I have a 1987 GTA. I replaced the stock springs with the eibach prokits along with a set of KYB shocks and struts along with the adjustable spohn panhard bar. I still have the preverbial third gen rear end sag.
Recently I bought a copy of Super Chevy's Camaro performers magazine in which there is an article where they make over a 94 Z28. One of the makeovers is changing the springs out. On page 81 they state "Prior experience with other spring kits told us the out of the box install probably would't look right, so before installing, we cut a third of a coil out of both front springs. If you really want to achieve the the right look, we suggest this mod for any third or fourth gen F-body spring kit from any manufacturer."

This is the first time I heard of this - especially from a fairly proven magazine.

Has anyone done this? another option might be to get sportlines for the front and keep the prokits on the back. Never heard of it just a thought.

By the way - these forums are great - I read them all of the time.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

dont cut the springs. go to the dealer and get some new springs isolators for the rear. the ones they stock now are 4th gen ones, that are thicker then 3rd gen, and will make the back of the car sit higher

 

I don't believe I buy that there was a change in thickness. I would buy that used 3rd gen ones are compressed, comparative to new ones though.

 

theyre metal. they just have a rubber coating, and the last time i checked, metal doesnt compress to well

 

Someone posted pictures in another thread, they are different (a lot thicker). IIRC the 3rd gen ones were discontinued.

 

sure it does.

it just doesnt do it at the light stress level of spring isolators.

 

Did you index the front springs correctly? If not the front will be higher. How much difference is there between the front and rear. I have a slight difference (sportlines) but it is almost too small to notice.

 

JMD:
There IS a difference B/T your stock 3rd gen rear spring isolators and the new ones GM puts out now...I've posted on it MANY times, pics and all. Here ya go:

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...ghlight=stance

I wouldn't cut those Eibachs either. Just swap in a new set of these isolators and then see where you sit...pun intended.

And here's a pic of the isolators, new and old, side by side so you can see the difference. More pics are in the link:


http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/tar...m/taramiller72


Ed

 

Now I know that we're not on the same page here. I have pulled isolators from several LT1 f-bodies and they were visually identical to the ones used in third gens. Definitely of similar rubber composition as well.


Might have been a running change sometime after the 1995 model year but I am doubting it. Have you pulled any from a later 4th gen to compare? I see you bought new ones. I see that you mention "produced now" & so that helps support the idea that I am talking production parts and you are talking "whatever GM feels like feeding us now" replacement parts. Other GM apps used rear coils with similar isolators other than f-bodies, so it's my opinion you have gotten something eminently usable but different. I'll check on another forum w/ lots of LS1 f-bodies.

 

I have and they are just as ebmiller described.

 

Hey guys,
Thanks for the help here. I am not really wanting to resolve the rear sag issue by raising the rear end. The car could even go lower in my mind so raising it higher is not the direction I want to go. Lowering the front is better. I could go with sportlines and raise the back though.

I cant understand why cutting 1/3 of the spring would make that much of a difference either for the better or worse?

Any more suggestions would be helpful. I am new here and learning as I go.

Here is a pic - eventhough there is a little slope to the road you can see what I am getting at.

 

It seems that many GTAs I've seen kinda sit like that, don't know why.

From what I understand about springs, by cutting the coils from an already stiff spring will obviously shorten it, therefore increasing the spring rate even more and making them even stiffer.

If you need to cut springs to get the look you want, I'd suggest installing a set of Moog replacement springs and cutting those 1/8 of a coil or so at a time until you get the ride height you want. Those springs are only $50 or so each and Eibachs are much more than that, and you'll have trouble getting rid of cut up Eibach springs.

Just my opinion.

Ed

 

My rear springs are so bad, when the car is on a hoist I can compress and remove the springs with my hand....

What you think about that willis?