Hey, I've got a firebird that I'd like to drop. I've installed a Eibach pro kit which only goes down 1.5 inches. To tell you the truth I can't even tell it went down. I'd like to go down at least another inch or so, but I can't seem to find what I'm looking for in a jegs or summit catalog. Does anybody know where I can find a kit that will lower a thirdgen at least 2.5-3 inches from stock height??

 

Are you willing to sell the pro-kit?
If so, I'm interested.
You are probably more interested in the sportline series from EIBACH. They have a higher drop than the pro kit and look wicked on our cars.

 

You could go with some Bell Tech spindles. They drop it 2 full inches and are considered the "right" way to lower a car because they do not change the suspension geometry. They also make buying springs pretty nice, since you can run stock replacements or even some heavy duty full height springs. If you go with Eibach springs, when they start to sag, you'll have to buy new Eibach's which are more expensive than stock replacements. The problem with Bell Tech spindles is that they have discontinued them so you'll have to buy them on E-Bay or drop the $1000 and get them from Baer with an ***-kickin set of brakes installed on them.

 

Wow. Well, I don't have the $$ to buy them from Baer. So I guess I'll have to go with springs. Anybody else got any other suggestions??

 

also remeber that after driving for a little while, new springs will "settle" when they are first installed alot of people don't even notice a drop.

it might be worth driving for a couple of weeks, and see if you like the hieght after the springs have settled

 

Well, I've been driving her like this for about 2 months now. I still want to go lower, but I don't know what to do.

 

I can tell you right now, keep driving it and the car will get lower.

 

well you could always go with the sportline eibach springs... they lower more that the prokit.

but when you start going to low you are going to have bump steer issues, and traction problems, wheel hop, ect.

if you get rear lowering springs, and front drop spindles it is posable to get the correct susp. geometry (or at least close) with some other aftermarket parts, but then the price for lowering it comes up dramaticly.

if you don't care about performance, and are just doing this for the look of it, i think intrax's makes 2" drop springs, but have heard they don't handle well. but i have seen them on cars and it really does slam the car to the ground.

 

So I would probably still be ok with getting the Pro Springs without doing relocation brackets, panhard bar ect., and still have better cornering ability?

 

These cars do handle ok when they are lowered, but the rear lower control arms can't control the rear diff very well on launch. The end result of this is nasty wheel hop and other general hook up problems. The solution to this problem is relocation brackets. You can get good weld-in ones from Thunder Racing for $70 and then, not only will your car look sharp, but it will perform better. Honestly, since you've been driving it like it is for a while, keep an eye on E-Bay for the spindles, I scored mine for $200 delivered to my door and they were new. Once your car is lowered 2 inches though, you'll need to be very careful in dips since the air dam will rub on everything and the crossmember will only be about 2.5-3 inches off the pavement meaning the oil pan is too. Ther is a couple guys on this board that hit road hazzards and their oil pans ended up touching their crankshafts. (oh $hit, huh). Here is what my car looks like with just spindles. Keep in mind that the rear needs to be lowered yet, but I'm working that out now.

 

Cut the springs.
(I cut my Pro-Kit Springs)
-Rich-

 

Now the front of your car is what I'm looking for!!! The thing is, I AM interested in performance. I want my car to handle like it's hugging the ground. I understand that some handling modifications will probably cause my car not to hook as well but I don't think that it would that great of a deal.
I thought about purchasing those relocation brackets, but I'm going to wait until I convert my bird to posi.
So basically the best way to do it is to get the Eibach Sport line springs and a 1inch drop spindle??

 

The problem is this, nobody makes a 1" spindle. Just keep your eyes out for a set of spindles or seriously consider the Baer Sport System upgrade. Since your car doesn't have a posi, I'll assume that you have the standard brakes, the Baer set-up is one helluva set-up. Their Sport system will make your car stop on a dime and give 9 cents change, and you can have it built right on Bell Tech spindles (they add a little to the cost, but its not that bad over all). Since you say that performance is important to you, those brakes (or a 1LE conversion) will probably happen in the future, so why do it twice? Just modify what you have for now and save the money you'd spend for the other springs and get the Baer set-up when you can afford it. Just a little tip here, when you go looking for a rear posi, look for an 89-91 rear, they have the PBR aluminum calipers and the big rotors on them already, then you're half way to the 1LE (or Baer) upgrade. And if it's possible grab the prop valve out of the same car. Just my 2 cents for you. I had the Sport system on my old 82 T/A and I sold it about 2 years ago (g*ddamn I kick myself daily for that move)when I was looking to get into a Vette, and I will buy another one for my GTA. Look into it at least, you won't be sorry man.

 

Thanks for the advice GTA-SPD. I think I am gonna go for that cuz tomorrow I'm picking up a 91 rear end with the 1le's on em. She already has 3.73's and from looking at them inside the housing, they looked immaculate.
I'm definetly gonna get that sport line kit, especially if you say they're that damn good.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

When you look into the Baer Sport kit, don't let them talk you into the zinc washing, you don't need it. The cross drilling and slotting are options that you have to decide on for yourself. There is a pretty long debate on whether or not drilling/slotting actually do anything for performance, so you have to decide that for yourself. I say go for it, but again it adds cost. Number one, the slotted & cross drilled rotors look cool as hell, but more important I felt a difference (maybe I just wanted to, so my mind made it so...). Like I said before, those Baer brakes are just awesome. I used to rip past the 'stop ahead' signs at triple digits, wait a couple seconds, then dig into the brake pedal and still stop before the stripe. Awesome, damnit, I may have to explain a new $1000 charge on my credit card to my wife. I'd rather ask for forgivness than ask permission. LOL J/K my wife is a gearhead too, and is putting a TPI 350 & T56 in her 260Z. This is getting off track so I'll end it here.

 

carparts.com has belltech spindles

 

What do you do about the rear when you have the spindles?

 

put lowering springs on the beack to drop it, then LCA relocation brackets to put the rear end geometry back where it should be!

 

what will lower it 2 inches though? besides incrap springs?


EDIT: looks like belltech has some springs avaliable on carparts.com. Not sure if they come in a set of 2 or 4, but they work with or without the spindles. Now, in the front, would that lower it an additional 2 inches over the spindles?

Stupid question I know, but its a question that begs to be asked.

 

2" drop

 

yes, if you buy the spindles and the springs, you will lower the front 2" with the spindles, then another 1 3/4 with the springs, thats why you can get away with spindles in the front, and stock springs in the back