Ride Quality?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Connecticut
Ride Quality? Ok so I've been driving my '01 SS for about a month straight now and I'm not that pleased at all with ride quality. I know its a sports car and whatnot but I would think for a newer sports car it would be at little more refined. I know that isn't a word that goes hand and hand with the Camaro.
For example, if I were to go for a ride in my '86 Z28 and then go for a ride in my '01 SS, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference except for power. It rides almost exactly like like my twenty year old Camaro! What the heck is that?
When I hit a bump the car almost throws itself across the road. Is this normal? I can't imagine what would happen if I hit a bump at high speed around a corner or something.
Now here is were I'm going to get flamed for sure. I recently rented a Mustang while in Las Vegas this past weekend(only because they had no Camaros aval.
) and the thing rode like a dream! It handled well, took the corners great and floated over bumps. I was soo pissed!
If I were to put Eibach(sp?) springs on the car would it make any difference? Is there anything I can do to help improve the ride of the car. I love everything else about it but that. Any suggestion would be great.
Thanks!
For example, if I were to go for a ride in my '86 Z28 and then go for a ride in my '01 SS, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference except for power. It rides almost exactly like like my twenty year old Camaro! What the heck is that?
When I hit a bump the car almost throws itself across the road. Is this normal? I can't imagine what would happen if I hit a bump at high speed around a corner or something.
Now here is were I'm going to get flamed for sure. I recently rented a Mustang while in Las Vegas this past weekend(only because they had no Camaros aval.
) and the thing rode like a dream! It handled well, took the corners great and floated over bumps. I was soo pissed! If I were to put Eibach(sp?) springs on the car would it make any difference? Is there anything I can do to help improve the ride of the car. I love everything else about it but that. Any suggestion would be great.
Thanks!
Oh wow. If you think a mustang handles better then an Fbody, I am severely concerned about you, but then again it could just be your car.
Have you checked all your bushings, is anything loose, shocks bad? When I first got my '99, it was quite a difference from my '90.
Have you checked all your bushings, is anything loose, shocks bad? When I first got my '99, it was quite a difference from my '90.
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
From: Doniphan, MO
How many miles on the SS? The springs on the SS are suposed to be a higher rate but the shocks (Bilstien HDs ?)are supposed to balance that out. If you are going all over the road, jd 13 has given good advise on what to check. Beyond that, alignment, tires, tire pressure, etc can be a factor as well sway bar bushings. Check that you do not have a broken front sway bar support. The higher the mileage, the more the chance that something is worn or loose.
Good luck!
BTW, the Mustang you drove was probably a V6 and I would expect a more 'comfortable' (softer) ride.
Good luck!
BTW, the Mustang you drove was probably a V6 and I would expect a more 'comfortable' (softer) ride.
On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
From: Houston
I dont know whether you think the car is too tight or not tight enough...but they are sports cars and the point of a sports car is to be VERY responsive to everything on the road. These things are not Mercedes. If its not tight enough there are plenty of simple bolt-ons that will fix that right up...one of the most noticeable ones being LCAs. I guess what you should include is...what are you looking for in the ride? We might be of more help that way.
[QUOTE=Evil Vin]For example, if I were to go for a ride in my '86 Z28 and then go for a ride in my '01 SS, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference except for power. It rides almost exactly like like my twenty year old Camaro! What the heck is that? [QUOTE]
Other than some bodywork, a motor and some front suspension tweaks, it is your 20 year old Camaro. That is the part that people miss. It is based on the same car, more similar than different.
What kind of ride do you want? We'll try to help.
Other than some bodywork, a motor and some front suspension tweaks, it is your 20 year old Camaro. That is the part that people miss. It is based on the same car, more similar than different.
What kind of ride do you want? We'll try to help.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Connecticut
Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll check everything everyone mentioned. The car has 34k on it.
I know its a sports car and the thing does handle very well until you hit a bump in the road or rougher roads. Its just all over the place. I'm not expecting it to ride like a luxury car at all. I don't want to change the handling persay, I want to change how it handles bumps I guess.
It feels as bad as if not worse than one of my other cars that is lowered two inches. I would think a car with that little mileage wouldn't need new struts but who knows what the previous owner did to it.
I know its a sports car and the thing does handle very well until you hit a bump in the road or rougher roads. Its just all over the place. I'm not expecting it to ride like a luxury car at all. I don't want to change the handling persay, I want to change how it handles bumps I guess.
It feels as bad as if not worse than one of my other cars that is lowered two inches. I would think a car with that little mileage wouldn't need new struts but who knows what the previous owner did to it.
I would see whether the springs are original. Mine rode
really smooth before I went to the Hotchkiss, now it's
"bearable given the handling". And Bilsteins (yellow)
would make it ride rougher even on stock springs.
Dunno about the other 1LE option shocks, but expect
some elevated harshness there too.
really smooth before I went to the Hotchkiss, now it's
"bearable given the handling". And Bilsteins (yellow)
would make it ride rougher even on stock springs.
Dunno about the other 1LE option shocks, but expect
some elevated harshness there too.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles
Yo Vinny, If you still have the stock LCA's on, ditch them! Buy good aftermarket LCA's and it will make the car handle much better over bumps. Do you have SFC's? Wouldn't hurt to change out the stock PHB as well. These all made my car feel sweet.
Bob
Bob
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