View Poll Results: What springs to use on my Daily Driver in So. Cal.???
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Help with Springs for DD
Help with Springs for DD So I wanted to post this question in our section because we all drive the freeways down here...and yes I have tried the search option. What springs should I run on my 2002 Trans Am WS6 that I daily drive from the I.E. to O.C.? My current suspension setup is Hotchkis Springs (which I bought used
) mounted on Tockico HP struts & shocks. I also have an Edelbrock adjustable panhard bar, and BMR tubular rear control arms. My car sits pretty low (for having 1" springs), and it rides like I have no suspension at all on the freeway. I am running 18" Weld Racing Forged Wheels with 275/35/18 BFG tires.
) mounted on Tockico HP struts & shocks. I also have an Edelbrock adjustable panhard bar, and BMR tubular rear control arms. My car sits pretty low (for having 1" springs), and it rides like I have no suspension at all on the freeway. I am running 18" Weld Racing Forged Wheels with 275/35/18 BFG tires. Strano springs are supposedly some of the best springs out there. But that's for performance, don't know how they are on ride quality. Personally as long as it will help me hook, I don't care what a suspension mod does for my ride quality. That's why I have poly everything and I'm about to have full suspension.
Don't get me wrong...I like the performance. But I have to drive my car to work 2 to 3 days a week in Orange County. It rides like a truck, but I can turn a 90 degree at 90 mph with the current setup and stay planted to the street. But my car is going to rattle itself apart & my back will need surgery. lol
Don't get me wrong...I like the performance. But I have to drive my car to work 2 to 3 days a week in Orange County. It rides like a truck, but I can turn a 90 degree at 90 mph with the current setup and stay planted to the street. But my car is going to rattle itself apart & my back will need surgery. lol
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FYI, Just keep in mind that this is only my opinion from my experience with my cars. 
Keep the springs you have, those are good springs!
Everything you have listed is either stiffer, lower or both, which is not what you need.
First, if you car still has the rear bump stop spacers on it,take them out, since
that a easy 1/2" increase in suspension travel. Free Modification!
Up front: do the "Upper Mount Mod"! you'll regain the suspension travel lost from lowering. Free Modification!
If you don't want to cut your upper mount change out your front bump stops (really stiff)with a set of softer Koni bump stop , or Ground Control softer bump stops.
Shocks: Up front get a set SLP bilsteins, Edelbrock IAS, or Koni SAs
For the rear A set of Edelbrock IAS, Bilstein sports for a 3rd generation camaro/firebird, or Koni SAs for a 3rd, or 4th generation camaro/firebird.
Tire pressure 30-32 psi
If you don't mind driving about 300 miles, I'll help put on any part you get!
Keep the springs you have, those are good springs!
Everything you have listed is either stiffer, lower or both, which is not what you need.
First, if you car still has the rear bump stop spacers on it,take them out, since
that a easy 1/2" increase in suspension travel. Free Modification!
Up front: do the "Upper Mount Mod"! you'll regain the suspension travel lost from lowering. Free Modification!
If you don't want to cut your upper mount change out your front bump stops (really stiff)with a set of softer Koni bump stop , or Ground Control softer bump stops.
Shocks: Up front get a set SLP bilsteins, Edelbrock IAS, or Koni SAs
For the rear A set of Edelbrock IAS, Bilstein sports for a 3rd generation camaro/firebird, or Koni SAs for a 3rd, or 4th generation camaro/firebird.
Tire pressure 30-32 psi
If you don't mind driving about 300 miles, I'll help put on any part you get!
Last edited by 99Bluz28; Apr 7, 2009 at 02:35 PM.
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Verdad Gallardo IMO, KYB's, Bilstein's, etc. are ok only for stock spring rate.
If youre going to increase the spring rate (Strano's, BMR, or basically any other lowering spring) you're going to need a shock with more dampening to retain a comfortable ride, which no shock besides Koni currently offers.
fwiw, my car hooks alot better on the street with my Koni's/BMR now than it did with my QA1s and stock springs and it rides VERY nice. It was actually much more comfortable after the Koni's/BMR than with the stock springs and QA1s
If youre going to increase the spring rate (Strano's, BMR, or basically any other lowering spring) you're going to need a shock with more dampening to retain a comfortable ride, which no shock besides Koni currently offers.
fwiw, my car hooks alot better on the street with my Koni's/BMR now than it did with my QA1s and stock springs and it rides VERY nice. It was actually much more comfortable after the Koni's/BMR than with the stock springs and QA1s
Can it be done? Yes. Do alot of people package them? Yes. Will it be better than a stock shock? Yes.Will there be a lack of dampening for a high rate spring? Yes. Will your ride quality suffer therefore? Yes.
They are better than having stock shocks, but I guarantee your ride quality will improve quite a bit with the Koni's.
IMO, KYB's, Bilstein's, etc. are ok only for stock spring rate.
If youre going to increase the spring rate (Strano's, BMR, or basically any other lowering spring) you're going to need a shock with more dampening to retain a comfortable ride, which no shock besides Koni currently offers.
fwiw, my car hooks alot better on the street with my Koni's/BMR now than it did with my QA1s and stock springs and it rides VERY nice. It was actually much more comfortable after the Koni's/BMR than with the stock springs and QA1s
If youre going to increase the spring rate (Strano's, BMR, or basically any other lowering spring) you're going to need a shock with more dampening to retain a comfortable ride, which no shock besides Koni currently offers.
fwiw, my car hooks alot better on the street with my Koni's/BMR now than it did with my QA1s and stock springs and it rides VERY nice. It was actually much more comfortable after the Koni's/BMR than with the stock springs and QA1s
OP, sorry about the Hijack.
Bilstein's are built better and they have a bigger piston which damps smaller motions better, they also aren't much more money. Note that the Bilstein's I recommend are NOT the SLP version. That's for stock springs.
For lowering springs, the same is still true, but Tokico and Bilstein don't have the level of damping they need to control higher rate and shorter travel springs.
The thing is the Tokico's, while cheaper than Bilstein aren't *that* much less, and the Bilstein is a better shock in most every way. If Tokico's were $200 for a set of 4, that would change things a bit, but they aren't.
For lowering springs, the same is still true, but Tokico and Bilstein don't have the level of damping they need to control higher rate and shorter travel springs.
The thing is the Tokico's, while cheaper than Bilstein aren't *that* much less, and the Bilstein is a better shock in most every way. If Tokico's were $200 for a set of 4, that would change things a bit, but they aren't.
Performance is cornering also... If you want traction only, i'd go for the Strange drag shocks. For the OP, a lowered stance, great handling and a nice ride, i really dont think he has much chocie but the Koni's unfortunately.
What about best balance of traction and cornering for the money?
I'm curious to hear more about your air suspension. What kind of a spring rate do you usually run? Did you have the Koni's on with your air ride setup?
No,A few set of shocks back I had Koni DAs front and rear, really great handling, but ride quality was from OK to terrible (except on smooth roads).
And I did spend months trying the rebound an compression dampening at different settings.
Right now I'm running Edelbrock ISA shocks Front, and rear.
I don't know the spring rate of the Air springs, but my normal air psi is 55.
Handles great, rides great!
And I did spend months trying the rebound an compression dampening at different settings.
Right now I'm running Edelbrock ISA shocks Front, and rear.
I don't know the spring rate of the Air springs, but my normal air psi is 55.
Handles great, rides great!