OMGWTFBODY

iTrader: (5)

First of all, this is for a daily driver T/A. I'm looking to get a bit of handling edge, and a little less fender gap. The car will be drag raced on occasion, and perhaps autocrossed once or twice. Mostly, I just want to toy with it a bit.

Right now I'm looking at a set of swaybars...
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...061+4294923769

My roommate had the rear on his LT1 Z28 before he moved out and loved the difference in handling it made. This looks like the first step in my modding route for suspension.

Does anyone have experience with the "Suspension Techniques" 1", 11/8ths" swaybars? How do they compare? IE: Worth the performance for 2/3 the cost of other bars?


Second, what is the best way to set up suspension. I'm looking to spend less than 1250$ on suspension parts. I have lifetime alignments from Firestone (meh).


What's out there that works well on a 98 TA?

TooSlow02

I had Suspension Techniques bars on my last Z28. I was impressed by them overall, especially for the price. The only negative I experienced was that it made my car slightly tail-happy. It was fun to drive, though.

OMGWTFBODY

iTrader: (5)

Tail happy is fun.

DuronClocker

iTrader: (25)

$1250?

Koni shocks $725-825 depending on which rears you get.
Can keep stock springs and lower the front with the "lower perch mod" (Koni shocks only) and lower the rear with the "hose mod". If you want stiffer springs, you can go with something like Hotchkis or Strano springs for another $250-270.

So you're looking at anywhere from $725 to $1100 depending on whether or not you buy springs or not and which rear shocks you buy (I recommend the 4/4 package which is $825ish, but makes things super easy to adjust in the rear).

Leaves you with some money to buy an adjustable panhard rod for $125 or so, and then with the change you have left, go and buy Energy Suspension poly endlinks and mounts for your stock swaybars (about $80 if you buy at Autozone, probably half of that online).

Very solid suspension setup that will handle very well. If you want better traction after that, I'd recommend LCAs and a torque arm.

Shock Hawk

You must realize that you need completely different suspensions for drag racing and autox. You probably want some QA1 coil overs for drag or Koni's for autox. As for a sway bar, I'd stick with a Strano hollow 35mm for less unsprung weight. Just go to Strano's website www.stranoparts.com and click on the "...more" button to see his suspension package deals.

OMGWTFBODY

iTrader: (5)

thanks. What has caught my eye (so far) was from Summit, again.
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...=KeywordSearch
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...=KeywordSearch

Is that about what you mentioned?

the price book here lists Shocks: 260F, 160R Springs: 247 for four

That looks like $912 for shocks/springs/swaybars

OMGWTFBODY

iTrader: (5)

Yeah. I don't want a "set-up" for either. I'm not doing either one regularly. I just want windy road handling.

I got a little freaked on my last cruise with the suspension loading and unloading in corners. I could feel it coming, but it was still disconcerting.

Rowdy94

iTrader: (13)

If you're thinking about Konis, buy them from Sam Strano. He's a sponsor here with a good rep, and he'll help you get everything setup. He'll always be there to help.

speed_demon24

iTrader: (6)

That price is per shock, not per front/rear. And if you want something setup for your needs, give Strano a call. Some revalves/springs/swaybars would probably be a good setup for you.

PierreLS1

iTrader: (4)

yea do it

Silver 00 SS

iTrader: (7)

http://www.ls1speed.com/catagory.cfm...%20/%20Chassis

i got the hal 12 way adjustable and LOVED them!!!!

Shockwave179

iTrader: (7)

The rear suspension techniques bar might be alittle too big, and cause your car to become tail happy as someone mentioned before.

It almost sounds like Koni might be overkill for you in terms of what you want to do and price wise.

DuronClocker

iTrader: (25)

Depending on what he wants to do. He can sit on Konis and stock springs with the lower perch/hose mod and have an aggressive look and far better handling, or he can get revalved Bilsteins (which are out of stock for a few months) and some lowering springs for the same kind of money. Which will handle better? Probably the Bilstein/spring combo, but the Koni/stock springs will be far better than stock, ride better than the Bilstein setup, and he'll have the best shocks on the market for whatever spring he wants to buy in the future.

If he goes Konis and doesn't buy springs, that's another $270 he can throw at something else then, but if he was willing to spend $1250 on stuff, I think what I posted above would be the best choice to make the biggest difference now, while taking into account for future upgrades and every day driving Stock swaybars aren't so bad with poly end links and mount bushings if you've got the shock/spring to control the car.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Like engine parts, suspension parts must compliment each other and serve a specific function. Honestly, the ideas I've seen base on a Summit catalog are just a bunch of parts tossed in a bowl and mixed up. The result is a cake that probably doesn't taste as good as could, so to speak.

No other part of the car deals with as much work and variety of situations as the suspension. That speed bump, the concrete off ramp you want to take @ 80, smooth roads, bumpy roads, one person in the car or 4.

OMGWTFBODY

iTrader: (5)

Very true.

the problem is, I only have the money to buy one ingredient at a time.

If you can get me some good bilstein shocks and some good springs to mate them with for under $675, You've got a customer lined up.

02Z28LS1

iTrader: (2)

if it was me doing the mods on my own car, on your budget of $1250 total, i'd do these mods:

Koni S/A 4/3 from Sam Strano ($740.00)...do the lower front perch/rear hose mod on the stock springs to lower it about 3/4"
+ UMI S/A PHR ($99.95)....to re-center the rear end after lowering
+ UMI Bolt-in LCA Relocation Brackets ($89.95).....to regain lost LCA angle and reduce wheelhop
+ UMI S/A LCA's w/new mounting hardware ($180.98)....to help rear end articulation and improve handling
+ Shipping/Handling (somewhere around $50 - $75)....just a guess, may be a bit less, may be a bit more

that puts you at approximately $1160.88 - $1185.88, which should leave you enough to get an alignment (alignment will be necessary after any change in ride height).

this set up will be drastically better than stock ever thought about being, and you'll be all set up so that if you want to lower even more later, all you would have to do is re-adjust the koni's for the new ride height, re-adjust the PHR to center the rear again, and get another alignment.

pretty much any other suspension mods you would want to do could be done one piece at a time (sway bars, SFC's, STB, Torque arm)....but when you lower a car, it is always recommended to do shocks/springs/relocation brackets/PHR all at the same time...without the PHR, the rear end will be off-center when lowered....and without the LCA relocation brackets, you will get increased wheelhop when launching

TooSlow02

Konis with stock springs on the front lower perch/rear heater hose mod has my vote. Lowered stance on good shocks, then you can see how you like it and go from there.

DuronClocker

iTrader: (25)

Don't forget to replace your swaybar hardware with poly stuff all around though! Poly torque arm mount and transmission mount too!

waldershrek

iTrader: (1)

that's the funniest analogy I've heard in awhile! Very true though

Dal1as

Get the Koni's and swaybars from Sam. You won't regret it.