Hey guys,im hardly ever in this section of tgo but looking for opinions for the gurus here. Currently my car sits nicely with eibach sportline and i have bilstein shocks all around. Im run stock gta wheels with 255.50/16 et streets in the back. Looks great and I have little over an inch fender gap.

The problem is I just recently swtiched to a 4th gen rear from a 94 lt1 camaro and the wider track width is creating a rub on the slicks going over harsh bumps or on hard launches when the car squats.

Im wondering if changing to a higher quality adjustable shock to stiffen the rear will help the car squating too hard and rubbing the tires and keep my lowering springs. i feel as the rear shocks are just too soft currently.

I know some replacement shocks hate to be used with lowering springs..are the adjustable shocks that exist for our cars reliable with a shorter travel setup?

Looking for all advice.Thanks

 

The right thing to do is change your wheel and or roll your fenders... next I would change out to a good set of shocks and struts

 

I plan on rolling my fenders anyway. I'm using bilstein shocks now which are supposed to be a quality shock. If I go to a adjustable shock like Viking or Qa1. Would a stiffer compression or rebound be the best way to prevent such a hard squat...or both?

 

Need more info.
Is this a drag car? Or street?
You say you're still using the stock GTA wheels? What brand of "slicks."
What was your thinking in going with a 4th Gen rear? You have an LQ4 turbo thru T56 to a 10 bolt?!?

Think of the shocks as a timing device - the springs hold the car up.
Lower control arm relocation brackets (LCARB's) should be used. These will help your launches. Since you lowered, are you using an adjustable panhard bar to re-center?

Have any pics of the fender gaps, rear end set-up and suspension components, or vids of what's happening?

 

So its a street/strip car..originally was more street than strip. Now its 50/50. i am using the stock gta wheels front and back, the back Im using mt et street ss tires(255/50/16).

The 4thgen rear was direct replacement for blowing up my stock 9bolt rear and I needed something asap with no modding needed. I found the 4thgen rear locally from a tech member i have met before.

Suspension wise the car is all stock aside from eibach sportline springs and bilstein hd struts/shocks. Its a turbo lq4/t56..ill be putting on lcarbs tomorrow..umi sfcs next friday.i have just over 1.5"of fender gap front and back..which i love the stance lol. i think i should get a adj panhard bar also though the rear seems centered as is. ill take pics tomorrow of the gap..the wheels sit flush with the fenders so when the compression happens on hard bumps..i feel/hear the rear tires rub good.i plan on taking the springs out and putting back on my rubber isolators for the rear springs to help give more gap also.

 

Isolators may help some.
Even the pinion angle can affect.
If you can't afford adj control arms, at least box the stock ones - weld a piece along the length. The stamped steel pieces flex quite a bit. Stock rubber bushings, too? Could be a whole lotta slop, here. You'll need good ones, anyway. If you need bushings, just buy the arms (Founders or UMI).
On the LCARB, just go down one hole at first. Most don't need to go all the way down.
Adj panhard is good to have, especially if you are moving around after launch.

The GTA wheels don't have the correct backspacing, but it sounds like the 4th Gen rear is a stop gap. The MT's are probably a little taller, too. Are you taking air out?

Coilovers are nice, but not necessary. QA1 and Viking are ok - I have RideTech HQ6110 w/#250 - too much for strip. As you mentioned, the shocks' operating range is critical. I can't remember the Eibach lowering range (1"-1.5"?). Stock range is 16" with 13" collapsed and 19.5" extended: so, you would reduce by the amount lowered and then look for a coilover with those new specs. Don't let people tell you that you can adjust them to whatever you want - not true. You can get a 1/2" - lucky to get 3/4". That's it. Otherwise you will be out of the operating range.

Put the SFC's in, get the control arms, new bushings everywhere, LCARB's, add the isolator back in, figure out the proper pinion angle, and then we'll talk shocks & springs. What sway bar size?

 

Thanks Teds,

as youre correctly assuming..everything else suspension wise is stock and the mt tires are taller than the standard tire size 245/50/16. I plan to get adj pan hard and control arms this yr anyway.The sway bars iirc were the largest factory gta sway bars.I real the exact size but the look beefy.

Looks like Ill be putting on my lcarb's and the spring isolator tomorrow for an immediate remedy..and roll my fenders.Eibach sportline is a 1.75" drop front and 1.5 rear I think.I dont plan on using coilovers..but trying to see who makes a better shock with lowered cars I could try out over my existing bilstein.

 

*Fixed*

I was able to put in the isolators an heater hose on the bottom of the spring,combined with the lcarbs put on..brought the car yup a lil over an inch. Took her for a hard drive..no more rubbing. I did an oil change while i was under there also

happy car..hapy owner