What are the differences in the suspensions on the 2 camaros I have.
I have a 92 RS and just bought a 91 Z28 350TPI. I noticed the Z28 is stiff when I push down on the front compare to RS bounces more.
Also, are the rear ends different?

 

Probably the difference you are noticing while bouncing the front ends is stiffer front struts on the Z....or they may just be in better condition. If the front rebounds more than once after you let go of it, the struts have had it.

 

I thought the Z28 would have stiffer springs all around as well...

I think your Z-28 would have better sway bars... The rs may not even have a rear one.

The rear gear ratio is almost definately different, and the z-28 would have a factory posi while the rs would not.

then again, if you didn't own them since new, who knows what's on it now?

 

Well, the Z28 does not bounce at all. Its stiff. I have new struts on the RS and it has give to it. But not the Z

 

yes, the Z has a stiffer suspension, but that's not what your'e noticing, you're noticing more worn shocks/struts on the RS...

 

I dont know about the whole no sway bar thing, I would assume that all thirdgens came with a rear sway bar.

Kevin

 

uhh... I'm guessing it's just the stiffer springs.

There's another post right now about no sway bar on the rear of a 3rd gen... I think the berlinetta's were like that, and perhaps the RS's as well...?

 

When you said "new struts on RS", what brand and where did you buy them.

There is a reason why Koni's for example are $200 a pop.

 

Cheapos from pep boys

They did help it though. Before with the old ones the front end sat on the ground almost and the ride was terrible, plus there was no bounce with the worn out struts. it just sat low and was stiff. When I installed the new ones it raised it slightly.

On the Z28, its stiff but its not sitting low as you can see in the pic. You really have to push hard for it to even budge. No bounce at all.

 

I think you are confusing something a little. Struts (or shocks for that patter) don't control how high or how log the car sits. That's what springs do. Struts are only supposed to make sure you don't have any extra bounce. If you didn't have any bounce with the old ones, that's a little weird.

You said now the car sits a little higher. The only thing I can think of that will make the car sit higher when struts are changed is springs were removed and were not indexed properly when you put them back in.

Usually on old car, you see this a lot. I know a buy in local car club and first time I asked him where he got the lowering springs because the rest of the car looked pretty cool. Turns out those were just OEM 15 year old springs and they sagged way more than 2". If he was to get new sportlines, he'd actually lift his car a little.

 

He bought gas charged struts. Yes they will affect ride height.

The cheapy KYB Gas-A-Just shocks are gas charged for example and will slightly raise any car you put them on if the car didn't have gas charged struts before or if it did and they were blown.

 

The same things you just said , I thought about also.

The 92 RS...I never removed the springs. I bought as it was, sitting so low to the ground that the front spoiler dragged on nearly every dip I came across. It took all the strength I had to get it to bounce up and down. It never would. it was as though it was like a 61 ford pickup on leaf springs.
I took a wild guess and figured the struts were just worn out and were not able to hold it up properly. I dunno.
So I put a cheap pair on and sure enough, to the naked eye, it not only raised the car considerably, but it now had a "normal" so to speak, bounce. Not a "2 times" bounce though. And the ride improved dramatically. When I took off the old struts I tested them. They were shot. You could pull them open easily "stretch" and they would stay, you could close them down and they would stay wherever you put them.

Now, with the Z28 pictured above. I'm sure its normal that it would be stiff being its a Z28 of course. No prob with that. The RS sat ...I would say...about half the height you see that one sitting.
I'll get a good idea on it when I get it running and drive it.

 

Ok I just saw V6#22's post after typing all that.

Yes, they were gas charged.