Shocks & Springs
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Shocks & Springs Hello,
I the only suspension work i have done is BMR Boxed SFC's. I am intersted in making my car handle better and at the same time droping it about 1 inch for improved looks and a lower center of gravity. Origional I thought i would get Eibach Springs and Bilstein Heavy Duty Shocks, but in a recent thread I read this setup would cause premature wear on the shocks? My question comes down to what shocks and springs would you recomend that go well together?
Thanks in Advance
--Aaron
I the only suspension work i have done is BMR Boxed SFC's. I am intersted in making my car handle better and at the same time droping it about 1 inch for improved looks and a lower center of gravity. Origional I thought i would get Eibach Springs and Bilstein Heavy Duty Shocks, but in a recent thread I read this setup would cause premature wear on the shocks? My question comes down to what shocks and springs would you recomend that go well together?
Thanks in Advance
--Aaron
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Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Amarillo, Texas
One route you might consider would be the Koni SA/Bilstein setup. The Konis have two perches which allows you to lower the front ~3/4" and you can perform the hose mod on the rear for ~1/2" drop. This will greatly improve handling, ride, etc.
If you would like lowering springs, I would still recommend the same shocks, or at least revalved Bilsteins. Your best bet would be to contact Sam Strano www.stranoparts.com to fully discuss your needs/wants/budget.
If you would like lowering springs, I would still recommend the same shocks, or at least revalved Bilsteins. Your best bet would be to contact Sam Strano www.stranoparts.com to fully discuss your needs/wants/budget.
I'd be more than happy to run through options with you, but we'd have to do it on the phone. There are just too many options to get into here, and some are workable, some are not.
I will say this; that setup you mention won't get you what you want. First and foremost the Eibach's will lower the car more than the 1" you seek. Secondly the Bilstein's are not intended for lower or stiffer springs (and lowering springs are usually both). You *must* realize that shocks are not really shock absorbers, but are really spring dampers. If you up the spring rate, or lessen the travel the shock has to do it's work in, you must raise the level or damping to compensate.
The Koni idea is a good one, simply because you get some lowering just with the shocks (enough to take the 4x4 look away), AND get killer shocks, which are the single biggest improvement you can make to a 4th gen. F-body. The shocks are more expensive, but you get what you pay for, and if you get by without the springs the cost isn't much different than mediocre shocks and lowering springs. And you get not only better handling, but a better ride too.
I will say this; that setup you mention won't get you what you want. First and foremost the Eibach's will lower the car more than the 1" you seek. Secondly the Bilstein's are not intended for lower or stiffer springs (and lowering springs are usually both). You *must* realize that shocks are not really shock absorbers, but are really spring dampers. If you up the spring rate, or lessen the travel the shock has to do it's work in, you must raise the level or damping to compensate.
The Koni idea is a good one, simply because you get some lowering just with the shocks (enough to take the 4x4 look away), AND get killer shocks, which are the single biggest improvement you can make to a 4th gen. F-body. The shocks are more expensive, but you get what you pay for, and if you get by without the springs the cost isn't much different than mediocre shocks and lowering springs. And you get not only better handling, but a better ride too.
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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
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No, the rears don't carry the springs..... We pull the rear spring isolators and replace it with a thin but heavy heater hose to lower the rear about 1/2".
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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
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
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not to hi-jack the thread
Originally Posted by Sam Strano
The Koni idea is a good one, simply because you get some lowering just with the shocks (enough to take the 4x4 look away), AND get killer shocks, which are the single biggest improvement you can make to a 4th gen. F-body. The shocks are more expensive, but you get what you pay for, and if you get by without the springs the cost isn't much different than mediocre shocks and lowering springs. And you get not only better handling, but a better ride too.
My only other concerns are: 1) I'm running 315/35/17's on the rear, on a widened WS6 rim with 1.25" spacer. Will this setup likely rub on the street? 2) any chance that this spring and shock setup would be F-stock legal? I know I'll probably have to swap the rims and tires back to 275/40/17's to keep out of ESP class.
Thanks, Bob
ramairbrc@hotmail.com
Originally Posted by ramairbrc
So just to clarify, I want to do about the same thing with a non-WS6 TA with 80,000+ miles. I could replace all 4 springs with 96-99 WS6/SS springs BUT install the expensive Koni shocks, and have a slightly lowered but great handling set up?
My only other concerns are: 1) I'm running 315/35/17's on the rear, on a widened WS6 rim with 1.25" spacer. Will this setup likely rub on the street? 2) any chance that this spring and shock setup would be F-stock legal? I know I'll probably have to swap the rims and tires back to 275/40/17's to keep out of ESP class.
My only other concerns are: 1) I'm running 315/35/17's on the rear, on a widened WS6 rim with 1.25" spacer. Will this setup likely rub on the street? 2) any chance that this spring and shock setup would be F-stock legal? I know I'll probably have to swap the rims and tires back to 275/40/17's to keep out of ESP class.
The Koni's are more expensive than some other shocks, but are *MUCH* better as well. Give me two cars, one with a set of lowering springs and shocks that are only "ok" for springs like a KYB AGX or Bilstein HD, and I'd much rather drive the car with the stock springs and the Koni's. More stable, no more floating, better over bumps and it'll ride better too.
I can't answer your question about rubbing. Tires all all different, your rims are most likely not a normal offset, and you have the spacer. You'd be lowered very little in the back, so shouldn't have any trouble if you don't now. Might be smart to rool the quarter panel lips though.
The shocks are FS legal, but not in the lowered position. Also 275/17's aren't FS legal either. None of the cars with 17's stock are classed in FS. You'd have to run 16's to run there (assuming you don't have anything else done to move you out of the class).
The other thing I'd greatly consider is adding a larger front swaybar (and I don't mean a 32mm). The cars LOVE big front bars. Flatter so you have better camber curve control, much more effective at roll control than springs are, more responsive, very little to no impact in ride quality (which remember gets BETTER with the shocks).
__________________
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
Originally Posted by Sam Strano
The Koni's are more expensive than some other shocks, but are *MUCH* better as well. More stable, no more floating, better over bumps and it'll ride better too.
The other thing I'd greatly consider is adding a larger front swaybar (and I don't mean a 32mm).
The other thing I'd greatly consider is adding a larger front swaybar (and I don't mean a 32mm).
Keep a set of tires on 16" rims, or I'm in ESP anway.
My stock shocks are shot at 80,000+ miles, but springs should be ok?
And what about a solid 32mm front sway bar - better than stock non-WS6, or don't bother?
AND, thank you so much for your help.
LASTLY, I hope I didn't offend the thread originator, but I think this is just clarifying the points made in the original post - which were exactly what I was wondering.
Originally Posted by ramairbrc
So, it's Koni's or nothing, but stock springs?
Keep a set of tires on 16" rims, or I'm in ESP anway.
My stock shocks are shot at 80,000+ miles, but springs should be ok?
And what about a solid 32mm front sway bar - better than stock non-WS6, or don't bother?
AND, thank you so much for your help.
Keep a set of tires on 16" rims, or I'm in ESP anway.
My stock shocks are shot at 80,000+ miles, but springs should be ok?
And what about a solid 32mm front sway bar - better than stock non-WS6, or don't bother?
AND, thank you so much for your help.
Your springs are most likely fine. Unless the car is sagging, the springs don't have a problem.
A solid 32mm bar is a little stiffer than a hollow 32mm. Not much though. Bigger is better on front bars. 32 hollow is stiffer than 30 hollow, 32 solid stiffer than 32 hollow. 35 hollow stiffer than any of those, 35 solid a little stiffer than 35 hollow and so on. We sell all of the above, so it's not a matter of pushing what I have vs. what I don't. I just like to use what works best. The fastest 4th gens @ Solo2 Nationals in both FS and ESP have had 35mm bars (my car being one of those a few times)..... Any bar is better than the stock 30mm bar. But if you've going to change it, why not use the best thing you can?????
__________________
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
Hi Sam
In the past you have said that spring rates in the 450 range would work well on a car with Koni shocks. In this post you said that springs rates of 300(stock rate) were OK. I would like to know what springs you would recommend for a Weekend warrior to handle well at the track but still work on the street. I would not want to lower the car much
THANKS
In the past you have said that spring rates in the 450 range would work well on a car with Koni shocks. In this post you said that springs rates of 300(stock rate) were OK. I would like to know what springs you would recommend for a Weekend warrior to handle well at the track but still work on the street. I would not want to lower the car much
THANKS
TECH Addict
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,374
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From: Amarillo, Texas
Originally Posted by YellowToy/A
Hi Sam
In the past you have said that spring rates in the 450 range would work well on a car with Koni shocks. In this post you said that springs rates of 300(stock rate) were OK. I would like to know what springs you would recommend for a Weekend warrior to handle well at the track but still work on the street. I would not want to lower the car much
THANKS
In the past you have said that spring rates in the 450 range would work well on a car with Koni shocks. In this post you said that springs rates of 300(stock rate) were OK. I would like to know what springs you would recommend for a Weekend warrior to handle well at the track but still work on the street. I would not want to lower the car much
THANKS
