I want my car to ride like new - Suggestions please
 

I've been reading threads for an hour and havn't found the anwser I'm after. I have a pretty much stock 98 SS with t-tops. I have playing with the idea of doing more performance mods but I realized I like the power the car produces but I hate the squeeks and rattles. I've read everyones thoughts on SFC, ect. If you were in my postion where would you START? The car only has 43,000 miles and has neer been wrecked.

Also, I have a soft clunk sound coming from the rear somewhere. It make the noise when I turn?? Is there something I should look for? Possibly worn bushings? I am going to put it up on a lift this weekend and change all the fluids, tighten the exhaust and look for the clunk. After that's done I will start the ride/suspenion mods with your help. I was going to do SFC but after reading posts I want more opionions first.

A set of Bilstein HD's will make the car ride better, handle better, and kill a lot of the sqeauking in rattling because they will damp out impacts that the stock shock allow through to the unibody. You keep the impacts out of the body, it won't flex as much. Anything will flex if hit hard enough.

In your case SFC's are the band-aid for the cut. I feel it better to have not cut yourself in the first place...

I AM NOT SAYING SFC'S ARE BAD!!!! I'm simply saying that shocks are the root cause of the quivering, not the chassis stiffness. If you want to add SFC's later, then that's your call. But it's well known the stock shocks suck, and suck big-time and will need changed. Why not put on some quality shocks that have a lifetime warranty, get the better ride and handling and see what it does for rattles. If you still want SFC's, fine... but you'll be surprised at the difference from the shocks.

I say HD's are they fit your description best. They are $329 for a set of 4. Not a lot more than SFC's are.....

Do I need to replace my springs as well? Your suggestion is a great start which I will check into. I jusst hate the squeeks and rattles. With the tops off things sound solid. I'd like to have that while there on too. Thank You

Spring are just fine.... Sounds solid with the T's out because it is. Again, it's the stock shocks not doing what they are supposed to, and that's damp out impacts.

Listen to Sam he is a genius :) He hooked me up with my Bilstein HD after several phone conversations and I couldn't be happier with my setup. Shocks are the root of all evil with our cars.

The more I read the more I am convinced in doing my shocks. Any preference on Koni vs. Bilstien HD? Can you mix shock or is ir best to stay with matching one? There's a set of koni for sale (2 fronts) for $50? Thanks For your help. I am taking your advise

hurley711... your making me blush! Thanks for the props, I appreciate that. :)

Koni and Bilstein HD's are HUGELY different, in cost and what they can do. I love Koni's, but I sell both. Happy to discuss pro's and con's with you, but it's definitely more involved material than can be handled by e-mail! Right hurley???

Can't go wrong with a Koni, but might be more than you need or want. If it is, I'll tell ya straight up. But I have to talk to you to know......

I'll call you then. Give me a sec to find myy phone......

Hey Sam I tried to call. Nobody anwsered so I left a message on the machine. Give me a call back when you get a sec and we can talk about what I need. If I do this I want to order the parts in the next couple weeks. 563.343.3779

thanks

Sam is right, best bet is to call and be SPECIFIC on what you want and how you want the car to handle and he will hook you up with the products that you need. :judge:

Since hes looking for stock ride I aggree. But for a totally better ride and performance add some sfc too.

Sam's a good man, lots of integrity IMHO, he's always been straight up with me. :)

My car kicks butt because I listened to him more often than not!!! :rotflmao:

I see nothing indicating what shocks you have, but I'm betting you have SFC's and that you did them first, right?

I don't have SFC's.... But hey, it's only a good enough handling car to have won a couple of SCCA National championships... :) FWIW, no rattle or squeaks @ 41k miles, most of which are with coil-overs, firm shocks and PA/Northeast driving.....

sweet dude call me back. I would like to talk shocks and bushing with you. I do not neccessarily want a stock ride. I want a firm, great feeling ride that handles good and doesn't rattle. If shocks will give that to me - I'm sold. I may do SFC sometime but at this point I want to see if new shocks are as good a cure as people say. If not, I will be the first to post for other components (i.e SFC). I have a feeling they will help though. I'd like to find out more....call me back Sam. I'm a potentional customer.

I'll call, I promise.. First thing on the my to-do list for Monday!!!! I'd do it tonight, but I'm already late for dinner @ my sister's house.... (it's 7:30 here).

Please hang in there, I promise it will be an enlightening phone call, and worth the wait.

I didn't mean to bash you. I know you know what you are talking about, you even guessed that I got sfc first, which i did. And I aggree with what you said cause I've also been told that shocks are one of the mods that make a huge difference in how a car handles. I still need to replace the front struts, I have only replaced the rear and only with those on I felt the car more stable.

I just wanted to get the point accross that sfc make a great differnce on how the car handle.

I think I will be calling Sam next week too....

I didn't think you were bashing at all. :cheers:

I was just pointing out that SFC's do make a difference because they band-aid poor shocks, which you stil haven't changed.

I was just pointing out that while you saw a change for the better, you can't really say how the SFC's compared to the shocks (having not changed the shocks). That's the trick with the internet. LOTS of opinions available, and you have learn to read what isn't written with a discriminating eye because if someone hasn't tried something, they can't really compare. They only know what they've done... not how other things might effect the car and why.