1997z/28SS

I've done some searching and just can't find a definitive answer on what everyone likes regarding shocks/springs. In the past I used the SLP Bilsteins and BMR springs back in the day on some of my other Fbodies. I would like to lower the car around 1" no more than 1.25" This is a bone stock LT1 SS car that I would like to eventually get on an autocross or road track. I'm not sure I want to do coil-overs just yet.


Please provide any great setups. Thanks

UMI Sales

iTrader: (1)

We have a kit that lowers the front 1.25" and the rear 1.5"
The spring rates are 600/200lb

With these rates you'll get "upgraded handling" while still having a pleasurable street ride



When we first installed these springs I drove this car 2+ Hrs to a show and was pleasantly surprised how well it handled and how comfortable the ride was with the spring rates.

http://umiperformance.com/catalog/in...ex&cPath=7_111

Craig

BMR Sales2

iTrader: (40)

For what you are doing I would recommend the pairing of our 1.25" springs and Koni Str.t shocks. They work very well together for a daily driver. So much so, that I run that exact combination on my daily. The car rides great and handling response and cornering confidence is greatly improved. It is very smooth and predictable. The Koni's rates compliment our spring rates and make for a very good match. Plus the whole package is budget friendly. The whole setup runs about $500

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Of course there are Strano springs which of the 3 mentioned so far as the ones with the least aggressive rates and the ones made by Hyperco.

No shortage of pics or reviews. https://ls1tech.com/forums/appearanc...ring-kits.html

I work on a few principals. Don't slam the car because suspensions need travel to work, which is why we aren't lower. Don't make the springs stiffer than you need and understand that bumpstops are also helping the wheel rate upon compression so it's a game of balancing rate and height of the springs with bumpstop function. I also believe in not making things on the cheap for more margin and stick with Hyperco for the quality and consistency they bring.

1997z/28SS

Your PMs are full Sam. Can you send me a quote for your springs and for a set of shocks to go with them. I really like the Koni ones from reviews, but have never used them before.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Emptied now. Springs are $249. Shocks on on the website as well. Koni's come in a few flavors from STR.T's to Sports that adjust either off the car at the rear, or on it. Fronts are on-car either way.

If you drive it hard, and look to do things like autocross and track, then I submit you want Koni Sports, and I would recommend the on-car rears and those and the springs are in this kit: http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=90&ModelID=7

Note that Koni has a $50 mail in rebate on to the end of the month too.

capelajc

Strano springs and koni shocks here for a few years now, night and day difference from before (stock) to after!!! Car feels like it's on rails and handles with confidence.

Floorman279

iTrader: (11)

Since you already thought about coilovers id recommend just shelling out the extra money and just do it. For 2 reasons.....

1) you already thought about it, and pretty much the only reason to go coilover is for your customized ride height. Which you already stated was important

2) the ride height you desire is almost unreachable with the popular aftermarket springs that are available. Most are goona either drop you your maximum desired drop of 1.25 if not more. However, you do have an lt1 car which naturally sits a tad lower than an ls1, or so ive read. So maybe take 1/4 or or a hair less away from the advertised heights the sponsors are giving you cause those drops advertised are modt of the time on ls1s.

Now if you were goona try to stay on the more budget side, than id say chance it and get a spring and bilstein or koni oranges. But if your thinking about koni sports/yellows that are goona be roughly 1100, then they sit too low for your taste, what are you goona do then? Im pretty sure that stranos have the least amount of drop out of all the other lsponsors springs on here so id consider them the most to give yourself the best chances of success if going the non coilover route.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

I never tire of reading that. Glad you like it.

As a reminder, the spring rates and heights in my springs aren't a guess. They are directly derived from setups I used to win 5 SCCA National Championships on my 2001 Z28. Once I found a setup that worked, and worked well for both autocross AND the street (remember I live in, drive on, and take customers for rides on roads) in Western PA, I *designed* my springs to mimic what I was using on a complicated coil-over conversion. It was to save money, and hassle but get you to a known and proven result.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Not all coilovers can be set back up to the stock height. The Strano/UMI coilovers can do that because we intentionally picked shocks that had adequate travel to allow the taller height.

The first consideration about wanting coilovers is simply if you want, or can use the height adjustment. If the answer is no, then why waste the money? I lot of people seem to think that coilovers are somehow magical, they aren't. They are shocks, and springs, and like any shocks and springs you can get setups that aren't so good. The term coilover does not change that.

If you can benefit from the height adjustment and/or the ability to play with spring rates then we can discuss which setups are best for your uses.