"?
Here's my setup:
- Strano Springs w/rear spring isolator
- Strano 35/Adj 22 Sway Bars
- Koni 4/3 Shocks (maybe tweak the front settings first?)
- UMI bolt-on 2-point Subframe Connectors
- UMI Poly/Roto Adj. Panhard Bar
- UMI Poly/Roto Adj. LCA's
- UMI bolt-on Relocation Brackets
Additional Info:
- No added weight in the rear
- On 18's but running taller profile tires (275/40R18 & 295/40R18)
Should I switch back to stock springs? Wasn't there a spring, SLP if I recall correctly, that lowered the car about 0.25"?
If the impact harshness is still too high, put the stock springs back on. Use the lower perch on the front, and on the rear to heater hose mod or use these Custom Made rear spring seat isolators to keep a decent drop.
#6
Pontiacerator
iTrader: (12)
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Roll back the compression damping, and put the stock LCA's with rubber bushings back on. If the impact harshness is still too high, put the stock springs back on. Use the lower perch on the front, and on the rear to heater hose mod or use these Custom Made rear spring seat isolators to keep a decent drop.
#7
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Roll back the compression damping, and put the stock LCA's with rubber bushings back on.
If the impact harshness is still too high, put the stock springs back on. Use the lower perch on the front, and on the rear to heater hose mod or use these Custom Made rear spring seat isolators to keep a decent drop.
If the impact harshness is still too high, put the stock springs back on. Use the lower perch on the front, and on the rear to heater hose mod or use these Custom Made rear spring seat isolators to keep a decent drop.
This ^^. I finally settled three sweeps from full soft on the Konis with stock springs on the lower perch. That combo was still harsher than the Bilsteins with cut stock springs I had on my T/A. What kind of tires do you have? "Ultra high performance" tires with super stiff sidewalls may be great for the corners, but they're murder on rough city streets.
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#8
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (5)
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You could buy swedged tubes from coleman racing, ub machines, and some others. Then get either rubber rod ends from howe or ub machines or sealflex elastomer ends from seals-it, and make your own lca's. The poly/roto's shouldn't be terrible for a street car, but they definitely do add harshness and vibration.
#10
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You could buy swedged tubes from coleman racing, ub machines, and some others. Then get either rubber rod ends from howe or ub machines or sealflex elastomer ends from seals-it, and make your own lca's. The poly/roto's shouldn't be terrible for a street car, but they definitely do add harshness and vibration.
#16
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (35)
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I know I'll get flamed for this but I think the rough ride is caused by the Konis, particularly in the rear. I wish I had ponied up for double adjustables so I could verify but sadly that's not the case. I use coil-over springs in the back and I've tried 125#, 150#, and 165# springs and they all ride pretty rough (actually the best ride is with the 165# springs). Don't get me wrong, the handling is awesome, but it's not a "comfortable" ride. And I have home-built rear LCAs with Moog rubber bushings. FWIW.
#17
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (5)
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I know I'll get flamed for this but I think the rough ride is caused by the Konis, particularly in the rear. I wish I had ponied up for double adjustables so I could verify but sadly that's not the case. I use coil-over springs in the back and I've tried 125#, 150#, and 165# springs and they all ride pretty rough (actually the best ride is with the 165# springs). Don't get me wrong, the handling is awesome, but it's not a "comfortable" ride. And I have home-built rear LCAs with Moog rubber bushings. FWIW.
My thinking in regards to LCA's is that rubber, in addition to NVH, has it's own spring rate. It winds up, twists, to accommodate rotation, and axial twisting, and then releases. That is why you to tighten them only when loaded, other wise you pre-load them. Any way, that action of winding up helps a little in reducing the harshness.
IMO, you can have handling, appearance, or ride, but when you lower, you get one, or both, of the former at the expense of the latter. Also, I believe the rear is worse than the front because of the unsprung mass of a solid axle.
#20
TECH Senior Member
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I've grown tired of my suspension. I am lowered with Strano/Koni's and while I overlooked the sacrifice in comfort for its gain in performance, I think I want comfort now. I cringe every time there's rough roads ahead and I'm jus' not enjoying driving my car anymore.
Here's my setup:
- Strano Springs w/rear spring isolator
- Strano 35/Adj 22 Sway Bars
- Koni 4/3 Shocks (maybe tweak the front settings first?)
- UMI bolt-on 2-point Subframe Connectors
- UMI Poly/Roto Adj. Panhard Bar
- UMI Poly/Roto Adj. LCA's
- UMI bolt-on Relocation Brackets
Additional Info:
- No added weight in the rear
- On 18's but running taller profile tires (275/40R18 & 295/40R18)
Should I switch back to stock springs? Wasn't there a spring, SLP if I recall correctly, that lowered the car about 0.25"?
Here's my setup:
- Strano Springs w/rear spring isolator
- Strano 35/Adj 22 Sway Bars
- Koni 4/3 Shocks (maybe tweak the front settings first?)
- UMI bolt-on 2-point Subframe Connectors
- UMI Poly/Roto Adj. Panhard Bar
- UMI Poly/Roto Adj. LCA's
- UMI bolt-on Relocation Brackets
Additional Info:
- No added weight in the rear
- On 18's but running taller profile tires (275/40R18 & 295/40R18)
Should I switch back to stock springs? Wasn't there a spring, SLP if I recall correctly, that lowered the car about 0.25"?
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...=113&ModelID=7
But before you go off spending money, try some free things first.
Play with tire pressure, go below 30psi if you have to and see if that helps.
What rear bump stops do you have, and are they in ok condition? You could try a different bumpstop as well if you can find some off junkyard Fbodies for cheap.
If any of your friends have some 17" wheels you could throw on the car and try, go for it.
What do you have the konis set to? What do you have the rear swaybar set at?
Like already said, this is certainly a handling setup (and it does it damn well) so it won't be as comfortable as with stock springs that have more travel and smaller wheels.