jharms

I'm getting ready to drop in an Olds. 455 in my Firebird that will make plenty of power. My problem is traction and since I will be upgrading the suspension for better traction, I figure, hey why not better handling, etc. So, what company offers the most variet of suspension parts for my car, and what parts do you all recomend me going with? Thanks for your help.

Joez88Camaro

I think this is a simple one:
Steve Spohn
http://www.spohn.net
With that engine your gonna be putting a lot of stress on your chassis. Try his subframe connectors which will give you a stronger chassis as well as better handling. Then his rear handling components to get some good traction. I haven't bought his stuff but look around the board and you'll see that a lot of people like his product and he has some good prices.

Justins86bird

I agree with that

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-Justin-

T-Top '86 5.0L LG4 700R4 WS6
T-Top '92 5.0L TBI 700R4
My '86 Firebird Homepage
The F-body Model Kit Pictoral Archive (updated 5/30/01)

There can be only one!!

BuckeyeROC

I have Spohn's SFC, LCA's, and LCA relocation brackets. I plan on getting his panhard bar eventually too. Good stuff at a fair price.

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89 IROC-SuperRammed 355 w/ AFR 190's and LPE 219/219 cam-http://www.geocities.com/buckeyeroc

SoCo80p

iTrader: (5)

handling and traction are 2 completly diffrent worlds, if you want it to handle, it wont grip and vice versa, figure out first would you rather have it handle better or 1/4 mile better.

jharms

Tempest, what are you saying?! I find that hard to believe that I can't have the best of both worlds. Why couldn't I? Some upgrades in the back to help me get the power to the ground, a new sway bar and bushings along with some springs to help it handle... Please elaborate. BUT if I had to choose, I want it fast, but I REALLY want both.

Kevin91Z

iTrader: (1)

I disagree, but I have my own personal reasons...

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1991 Camaro Z28
5.7L 5-Speed (originally 305)
318 RWHP, 419 RWTQ
13.23 @ 107.62 MPH (2.13 60')
Southern California
Member: SoCal F-Bodies
-=ICON Motorsports=-

jharms

Kevin91Z why do you disagree with that? Did he rip you off? Please, I would like to know everything I possibly can on the subject.

SteveSpohn

We've never "ripped off" anyone, our operation strives to maintain excellent customer service.

Besides, when someone "rips off" someone on these boards they get tarred and feathered

Steve

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Spohn Performance: F-Body Chassis/Suspension Specialists

jharms

Good point on the tar and feathered things. Well Steve, since you're the expert, can I get great handling and traction all in one car or will I have to compromise one for the other?

OLDYELLR

Depends what you mean by "traction". If it's absolute dragstrip traction, then you'd have to compromise on the handling a little. In that respect the two are mutually exclusive. To me traction means traction all the way around the friction circle, meaning cornering and braking as well as straight ahead traction. If you put skinnies and drag shocks on it to get the best dragstrip performance, it will handle like a pig.

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1985 Yellow IROC-Z 5.0 HO, T-5 3.73 Torsen, 4 wheel disks
PFCM pads, GTA wheels, Koni yellows, B&M Ripper, Dynomax

SteveSpohn

Well, my answer is yes, and no.

It really depends on how harcore you want to go with the set-up. What I'm saying is this, if you want your car to be set up for the absolutely best cornering, then you're gonna run lowering springs, big sway bars, and very stiff shocks and struts, ie. Konis or Bilsteins.

That type of set up will kill your 60' times at the drag strip because you will not get any weight transfer.

If you want your car to be set up to have the absolutely best 60' time...then you're gonna lose the front sway bar, run very light struts up front, and 50/50 shocks in the rear, along with trick springs up front, and some V6 springs in the rear. That will give you maximum weight transfer.

With that said, if you're looking for an all around performer, street, strip, corners, you can build a nice set up, it just won't be to the extreme levels of each niche' so to speak.

I'd run the 1LE sway bars, and just disconnect, or remove the front sway bar when you go to the strip. The KYB or Sachs shocks and struts are a good all around performer, they are not to the extreme either way (light or stiff).

You can keep the stock springs, or go with the Eibach Pro's. That depends on which side of the scale you want to lean towards. If you wanna corner, and just do the strip sometimes, then do the Eibach's. If you mostly drag the car, but wanna corner a bit too, then keep the stock springs. Alot of folks are pulling 1.7 60's with the Eibach's, they'd be better without them, but they don't flat out kill all potential.

I'd run the poly/spherical LCAs and Panhard bar. They keep the bind out, yet keep the noise down on a street car.

Of course SFCs are a must, no matter what you're doing. Top it off with a torque arm, I prefer the spherical front mount so you're bind-free with body roll.

Finally, your suspension, traction, and handling are only as good as your tires. You need a good set of rubber!

Confused?

Steve

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Spohn Performance: F-Body Chassis/Suspension Specialists

Joez88Camaro

Let's see edelbrock give you that kind of service when you have a question about their suspension parts.

jharms

First off I'm not wanting to go hard core either way, because I don't like the way it looks. I like the quick e.t.'s but I like cornering. So I guess I want to tread the middle road. The way my Firebird handles right now isn't bad at all, it's just if it could be better I would like it to, without sacraficing my 60's time...
I already have 16x8 Torq. Thrust II's with Z-rated tires, but it's late and I can't remember the kind or numbers, and it's cold so I don't want to run out and look.
I had 15 tires on it stock, and when I went to the 16's I was hoping it would eliminate the giant gap between my wheels and body, but it didn't. So the stance is REALLY what is bothering me, as Car Craft put it, it's got a "mile high stance" and I don't like it. I want it lowered to look better, but don't want to lose the 60's or traction. Can that be done?
But with the new motor I'm putting in will sub-frame connectors be necessary? If so, won't they make my car handle better(becuase it'll stiffen the chassis and give less flex)? Thanks for all of your help and I will check out your web site and definately be ordering some stuff from you Steve, once I figure out what I want...

Metalifann

Too cold to go check? Its 88 degrees here in Tampa. See if you can send some of that weather down here.

jharms

Well it's mid 50's in the day, low 30's at night. It needs to be colder and then SNOW! But anyway, how hard is it to disconnect and reconnect a sway bar and why do I need to disconnect it every time I go to the track? What does it hurt as far as speed is concerned?

camaro6spd

something to do with the way the power and traction is transfered to the rear and then the ground.

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

It's not dificult to disconnect the front sway bar. You can just unbolt the sway bar links and it effectively takes it out of the equation. You can go ahead and take off the bar entirely in less than another 5 minutes for a weight savings as well. But keep in mind that your choice of springs and shocks will have more to say in how much weight transfer you'll see at launch. For a drag setup you need softer (and longer) springs in the front & rear. You can use adjustable shocks so you can set up for both cornerning and 1/4 mile strip use. But the stiff lowering springs that are ideal for corner carving are bad for drag racing. Stock springs are probably a good compromise for both conditions. But if you really want to maximise the performance you will need to decide what you want the car set up to do, corner carving or drag racing? Good luck, Lon.

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90 RS Convertible
Owner: Top-Down Solutions
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