Hi.
I have a 1989 RS Convertible since 17 years. But I always founded the suspension too hard. I don't know what the former owner did, and I don't kown if the suspension is like the OEM or if he changed for example the springs and sock absorbers.
Can you tell if is the stock suspension is comfortable on that car? What can I do to make it softer?

I know that here most of people what to improve the fast driving. As for me, I prefer to have a better comfort and cruse. I always liked the look of this car and I would like to improve the comfort if it's possible. Any idea to help me please? Thank you for your help.

From the south of France.
Jean Luc

 

The stock suspension on an 89 RS should be pretty darn comfortable. You could probably just go back with stock replacement MOOG springs and an off the shelf shock/strut. Shouldn't be too expensive, and would ride real nice.

 

Tires have a HUGE effect on ride comfort. I have no idea what's available to you in your area. However, cheaper is almost always inferior, in this matter.

 

Thank you for your advice and to told me that the camaro should be comfortable. I'll try to change the springs and shock/struck. Thank you.

 

My car has 16"X8" Iroc wheels with 245/50ZR16. May be this size on my car (rather than the 15X7 for a RS) could make the car harder and is not appropriate. I don't remember the brand of the tires. I'll see it. Thank you for your help.
Jean Luc

 

Z rated tires will be harder than V rated, which as I recall were standard for the IROC back then. The RS tires were H rated sedan garbage.

Brand, model, and age can be major factors.

It's getting harder all the time to find tires for these cars. Especially really good quality ones. Performance cars now have 18" wheels and larger for the most part. Tire mfrs are discontinuing "antique" stuff like ours constantly. Not enough sales volume to make it worth their while.

 

Is the suspension too hard or is it just getting harsh with old age? An uncontrolled suspension will ride rough. New bushings everywhere and put real money into shocks. Good shocks are expensive and it's going to hurt the wallet. It's just the way it is.

 

You may just be fighting an uphill battle- Yes, an RS should be a lot softer than a Z28 or Iroc, and the 245/50 tires are much stiffer than a set of 215/65-15 or even 235/60-15 tires (early base model cars even came with 14" wheels and taller tires), but there's only so soft that you really want to go with these cars. They are long and low without much suspension travel, and you'll be bouncing off of every road imperfection before you get as comfortable a ride as most minivans. The soft suspension used in the base model cars typically had these issues once they got worn and the springs sagged.

I don't believe that there are any aftermarket replacements for the base model springs (they basically start at around the stock performance springs and get stiffer and shorter from there), and being in France it might be next to impossible to get a good set of used base model springs (it even is in the US, they sagged horribly and people usually pulled them out and swapped them for stiffer springs and threw the originals out), but if you can find some then you can compensate for the sagging by using thicker spring isolators (use rear ones on the front springs). From there put the tallest tire/shortest wheel combination you can on it ( I personally like 235/60-15 on the front and 255/60-15 on the rear), some good, replacement shocks and make sure that the rest is all in good shape/not worn out.

If at that point you don't have what you want then you're either stuck going all custom or going with a different car.

If you're not sure what springs you have now jack the car up the front, take a picture and post it- most of us will recognize the front performance vs base springs right away, the base springs will have more coils and the coils will be thinner, it's a very visible difference.

 

The brand of my tires is KUMHO. Not good but difficult to find this size here in France.

 

Thank you for your message and your good comment. I was thinking to buy and put back 15"wheels to have a better comfort. As for the coils, do yo think that Rockauto has oem coils?

15 years ago, I had a V6 and it seems me that the tire was 14" (it was a 1982) and I don't remember that the car was hard or not comfortable. But may be that now I'm getting older, I feel more the imperfections of the road . Thanks. Jean Luc.

 

Kumho makes some quality, moderate-priced tires... the model and size are bigger factors.

 

I have 83 trans am
And my suspension is too stiff , I want to soften the ride

I have stock ride height, 215/65 r15 falken tires
Moog cargo coil springs , kyb gr2s front and rear