So I know this is a total noob question but...

About 8 months ago I installed a set of fleabay springs (I know... they were a gift so I put them on while i saved up for a better set. These ones specifically: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-5-DROP-SUSPENSION-LOWERING-SPRINGS-SPRING-93-02-CHEVY-CAMARO-FIREBIRD-BLUE-/400493654995?fits=Year%3A2002%7CModel%3ACamaro&hash=item5d3f4833d3&vxp=mtr)

Spring rate for the rear is listed at 250lbs/in.

I jacked up the rear today to fix a rattle coming from the panhard bar, and I noticed that the passenger bump stop seems to have been contacting the axle.

Is this indicative of ****ty springs? Or is it a shock absorber issue? I'm still running the stock shocks (again, I know) and would be more than happy to replace them if necessary.

 

The bump stops are part of the suspension, you will hit them even on stock springs, they are doing their job.
Take into consideration that your car is now over 10 years old and those foam bumpstops will be worn down. You can replace them with some oem ones, or poly jeep ones.
As for your springs and shocks, if you don't like the way the car rides, feels, handles, or behaves, well you know why.
Those spring rates are wacky (rear is way too stiff compared to front), makes me wonder who came up with them.

 

What would be a good spring rate to look for then? Car is a convertible and 100% street.

Also funnily enough, I already replaced the pass bump stop already. The first one was completely rotted away (disintegrated when I pulled it off) the one currently on there is an OEM one that seems to be holding up okay.

If I had the money for the poly ones, I'd get them lol.

 

With that low of a drop something along the lines of 150-175lbs/in in the rear, and 550-600lbs/in or more in the front.
If you want to be lowered there are a ton of better options on springs.

 

I only lowered the car because I had the 4x4 look going and wanted it to look like a normal car. I was actually thinking of going with these springs:

http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...=113&ModelID=7


the .5" raise over what I currently have I was hoping would help eliminate some scraping issues over speed bumps.

 

Wow, 450/250... that's interesting to say the least.

I think you'd find my springs better to be sure. But the fact you touching the bumpstops is not abnormal, in fact it's part of how this suspension works, and why I go nuts when people take them off (that's not smart and creates other issues).

Let's say those are 250 rear, give or take. That rate doesn't keep you off them anyway, so why run that stiff? The trick to springs is to make them as stiff as you need and not stiffer than you want. My springs have a very well proven track record. And I can tell you that for what the ones you have cost, that doesn't come close to getting one half of my set made (cause my stuff ain't cheap).

They claim a 1.5" drop. that's fine, but drops are not all the same due to a lot of variance in not only stock springs or whatever your starting point is, but also in cheap springs like this. I used to call mine 1.2", I don't call them anything like that anymore because some people freak out about .1" difference from that in terms of their drop (up or down) without regard to what the car has for options, what's inside (like a big speaker box), wear of the stock springs, cutting stock springs or even the fact the might not HAVE stock springs to start with.

There is no shortage of pics of cars on my springs. Google "strano springs" or you can even go here: https://ls1tech.com/forums/appearanc...ring-kits.html to get a sense of what you'll end up like.

I can't see your car so I can't say it'll come up, or how much. It might. Could even drop if their number is way off reality.

Now to the Hotchkis you linked. Clearly I sell them, you linked my site. But they are frankly overpriced and don't work as well. They aren't even really much different in height than mine. I'd be happy to supply them to you if you want but you can do better IMHO.

 

By the way, price was amended too, it was too high for the Hotchkis springs, but still $40 more than mine.

 

Sam, are the hard, high durometer, POLY 'Jeep' ones (that everyone on here seems to be SO fond of using as replacements) also a detriment to the way the suspension is supposed to work, as compared to the stock, GM/Dorman replacement 'spongy' ones??

 

Hopefully by the end of the holidays I'll be able to get your springs Sam. Definitely like going the route that costs me less lol.

 

I have other ones we just found that are rubber. Not super spongy but softer than urethane much more to my liking. They are on the website and a few bucks less too.

 

Check out www.resuspension.com
They have about every manufactured bump stop that you would need

 

Wow...

 

Thanks Sam!

But, do the popular on here, poly ES Jeep replacement stops actually negatively effect the handling, or 'jounce rebound' (IF there is such a thing??) as compared to the stockers, or your rubber compound stops, especially in rough/washboard mid corner scenarios on the stops??

 

Super stiff bumpstops are not ideal because when you hit them, you get a spike in wheel rate. The stiffer, or harder you hit them, the more gain in wheel rate you get. Typically washboard surfaces aren't enough to get to stops anyway, mostly the issue would be a big mid corner bump or dip when pulling some lateral G.

 

^^^THANKS Sam.

So much for those on here saying their hard poly Jeep bumpstops are "perfect" replacements.

And yes, "wheel rate" was the term I was thinking of when I said "jounce rebound" above.

 

Hey it's the internet it MUST be true, right?

They aren't perfect, and if you recall I don't say that. I say they work, and are better than nothing at all, but not perfect. The rubber ones are definitely better and more progressive.