SOMbitch

iTrader: (8)

This is how these cars SHOULD come from the factory. I have driven the car 11 days and about 500 miles now including a 2hr. road trip so this is not a hasty conclusion. They are performance cars but stock handle like doo. I got the sways, springs, panhard and Koni 4/4 kit.

Stance= A+ Looks soooo much better. At least as good as I had hoped. 1.2 inches is perfect. No tire scrape on fender wells and speed bumps are fine so far (my 3inch exhaust not on yet). Wouldn't change a thing in this area.

Quality of Parts= A. Everything looked very high quality, even the endlinks and bushings. I don't even need to mention anything about Koni. You know what you are getting there.

Customer service= A+. Sam was easy to get a hold of and stayed on the phone with me 20-30 minutes and walked me through the whole process of adjusting the shocks and install while I took notes. He was very thorough and I never expected so much of his time.

Ride= A. Much firmer than stock without being harsh. Not bouncy at all. I have driven a couple other f-body kits (I won't bash them) and this was by far the best riding going away. Only complaint is I am 6 foot 2 and it is harder to get in and out of.LOL

Performance= A+ I would love to know how many g's this thing will pull. I have scared the crap out of two people who thought ther was no way it would stick at the speed we were entering the corner. They were telling me to slow down BEFORE we even got into the corner!! Then they thought it was a rush. BTW, I am running 275/40/17 Avon summer performance tires all around and they compliment the set up nicely. 315's on the back would be even better I am sure as I can break the rear loose with the throttle. It is a very well balanced set up and easy to drive fast. It will not surprise you and you can feel the limit approach before you are right on the edge. Topend handling is better too. After I got the car I tried a topend run and at about 145 the frontend got very light and I didn't trust it any faster. About 3 a.m. last Saturday night I buried the speedo and it stayed planted to the road and felt very responsive. I found out though this is preferably done on a very smooth road as at this speed a little bump in the road feels much bigger.LOL

Overall this a great setup and is perfect for the street. It is obviously good on the track too as Sam's championships attest too. I almost didn't get the springs because of my other experinces driving lowered cars (too bouncy, too low) but I am am so glad I did!! You sacrifice very little in daily driving and get huge gains almost everywhere. This thing is just so much more fun to drive it's hard to leave it in the driveway. I cannot imagine anybody who wants to improve handling being dissatisfied with this set-up!

cecilavill

I just got my hp package from sam strano just wanted to you are right about the customer service from sam and co. a+

Detoxx03

iTrader: (14)

I've had mine on for a week. The ride ia great. Yet to get a wheel alignment though

hpjunky98

iTrader: (3)

Ive had the full setup about 5 months now. I had the Konis first about a year ago, then Sam's sway bars soon after and I finally installed the springs recently. You hear so many mixed messages about aftermarket parts. It seems there is always someone that had a negative experience with X setup no matter how many people like it. Funny thing is with this setup, 100% of the people i have talked to LOVE it. Its not often that a mod far exceeds customer expectations, but i gotta say with Sam's Handling packages you should expect nothing less.

Thanks Sam!!!

Black02SLPSS

iTrader: (5)

Did you need to get the lca relocation brackets?

SIK02SS

iTrader: (11)

i read the 1st sentence...thats exactly what i said to people

i did everything at once, shocks, springs, sways. god i love it

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

You guys have a made a very bad day a lot better. I'm glad I could make you so happy, and truly appreciate your taking the time to put your thoughts down for all to see.

SOMbitch

iTrader: (8)

I don't think I need them at this point. I wanted to do the install before I just went out and got them. The tire is still centered in the wheelwell and no wheelhop. I am A-4 and spin all the way through first if I try on the street. The track here is closed and because of the stuff they put on it I always hook better there so I won't say I will not do them later.

THANKS SAM. Love your stuff!!

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Yeah! And you just read why I don't automatically stick LCA brackets on. I also don't run 'em on my car (lowered). If you need to add them, we'll do it if they are the appropriate solution vs. LCA's themselves or a TA change. But why pile on things we aren't pretty sure we need?

The idea that you must have them is simply beaten to death. Sometimes yes, always... no.

SIK02SS

iTrader: (11)

in that case, i might have to call you about a TA soon

chipabba

First I added the Koni 4/3 combo and it made a HUGE difference from the stock Decarbons. Next was the Strano springs and sway bars. The car holds the road like glue and the stance is just the way I wanted it. The service was top notch too. Thanks Sam & Arlyn!

Before:

After:

subtlez28

iTrader: (15)

I couldn't agree more.

I put on the Konis and sway bars right away. They felt great and were worth over 2 seconds off my local 1.8 mile road course lap times.

I held off on springs as I was afraid to lower it (bad past experiences-ruined ride).

I finally pulled the trigger on the springs last year. Couldn't be happier!

This thing rides and handles like it always should have (and sits nice too)!
Better than stock ride quality IMHO.

And the combo was good for the points chanmpionship in my local street tire class (SS) and a win in 4 of 5 high speed autocrosses last season (2007).

SOMbitch

iTrader: (8)

That's awsome subtlez28!! Congrats!! I did mine because I wanted a great handling street car but the more I drive it the more I want to try it on a track. I'm gonna have to look around. It can really become addicting, huh?

OvalHunter

I followed these strings over a year ago and bought from Sam. I waited to put the parts on untill after I ran the road course at Grattan on stock stuff. That alone was enough to make me car sick and completely addicted. I then put the springs / Koni / sway bar package on and returned to Grattan (with Dramamine). What a blast - two different guys in C5s came up and said "we can't catch you". It was the *****.

Sam gave me his insight and I bought what I neeeded for my purpose. I can't thank him enough myself. I never hear a bad word except from people that have unreal expectations or those that don't have a complete package to harmonize the car.

I had a modded car to begin with (heads/cam/long tubes/tuning, lower control arms and brackets, adj. panhard bar, adj. torque arm, sub-frame connectors, 3.73 gears, 275-40/17 KDWs) The suspension was the icing on the cake. My ride can run with the best and hold it's head up.

Please

skewba98z28

iTrader: (14)

Cool i've been wanting to see a vert with Sams springs. I need to work some overtime

SOMbitch

iTrader: (8)

Sounds like a SWEEEEEET ride man. Sounds like your addicted to modding too.LOL Running with C5's is impressive. You are the 2nd person who has told me this. I wanna find out for myself! I'm gonna have to find a track to run on around here after I get my H/C setup done. I think some kits are designed more just for lowering but Sam's is designed to with the emphasis on handling.

OvalHunter

It all started with a lid....LOL

Don't get me wrong about "running with C5's". The cars that were at the track that day were unmodded except one with Hawk pads. He could outbrake me easily. Their tires were not as good as mine and I make a lot more horsepower. I'm sure I was working harder for a given lap time. It was fun for me to be able to run as well as I did. 135mph on the straight - 1:42 sec. laps over and over.
My dramamine wore off and I ran out of gas money at $70, which finally ended my day. I'll be back there again this coming July with gas cans, bigger brakes and less interior.

Make sure to add brake ducts and flush your fluid along with adding a large power steering cooler if you head to the track. My original rotors turned blue and I boiled the s*#t out of the fluid in the calipers my first time at the track. The power steering pump didn't like the track too much either - it puked all over it-self. I fashioned a set of ducts from some blow molded tubes we make at work and aimed them at my eradispeed rotors for the last track day. It was all good - and they still look like new.

I hope you end up with a car like mine as far as the "fun factor" goes. I never get out of the car without a smile on my face and a longing for the next cruise. Priceless.