I've been researching and re researching various suspension components i will need for my car. Slowly trying to get stuff ordered and installed. As of right now my car is stock everything except exhaust clutch and transmission being built up. Was told I obviously need new shocks. My car is at 100k miles and it drives like a boat. Car will be mainly street driven with few trips to the track (that's what I say now). Hoping to get around 450 at the rear wheels when all is said and done. Was leaning towards strange SA shocks for these cars. Have heard bilstein shocks don't last with lowered springs. Figured my car will need to be dropped for better handling. Would this be a good route. Also heard that koni came out with a new shock for our cars to compete with bilstein shocks. Is this a better route than coilovers? Also should I do shock sand springs/coilovers first? Or should I buy a tourqe arm and pan hard bar first or lower control arms first etc etc. I know every car is different just want a general idea where to start.

 

I did a bunch of stuff at the same time while I had it all apart because my car (at 102k miles) had a bunch of worn out stuff. Here's the list I did this past summer:

Moog front upper and lower control arm bushings
Moog outer tie rod ends
Moog upper and lower ball joints
All new sway bar end links (originals tend to break off when you try to remove them)
Bilstein Shocks and Strano springs
Moog front upper strut mounts and isolators
Founders on-car adjustable panhard
Founders 3 piece poly joint LCAs
Founders LCA relocation brackets

Two reasons I did all that at the same time - one was I had it all apart so it made sense, two everything was worn out and shot, handling like utter crap, harsh ride, wandered around the road, etc. All this really tightened it up.

I know the Bilsteins don't last as long with lowering springs but they were in the budget and so far so good. However, had those new Koni "orange" shocks been out at the time I may have gone with those instead. We'll see how they hold up to lowering springs long run. I know nothing about the Strange SA shocks so I can't help you there, and to me coilovers seem like overkill but I've also never had them.

I'd inspect your bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, etc, looking for wear, and plan those accordingly. Aside from that, shocks/springs will make the biggest difference in how the car feels on the road. If you're thinking of doing springs I'd do them at the same time you do the shocks since the fronts are put in as an assembly. Not something I'd want to do extra times unless I had to. You WILL need new front upper strut mounts and the isolator plates when you do the front shocks/springs.

When you lower you want an adjustable panhard to recenter the rear axle. Can get an on-car adjustable from Founders for under $100 so it isn't really expensive.

I'd leave the torque arm for later depending on budget. I plan on getting one eventually but I'm still running stock for now. The others stuff is going to make more of a difference. Rear LCAs I would say inspect the bushings and decide from there. Mine were going bad, so I replaced them with the Founders 3 piece poly joint LCAs. Some people say to just get new bushings pressed into the stock LCAs for a street car, but that costs almost as much as these control arms did. NVH wasn't increased any that I noticed, but to be fair overall NVH on my car was greatly reduced thanks to no longer having worn out suspension lol.

If you want I'll add up what my parts list cost me. I'm not sure what your budget is but it may give you a starting point anyway.

 

That would be great. Never heard of Moog as a brand. Are they good quality?

 

Moog is a major OEM style replacement company.

 

If you are planning on lowering the car there are 3 things I would say to put on it at the same time.

1. LCA relocation brackets (to keep a proper angle of the LCA)

2. Adjustable panhard bar....there are numerous ones out there, check with Colorado Speed as they carry a ton of parts for these cars.

3. Adjustable Lower Control Arms...Colorado Speed again is the place to go.

With the torque arm the main question is are you more interested in drag racing (short arm) or road/track style stuff (long arm). Once again check out Colorado Speed!

 

Mainly street. Very little track use

 

If you don't like the floaty, loose, boat-like feel you have now (stock shocks), then stay away from drag shocks like QA1s, Strange, Afco, Viking etc. They are non gas charged drag shocks, and some are labeled as "all around" or "handling", when they are far from it. Just because they are adjustable and can be made "stiffer" doesn't mean squat. "Stiffer" is not better handling or better spring control, period.
If you want a taut, firm and very planted (more BMW-like) feel then you want a gas charged sport shock like Bilstien SLP/HD, Koni SA's, or if you want really higher end you can look at KW coilovers, Penskies, or Race Bilsteins. You will not have the weight transfer like a drag setup, but you will be able to get traction, plus you will have WAY better ride, handling, control and feel for roughly the same cost (depending on what you go with).
You car does not need to be lowered for better handling (but it certainly helps with the right springs). Just Koni SA's on otherwise stock suspension (and in your case, new rubber bushings) and it will be like driving a totally different car (FAR better than "new", because new still had the **** poor valved decarbon shocks).
Matching balanced swaybars (35mm front, 22mm rear for example) make a hell of a difference. UMI and Stranoparts make these.
And if you do choose to lower it for better handling check out strano springs.
Another neat suspension piece is the Fays2 Watts link (replaces factory PHB), also sold by Stranoparts.
Just about everything else suspension wise does very little for handling.

 

So coilovers are more geared towards drag racing? I'm looking into the new koni strt shocks too with Strano springs...just don't have much experience with suspension

 

No, drag coilovers are for drag racing.
I named some handling adjustable coilovers for our cars: Penskie, Race bilstien, KW's. You can also buy adjustable ground control sleeves for regular shocks if you are hell bent on adjustable height.
There is nothing special about adjustable coilovers, they are just height adjustable sleeves over shocks (some adjustable, some not, and not all adjustable shocks work the same -i.e. the way most of the drag shocks adjustments work are different than how most handling shock adjustments work).

 

Ahh OK. Wasn't aware some were geared towards drag racing. I do want a good stance. Doesn't need to be height adjustable tho.