Hey, Sam, what are the steps one should take to get a better handling car in your opinion? If someone was to by each part seperatly(springs, shocks, sway bars, ect) what order would the difference be the most noticable?
What effect would lca's phb's and the torque arm have? Obviously tires effect this too. What do you have done to your dd? What is your dd?

 

THESE ARE NOT SET IN STONE. I will juggle the order depending on just what is going on with the car, and what the owner expects/wants. But generally:

Shocks are always first on the list.

Swaybars are 2nd just because they make the 2nd biggest change behind the shocks. But in reality they can drop to 3rd only because if someone is hell-bent on springs it makes more sense to move them up to #2 so you don't have re-do work twice.

Springs are #3 (but see note above).

PHB is #4 most of the time.

Then we get into an area where I can't even give you a rough idea. It just depends on what we are trying to do. I don't work by a ready made script because you can't and actually give each person what they would most benefit from first.

My daily driver? 1990 Toyota Celica. Sometimes my 2004.5 Dodge Ram. Really never my Camaro. I could, it's wholly streetable, but there is no reason to rack up the mileage on it and this time of the year I just leave it on R-compound tires and it's stickered up which attracts attention. I do, a few times a year, take it on road trips. Been to Texas and back in it, Florida and back a few times, and many shorter (under 1000 mile) trips. I put about 7k miles a year on it.

If it were my daily driver? I'd have Koni's, and a set of my bars, and that's about it. Some decent tires. *THAT'S* how bad the stock shocks are and how much a proper set of dampers and bars helps. I'd be perfectly happy to drive that all the time. I in fact, drove almost that when I raced a different class (where I had to stay with a stock rear bar). All I wished I could do was add a bigger rear, and lower the car a bit. Both of which are part of what I'd do if my car was a DD.

 

Thanks as always for responding so quickly. I know its a general question but I think its one many of us think about when we start modding the suspension.

I have a problem though. The rear tires on my car rub on the inner part of the wheel well. I'm running ZR1 wheels (stock f-body offset) and barely (285/40wr17 Nitto 555 Extremes) wider tires. What can be suggested to correct this? The tire isnt making large contact with the inside. What could be causing this? It did it with 275's also. The car is not lowered, the suspenison is more or less stock with the exception of LCA's. I've noticed that the rear axle does not stay centered, it shifts from side to side is this my phb? Also going further I am considering a slight drop in the future and I dont want to replace several PHB would an adjustable PHB be a suggestable solution? I already have a set of Koni's on order from you (Strano) so any input would be helpful.

Thanks for your help!

 

Well..

My advice is to do steps 1-4 all together !!

 

You'll need not just an adjustable PHB, but a rod-ended one as well to minimize the deflection. $169 gets you that (Chrome-Moly too). But bear in mind that suspension can't be used to fix wheels and tires that just don't fit. I don't know the numbers on what you have (offsets, wheel widths, etc.), or what, if anything has been done to make room. But the fact is if the wheels don't have a high enough offset, or too high an offset, and you add that to some fat tires, they will rub something. That's not the suspension's fault.

You aren't out of the realm of reality (at least I don't think so). But you can't stuff 10 pounds of crap in a 5 pound bag easily.