i am ordering the front coilover kit from spohn, should i go with the tubular a arms too, or is it just extra weigh loss? i am on a budget here.

 

you gonna do some hardcore canyon carving?or auto-crossing?

 

any REAL ideas?

 

He tried to help you out by asking a question. Usually, if you want further help, you answer the questions people ask you.

 

Coilover and tubular a-arms should not be in the same sentence as budget. You're going to drop at least a grand on the Spohn setup.

If you're just building a street car (CTR style), buy the PA a-arms and coilovers. I wouldn't go Spohn unless you plan on auto-x or RR. You can save $300-400 using the PA stuff.

Personally, I'd save that money that money towards a 12-bolt or 9".

 

Why go to coilovers unless you are going the complete package deal. That is one of three major factors of coilover setups- less unsprung weight, ride height adjustment, and corner weight adjustments. Want a better ride, then go to the tubular a-arms and lose weight for a better sprung to unsprung weeight ratio and improve the ride quality, and handling performance as a result.

I would say buy what you can afford now, but intend on buying the rest of it a later date when you can afford the entire setup to its full potential at a later date. It can always be added.

 

BOB, Baller on a Budget

What's the budget on something like this, these modifications are usually made after a car is fast, or you are racing it.....

Yeah, Why don't you do a search on tubular a-arms and find out yourself what the benefits of them are......Then ask some specific questions, If you want help, don't expect it with this kind of attitude

 

well what i am looking for isnt a 9sec car, i am looking at low 11's or high tens if i do right. i was looking at the a arms on the camaro and they looki pretty heavy. btw, it isnt a handinlg car, its a strip/street car.

 

Like I said, put that grand into a rear end, you'll go a lot faster on a consistant basis then dropping 40lbs off the front end will get ya.

 

what do you reccomend doing to the rear end? i am kinda lost wth these f-body suspensions.

 

Buy a used 12-bolt or 9" setup for an F-body if you can find one, that's the cheapest, most reliable route. Otherwise, you'll probably end up paying $2000+ through Moser/Strange/someone else.

What year is your car again? If it has a 9-bolt, that'll last you a while as long as the posi stays good. People go 1.4-1.5 on them pretty consistantly in TTAs ('89 Turbo Trans Am, GN motor).

The problem with 9-bolts is that the gears and parts to rebuilt them are pretty damn expensive comparitively to other GM rears.

If you've got a 7.5" rear end, it'll blow up eventually, even if you build it. I'm not sure how Jucin has got so many passes out of his rear. You might want to talk to him since he has a shop now, maybe he'll let his secrets out.

 

another good buy is good ol SFC

 

my car is an 86, and i happened to be out at strange enginering today, and they have a f-body setup will only be like 1395, with 32 spline axels. i am not sure what rear end is in there now. but i am really new to the rear suspension on f-body's

 

I'd jump on that deal if it's complete.

As far as suspension goes, if the car starts to wheel hop or if you have tire rub problems, let me know. I'm making rod-end adjustable lower control arms and panhard bars out of aluminum and I'm local, so they won't have to be shipped.

If weight doesn't concern you and you want to save a few bucks, I've got some Pro-fab poly bushing LCAs and a Spohn mild steel rod end PHB that I'd let go of pretty cheap. The LCAs have all of 10 miles on them until I switched to my aluminum rod end setup.

 

i'll take the LCA if you dont want them...

 

Why, so your car can actually then be worth something?

 

Ohh i am sorry ... you might need them more than i do... SINCE you think you are in the movie "fast n the furious". because you did say you take 180* turns at 130Mph.... Right..........
i think we all know who is dreaming...

 

I think we need to learn how to respect the people on this board that have been here a while and actually know something about suspension/braking.

On topic, I'll be picking up an aluminum rod-ended PHB from TJ (nape) in the next few days so I'll be able to put up some feedback for sure.

 

I think we need to learn how to respect the people on this board that have been here a while and actually know something about suspension/braking.

On topic, I'll be picking up an aluminum rod-ended PHB from TJ (nape) in the next few days so I'll be able to put up some feedback for sure.

 

I'm a little confused here... why would u want an aluminum panhard bar? isn't it kind of important that it stays rigid? ...i understand it's lighter... but is it really worth all the loss of strength?

 

Round aluminum bar stock is still quite strong. Should easily be strong enough for a PHB. The guy making me one has been using his for a while. He's also building an American Iron car. I don't see the aluminum being a problem at all in this case.

 

yeah i heard the alumminum was pretty strong, but i just cant figure out how crazy i should get. i should probably wait to do the suspension last i guess.

 

i thought Spohns tubular A arms weighed in @ 4lbs OVER stock.. how is that saving weight?

 

Check this out. It is a weight listing of all of Spohn's A-arm options compared to factory A-arms. Even his heaviest are slightly lighter than stock. The real benefit of tubular A-arms is the strength they provide. The weight difference isn't too drastic unless you also have the coilover kit. Then you can shave quite a few lbs off.