Shocks/Springs
Shocks/Springs So, it's looking like this is new upgrade from stock is going to happen before the year ends. The car needs a refresher from the stock springs and shocks, my budget is under 1k. I plan on having all 4 done at the same time, any recommendations on combos/brands? I don't really drag/race the car, I have fat 315 tires on the back with 275's on the front, would like to drop it some if possible, any insight appreciated. I want to do this all at once if there are any parts that can be squeezed in there that are truly needed in terms of suspension, etc, let me know. I am just not getting into the research of it all!
Strano springs and either Bilstein or Koni STR.T should fit in the budget fine (are you doing the work yourself?). Don't forget new upper mounts and the dogbone piece (isolator) that goes in there.
So, it's looking like this is new upgrade from stock is going to happen before the year ends. The car needs a refresher from the stock springs and shocks, my budget is under 1k. I plan on having all 4 done at the same time, any recommendations on combos/brands? I don't really drag/race the car, I have fat 315 tires on the back with 275's on the front, would like to drop it some if possible, any insight appreciated. I want to do this all at once if there are any parts that can be squeezed in there that are truly needed in terms of suspension, etc, let me know. I am just not getting into the research of it all!
For lowering springs I would recommend our BMR Lowering springs (SP001) which will lower your car an 1.25" all the way around. With you running that 315 on the rear of your car you may have to do a little clearancing here and there but you should be able to get the car lowered without too much trouble.
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Glenn ***
Sales Tech
www.bmrsuspension.com
813.986.9302
Find a Quality alignment shop near you!
You'd need to rent spring compressors from Autozone, or you could take the new front springs, shocks, mounts, and isolators to a shop and just have them do that part for you. Take your old assemblies with you as you'll need to reuse the lower spring seat/perch.
Yeah it's basically my only car, daily driver for sure. I just don't want to run into any issues last minute as the installation is happening so everything will have to be ready to go. What's the main difference between the Koni's and Bilsteins?
The Koni STR.T and Bilstein HD are very similar from what I understand, with the STR.T possibly being a little better for lowering springs. Cost is similar.
Koni Sport (yellows) are really nice, but also expensive.
Koni Sport (yellows) are really nice, but also expensive.
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This is pretty much spot on for the differences between the Bilstein and Koni STR.T shocks.
__________________
Glenn ***
Sales Tech
www.bmrsuspension.com
813.986.9302
Find a Quality alignment shop near you!
Glenn ***
Sales Tech
www.bmrsuspension.com
813.986.9302
Find a Quality alignment shop near you!
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I don't see the Bilstein's and STR.T's are quite that close. Similar but not the same.
To begin with if you get the "SLP" Bilstein which is what most do (and what I tend to sell due to price) it's exactly the same as the HD... but no lifetime warranty, which the Koni's have period.
Also the Koni's have more rebound damping.
And they come with a new spring perch on the front where the Bilstein's re-use the OEM perch, which can matter as not everyone has the OEM shocks on the cars, but others that have a perch that isn't useable on the Bilstein, which means they get to buy more parts.
I have both in stock (rears are in transit from Koni NA but in the USA). I also have springs in stock which are well proven. Have not changed rate or design since I started making them, which isn't the case for all springs out there. And mine are made for me to my specification specifically by a name brand, well known company that's proven for durability (not Eibach). They are not cheaply made springs.
To begin with if you get the "SLP" Bilstein which is what most do (and what I tend to sell due to price) it's exactly the same as the HD... but no lifetime warranty, which the Koni's have period.
Also the Koni's have more rebound damping.
And they come with a new spring perch on the front where the Bilstein's re-use the OEM perch, which can matter as not everyone has the OEM shocks on the cars, but others that have a perch that isn't useable on the Bilstein, which means they get to buy more parts.
I have both in stock (rears are in transit from Koni NA but in the USA). I also have springs in stock which are well proven. Have not changed rate or design since I started making them, which isn't the case for all springs out there. And mine are made for me to my specification specifically by a name brand, well known company that's proven for durability (not Eibach). They are not cheaply made springs.
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Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
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www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Appreciate all the info, def have narrowed down my decision a lot!
Is this the KONI set ya'll have mentioned? http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=21&ModelID=8
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...=115&ModelID=8
**** is this the combo? I'm so tempted to order now but won't have the time to get em in til end of the year
Is this the KONI set ya'll have mentioned? http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=21&ModelID=8
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...=115&ModelID=8
**** is this the combo? I'm so tempted to order now but won't have the time to get em in til end of the year
Last edited by blackbirdls1; Oct 30, 2014 at 08:36 PM.
Or...
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetails.php?PartID=1021&CategoryID=92&ModelID= 8
Not really a "discount" package but it consolidates the two together, easier ordering and processing I assume.
Keep in mind that you may need new shock mounts and possibly the isolators too for the fronts
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetails.php?PartID=1021&CategoryID=92&ModelID= 8
Not really a "discount" package but it consolidates the two together, easier ordering and processing I assume.
Keep in mind that you may need new shock mounts and possibly the isolators too for the fronts
so better off just ordering them just incase? Also bumpstops, I'm pretty sure mine are toast after visually inspecting them, with my big fat tires in there, is it necessary to get new ones?
+1 for Strano/Koni Str.t I installed mine about a month ago and have not regretted it. As others have said, you may have rear tire clearance issue as you would with any lowering springs.
I did the install myself, but have mechanical abilities and tools. Borrowed a friends spring compressor, which is a must. I found that I needed to use my electric impact gun to compress the front springs enough to dissemble to remove the lower coil spring isolator. That isolator was a little bit larger than the Str.t cup, so I had to grind the outer edge a little to get it to sit flush. The lowering springs are shorter, so I didn't need to compress as much and was able to do that by hand.
Since my car has 120K + miles, I decided to replace upper shock mounts with Moog products (mount, upper isolator).
The rears are much easier. I found it to be a little bit of a challenge to remove and then install the top shock nut because of the tight space you have to work with.
Good luck - you won't regret the change-over.
I did the install myself, but have mechanical abilities and tools. Borrowed a friends spring compressor, which is a must. I found that I needed to use my electric impact gun to compress the front springs enough to dissemble to remove the lower coil spring isolator. That isolator was a little bit larger than the Str.t cup, so I had to grind the outer edge a little to get it to sit flush. The lowering springs are shorter, so I didn't need to compress as much and was able to do that by hand.
Since my car has 120K + miles, I decided to replace upper shock mounts with Moog products (mount, upper isolator).
The rears are much easier. I found it to be a little bit of a challenge to remove and then install the top shock nut because of the tight space you have to work with.
Good luck - you won't regret the change-over.
Those are the shocks and the springs I was talking about, yes.
Those items are currently in stock, but that's not always the case (mostly with the Koni STR.T's, sometimes with my springs). If you think you want them, they don't go bad waiting to be installed and you have them in hand when you are ready to go.
Those items are currently in stock, but that's not always the case (mostly with the Koni STR.T's, sometimes with my springs). If you think you want them, they don't go bad waiting to be installed and you have them in hand when you are ready to go.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Your mounts and isolators' condition depend on how many miles you have on your car and if you drive it in the rain much, it's a rust magnet up there. It's possible you can get away without new ones. But if you're anxious and want to install the springs and shocks it isn't a bad idea to have them handy.
Those Koni Str.t shocks come with new bump stops and the metal spring perch halfway up the shock. The only thing you would need to reuse is the lower rubber spring perch that sits inside the metal spring perch, which requires the disassembly of the old shock from the spring, or by new ones.
Other than that you should have everything to do a full swap. The rears are simple and should be an easy bolt out, bolt in kind of design (my kind of design
)
Those Koni Str.t shocks come with new bump stops and the metal spring perch halfway up the shock. The only thing you would need to reuse is the lower rubber spring perch that sits inside the metal spring perch, which requires the disassembly of the old shock from the spring, or by new ones.
Other than that you should have everything to do a full swap. The rears are simple and should be an easy bolt out, bolt in kind of design (my kind of design
) Yeah, I'm not really anxious at all. I just have to have everything ready to go when I do it, no having to order parts I'm missing and whatnot. I don't mind replacing old parts that are relevant to the install while I'm in there.
Bbls1,
I hope you do not mind me jumping in here but it appeared that you may have all of your answers. My car needs suspension updates too but I would like to leave it the same height.
What will the new koni str.t ride feel like compared to OEM ride.
I have 67k miles
Sam S.,
Please send me a list of everything that should be replaced with an itemized price list.
I hope you do not mind me jumping in here but it appeared that you may have all of your answers. My car needs suspension updates too but I would like to leave it the same height.
What will the new koni str.t ride feel like compared to OEM ride.
I have 67k miles
Sam S.,
Please send me a list of everything that should be replaced with an itemized price list.
Last edited by bgw70; Nov 3, 2014 at 09:46 AM.
Should I replace the springs or keep the stock OEMs?
Tks