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Just had an idea. I'll have all of the front stuff from my 99. This would give me time to pull those front suspension parts, inspect them, clean, paint, and rebuild at my leisure. Then bolt in when I am ready. I can then keep my old stuff to repeat this process. Any reason this wouldn't work?
That's how I would do it, I copped out and had a shop press all of my bushings/ball joints. I also did the UMI boxed lowers and stuck with the stock uppers on recommendation from Strano, so you wouldn't need to shell out for all new arms.
Save your money on the brakes -- just slap a better pad in there and run blank rotors. Something mild like Hawk HPS or Hawk 5.0 on the front with a part store ceramic on the rear and it will be a noticeable improvement from stock. I run NAPA premium blanks on my track car (yes, that is correct). They're $40, come with a warranty and can handle everything I'm throwing at it.
For what it's worth, I'm running Strano's hollow bars 35/22 setup and UMI roto-joint LCAs. I love both of those parts -- each accomplished exactly what I was looking for.
Shocks -- you're leaning the right way with the Koni STR.T's. The Koni yellows are definitely a gold standard in performance, however if you're not running the car consistently on track I believe you'll find you enjoy the STR.T's more. These will be a noticeable improvement over the stock Decarbons.
Save your money on the brakes -- just slap a better pad in there and run blank rotors. Something mild like Hawk HPS or Hawk 5.0 on the front with a part store ceramic on the rear and it will be a noticeable improvement from stock. I run NAPA premium blanks on my track car (yes, that is correct). They're $40, come with a warranty and can handle everything I'm throwing at it.
For what it's worth, I'm running Strano's hollow bars 35/22 setup and UMI roto-joint LCAs. I love both of those parts -- each accomplished exactly what I was looking for.
I'm pretty much set on my decision for strano 35/22 hollows.
I'm leaning toward the poly/roto LCA setup.
Originally Posted by Midnight02
Shocks -- you're leaning the right way with the Koni STR.T's. The Koni yellows are definitely a gold standard in performance, however if you're not running the car consistently on track I believe you'll find you enjoy the STR.T's more. These will be a noticeable improvement over the stock Decarbons.
Yep. I'm going with the STR-Ts. Just out of stock everywhere I look.
The UMI Rotojoint PHB is silent, no noise. It also removes the deflection from the rubber bushings. When you hit a bump, the axle compresses and that also deflects the rubber in the PHB. This is what makes many cars feel like the rear end "hops sideways" over a sharp bump on the freeway. I forgot how bad this was on a stock car until I drug home an absolutely stock 2002 Z28 convertible recently. The PHB and 35mm front sway bar are the two easiest and cheapest (or close to it) mods that should go on every one of these cars. The 35mm bar keeps the car much flatter and more responsive and the PHB takes the "weirdness" out of the rear end.
I'm actually installing Poly/Rotojoint LCA's in my car (as soon as I get time to get back under it) to see how I like them. I used to run SCCA autocross in my last 2002 Z28 and I'm used to having a car that handles well. I usually wouldn't put poly anywhere near my LCA's, but my wife said "whatever you do, it better not make noise....DO NOT spoil this car". So....I'm building a car that really handles well while being quiet and vibration free. That's been the basic premise behind my build and for that reason I'm going to try poly/rotojoint LCAs this time.
I'm actually installing Poly/Rotojoint LCA's in my car (as soon as I get time to get back under it) to see how I like them. I used to run SCCA autocross in my last 2002 Z28 and I'm used to having a car that handles well. I usually wouldn't put poly anywhere near my LCA's, but my wife said "whatever you do, it better not make noise....DO NOT spoil this car". So....I'm building a car that really handles well while being quiet and vibration free. That's been the basic premise behind my build and for that reason I'm going to try poly/rotojoint LCAs this time.
Kind of the same goal I have. I know it will be a compromise, but I'm shooting for a good handling machine with some street manners. It'll be toward october before I get to the handling mods. Transmission swap from my 99 and new meats will come first. This WS6 was owned by a teenager and I believe there is a connection to the toasted clutch and the bald rear tires.
Kind of the same goal I have. I know it will be a compromise, but I'm shooting for a good handling machine with some street manners. It'll be toward october before I get to the handling mods. Transmission swap from my 99 and new meats will come first. This WS6 was owned by a teenager and I believe there is a connection to the toasted clutch and the bald rear tires.
It's not much of a compromise. Honestly you can build a very capable car and keep it quiet and civilized.
The PHB doesn't add much vibration, even in heim jointed form. I have always used Heim/Heim PHBs on my cars (street cars, caged track cars, all of them). This time I went with the rotojoint PHB and it is indistinguishable in performance (thus far) to a heim jointed PHB and it's silent and I don't even notice the minimal increase in noise and vibration that the heim joints would usually add.
I autocrossed competitively on stock LCA's (winning a local SCCA championship). If you're not having wheel hop issues, they aren't a bad choice. The poly/rotojoint combo should be a quiet compromise that will keep the axle more positively located while allowing proper articulation of the axle (with fairly minimal penalties).
35mm front swaybar is "required" on these cars. It's likely the single best mod you can do on these cars. Body roll causes a loss of camber, limiting body roll reduces camber loss (the tendency of the car to roll up onto the outside edge of the front tires in a corner). It's a bit of a band-aid, but it works exceptionally well (in the absence of a front suspension with more camber gain during suspension compression).
A 19mm (stock) rear bar actually works very well in many cases, particularly on a street car. It makes the car much less willing to power oversteer at low speeds (turning at a traffic light, etc). On track, the 21mm solid or 22mm hollow bar will often balance the car a bit better, but it's something I'd add if you run the car hard enough to find it to be needed.
Springs and shocks are where the choices open up.
The stock DeCarbon shocks are so far off from the proper valving that they really aren't any good, even when they are new.
Bilstiens are available in regular "HD" form and possibly SLP versions (I don't know if they are still out there, I haven't looked lately but SLP is getting out of the 4th gen business).
Koni ST.R shocks are new and I haven't driven them yet. If it's typical Koni, they are probably valved reasonably for the application, but I can't say for sure.
Koni SA or Koni DA's or UMI/Strano coil overs are the premium choices. I've run Koni DA's and now the UMI/Strano coil overs. Both will absolutely transform the car and will do the most to define the overall handling character of the car. None of the shock choices make any appreciable noise.
Strut tower braces and subframe connectors will help stiffen up the chassis a bit. If you want to go that far, you'll see some improvements (some people claim huge improvements and some say it's minimal, I find them to be useful and make a reasonable improvement).
You can build a great car with truly spectacular manners that doesn't clunk or rattle and not feel like you compromised on anything.
New wheels/Tires- The rear tires on car are shot (might as well do it now)
New brakes-Recommendations? -not interested in drilled rotors. And I can't do the cts-v upgrade since my wheels will be 17s. Want to keep a budget friendly, but solid option here.
Strano 35/22 hollow set -Do I need new end links/mounts while I'm at it?
I might suggest you call me so we can discuss. Bear in mind I am a full UMI dealer. I have lots of brake options too, including things that maybe you haven't considered with better calipers.
There is no shortage of options for parts for these cars. I can't always been online to pop in an put my two cents in on a subject, mostly because I'm usually racing, or on the phone with folks talking to them about their needs vs. trying to do it by forum messages and emails. It's between hard to impossible for me to make a recommendation I'm comfortable with if I never talk to the person.
When it comes to things like UMI makes, I tend to go that way first when those parts are warranted. And this is where I will remind you all that I am a UMI dealer, and I've had a lot of input on various products with them, and we work well together. But that's a two way street, and my side of it is that I help them because I think it improves the parts *I* sell to my customers. But I'm not always going to use any random part, I'm going to use and recommend what I think is best for the situation at hand.
Coil-overs? I have them too. I did the valving, I did the bumpstop work. I supply all the springs from Hyperco. I also sell the coil-overs for the same price and have a lot of experience in tuning shocks.
I am a full line distributor. I do far more in terms of coverage of products than any other vendor on this site. My day today consisted of: Corner weighting a Corvette for SCCA Nationals. Did a front bar (Strano Performance 3 way) for a 2016 Camaro SS, shipped 12 sets of my SP141 Lowering springs. And did a tuner for diesel truck. Tomorrow I am going to do shake-down/setup work on the UMI cars all day @ Mid-State Airport in PA, along with my Corvette.
I'm still around. I'm still the guy who has all the knowledge, and the results to back all that up. And I'm still in business to help you guys get the right stuff. I haven't changed my tune at all, I still recommend what I feel works best for each person, not what is an easy sale or a high profit item.
If those things are important to you, call me. Just not tomorrow, I won't be here (see the testing).
Okay. an update of sorts. My clutch kit came from Tick. LS7 with Tick MC, bleeder, and all stuff for install. Ordered my brake stuff from Rockauto. Got Raybestos blanks, new pins, new guide pin seals, hardware (little clip thingies), and some performance pads. Ceramic impregnated with carbon fiber. Supposed to be quiet with added stopping power. I will update once I try them out.
Ordered and received a UMI TA relocation x member. Also have a new transmission mount in rubber on the way.
Gonna run the stock TA till the 10 bolt goes.
Will be ordering 17x9.5 TT2 in polished aluminum tomorrow.
Also have decided on Nitto 555 G2 tires in the ever popular 275/40 17 size. Hopefully by Next week, I will have my brakes installed, new meats, have the Pewter at a buddies shop and be anxiously awaiting trans swap day.
Uh. Do you have an adjustable TA? Cause you need that in order to reset pinion angle when you use the TA Relocation bracket.
Of course, none of this is handling related.
I have the mount for the factory TA. This is not a lowered car. I am simply divorcing the TA from the trans tailshaft. Should be no resetting anything.
TT2s are on with Nittos! First impressions, car seems a bit more responsive even running 17x9.5s vs 18x10.5 wheels . The front tires on the 18x10.5s were horribly undersized. It was almost like the PO was trying to stagger tires on square wheels. Harshness over larger bumps is down. So far I like the feel and Love the look this car has with these wheels! Got the pewter T/A to my friends place. Brakes tomorrow!
Holy Moly, does this thing stop hard! Powerstop evolution carbon fiber/ceramic fronts/ Evolution ceramic rears on raybestos blanks. Nitto 555 G2 tires.
It stops so hard, you think the car is gonna buckle in the center.
Those Nitto 555G2 tires have some decent grip don't they? Tires make a hell of a difference on these cars in every aspect. I take that back...tires on any car makes a serious difference Not saying the Evolution pads aren't helping, but most people would be amazed at how well the stock LS1 brakes are capable of coupled with good pads/rotors and sticky tires
Those Nitto 555G2 tires have some decent grip don't they? Tires make a hell of a difference on these cars in every aspect. I take that back...tires on any car makes a serious difference Not saying the Evolution pads aren't helping, but most people would be amazed at how well the stock LS1 brakes are capable of coupled with good pads/rotors and sticky tires
Very true! Next on the agenda is the transmission swap.
After that, I'll pull the radiator from the pewter (just installed prob 6-8 months ago) and do a coolant flush/hoses and radiator since I noticed the tanks on this one has bulges and cracks when up to operating temps.
Then, Konis at the least. Dependant on time, I may get to the sway bars. Highway 129 is coming in Nov!
Do the 35mm front sway bar ASAP. It's likely the best improvement for these cars (particularly for the "buck"). Even if you leave the stock rear bar for now, get a front bar on it. You'll be amazed.
08-09-2016, 04:41 PM
I'll have all of the front stuff from my 99. This would give me time to pull those front suspension parts, inspect them, clean, paint, and rebuild at my leisure. Then bolt in when I am ready. I can then keep my old stuff to repeat this process. Any reason this wouldn't work?
So....I'm building a car that really handles well while being quiet and vibration free. That's been the basic premise behind my build and for that reason I'm going to try poly/rotojoint LCAs this time. 
Got the pewter T/A to my friends place. Brakes tomorrow! 
