So with winter in full swing I decided to tackle my brakes and suspension on my 89 Trans Am before doing anything to make it go faster. I am using BMR suspenion stuff to keep stuff matching. My issue I am having is the on the front. I am using the BMR lower arms with the BMR lowering springs and thinner than stock spring isolators. I am still using the stock spindles and WS6 sway bar with updated bushings and links. Everything bolted up nicely and looks great. After putting the wheels back on and lowering the car on some shop dolleys, bouncing the car, turning it lock to lock and doing as much as I can without driving to settle the front end is still sitting just as high as it did with the stock spings and arms. Anyone else have these issues with lowering springs from BMR or in general? I mean if this was a super common issue I'm sure BMR or others would know and correct it. anyone have thought or suggestions from here? I am not a hack so cutting these springs or the factory ones is not an option.

 

I would just leave it be until you can drive around the block and see if it settles more.

My car sat really screwy after BMR k-member, A-arms, and Hotckis springs. One side was a lot higher than the other. It stayed like that for a couple drives and then somehow corrected itself while the engine was being tuned at the speed shop. Can't explain it but I'm happy it did.

Cutting springs isn't hack, it's just changing the spring properties. Cutting springs and then later learning you didn't need to.... well, that's a bit hack, LOL

 

Everybody with a home built car has done something hack, we just don't talk about it in public

Maybe we should start a hack confession thread where we all admit to what we did

 

My conern is that it sits as high as the stock springs where, so not sure it will settle that much. On the rear I can for sure see a difference. I am not a fan of the poopy diaper look or what some call the Carolina lean. I really want a level even sitting car. If there was going to be any rake I would want it in the back.

As for the at home hacks I have been there and done them, this car has tsome for sure. I am trying to fix those "hacks" as ! work on different areas of the car. I am older now, a bit better off and dont need to rely on this car as a daily like I might have needed 20+ years ago in high school so I feel like I want to do everything I can to it the right way

 

Did you ensure the front springs were nested correctly in the A-Arms? If they are not indexed (where the end of the coil sits in the pocket) they will sit higher. However the flip side of this is that your stock springs were old and worn out. Its not uncommon for folks to post on here that their lowering springs didn't seem to lower only to find out their stock springs sagged a few inches over the decades since it was new.

 

Here is my car prior to doing any of the brake or suspension work and it already say too high in the front. And yes, I did make sure it was clocked correctly.

 

You just don't know until it goes for a drive. If you're still working on the car then the springs are something you can circle back to at the end. No big hurry, easy to change springs any time.

I know my car sat very low on the front after installing BMR K-member and A-arms. Like really low. I didn't mention it earlier because it's the opposite problem you're having. I had to install weight jacks so I could raise the front and stop all the guessing. But weight jacks are stiff as heck so that has its own set of drawbacks too.

 

^He's right. I put springs in an f-bod decades ago and I was crushed when I lowered it, and it was as "tall" as before. Got to drive it around a little.

We should totally do that. Some may laugh...others may learn of some hacks that weren't really hack (they worked).

 

Also, did you wait to tighten the control arm bolts until after there was weight back on the wheels? This can affect the ride height as well.

 

Yes, I waited to fully tighten everthing till I had the car down on all 4 wheels. Like I said before I have the car sitting on a set of shop car moving dolleys to allow for the settle before driving it and to eyeball my alignment before bring it to work to align it properly.