I'm in the market to change my strut mounts. they are really old and i can't get the alignment specs i need so i'm planning on changing them. i figure i might need to modify them. I got prices on Moog, KYB, and Monroe. Does anybody know the differences between these? are they all the same? I am considering aftermarket performance pieces but since i just returned my car to stock ride height i don't know if they will work. I would really like to get some sort of a camber caster plate with threaded adjusters so i can tweak the settings my self, does any body make something like this?

 

All those brands will work fine. Be aware that even though they claim 82-92, the mounts are really for 87-92. Thats why Spohn offers 2 versions of his mounts.

 

If you buy regular strut mounts (Moog/KYB/etc), yep they'll be for 87-up, but all you need are the strut retainers from a junkyard car. That's what I did for my '86... the guy at the yard charged me $5 for both of them. Then the strut mounts were able to bolt up.

Do a <a href="search.php?s="><img src="images/top_search.gif" alt="Search" border="0"></a> for "strut mount" in the "Suspension/chassis/brakes forum" and you'll find a ton of messages...

When did Spohn start offering the other strut mounts? Is he making them custom?

 

Spohn started selling them a week ago. Its the Spohn/Alloy custom mounts.

 

mostly i'm concerned with quality of the stock aftermarket ones. they range from 50 - 85 bucks each and i would like to know if there is adifference between the mounts interms of quality the monroe is 50 the moog is 85. I would really like to know if anybody knows of an aftermarket mount that is more adjustable and possible has a way of referencing where the strut is. In othet words a scale of threaded adjuster. My mounts are maxed out in camber and caster adjustment so i need to find a way to go further than stock

 

All the brands are basically the same. Ground control makes a camber/caster adjuster that replaces the rubber and bearing the the stock mount. I don't think anyone makes a mount with a scale on it.

 

thanks, but every time i call ground control i get a different story. i'm not a racer but i've only had poor experiences with there techs. every time i call they tell me something different and insist its the only right way. i think i might order a chaep set of monroes and pull the manual to see how i might be able to make my own adjusters.

Also i just found a company called KMAC on the shox.com web site that advertises adjutable camber caster plates. Has ant body heard of these.

 

What's Ground Control telling you thats different everytime?

Never heard of KMAC. I think there was a company called J&M that used to make an adjustable mount that looked similar to the Mustang mounts.

 

http://www.k-mac.com.au/

thats the site they have.

I have been told by Ground control in separate phone calls that:

I do not need subframe connectors
i should be running 1000lb/in springs ( after i explained that i drive fast on bumpy roads)
i should run 1le springs
i need koni double adjustable struts and shocks
I should just run the factory 1le struts and shocks
and then i need the ride height adjustable spring kit.

i find them very hard to talk to, i guess because they have a racing only mindset. it seems that once you want street performance of som esort of compromise that they can't comprehend having anything but a racing setup. They may be great but i have found there advice to be contradictory.

 

I checked that site- That is not a safe setup- I WOULD NOT RUN IT. What they are doing is picking up camber adjustment via the 2 large bottom strut mount bolts (The ones that hold the strut to the spindle) Those bolt are normally torqued to 200 pounds and are a very crutial suspension link. It is not something I would want to install a cam adjustalbe bolt into. Those cam bolt adjusters are used stock on setups like stock rear camber rods on a vette rearend that is not a main structure support. They are also used sometimes in upper front control arms for camber/caster pivot, and again are not a main structure support. The normal bolt torque on upper control arms is only about 40 pounds max with these areas- not 200.

 

any other suggestions for more adjustable strut mounts? if not, i guess i'll just start grinding on a fresh set of stock ones. I would like to get to about 1.25-1.5 degrees of negative camber and 5 to maybe 6 degrees positive caster. is there any drawback to too much caster? i don't plan on going past 6 degrees but i don't know the downside.

 

Have you looked on www.stranoparts.com ? I think they carry ground control parts and they should be able to answer your questions. Sam Strano usually posts on the 4th gen boards and he gives very good advice, along with having lots of autox experience to draw upon.

To maximize the amount of caster, I'd recommend getting the 87-92 retainers. Those along with a bit of elogation of the slots and that should be enough. Alot Camber will be more difficult to get. There is only so far in you can go. You can get a bit more negative by lowering.

 

"To maximize the amount of caster, I'd recommend getting the 87-92 retainers. Those along with a bit of elogation of the slots and that should be enough."

do you mean the piece that comes up from the bottom? the bolt plate that clamps down with the strut mount?

 

Yep. The rear stud sits closer to the strut on 87-92 retainers. Since the rear slot can be cut only so far back, having the stud closer in towards the strut allows a bit of additional travel.

 

ok i got ya. any idea where i can get a GM PN for these?

 

No long avail from GM. You might try a junkyard. I got mine from IrocZDave.