Cheapest "worth it" setup
Cheapest "worth it" setup I plan to lower my car and have been doing some researching. I hear you can't lower a car and get long tubes, then I see a lot of people have long tubes on there lowered car 
I don't plan on doing any autocrossing so I dont want my car top handle like a farrari but I don't want to through money into my suspension to have it handle worse.
So my question is what do I need to buy to make the lowering "worth it," to have it sit lower and not have to change all my suspension pieces in a couple months?
So pretty much what do you think I should buy?
I don't plan on doing any autocrossing so I dont want my car top handle like a farrari but I don't want to through money into my suspension to have it handle worse.
So my question is what do I need to buy to make the lowering "worth it," to have it sit lower and not have to change all my suspension pieces in a couple months?
So pretty much what do you think I should buy?
Minimum do it right setup.
Lowering springs with a higher than stock spring rate (you've giving the ride less suspension travel, so you'll want higher rates to avoid bottoming out frequently)
Shocks valved to handle the higher spring rates (stock shocks are barely adequate for stock spring rates) Bilstein HDs bare minimum, revalved Bilsteins are better and not terribly expensive.
And lower control arm relocation brackets to counter wheel hop under acceleration that frequently results from lowering the car.
Lowering springs with a higher than stock spring rate (you've giving the ride less suspension travel, so you'll want higher rates to avoid bottoming out frequently)
Shocks valved to handle the higher spring rates (stock shocks are barely adequate for stock spring rates) Bilstein HDs bare minimum, revalved Bilsteins are better and not terribly expensive.
And lower control arm relocation brackets to counter wheel hop under acceleration that frequently results from lowering the car.
ok thanks,
Well I think I'mn gonna get BMR springs
So I have to get new springs or itll ride like sh*t?
And I gave to get a new lower control arm and a relocation bracket or Ill get wheel hop>
Well I think I'mn gonna get BMR springs
So I have to get new springs or itll ride like sh*t?
And I gave to get a new lower control arm and a relocation bracket or Ill get wheel hop>
TECH Addict
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,374
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From: Amarillo, Texas
You could go with the Koni SA front/Bilstein HD rear combo which will allow you to lower the car slightly and give you greatly improved handling.
Shocks are the most important aspect of F-body handling.
Shocks are the most important aspect of F-body handling.
I had the BMR springs and they sucked. I switched to the Eibach Prokit and have been happy. It also depnds on how low you want to be. The Hotchkis springs are about as low as the BMR but are much better, the Prokit is lower. Bilstein HD's are the minimum required shocks for springs but will be kinda rough, revalves will be slightly better and Koni's even better still. Give Sam Strano a call and see what he can work up for you.
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I've had the SLP level 1 suspension on my car with FLP long tube headers. I had no issues with scrapping and the car handled and looked well. Only a 1/2in. drop. Give me a call. We'll talk.
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SLP lvl 1 here to, with eibach springs
Get the DMS springs, or the pro kit from eibach (sportlines i've heard are bad for LT's, unless you spend the money to buy a good tucking set, kooks etc.)
the bilstein heavy duties are a great choice, the koni single and double adjustables are awsome if you have a bottomless wallet.
If you are going more strip than street, do hal qa1's in the front and the single adjustables in back.
Get the DMS springs, or the pro kit from eibach (sportlines i've heard are bad for LT's, unless you spend the money to buy a good tucking set, kooks etc.)
the bilstein heavy duties are a great choice, the koni single and double adjustables are awsome if you have a bottomless wallet.
If you are going more strip than street, do hal qa1's in the front and the single adjustables in back.
Ground control coilovers get my vote. You can get ANY dropped look you want, compensate for any LT's and various wheel and tire sizes. They also come in whatever lb. you want them. I blew money on a prokit before I bought them. Buy right the first time or buy twice.
Yep, any kind of conventional spring is going to be a crap shoot as far as height is concerned. I have the GC front set ($225) and the adjustment is totally worth it.
No, shocks have more to do with the ride than springs. Springs CAN make the car ride bad if:
1. they are real stiff, say 600-650lb or higher
2. they are so low that you are bouncing off the bumpstops all the time.
You really want to choose the spring first and then get shocks that are matched to the spring. That's considered doing it right the first time. Unfortunately, I can be pretty expensive.
So I have to get new springs or itll ride like sh*t?
1. they are real stiff, say 600-650lb or higher
2. they are so low that you are bouncing off the bumpstops all the time.
You really want to choose the spring first and then get shocks that are matched to the spring. That's considered doing it right the first time. Unfortunately, I can be pretty expensive.
Anyone know if the $130 springs on ebay or the $190 Intrax are really crappy. I figure it sounds I have o buy good shicks but will cheap springs effect the car in a great way?
Originally Posted by OneMeanZ
Where can you get the Ground Controls???
http://www.stranoparts.com/index.php
$225 front
$200 rear
There's also a non-sponsor that has them rediculously cheap at $370 a set. I don't know what the deal is, but PM if you want the website.
I guarantee they will be the last springs you will buy. You just need to choose the spring rates and that's were Sam has huge expertise.
I have them on the front and just modded my factory rear springs to get the height and spring rate I wanted. That saved me some money.
Originally Posted by JasonWW
Sam Strano has them and he's a sponsor.
http://www.stranoparts.com/index.php
$225 front
$200 rear
There's also a non-sponsor that has them rediculously cheap at $370 a set. I don't know what the deal is, but PM if you want the website.
I guarantee they will be the last springs you will buy. You just need to choose the spring rates and that's were Sam has huge expertise.
I have them on the front and just modded my factory rear springs to get the height and spring rate I wanted. That saved me some money.
http://www.stranoparts.com/index.php
$225 front
$200 rear
There's also a non-sponsor that has them rediculously cheap at $370 a set. I don't know what the deal is, but PM if you want the website.
I guarantee they will be the last springs you will buy. You just need to choose the spring rates and that's were Sam has huge expertise.
I have them on the front and just modded my factory rear springs to get the height and spring rate I wanted. That saved me some money.
If so I might be looking into this...
If anyone is interested in a pic of the GC front's, I have some here:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...wap121copy.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...A/c956d4f1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...wap117copy.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...A/8a105597.jpg
Keep in mind that the Koni combined with the GC kit requires you to loosen the nut that holds the the tophat of the shock in place. That way you can remove the koni spring cup and slide the sleeve onto the shock. Some folks make a tool to get the nut off and some just grind down the tophat some so that you can get a wrench on it. Here is a pic of mine with the tophat edge ground down and painted yellow.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...GCkit7copy.jpg
One of the nice things about the Koni SA only is that there are 2 grooves in which to place the snap ring. The upper groove is the stock height and the lower groove will lower the ride height about 3/4".
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3..._snap_ring.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...wap121copy.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...A/c956d4f1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...wap117copy.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...A/8a105597.jpg
Keep in mind that the Koni combined with the GC kit requires you to loosen the nut that holds the the tophat of the shock in place. That way you can remove the koni spring cup and slide the sleeve onto the shock. Some folks make a tool to get the nut off and some just grind down the tophat some so that you can get a wrench on it. Here is a pic of mine with the tophat edge ground down and painted yellow.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...GCkit7copy.jpg
One of the nice things about the Koni SA only is that there are 2 grooves in which to place the snap ring. The upper groove is the stock height and the lower groove will lower the ride height about 3/4".
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3..._snap_ring.jpg
