ok I want a new suspension... I am not sorely in need of one but I don't feel really safe turning fast in those boats... now what? what do I look for? I know what a suspension is made of.. but that's it... any reading materials you guys suggest.. or any suggestions from you guys? thanks

 

what have you done, if anything to it.

what do you want out of the car (street driving, road race, auto-x, ect)

budget. (this is important because i could list several thousands in parts alone)

first thing to do, is replace things that are shot. like bushings ect.

but if you let us know what you want to do with the car, and what kind of budget you have we can point you in the right direction.

also, think about things like, if you want to keep it stock, if you are willing to weld things on, if you wantt to lower it, ect.

 

ok.. I wanna put 16" GTA rims on... think if I lower it like 2 inches it'd look great? is it too much? I don't mind welding things on.. I know how to wield and if I can have better handling with it it is perfect... everything is stock on it and even if the suspension shows some wear, everything is in good condition

1) lower it 2 inches?
2) better structural integrity
3) good compromise between cornering and drag
4) better brakes

is that a good start? I have no idea in what I am going in right now... are we talking couple of hundred bucks or thousands? I'd like to keep it under 1 g but your thoughts on it are welcome

 

well a good portion of 1g will be taken up in rims and tires.

1g for the REST will get you into a good place.

Subframe Connectors
Sturt Tower Brace
front end rebuild
LCAs (you can save some money here if you can box yours and just put new bushings in.)
Relocation Brackets
Panhard Bar
and New shocks/struts
Eibach Springs (sportlines 2" drop , or Pro-Kit around 1" drop)

if you have a ws6 car don't worry about sway bars, if you don't, look for a set of used ws6 or 1le sway bars.

that will be just a hair over a grand depending on brands chosen ect.

that isn't even getting into brakes, 1le brakes will cost around 800 for the fronts. for a cheap brake upgrade, look into braided lines, i have heard alot of good results from just upgrading the lines.

 

SFCs
new poly bushings
new springs (Eibach for example)
new shocks and struts
bigger sway bars
"Wonderbar"- stock, TDS, Spohn, Global West, etc.

Brakes:
1LE or better...

just for starters, but these will help a LOT.


Not sure if there is one, it's usually either/or IMO.



HTH...

Ed

 

ok ws6 and 1le cars... I bet those were as rare as pope's s*** huh? any easy way to find those sway bars? as for what you named me guys, any particular order I should start? if I can't drop one g right into the suspension...

 

I think the best place to start would be gettin yourself some SFCs first to stiffen up the whole chassis. Then get yourself some bushings and sway bars from any of the sponsors above, Spohn and Top Down Solutions I know definitely carry sway bars for our cars, and also pick up a Wonderbar while you're at it.

 

i would suggest you start by fixing any problems first,

usualy i say SFCs for the first mod, but if you car hasn't been touched, you might want to start out with bushings and shocks/struts since those are most likely shot. it does no good to start modifing a car if the rest of the suspension is in bad shape.

 

Double post....see below...


Ed

 

I agree with Dewey here. Fix the problems FIRST, then go to the mod list. I still don't have SFCs installed, but I can stop like crazy. My brakes sucked, so that's what I started with. Also look into the front end...bushings, etc. Get all the play out the front so it handles responsively. You can do this a little at a time and buy parts when you can, then replace them as time allows.

You can find the sway bars at Hawk's or TGR, or in the calssifieds. Post a "wanted" ad in there. As far as 1LEs go, I converted my disc/disc car over to them. Steve Spohn has all the parts you need to do that, but you're looking at about $800 when it's all said and done.

Click the link in my sig to see what you'll be encountering.

Good luck!!

Ed

 

Yes, Ed brings up a very good point about suspension. it is very "modular" in that you don't have to do it all at once, you can go piece by piece as money allows until you get it where you want to be.

 

ok, I did a quick search on rear disk brakes... and several seem to think it is not mandatory... than with good drums you have enough.. your thoughts on that? I'm throwing up ideas as I go, since this summer I really am getting into my suspension... should I do the convertion as well? is it hard? expensive? thanks guys for your great help

 

Irhal,

if you are doing a big brake swap up front, you might consider going the ls1 rear brake route.

http://members.fbody.com/86firebird/ls1/ls1brakes.htm

 

wow fast answer.. thanks guys you've been of great help!! I'll keep you informed as it goes

 

yeah, some of us need a life ]

but it is a slow day here at work, so i am surfing away!

 

lol don't worry about that... I am at home right now!! I need a life... no make that a car right now!!

 

My RS with drums stops just fine. You don't HAVE to swap the rear brakes if they work OK, you can always swap them later OR swap the whole rear to get a better ratio, posi, discs, etc.

My brake swap was easy IMO, others had more problems. I had to change out the master cylinder and the prop valve to be correct, and everything else was simply bolting on new parts. Gotta love new parts. Click my link for pics of the whole shebang.

Ed

 

ok I found today that the last owner (original one... a she actually) was too lazy to order the WS6 suspension package and took the Y99 instead!! I learned that it was almost as good as the WS6 package less the disk brakes... what is different then? and with this new information, any suggestion for mods?

 

if the Y99 is comparable to the WS6 (I have no experience with the Y99) like you say, then i'd leave it as is and work on replacing the old worn parts first like bushings and such. If you're definitely considering swapping rears then definitely do the 4th gen rear swap, and in the future you could bolt on 4th gen wheels to the back and only need spacers for the front

 

ok one more question about wheel size... it'S as much an appearence look as a conveniance question... I want to keep my body stock... is the T/A 15 inches rims good at all? I'd like to keep them for stock sake... or get the GTA gold ones... but I am not sure as they are not the same gold as my gfx...

 

although some people swear by the stock 15" rims i personally am not in favor of them. If you can get a hand on a set of gta rims it would be awesome. Despite how they don't match the color of your gfx you could always repaint the center to match the cold, or paint it a gray/black whatever your heart pleases.

 

as for the rear end.. I'm going to buy a new posi one.. 3.73 probably... is it too much for highway driving? or should I stick with a 3.23 ?

 

if its goin to be your daily driver id stick with 3.23's to get some decent highway mileage, 3.73s will give you better acceleration but it'll take away from your gas mileage especially if it is a daily driver. 3.23's will over a good halfway point between 2.73's and 3.73's

 

thanks... you have been a great deal of help

 

glad i could help

 

If you go with the 4th gen rear, I seriously doubt if 15" wheels will fit back there. I could be wrong, tho.

Ed

 

no I will go with a brand new rear end... I don't want the tires to stick out of my quarter panel... will buy a disk brake one as well... since I'll be doing a swap