SouthernRex

My shocks or something have gone to absolute hell. It squeaks all day and you can feel every slight bump in the road now. I was hoping to lower my car a very small amount, like 1" (on account of the headers) and I was hoping for more of a smoother cornering feel in the car over stock. I know that means I lose a little launch speed, but is it going to be A LOT lost? Like will I lose more than a tenth of a second in the quarter mile?

What should I be looking for with springs and shocks? Sorry, suspension is one area of a car that I know next to *nothing* about.

1998 Pontiac Trans AM WS6 A4 with long headers and an off-road Y
60,000 miles

King Nothing

iTrader: (9)

Give Sam Strano a call, he can give you the best advice

Mine was doing the also and I replaced all my bushings and balljoints in the front and put on Strano's lowering coils. I should have the car back on the ground in the next day or so but need it aligned before I drive it.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Always a tough question to answer. I mean we are talking about rubber parts that are almost 20 years old, even without a lot of miles they just degrade from time, heat, ozone. And the front lower control arm bushings are punished (especially the rearmost one in the arm), so it's likely all torn up.

The shocks, well they sucked when new so yeah that's an issue. The springs, well they are probably fine, but you want to lower the car, so you need to pick a spring that isn't a piece of crap and won't slam you. Our springs are pretty good at not slamming folks or causing ride complaints, BUT the shocks have to match up well. Koni STR.T or Bilstein at minimum. Koni Sport if you want the the best match up for a car that gets driven hard and/or belongs to a picky owner.

And you won't necessarily lose any "launch". Sometimes folks go faster, but it's dependent on a lot of things from tires, to how bad the stock stuff is, to how and where you "launch" the car.

stp001

I see your car has only 60000 miles on it. While your shocks are far from new, they probably aren't garbage yet at all. You might be missing the easiest of fixes. Buy a set of 18'' rims with a lower profile tire from a softer sidewall model line. Your request of lower and smoother is a challenge of sorts, but tires are an easy fix. With 18's and lower profile tires you will have the "look" of lowered, but still have full suspension travel.
If you lower by springs, typically you need more spring rate to keep from bottoming out those long tubes you have. As you increase your spring rate, you then typically increase your shock rate to keep bounce in check. this path works against smoother. If you want lowering springs and smoother, get some springs that only increase your rate a moderate amount, and get shocks that have a variable damping rate depending on piston speed. This combination won't give you the "edge" in handling that other combinations will, but it will be somewhat smoother.
As far as squeaks, try installing poly sway bar bushings on a clean surface with lube. All the other bushings are tougher to fix.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Matter of opinion, they sucked when new.. the shocks.

As for the talk of 18's with a lower profile, and then a softer sidewall..... no. First of all, a shorter sidewall won't be softer than a much taller 245/50-16 or 275/40-17. And any tire in that kind of size to be shorter than stock would not be a construction that one would consider floppy. Also a shorter tire might lower the car overall, but tends to look more dumb to most because you end up with a bigger wheel well gap.

As for the notion of smoother. Tough one, and smooth isn't a word I'd use on this car. I save that for say big Mercedes and Rolls Royce's. There is soft and firm, and harsh and not. They are not directly related. Most folks assume that stiffer springs will be harsh, but it's not the case, because it's got to do with the shocks above all. And most folks find the stock stuff kind of harsh at times, and it's very soft and floaty too.

The best ride, bar none would be from tall, soft stock springs, and tall, soft, no super performance oriented stock sized tires teamed with better shocks than stock (which, like I said, suck).

If you have an appropriate tire and decent shocks for the job a smart choice on lowering springs doesn't tend to upset folks who also want to lower the car. But you have to make a choice about how important lowering is for looks and handling because there is no free ride in this world. Physics is a factor and of course lower and stiffer springs are lower and stiffer and ride more firmly. Have lousy shocks and that will ride quite harsh. But again the harsh is the shocks more than anything.

SouthernRex

http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=21&ModelID=8

I was thinking about getting this. It doesn't have to ride like a Mercedes, just anything better than GM stock would be great. How hard are these to install? I've never messed with suspension before, but I know how to change rotors and stuff.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

All shocks and springs install the same way, rears are easy. Front takes more work and involves spring compressors and sometimes a fight with rusty stuff on cars that aren't super clean.

That kit isn't bad, but some folks find the rear drops more than the front does so keep that in mind. And remember that $579 would get you lifetime warranty Koni STR.T and my SP141 springs. My springs are lower and a bit firmer. But they won't beat the crap out of you with the Koni's. And FWIW, through the end of the month set of Koni's have a mail in rebate, so you end up even a little better off. I think it's $30 on a set of STR.T's.

BMR Sales2

iTrader: (40)

The best bang for the buck street performance combo is our SP001 lowering springs and Koni Str.T shocks. I runt he same combo on my daily and love it. Ride is smooth but not loose or floaty. The car feels very responsive and controlled and has much more corner confidence. Plus they are a bargain at just $530 shipped for the pairing, plus the $30 Koni rebate!
However, anytime you are lowering one of these cars I HIGHLY recommend an adjustable panhard bar to correct axle centering, especially if you are running a wide rear tire.

HCI2000SS

iTrader: (2)

OP I was in your position last year (but with about 80,000 miles on mine) and went with the Koni STR.T/BMR springs combo. Car rode smoother but firmer at the same time. Handeling is greatly improved, but straight line traction decreased a little...not much but just a little. Definitely worth the price IMO

BMR Sales2

iTrader: (40)

This is something I hear regularly, and is a by product of the change in rear geometry that happens when the car is lowered. Your lower control arms and torque arm now point downwards and your instant center point goes below the anti-squat line. This takes load off the tire under acceleration. The best way to combat this is with the simple addition of control arm relocation brackets

HCI2000SS

iTrader: (2)

I should probably add that I did the relocation brackets as well. It doesn't wheelhop as bad as before, but it just won't hook the same as the old worn floaty setup. Not a big difference, but still slightly noticeable. I kind of suspected this going in, so it was no biggy to me

stp001

Manufacturer Model Front (lbs/in) Rear (lbs/in) Ride Height Drop (in.)
OEM GM V6 93-97 223 95.4 0.00"
OEM GM V8 93-97 310 110 0.00"
OEM GM V6 98-02 257 114 0.00"
OEM GM V8 98-02 292 114 0.00"
1LE GM 1LE 360 130-180 0.00"
Eibach V6 Prokit 93-97 337 75-135 1.00"
Eibach V8 Prokit 93-97 377-600 94-160 1.30"
Eibach V6 Prokit 98-02 351 80-137 1.40"
Eibach V8 Prokit 98-02 400 80-137 1.25"
Eibach Sportline 360 80-137 1.6" / 1.4"
Hotchkis Fbody Springs 285-525 100-140 1.00"
G2 Super Springs 548 180-230 1.50"
Hyperco Hypercoils 360-580 168-216 1.25"
MAC Fbody Springs 450-515 215-245 1.50"
SLP Level 1 Progressive 223-448 97-136 0.75"
SLP Level 2 Progressive 300-450 115-185 0.50"

2ToeRacing

iTrader: (5)

If someone wanted to go with your lowering springs/koni shock/adjustable pan ard bar would it be better to go with adjustable lower control arms instead of the relocation bracket? It might be a little more money but wouldn't it give you more adjustment on the rear end?

JD_AMG

Totally not needed.
The rear LCAs can only adjust how far forward/backwards the axle moves front to back of the car. Lowering the car doesn't change this in anyway. The advantage of getting adjustable LCAs are when you are running a big tire causing fitment issues in the wheel well you can adjust out to get the tire to fit better with out rubbing.
Also I might add don't bother getting relocation brackets right away, try without first and see if you get wheel hop, if you do not then dont bother with them unless you are serious about drag racing.

jlangley

iTrader: (8)

I installed the bmr springs and koni strt's all around and am very happy with the setup. Also have the adjustable pan hard from bmr. No issues with wheel hop with no relocation brackets.

I would recommend this setup over the stock springs and shocks. Mine is about 1-1/4" lower than stock.

stp001

In my opinion, adjustability in both panhard bars and lower control arms is all about the 4-wheel alignment.

bad_408_vert

iTrader: (6)

Another happy customer of the koni STr.t and bmr 1.25" springs.
Originally my car had stock shocks , springs with incorrect size tires on v6 fbody wheels.

My goal was not auto x or drag racing, just a properly mannered street car to put down 380 rwhp to ground properly.

Shocks, springs went on first and got me most of drive experience I was looking for.

I later added 35/22 sway bars, non adjustable lower control arms with relocation brackets on second setting, adjustable panhard bar , and subframe connectors.
Then eventually correct tires with 17" wheels.

BMR Sales2

iTrader: (40)

These are really only needed if you are running a 28" diameter tire which seems to get close to the fender wells. Or, if you are running an aftermarket rear end since there always seems to be some variation in the mounting provisions for the LCA's that change wheelbase and thrust angle

AnotherWs6

iTrader: (17)

Buy the adjustable Koni's and don't look back. Strano springs are likely to give you slightly less drop than BMR or competitors. But as mentioned earlier, the better shock will make the car ride better even with increased spring rates. You want to fall in love with your car? Buy springs and adjustable Koni's.