i did use the search feature to look some things up, however im hoping you guys can help me...

I have a pretty stock Limited Edition NHRA Trans Am, currently running 13.4 @ 106 with a 2.10 60' on Kumho ECSTA 711's.

I have a Converter that Im saving up for to have installed, along with a tune...

Then I'm going to start doing suspension on my car, keep in mind ALL o fthe suspension is completely stock right now....

I understand it would be unfair for me to ask what the BEST brands are, because to each his own...The brands I know are Spohn, UMI, and BMR.....

Many people don't know our cars handle .88 G's on the skidpad from the factory...and I love to push my car to its limit as far as handling is concerned..

What are the suspension things I need to do, to have a FULL suspension upgrade on my car...Will someone with the time, please explain me how each of these work, and the best brands for a street car that goes to the strip maybe once every 2 months....

Thanks guys, your always helpful

 

http://www.vincihighperformance.com/...ionparent.html here's a full line of suspension stuff for the f-body. ask away and i'll do my best to explain how each works. hell you're not too far away from me. maybe we can meet up and discuss it in person.

 

Damn I'd love to see your car...

Im in Lake Mary...

You ever go to the corner?

We can def meet up sometime, just let me know...

As far as questions..

Well for full out suspension and great handling / ride comfort.. Im going to need:

STB, Sway bar, SFC, Tubular A-Arms, chrome moly adj. LCAs, and what else?

What will a STB do and same with a sway bar? I know the other 2....

Also, how do I figure out what sizes are best..?

 

i rarely hit the corner. but can make a special trip just for you. which car would you like to see? white or black?

ok everything in that link will get you what you want. you do not have to have adjustable LCAs. great to have. but not a have to. just regular LCAs will work.

a strut tower brace goes underneath the hood. it ties both top sides of the car together. it keeps the area where the struts mount to the body of the car from moving around in corners.

larger sway bars keep the car from leaning when going through corners. and rear sway bar also helps to keep the rear from moving side to side just like the panhard rod does. how much larger is hard to say. but going with the largest ones offered is a pretty good place to start.

 

FLTransAm02, I think I saw you today @ Lake Mary Blvd and Lake Emma road 5:30ish, if so, you've got a sweet ride!!! mrr23, I'm now looking into LCA's, could you suggest some for me <after the programmer, I'll take your word on a suggestion!!>, Kinda leaning towards BMR tubular poly/poly. Any input on those <sorry to hijack thread!>

 

well glad you like the programmer. i prefer to use square or boxed type LCAs over tubular. it's harder for a square to bend over a tube. that's why the BMR boxed are on the wife's car. and the hotchkis square boxed are on mine. when you are ready for the LCAs and other stuff, give vinci another ring and make sure to mention my name. it might just do something on the price!!!. nothing wrong with tubular. it's just my opinion.

 

I'm just the opposite of Mrr23, I never go to the dragstrip but I like corners Instead of throwing everything at it at once, I'd recommend doing one suspension mod at a time so you don't unnecessarily throw good money away AND you see the change that each mod had on your vehicle. I did that once with my 95TA. That was one stiff SOB.

I buy almost all of my suspension stuff from Sam Strano @ StranoParts. He loses a LOT of money by being honest with his customers on what he feels they truly need (or don't). I don't own anything from LGMotorsports, but they sell the same stuff that was on the World Challenge vehicles and it is truly tested and designed from track conditions. On the contrary, I'll never own a BMR product. They seem to work OK for the drag strip, but I've read an unusual amount of complaints about their products in a competitive handling scenario. Not a dig on any vendor which choose to carry them, just my opinion.

So, my opinions from a turning more than burning standpoint...

- The stock shocks are worthless. Folks are very happy with Bilsteins front/rear, or Koni SA's in the front if you have a bit more to spend.

- Stock spring rate works fine for me. Stiffer springs and/or lowering the car will make it ride stiffer. Only your carefully calibrated posterior can determine what's appropriate for you

- Front bar 35mm solid, or 35-36mm hollow works well with poly bushings. You don't want to totally eliminate body roll. Addco, Suspension Techniques, etc.

- Rear bar I'd stick with something between 19mm and 22mm solid with poly bushings, or something a bit bigger if hollow. Larger than that and you'll get extra oversteer around corners. But if you're launching straight at the drag strip, I'd recommend at least a solid 25mm. 19mm causes my car to push with the 35mm solid front bar, the 22mm gives me just a hair of controllable oversteer. Same vendors as front bar.

- Stock LCA's are strong enough and quiet. Cheaper to box them in than to buy aftermarket units. If you get competitive, you can worry about different bushings and/or heim-joints then. If you insist on replacing the LCA's, most heim-joints will be noisy on the street, and poly will bind which is debatably worse than the lack of control the rubber provides. Acompromise is using rubber on the frame and poly on the axle. If you lower the car, you must get relocation brackets.

- Although I re-used the Hotchkis shock tower brace from my LT1, everything I've read indicates our shock towers don't flex toward the engine due to the front suspension design. It may reduce squeaks over the cars life, etc. 2-point is suffice, brand shouldn't matter.

- If you want to lower the car, you can get a more aggressive alignment. I'd recommend max equal negative camber, equal caster between 4.5 <-> 5.0, and 3/32 total toe out. Mrr23 can take care of that for you Sit in the driver seat during the alignment, too.

- Only need an aftermarket panhard bar if you need to center the rear end. In that case, get an adjustable unit. LGMotorsports or Unbalanced Engineering.

- I'd recommend poly bushings in the front control arms, upper and lower. Yes they are a PITA. I've only changed my uppers, but I need to replace the lowers. Suspension Techniques or Prothane.

- Torque arm; I'd wait to make that purchase. If you're getting axle hop (under either accel or braking) some designs will help and some won't. Random Tech, LGM, Unbalanced Engineering.

- Subframe connectors - welded are stiffer but heavier. X-brace design is better than longitudinal units but costlier. Kenny Brown, LGMotorsports.

- If you choose to get heim-joints on any of your suspension pieces, save yourself the hassle and get componentss with 3-piece housings. QA1 XR or Aurora are recommended.

Tell ya what... come out to our next Autocross March 13th (PM me for details) and some of us F-body guys can give you rides after competition and you might be able to get an idea of how different setups feel. I've got some extra suspension parts in storage as a result of testing, too. If you're interested in testing some out, holler.

 

i would trust jim on autocross suggestions. i only align his car. he's more into the cornering than i am. but, when i do set up my suspension on both of the cars, i look for both drag and cornering. so, i have to make comprimises as to which parts i put on. i can't use the stiffest shocks. that'll throw off the ability to lift the front for drag racing. can't use the high rate springs. again i have to consider drag racing.

 

Hey bro, you probably did see me? Where do you live, maybe I've seen your ride before?

I work at the corner of Lake Emma and Lake Mary Blvd...... Lake Mary Car WASH.

Go to school at Lake Mary High School, and am always around Lake Emma as my mom lives off markham woods road/ lake mary blvd in Heathrow Woods, and my dad lives by LakeWood in Remington Oaks....

Did I see you, or did you just see my car?
heh, black or white one..hehe, hmm the 11.8 or the 11.7 second car...hmmm....

Whichever one youd let me drive :-P, hehe, uhm, I actually never go to the corner, was just wondering..Im always up for a meet someday though, if you wanan chill and grab lunch or w/e...Thanks for your help guys

 

Lake Mary Car Wash...gotcha! I see your car pretty much on a daily basis.....mostly when I first stop at the Mobil station for gas. I'm in the Midnight Blue T/A you have probably seen tear thru the Old Time Pottery plaza from time to time. I actually live over the bridge in the Heathrow area, so I'm pretty close by. Might need to get some tips from you for detailing my car as it's in dying need of a "make over" so to speak.

 

You should stop by some time, ill probably recognize you now though ...
Our cars are VERY close together...

My best time at Bithlo (Orlando Speed World) was 13.420 @ 106 2.1 60'

 

Yea, it'd be a good matchup...pretty much drivers race! I'll look you up sometime this week when I see your car there.

 

Dunno how old you are, but im 16, in highschool, so my week hours are very limited....

Tuesday,Wednesday,Friday 3-6

Saturday- 8-6

Sunday- 10-4

 

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