Frustrated.
#1
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Car: 1984 Trans Am Recaro Edition
Engine: 355 L98 Vortec 226/234 custom cam
Transmission: TKO-600
Axle/Gears: On borrowed time...
Frustrated.
Just got back from a local mechanic. I had my tranny fluid changed and also wanted to get a look see under the car while it was on a lift.
I have been leaning towards a near if not complete resto of the suspension system. The car has 56k and was driven in California, so winters were never an issue (nor will they be as long as I own it)
I asked the mechanic that I was thinking about adding sfc's and he said. These cars pretty much suck anyway and adding sfc's won't help. I smelled BS.
I also asked him about new sway bars, springs, struts and he said... It won't matter, the car only has 56k miles you really don't need that...again, I smelled BS
I need to find a good speed shop.....
So I came across these guys,they are only 10 minutes away.
http://schwartzperformance.com/
I plan on a visit soon... I really do not know enough about this hobby to go about it as smart as I would like, so hooking up with some hot rod pros seems logical...
I have been leaning towards a near if not complete resto of the suspension system. The car has 56k and was driven in California, so winters were never an issue (nor will they be as long as I own it)
I asked the mechanic that I was thinking about adding sfc's and he said. These cars pretty much suck anyway and adding sfc's won't help. I smelled BS.
I also asked him about new sway bars, springs, struts and he said... It won't matter, the car only has 56k miles you really don't need that...again, I smelled BS
I need to find a good speed shop.....
So I came across these guys,they are only 10 minutes away.
http://schwartzperformance.com/
I plan on a visit soon... I really do not know enough about this hobby to go about it as smart as I would like, so hooking up with some hot rod pros seems logical...
#2
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Car: 14 scion tc/91 camaro rs
Engine: 2.5/ 360 pooch
Transmission: 6spd man/th350
Axle/Gears: na/2.73
Re: Frustrated.
If the car rides good then i can agree on not needing shocks springs sway bars, now you could replace the sway bar bushings and from what everyone says on here sfc work miracles.
#3
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Car: 1989 GTA
Engine: SuperRam 350
Transmission: Pro Built S/S TH700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: Frustrated.
I asked the mechanic that I was thinking about adding sfc's and he said. These cars pretty much suck anyway and adding sfc's won't help. I smelled BS.
I also asked him about new sway bars, springs, struts and he said... It won't matter, the car only has 56k miles you really don't need that...again, I smelled BS
My car has 55,000 miles right now and it's 5 years newer than your car. My original struts/shocks seemed "fine" when they were in the car. But putting new ones in made a huge difference.
When the original struts/shocks came out, I could compress them by hand fairly easily. The new ones took putting a towel over the end of the bar and then putting all my weight on them to make them budge.
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Car: 1984 Trans Am Recaro Edition
Engine: 355 L98 Vortec 226/234 custom cam
Transmission: TKO-600
Axle/Gears: On borrowed time...
Re: Frustrated.
I think I should have been more clear about my intentions.... I do want the car to handle better than it does now, not just be good enough. It just doesn't seem to have that "ride on the rails" feeling that I remember from my S/E 20+ years ago.
Kind of surprised to hear the mechanic say that SFC's wouldn't make a difference when there are so many testimonies on this site about its actual effectiveness..
Kind of surprised to hear the mechanic say that SFC's wouldn't make a difference when there are so many testimonies on this site about its actual effectiveness..
#5
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Re: Frustrated.
IMO you want to know the 28 year old suspension is still reliable / performing then go for the add ons like SFC and wonderbar. Bushings still intact / not deformed? Rust/wear inside the ball joints? Holds an alignment? Susp rebuilds are not expensive and a great DIY project. There is a lot of good advice here to help.
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Car: 1984 Trans Am Recaro Edition
Engine: 355 L98 Vortec 226/234 custom cam
Transmission: TKO-600
Axle/Gears: On borrowed time...
Re: Frustrated.
IMO you want to know the 28 year old suspension is still reliable / performing then go for the add ons like SFC and wonderbar.
Cool. I will plan on that. SFC's for sure.. Is the wonder bar a replacement or an add on?
[/B] Bushings still intact / not deformed?
Rubber bushings look brittle... Is there a package deal somewhere to get all the replacement bushings you need? I would like to get it all done....how do you know if the original sway bars need replacing?
Rust/wear inside the ball joints?
Hard to tell
Holds an alignment?
Tends to veer right during a WOT launch
Susp rebuilds are not expensive and a great DIY project. There is a lot of good advice here to help.
Cool. I will plan on that. SFC's for sure.. Is the wonder bar a replacement or an add on?
[/B] Bushings still intact / not deformed?
Rubber bushings look brittle... Is there a package deal somewhere to get all the replacement bushings you need? I would like to get it all done....how do you know if the original sway bars need replacing?
Rust/wear inside the ball joints?
Hard to tell
Holds an alignment?
Tends to veer right during a WOT launch
Susp rebuilds are not expensive and a great DIY project. There is a lot of good advice here to help.
Thanks!
#7
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Re: Frustrated.
wonderbar is an add on. Moog is a trusted brand here w/ lifetime warranty. Ebay has a suspiciously cheap complete set but scary to me. I did Moog across the board. I don't think sway bars need replacing unless rusted out or damaged. However the end links will rust together and the bushings deform. In bad cases it will elongate the hole in the LCA which you don't see until disassembly.
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Car: '89 Firebird
Engine: 7.0L
Transmission: T56
Re: Frustrated.
I need to find a good speed shop.....
So I came across these guys,they are only 10 minutes away.
http://schwartzperformance.com/
So I came across these guys,they are only 10 minutes away.
http://schwartzperformance.com/
If your lowering springs are like mine, then the back springs go in by hand just by putting the back of the car on safety stands and allowing the axle to go to full droop. You might have to go a little ape on the old spring to get it out. The front springs can be installed by putting a floor jack under the control arm. Just put the spring in the pocket and jack up the arm until you can bolt the shock in place.
My long travel drag springs are pure hell to install. The installation instructions for those include cuss words.
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