I'm saving my money for a set of Koni SA's and will have enough in about another month. (McJob + college = 10,000 years to save for each part, haha) I plan on getting a set of J&M upper strunt mounts as well, since I'll have everything apart and need an alignment anyway. So following this logic, it makes sense to me to go ahead and keep saving and stash the parts so I can save up and buy some springs... I've heard a lot of members speak highly of the Eibach Prokit but I know Grey Goose runs 800lb fronts and I've seen Dean reccomend front spring rates in the same ballpark... So that's my first dillemma- the Prokit or buying stiffer rate springs and cutting them. Going this route, I'd be able do all of this at the same time so I'd have everything done in about one weekend and I'd only need one alignment... and I'd probably have it done in time to play with it over the summer and get to push the car's new limits a little.

But then I run into a problem- I've been reading about suspension geometry and how lowering puts the roll center in the dirt. I've seen this firsthand on my buddy's Z31- he dropped it about an inch with a cheap Tokico kit and didn't do anything about the ball joints or use sway bars as a bandaid and now it rolls worse than my mom's old Taurus did when he changes lanes quickly. I like how flat my T/A is for a stock car, and I'd like to keep that or even make it better when I lower it. I've read that extended ball joints keep the roll center close enough to stock ride height. I did a search and this was the only thing that came up- http://www.howeracing.com/p-7862-ext...oint-stud.aspx I was hoping for some site to have "CAMARO (or) FIREBIRD EXTENDED BALL JOINT but nothing like that really jumped out at me so I'm not even sure where to get them.

I also looked at Racecraft drop spindles and I definitely love the unsprung weight reduction and the fact that they lower the car without screwing the geometry up, but then I saw that they require aftermarket brakes, and the suggested kit was about $700... I would love to get a big lightweight braking kit at some points but for right now all I do is go play on the twisties on backroads and I might do a few autox's or track days so I think the stock brakes should be tolerable for now. The site said that C5 and 4th gen brakes work, and I figure piecing a kit together would be cheaper, but I have no idea how much or how much of a difference there is performance or weight wise when compared to the suggested 4 piston Strange brake kit. And even after I go through all that, I'll still have my old rusty stock rate springs under there.

So basically I don't know which route to go- bite my tongue and wait until I can afford the drop spindles, brake kit, and new springs or just lower with springs and correct with extended ball joints, if those are even available. Either way I'm getting new struts and mounts soon- I just don't know if I'll be lowering as well or if I'll be doing the struts, waiting, saving, and then taking everything back apart, lowering, and then going to the alignment shop... again.

Also, sorry this is so long and wordy... just trying to explain my situation and figure out the best course of action on my lame budget haha.

 

A couple questions for you.

1) Do you want the car lower for handling?
2) Do you want the car lower for looks?
3) Do you want the car lower just because it's an upgrade of sorts?

Let me say first, going Koni on all four corners with the J&M upper strut mounts up front will be a heck of a difference over stock. In fact, just yesterday, I changed out the stock WS6 rear suspension on my GTA for Koni yellows and Moog 5665 in the back end. Huge difference already.

Personally I don't want lowering springs. Rough roads, lots of potholes, and worst of all, incredibly steep parking lot entrances, mall entrances, gas stations etc (Houston is pancake flat but floods often, so everywhere has a steep driveway, homes included.)

Now I'll agree that drop spindles are the "proper" way to do it. But do you really want a 2" drop? Do you really want to do new brakes? Do you want the ultimate handling machine or simply a much better handling machine?

My personal next plan of attack is front Koni yellows, Moog 5662's, and then some subframe connectors. After that, I'll probably be done. Upgrades of LCA, PHB, and torque arm are distant "maybe" upgrades.

I've read every spring thread here. Eibach Pro-Kits are either well loved or slighly dissapointed. The lowering height is good, but the rears are soft according to many. The Sportlines have an even softer rear (), too steep a drop, and use the bump stops on purpose. Sportlines would be for looks only.

Personally if I wanted a lowering spring, I'd go for the Vogtland springs. Priced about the same as the Pro-Kit, but they have a stiffer rear spring. They're also lighter weight.

So ultimately, I'd say do the Konis as soon as you can. Do the upper strut mount near or at the same time as well. Then wait. When money and preference are at the same point in time, decide if you want to lower the car and which way then. If it means getting one more alignment in the future, so be it.

I did the Koni rear and springs yesterday but not the front for cost factor. It's roughly $300 for the Koni rear/Moog spring combo. Doing all four corners at once would have been a big bill.

 

All of the above- I want it to handle, and right now I'm running the factory spec profile on the factory 15" rims. As money permits, I'd like to score a set of black GTA wheels or Corvette wheels. I feel that going to a lower profile tire will make the wheel gap look ridiculous so I'd like to reduce it to improve the appearance.

Evansville and Southern Indiana are kind of the opposite- extremely twisty and hilly, but entrances to most places aren't very steep or can be conquered by going at an angle. This isn't much of an issue.

I'd like the ultimate handling machine, but I could settle for a very good handlling machine. I really just want to be competitive at the local autocrosses and I want to keep up with some of the local imports on road trips or when playing in the twisties- the aforementioned Z31, old ae86 Corolla's, coil-over equipped Miatas, DC2 Integras, cars like that- just to have fun and prove that my "Camaro" (the guy with the Integra actually called it that once.... ) can take the twisties just as well as anything they can get their hands on.

My personal next plan of attack is front Koni yellows, Moog 5662's, and then some subframe connectors. After that, I'll probably be done. Upgrades of LCA, PHB, and torque arm are distant "maybe" upgrades.

I've read every spring thread here. Eibach Pro-Kits are either well loved or slighly dissapointed. The lowering height is good, but the rears are soft according to many. The Sportlines have an even softer rear (), too steep a drop, and use the bump stops on purpose. Sportlines would be for looks only.

Personally if I wanted a lowering spring, I'd go for the Vogtland springs. Priced about the same as the Pro-Kit, but they have a stiffer rear spring. They're also lighter weight.

So ultimately, I'd say do the Konis as soon as you can. Do the upper strut mount near or at the same time as well. Then wait. When money and preference are at the same point in time, decide if you want to lower the car and which way then. If it means getting one more alignment in the future, so be it.

I did the Koni rear and springs yesterday but not the front for cost factor. It's roughly $300 for the Koni rear/Moog spring combo. Doing all four corners at once would have been a big bill.[/quote]
The Vogtlands sound nice... I'll have to wait on input about the geometry and physics about what I'll be doing but those sound great.
I think I'm just going to go ahead and do all four struts at once... get it all out of the way, and I don't know if I want my nasty old mid-80's Monroes mixed and matched with the new Koni's. Good luck with your car though, sounds like a very nice machine and I like the route you're going with it.

 

I'd go for the Ground Control Weight Jacks. You get to choose your spring rate & you can dial in the ride height, as well as set your corner weights, to your desire & needs. No manufacturer determined #s anywhere. It is your choice of what you want.

More than just standard lowering springs, but a klot cheaper than dropped spindles.

 

Did you happen to notice how the weight of the spring/adjusters compared to the weight of the original factory springs? And did you do anything to correct for the changes in geometry other than the typical LCARBs/ APHB? I've seen pics of your car... the stance is amazing. Does it handle as well as it looks? If you aren't having any side effects from going that low I think a little 1-1.5" drop should be completely safe with the right spring rates and geometry corrections, correct?

 

Physical weight of them vs stock spring weight? I'd say lighter. The adjusters are aluminum & the springs are shorter & seem to be slightly thinner material. Stock springs are HEAVY. I actually have a spare set of rear adjusters & 2 spare sets of rear springs. I'll weigh them & maybe somebody can weigh their stock rear springs, so we can compare. My stock WS6 springs are long gone.

Believe it or not, I never have gotten the front end aligned after installing the weight jacks, over 2 years ago! Slight pull to the right, but that was already there after installing 4 new tie rod ends. I credit that to them not being adjusted correctly, because I can set the steering wheel STRAIGHT, get out & can that the ties aren't equal & 1 side points slightly right (car pulls to the passenger side a bit). I know I should get an alignment, but it isn't so bad that it bothers me enough to. Tires are looking OK too. I'm sure they'd be happier with an alignment but......

I love the way it handles. Haven't gone & run any autocross/road race circuits, but it does great on the twisty back roads. I love taking the "long way" into town, on the twisty roads!

Here is my ride heights. Forgot to measure it before installing the weight jack, so I dunno how much I actually lowered it.


I actually want the rear maybe 1" lower, maybe 1.5" & at least it is just a turn of a wrench away!

The front height is perfect, because when I pull up to a sidewalk curb, the nose just slides over it without hitting. No real gap, but no rubbing the paint off either.

I do hafta be careful over speed bumps. I STOP the front tires at them, idle over. Idle forward. STOP at the rear tires. Idle over the speed bump, then I'm good to go.

As with any lowered car, steep angles driveways can be a challenge, but easily handled by entering at the correct angle.

I've gone the cut spring route & bought lowering springs. By far, this is the best! Wish I had never screwed with any other method. Not the cheapest way, but the best of the 3.

 

That sounds way better than just using lowering springs... too much guessing and checking to get the ride height right and even going to a different wheel and tire combo that can throw the whole thing off, and there are a bunch of sweet wheels out there that would be fun to try out on down the road...
And theoretically, if I still really wanted to change to drop spindles later on all I'd need to do is crank the car back up to stock ride height and swap the spindles and I wouldn't need to buy new springs because the ride height and spring rate would already be perfect... opposed to having to buy all new springs on top of everything else. So this is looking like the direction I'm gonna be the direction I'm gonna end up going when I get the cash.

And yeah I know how to handle obstacles like that... scraping the rubber front underbody spoiler a few times has a way of changing your driving habits haha. It looks like you removed yours.. did you notice any difference in the car's running temperature or stability?

Oh and your car looks great now... I actually kind of like the raked look a little bit but I agree dropping the back more would look good too.

 

Nope. The stock air dam is still under the car & I hardly ever (if ever) hear it scrape. I hear the front "frame" hit on speed bumps if I don't idle over them. And I mean IDLE. I've been known to not & when the front tires comes off the over side of the speed bump? BUMP!

I know of 1 place that had a steep angle half way up the driveway & when leaving, if I go straight down it? When the front tires goes down lower, the tranny pan catches the angle, so I really hafta be careful leaving there. I need to get me another tranny pan & weld a steel plate to the bottom of it. I figure it is better to protect it from getting a hole ripped in it now, than hafta have it towed home after it gets ripped open & can't just drive home.

 

for the record, the ground control weight jacks use STEEL for the front adjuster, the rear has some aluminum parts and a small steel part, about 50/50 steel/aluminum in the rear and 100% steel in the front. The front setup DEFIANTLY weighs more than just a stock spring, but its low in the car, sprung weight, and not a big deal. Rear is unsprung weight, not as good, but not really a lot of added weight to worry about.

spring thickness has a l0ot to do with the rate, so they can be thinner or thicker than what you have stock. But they are defiantly shorter.

They are quite nice though.

http://www.ground-control-store.com/...hp/II=20/CA=67

 

These are the rear sets. Total weight showed 14lbs, the adjusters didn't even register a full pound. Maybe 3/4 lb for the adjusters.

My bad....The threaded portion is steel. Only the adjuster ring is aluminum. Been awhile since I looked at them.