nuggie

okay m 91 bird needs new springs, I was kinda kicking the idea around last year when my launch was terrible at the strip but then when driving it on the street it use to only hit the bump stops if I had someone else in the car and was on a fairly decent city street, now ever bump with just me in the car bottoms them out. I have looked all over and have only found lowering springs I really want stock it not taller springs, because I plan on putting on some 18" GTO rims and with slick rubber on them might rub anyway thats a bit far off so with just stock rims on street slicks for now. They guy at autozone knows Hondas...but no real cars so he was useless

//<86TA>\\

iTrader: (14)

Mood iroc eplacement springs tend to raise cars. You can give them a shot and they are pretty inexpensive. You can get them from Spohn still I believe

Alice89

iTrader: (6)

The Moog springs are a little cheaper on summit:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mog-5662/overview/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mog-5665/overview/

They are nice quality springs at a good price. But I would suggest cutting half a coil off. They raise the car significantly.

Alice89

iTrader: (6)

Also you may need new shocks & struts.

Kennerz

If your thinking performance, I've been searching for info on Global West and Guldstrand. THe little I could find it seems as if they have the rates figured out and know how to make the cars handle while lowering some.

You will need fresh shocks though. I have the eibach pro-kit and am looking for something that handles better myself. (Don't like the feel of the rear springs)

Mirror Image

iTrader: (2)

keep in mind that the 1 inch lowering springs will still lift your can about 1-2 inchs your old springs have settled alot over the years and the Moog springs will give you a higher then i like ride

nuggie

I have never seen it "stock height" because I got it oblivious used, but I think I would still like to lift it up in the back give it that "shackeled" up look of the old cars with leaf springs, I know I don't want to lower it thought friggen 4" exhaust tips that rub everywhere. is there a decently inexpensive shock and spring combo out there?

Mirror Image

iTrader: (2)

We installed a set of moog springs on a 89 Iroc and we had 5 7/8 clearance at the front frame rail on the drivers side if that helps

Flip 2

iTrader: (1)

Think about shocks and struts…..and checking the health of bushings and suspension parts.

Coltsdriver14

I too was on the bump stops enough that they were worn out, and I was dragging the air dam, and clipping parking lot concrete stops. I installed 3/4" spacers under stock front spring and got about 1 1/2" to 2" inch lift. Car now sits level.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

I dont know about this stock height sagging springs business.

Whenever you see pictures of these cars back in the day, they are not sitting like 4x4's the way all these aftermarket spring companies would have you believe.





Anyway as far as Im concerned the only real option at this point is Ground Control weight jacks.

nuggie

it's funny thought I recently had to have some front end suspension work done (drift gone wrong hit curb). and they said everything was bushings and stuff, and the front end height and ride. So all I am really focusing on is the rear. maybe lowering the front and raising the rear if I gatta.

Coltsdriver14

Yep, that's how my '92 RS sits now. The same clearance between fender and tire as the ones in your pics. Thanks!

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

Im not saying sock springs don't sag, but I think people are prone to making blanket assumptions that all the stock springs are sagging because the factory replacement parts all seem to jack these cars up so high, and Moog is a reputable company....

I think what the issue is, is that the factory probably selected springs based on suspension package AND car weight for each individual car (At least, that's my theory on why the springs are "computer selected" from a large bin) and the aftermarket companies try to err on the side of caution for some reason and would rather a car sit too high than too low.

My car on stock IROC springs sat SUPER high. These are old "saggy" factory IROC springs from the 80's. And I think it's just because my car was lighter than whatever car those springs were selected for.

So this is why I say just get some weight jacks and call it a day. I cant afford them and I'd much rather put an aftermarket lowering spring in, but how do you know how it's going to sit? These cars weighed anywhere from 3200 to 3800 lbs with v8's, and these springs are clearly 1 size fits all. It's inevitable that the results will be inconsistent.

Alice89

iTrader: (6)

Those are some awesome pictures you used to prove a good point vortex! Most of the time spring sag occurs due to blow/worn out shocks & struts.

Just last year my car was hitting the bump stops on occasion due to what I thought was spring sag. I debated on replacing the springs before the shocks. After much research I decided to leave the stock springs in until I could afford weight-jacks; and just replaced the worn out S&S.

My car still has it's stock springs, and after replacing the stock Shocks & struts with Koni's my ride height increased to about what you see in the pictures above. My Front ride height increased by about a 1/2 inch; and 1 inch in the rear.
So they were near factory height with the stock springs.

I ended up removing the spring isolators just recently when I was rebuilding the front steering. It lowered it be about a half inch if I'm not mistaken.

This was just my experience, others may have different results.

Mirror Image

iTrader: (2)

correct me if im wrong but a shock-strut is only a damper it has nothing to do with ride height that is what the spring does

nuggie

That's what I thought to mirror image, unless you go with air shocks or coil overs. and my problem is only in the rear the front seems to sit just fine, I'll try shocks first though just because they are cheaper. I do have a nifty little badge on my dash that say performance suspension... now what does that mean besides more expensive and harder to find parts.

Alice89

iTrader: (6)

Koni's are gas charged and will lift the ride height. They will lift the ride height by at least a half inch if not more.
In my case it lifted the rear almost an inch.

nuggie, your rear shocks are blown and your car is riding on the springs. This is why you are constantly bottoming out.

I would stay away from both Gabriel & Monroe shocks. They blow fairly quickly. KYB's are good for the $.

Mirror Image

iTrader: (2)

I have installed a lot of shocks and never seen a differance in ride height well maybe when you first install them they will seem to be higher but after you drive the car 10 miles or so everthing will settle and you should have you same ride height back http://www.kyb.com/vehicle/what.php

Alice89

iTrader: (6)

I just went and re-measured them. The ride height on all four corners are still the same 500+ miles after install.

BTW: When I installed the konis; I measured them after I drove the car around town so the springs could settle.

Mirror Image

iTrader: (2)

yeah the performance suspension is the WS6 witch has better springs and a 36 mm hollow front sway bar and a 24 mm rear swar bar and larger brakes just like the 1LE Camaro

nuggie

I noticed the huge as rap sway bars but when I bought the new breaks for the front I originally got the bigger ones and it ended up being just regular rotors. so do I have to get different shocks for that set up...where is the options tag at one these cars again I wanna double check that

nuggie

are these what you guys recommend? http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ky...model/firebird

Alice89

iTrader: (6)

They are not bad for the price. If your shocks are still stock, then there will be an improvement.

EDIT: Do you know if your rear spring isolators are still installed? If not you may want to install a set if you wish to raise the rear of your car more.

Mirror Image

iTrader: (2)

I agree it would be a improvement over stock but if you want a better driving experience go with Koni yellows or KYB AJX

nuggie

wow for the AGX it's 96 a piece and for the yellers its 131 a piece

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

According to a lot of us the only shocks/struts worth getting are Konis and they're $700 a set. But you'll never have to replace them again.

TTA976

I know the adj. is great with Koni. I have rode in both 3rd and 4th Gen with Koni's. They are nice. But even on 0 (full soft) the ride is noticeably harsher than Bilstein HD's on a street car. For a DD, Bilstein's.

imo, Street Car = Street strut and shocks... Bilstein HD are the way.

Track car's = needs ADJ. struts and shocks. Adj. are the way to go for the track.

Around Fall time Autozone has 20% everything + free shipping. I bought the Bilstein HD set for $640 shipped.

Joe

Alice89

iTrader: (6)

While the Bilstein's are not adjustable, Bilstein will re-valve them for you.

I noticed on my car (konis) that it rides better after taking them to the track and adjusting them for my set up. On zero they tend to bounce more than they should.

Alice89

iTrader: (6)

Bilstein is another good shock damper.

OP: It will cost $ to get good S&S, but believe me it is worth it. The Koni's I put on my car made a huge difference in my steering/braking/over all control.

Just a quick question; is your car a street or a drag race only set up?

Mirror Image

iTrader: (2)

its just a street car if I were going to the track and compete with other cars then I would go with bilstein and have them revalved for my setup i priced them some time ago and it would cost me around 1200 bucks

nuggie

alright so kinda reviving this thread I replaced shocks quiet awhile ago and really got no change actually if anything its gotten worse, so now I am ganna get some springs I ended up getting the 17" GTO rims (keeping the slicks on 15) so I don't need it to be that tall. Also when sitting on flat ground the front sits quiet a bit higher then the rear. Almost looks like it doesn't have a motor in it. I am putting a geared and locked rear end in it so I wanna get a set of good springs for the expected much hard launches. I was looking on summit and I dunno if they will work because it does have the WS6 option. I was talking to one of my demo racing buddies and he suggest overload shocks off of a Crown vic and just keep the springs I have on it but they are too tall. I just dunno what to get I care more about a good launch then street comfyness. I don't care if they lower it as long as it doesn't bottom out all the time.

nuggie

here is the build sheet for my car
http://www.compnine.com/mycar.php?id...db90c4567f92c0
it also mentioned the WS4 I have no idea what that is