aaron_douglas

I currently have LTs, ORY, catback and lid, and plan to at some point add H/C. So my goal is 400-425rwhp/tq in my '01 M6 Trans Am.

I don't really dump the clutch or do much track racing, just looking to build a beefy, streetable DD. Are suspension mods, such as LCA, SFC, TA, new shocks/struts/springs etc. worth it for a street car such as this, or is that more for drag racing, etc.?

I've read stickies, done research, but I'm still not for sure if that's the route I should go down or if I should focus on other stuff or just save for the H/C/supporting mods.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

Your power will be more usable.. And depending on the route, you will have a better riding/handling car.
I say yes.

MrBluGruv

You NEED to replace the factory deCarbons if you still have them. I don't know if they were any good when they were new, but at this point in time, they are terrible.

Anything else, well that one is subjective based on what you want out of your car...

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

Yes, modifying is worth it. However what you'd want
to live with on a DD is not all what a 90%-drag-launch
industry wants to sell you. Take your time.

aaron_douglas

So for a relatively beefy future H/C DD on a stock 10 bolt that won't see drag strip but maybe a couple times a year, and the occasional hard pull on the street, would it be safe to say LCA, SFC, and new shocks/struts would probably be pretty recommended?

Also I'm the third owner of my car and only put so far about 5k miles of about 130k total on the car. How do I tell if the factory shocks are still on it and need replaced? I know I tend to feel every bump in the road, but I figured that was just because its a sports car.

MrBluGruv

If you've noticed that teeth have started falling out since you've had the car, you've got factory shocks.



....seriously though, deCarbon shocks are orange in color, find where they are under the car and rub some of the grime off to see the color.

Even when going from deCarbons to Bilsteins on my otherwise all-stock SS, I found that bumps weren't softer per se, but what did happen is that instead of hitting a bump and then the car taking 5 seconds to settle itself back down, I now just hit the bump, feel the jolt, and then it's done. In the bigger picture, it is more comfortable in that way simply because it's less irritating to have that instability in the suspension gone.

I'm afraid I can't offer anything personally on the other mods you've listed, other than pure opinion: using my SS as a DD myself, I don't find much of a need for LCAs (wheel hop went away after Bilsteins went on) or SFCs (I've heard conflicting opinions on whether or not the claims for their benefit are actually substantive).

I'd suggest not forgetting about quality tires as well, a $1,000,000 suspension is still fairly worthless without a good, sticky contact patch to grip the road. Once you've got proper tires and shocks/springs, I'd say test out how well the car does what you really want it to do, THEN decide if you really need to drop more $$$ to change it further.

Bud M

iTrader: (1)

Add swaybars & phb to the list. Before SFCs. Avoid poly/poly on LCAs.

JRENIGAR

iTrader: (37)

I have driven my current f-body car daily for oh say close to 100k and here it is, in plain english. Weld in subframe connectors are mandatory for any f-body I drive. I have owned 3 by the way so I should know what works on the street. I personally tried LCA's with rod ends and MISTAKE!!!! The poly ends are perfectly fine for even and old man. Two words "Bilstein Shocks" Buy them, install them and you will love your car again. End of story, merry x-mas, happy new year.

aaron_douglas

Alright thanks guys after doing some more research and based on what you guys are saying, I think my next upgrades will be Bilstein shocks, phb, SFC, and sway bars.

My tires are pretty decent I think. Last owner put some Sumitomo 275/40/18 on the rears. They get pretty good traction.

Since I'll be on the stock 10 bolt do you think LCAs might be just some extra insurance? Forgot to mention I have some GM 4.11s I plan to put on too. I've read LCAs completely eliminate wheel hop which is a big factor breaking a rear end, but you say the Bilsteins should take care of it.

JD_AMG

From what Ive gathered Sumitomo tires are terrible for traction, may want to read up on that.
LCA's wont hurt, but you can't say will always fix wheel hop because the LCA's might not be the issue (could be shocks, springs, tires, torque arm, etc)
Also a 4.10 gear is only going to further weaken the rear (smaller gear, easier to break).

aaron_douglas

Hmm didn't know that. To be fair since this is what the previous owner put on there, I don't honestly know any different. They work for now as a DD though, but I'll definitely get some better tires when they wear out.

Yeah I know the 4.11 will further weaken the rear. I'm hoping since the 4.11 is supposedly stronger than 4.10, and that its a gm gear, it'll hold up for a few years until I can afford to upgrade to a 12 bolt.

Thanks for the input guys.

STFU racing

iTrader: (13)

If you want better handling, I'd definitely say start with shocks. Sway bars before sfc. The problem is there are a thousand different scenarios depending on budget.

I personally have found to cough up for the best that way you can't be disappointed.

bill12690

iTrader: (4)

Back in the day my buddy has sumitomo 315s on his H/C 04 mustang. They didn't really grab worth a damn. It was also geared, but it also wasnt that fast lol.

Aside from that, my car is a DD that I plan on eventually camming, and probably more. By that time it probably wont be a DD, but it'll always stay a street car.

I have Strano springs/koni shocks and it rides pretty well for a DD at this point. I have to go through/over plenty of things on a daily basis that I wish I didnt....but it handles it.

I also have an adjustable PHB (which is pretty much a must if you lower it), along with weld-in SFCs, and LCAs. Also have reloation brackets for the LCAs (another recommendation if you lower it). Still on stock TA right now, but not making a lot of power either.

I'd say for sure to get SFCs, and shocks. Springs would also be nice but stockers do tend to ride softer. Regardless, if you plan on putting heads/cam in your car be ready to invest a little in suspension. It'll be worth it when your done.

Since it was brought up, I'm also on stock sway bars. Hopefully getting Sam Stranos 32mm/22mm combo soonish, I hear nothing but great things about them.

SuperSport01

Shocks are a must have.

js2fst

iTrader: (12)

Sfc's and lowering springs and shocks first mods for safety reasons

Carlos01SS

iTrader: (4)

To the OP
Dude you want to decide on what you want your car to be better at, either the twisties or launching.

If you want a much better handler as opposed to the 1/4 drags, aftermarket LCA's are not necessary...at all.

But for launching, LCA's ARE necessary, and depending on how extreme you want to go with making your car for the 1/4, then poly bushings or poly/rod ended or rod ended/rod ended LCA's are your choices, don't ask me which is better because my car is set up for the twisties.

If you want a great handler then the factory LCA's are just fine, and if you switch to aftermarket LCA's with lowering LCA brackets then that will cause your f-body to not handle as well because the aftermarket LCA's with aftermarket bushings/rod ends are not nearly as responsive or as fluid as factory Piece of **** stamped LCA's with rubber bushings.

Lots of folks here try to compromise and set up their f-bodies for both handling and the 1/4, and bottomline if you do the same thing then you'll end up with a "compromised" suspension, won't be great at either end but hey, that's your call.


you'll also have folks here who will totally say that they have a great handling comfortable car with Bilstein shocks or Stagg or QA1's with aftermarket LCA's and lowering brackets but they don't know any better because that's all that they're driving so it feels great to them, but if you get someone who has an f-body that's set up for the corners they will tell you that the car with the parts mentioned above doesn't handle great at all.

depending on what you want to do, what your main interest is, either the 1/4 or hitting the twisties, there are certain parts that work great for the 1/4 and do not fare well on the twisties.

however some f-body owners have totally set their cars up for the twisties and still do pretty good on the 1/4, but not GREAT.

a GREAT launching f-body will be only fairly responsive in the twisties.

Decide what you want your car to do and then go from there.

Me?
My f-body is overkill for a street driven car, and I can hit the canyons and very few cars out there can keep up with me.

Overkill?
Yes.
and I don't give a **** cuz my car KICKS ***!!!

got a friend who has over 525rwhp on his f-body, totally set up for the 1/4, and he will not come with me into the canyons because driving hard in the twisties with his Camaro that's set up for the 1/4 is downright scary for him
His car will kick my car's *** in the 1/4 but I'll leave him in the dust on any twisty road.

Decide on what you want your car to do primarily.

also when you say daily driver, that could mean a lot of things so be honest with yourself and ask what you actually do while daily driving, as that could be just going to and from work, supermarket, clubs, whatever.

My daily driving includes getting on 270 degree onramps over here in southern Cali and ******* RIPPING through that turn like a bat out of Hell, which can be done with a 1/4 mile prepped f-body but WAY slower. I also make it a point and do some canyon running 5-10 tmes a year just for the sheer pleasure.

I also planned on doing some laps at Willow Springs which I haven't done yet but I'm pretty pleased that I can go to Willow Springs right now and jump on that race course and kick some ***!!!

.02

DarkblueTA

I agree with most of the above outside of the bilsteins. Some of us don't have the insane amount of cash for koni or the like (my Wife would be pissed if I spent a grand on shocks and didn't take her and the kids to Disney). I still have yet to have to many people stay close to me on any twisty road (that I know even half way decent).

Zlow28

iTrader: (11)

sway bars, strut tower bar, subframe connectors, shocks, all will help on a street car. However, i dont see a point in buying LCAs unless you buy relocation brackets for them aswell. All they do is replace 2 bars for 2 newer ones. Maybe once youre making good power, then you might want some LCAs.

And same thing with a panhardbar. Unless your lowering your car or switching tire sizes, theres no need to upgrade. And when you do, get an adjustable one.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

I could probably stay ahead of most people on twisty roads in a Geo Metro

aaron_douglas

I just bought some Bilsteins I plan to install in the next weekend or two (first time doing shocks, should be interesting), so that'll be a step in the right direction I think.

Aside from looks, is there any reason to lower a DD?