I'm needing suggestions on how to lower the '89 T/A...I picked up a set of old (NIB) Bell Tech #5200 Rear Springs, and according to Bell Tech, the Front method was the #2200 Spindles- One problem, they're out of production- What methods and or products have you guys used? What drop did you realize once said and done? Pics would be a big help, all 3rd gens, but particularly T/As, on Stock 16X8s... Help a brotha out!

 

Welcome to the forums. I hate to say it, but please....



There are lots of threads about lowering that have pictures, spring rate discussions, dropped spindles, different brands of springs, etc. This has been discussed numerous times, and I'm quite sure you'll find the answer you're looking for.

 

How did I know that was the response I was going to get? I must admit, I figured it would be a few posts down in the thread, but hey, whatever. As the Administrator of our local forum, I'm quite familiar with the search function. However, due to the extraordinarily slow connection I have here at work, I am virtually unable to find anything using search. Secondly, we've implemented a sticky near the top of our respective Subforums to help answer common questions that are asked over and over, and we try to merge threads and responses to their appropriate sections. That being said, I'm very sorry to have cluttered the board.

 

You make a good point. Sticky-worthy thread starting now... I'm currently typing it all up based on what I've read and all the bookmarks I have on dropped spindles, springs, cutting, etc. etc., and I'll edit this post later on today to add content. I'll be done hopefully by the end of the weekend; I just have to find all my references and link/format everything up.

 

My 84 here has been lower 2" in the front with drop spindles and a 1 1/2" in the rear with springs i believe they were puchased through summit it was done by my father before i got it so i could not tell you what brand they are

 

Nice looking Z! Thanks for the reply!

 

heres mine, sorry for the old pics, but i've had little time this year to get new ones

its riding on coil-overs front and rear and is something like 1.5" lowered

***first pic is with coil-overs, last 2 are with sportlines***




sorry, photobucket killed the first pics quality

as for springs, ebiach prokit, it a good set, the sportlines look good, but the rear springs are too soft and suck for performance. inatrax makes a 2" drop spring which is supposed to work well, but they are very stiff.

Racecraft makes a 2" drop spindle
-Phil

 

Thanks for the reply! I like the look of the Sportline drop, and I don't want to spend the $$$ for coil overs on this car... When folks complain thatthe rear Sportline rate is too soft, I am curious if they're trying to make a G machine, or just driving it? This is just a Daily for me, and I'm not concerned with handling so much. The Intrax, if a true 2" drop, should be a bit lower than the Sportlines, correct? I somehow doubt the Pro Kit would drop it enough to justify the effort... At any rate,your 'bird looks GREAT!!!

 

one inch drop using summit springs

 

Not very good pictures, but here's a few semi current ones of mine. Goes from oldest to newest. It's actually a little lower now because I removed all the spring isolators lol.





Need to get some better pictures of the car. The mods to the car are in my sig.

 

i will have to say, that with sportlines, my car sat higher than any other car ive seen on this board, it looks more like a prokit. I know ive done a lot of weight redux, but i didnt that it was that much. Maybe i should have the car weighed

as for the sportlines rear spring rate, it sucks. If you tromp on the gas the rear just drops really bad, almost to the point of eating the tire on the fender. The rear should never drop like that.

 

i did buy the dropzones springs a few years back from --bay,this drops the car around 1.75-2.0 inches ground clearence becomes a concern.

 

lowered with Stock Car Products springs. 900lb front 220lb rear, i cant remember how tall they are though. and the 2nd pic the control arm was extended to give the car more camber/steering angle/make the wheels look nice.

 

Alright, I was a little slow at getting this up but it took some time. I'm just waiting for it to be sticky'd by a moderator.

Lowering 101

 

2 inch dropped spindles in the front, 4 link in rear

 

I will post pics tommarrow I just fixed the driver side today. The Car looks amazing compareing

I love my Sportlines. But I rode with them installed wrong for about a year. Really you can install all 4 springs in 2 hour with basic hand tools, ball joint separtor, a jack, an a jack stand. For the rear what I did was went to the rear end and took the nut off of the lower shock mounts and then removed the shock from rear end. Then I jack up the body one side at time and then remove the spring and isolator. I taped the isolator to the spring becuz it is groove for the contour of the spring and put the spring with isolation into the body like when you remove the spring. Then lower that side back now and reinstall shock and move to the other side and repeat.

Now on the front. Loosen lug nuts on wheel. Jack the car up on the body. Then put a stand under body. Now remove rim. Now disconnect sway bar from A Arm. Now remove cotter pin from Ball Joint. Now Put the jack under the A Arm and put some pressure on the A Arm. Now remove the Ball Joint Nut. Now lower jack slowly. If the Ball Joint doesn't come apart from the spindle then use the ball joint separtor but keep the jack under A Arm to prevent spring from flying out. Once ball joint is separted from spindle. Then pull A Arm down and remove Spring. Now this is the Part I screw up. The Lower A Arm to grooved for the Spring. I didn't know that. It takes some fighting but You can get the top line up with the bottom also. IMO the is alot faster the removing the whole lower A Arm. Once lined up. Put jack under the A Arm and jack it up till Ball Joint stud goes through the spindle fully and put the nut back on ball joint stud. Install cotter pin. And reinstall sway bar and wheel and lower car.

It is really easy hardest part is the front spring. Getting the bottom of the spring in the groove correctly and the top of the spring in the slot. It take some playing with it but if you don't it will look like mine. Looked stock height.

 

5.7tpi do you have any pics after yuo took out the spring insulators, does it ride any different, and did you put something on the spring like rubber hose or something so the metal doesn't grind or something.

 

I would also like to know. Did you take out the rear isolators too?

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/atta...1&d=1230405642 here is my car using the dz lowering springs