hey everyone...i'm pretty new to this board and was hoping I could get some advice on improving my suspension. I don't know to much about it, so I am at your mercy. What do you guys recommend doing, and in what order? I don't really wanna get a SBC at this time, but will eventually. I was thinking of getting the PST front end kit and other parts from them. Also, what about springs and shocks. Everyone seems to like koni for shocks? i did the search and I kept finding different information on everything, so I figured I would ask myself. Thanks

 

spohn and thirdgenresource both offer a front end rebuild kit, always good to support a site sponsor. koni makes the best shocks out there, reds if you want a decent ride, yellow for a more aggressive one. a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for. do you want to lower the car? eibach seems to be the way everybody goes on springs. pro kit is about 1", sportline is like 2.5" i think.

 

not sure if i wanna lower it or not. It already scrapes in the front. Does it make much of a difference handling wise, or is it just for looks? If its for looks, than definitely not.

 

it will handle better, but if you do lower it, youll need to get lower control arm re-location brackets and an adjustable panhard rod

 

hmmm, that sounds like more work and more money. Eventually I wanna put a new rear end in, so there would be no point in the LCA re-location brackets right now, correct? Do you use different shocks and struts depending on if it is lowered or not? In other words, could I go ahead and install the shocks and struts now, and then eventually lower it? Sorry for all the questions, but I wanna make sure I do this right and don't screw anythig up

 

My eibach pro-kit made a very noticeable handling difference over my stock IROC springs. Sometimes companies also make shocks specifically geared toward lowered cars to keep them from bottoming out. Might want to do some research on that.

As for the LCA relocation brackets, I think it wouldn't matter whether you get them now or later (I could be wrong here), you're going to need those LCAs below the rear for better acceleration and traction. (If I'm wrong i think someone will correct me )

If you install springs, you have to get an alignment (well, you're supposed to). If you install struts in the front, you need to get an alignment. So you might as well knock it all out at once.

This is the order I did my suspension in:

-New Shocks/Struts
-Subframe Connectors
-Springs/Adj. Panhard Rod/LCA Brackets
-new swaybar endlinks
The final touch will be spohn swaybars and new bushings and front end components, and I'll be done with suspension.

The most common order of recommendations for suspension upgrades is:

-Subframe Connectors
-New bushings/front-end rebuild (poly bushings for a stiffer, harsher ride - beware! they squeak! or rubber for a softer ride - car still handles well though)
-Shocks/Struts
-Springs/adj. panhard rod/lca brackets
-Everything else is icing on the cake(new swaybars, etc.)

I hope this helps!

-AJ

 

the reason I dont' wanna do the SFC yet is I have heard it is a pain once its in there to work on the exhaust system. Eventually I wanna put a new engine in along with a new exhaust system so I wanted to hold off on it if possible. So I'll probably go with the front end rebuilf first, than a strut brace, shocks/struts than not sure after that.

 

What kind of rebuild are you after? A full rebuild replaces everything- including the steering linkage (idler arm, center link, tie rod ends, ball joints, etc).

PST sells repackaged Energy Suspension bushings, and uses foreign-made linkage parts. They're not really the best way to go... especially since they claim that their bushings are 'specially-made'- BS, they're already made by someone else!

You can't go wrong with bushings as far as handling. You could put bushings on without affecting the car height- but it makes a hell of a lot of sense to do lowering springs at the same time you do the bushings. The car has to come apart as far for springs as it does for bushings...

Also, like Adam said, if you do springs or struts you need an alignment; might as well just get the alignment done once.

 

yea I do wanna do a full rebuild on the front end. I'm hearing a lot of squeaking and groaning when I turn the wheel. I figure its better to be safe than sorry. So you don't recommend PST? What would you recommend instead? I was looking at Spohn's front end kit, but wasn't sure as theirs is a lot more than the PST. The PSC front end kit looks pretty good as well.
I would like to do everything at once, but I'm on a pretty limited budget right now, so I wanna make sure I do stuff in the right order and don't do something that will end up having to be undone later on.

 

I went with just a steering linkage rebuild... all Moog - all good The Spohn kit is all Moog IIRC

(large pic of shiny Moog steering pieces)
http://www.magic-gate.com/pictures/1991Z28/DSCN0235.JPG

 

I've been researching my front end rebuild and saving money for it. I've found that it is much easier to piece everything that you need together from scratch. If you are considering Moog, you could go the route of this thread: https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=197895 The parts listed on there are NAPA's MRC line which is a subsidiary of Federal Mogul(Moog). It would be much cheaper this way. Supporting sponsors is cool, but sometimes it comes down to ur wallet.

 

Well I think I've decided on the PSC kit right now. I'll do struts/shocks and springs next, and then the rear end suspension stuff. Just gotta wait until this strike is over and I can get back to making some money.

 

work in a pharmacy?

 

nah, I work at Albertsons down in San Diego. We went on strike 3 weeks ago, along with Vons (Safeway) and Ralphs (Kroger). It's just been a pain in the butt. THey are trying to cut everyones benefits and pension in half. Its a big deal to those who have careers there, but for me its just a job until I graduate from college.

 

i ask because i work at an osco out here in illinois and one of our pharmacy techs is going out there to work for like a week. im glad were not on strike here, cause my school is on strike, then id have nothing to do, lol

 

yea, Osco is owned by albertsons also (along with sav-on, acme, and some other places). They've been bringing people in from all over the country to take our jobs while we strike. I know what ya mean about the school thing. With the fires down here, all schools were closed for the week. My school, UCSD, started back today. It was pretty boring though, no work, no school, and you couldn't go outside cause of the smoke in the air. Its finally cleared up, bt the fires are still burning.