jump6pack

Okay, I need springs and just got a paycheck. What springs will work for me? Here is what I am looking at but don't knw what will work. I am looking at the eibach pro kit. Want it a little stiffer than now and don't want the bottom taken off on bumps. Is the sport kit lower than the pro? Lots of questions, but I really want to get my 'maro's suspension together.

Thanks 'maro dudes

TomP

I just put a message up about this... either way, the car won't be as low as it would with a v8 motor. So sport might be lower, but you still won't be dragging on the ground. I'm a bit confused between the two; the Proline is supposed to be for performance, sportline for looks- but tirerack.com had a review in which the sportlines were better. Doesn't make sense to me. So I think I'm going with Prolines.

Did you do the PST front suspension rebuild yourself? I want to do that this summer- how bad was it? I've got +232,000 miles on my chassis, and I know those bushings are worn out by now!

redraif

Got a pro kit myself and it was a nightmare. It was for a v-8 though. It jacked up the front 2in and the rear about 1 in from stock ride height. We had to cut off a 1/2 coil in front to get it back to stock height and the rear has settled to stock height. I wanted to be lowered about and inch. I guess I should have gone with teh sport line.

I will say this the springs feel good on the rd. Definately stiffened the ride.

Tell me does this look lowered?

TomP

Is that before the cut or after?

redraif

I wish I had a closer show. Here is one before the springs:

Oops I forgot the pic

redraif

Much better when you post a pic. That other on is hard to tell. Here is one of the rear gap before:

I guess it lowered it a bit:

redraif

It is after the cut

redraif

Here it it in 1989

jump6pack

Wow Raif, what a change! I think that you have done a great job on your car. The pics are after you cut 1/2 spring out of the front? I am trying to find springs that I won't have to cut. I want a level ride, not so worried about the lowness, just want level as a priority.

Tom - I am waiting to get the springs and put everything in at once. I have this stack of boxes in the bedroom that the wife wants out! (PST suspension, KYBs, wonderbar) I have a neighbor that has a Rustang that will be helping me with the front kit. He has done numerous front rebuilds and said that it is easy. I can't joke about his stang, it runs low 11s and he is prepping it for low 10s (it will be there too!)

Thanks for the info, maybe there is a spring out there that will keep it level and lower a small amount. I will keep searching

redraif

My main suggestion would be to get a kit specifically desinged for a v-6 car. I'm not sure Eibach makes one.

Horst

Redraif, i have a question: where did you get your groundeffects?
I'd like to get the same you have, sorry
thanks Horst

redraif

Front/rear gfx are of a 1984 junkyard trans am. Side pieces are off a 92 Z28. The lower pieces on the front and rear are spoilers I flipped and mounted below the gfx. The front is made up of 2 that had to be fit together to match the angle of the bumper.

jump6pack

That is what I have been searching for. Does anyone know of a set made for a V6 82-92? I have searched and found nada! I mean, c'mon, the V6s are the hottest cars out there! (sarcas-o-meter pegged out at max)

Horst

thanks a lot, redraif

Camar_Hunter_c

Last time I checked I could get them for 200ish...

V6 Specific.. 1" 4 corners.

jump6pack

Camar_Hunter_c

V6 specific, is this from Eibach? If not, who is it made by? I am kinda in a hurry here, gotta get them before the wife spends the money!

Horst

I tried 3 sets of coil springs (orig. and after market) for the front cause one broke, but the bird was always higher than before, finaly I cut one ring off (each side)
, headed and bent the end so it fits in the dome exactly.
Now I have one set in reserve, think it's for a 350

jump6pack

Okay, looks like I will do the pro kit and cut half a coil. Redraif, did you cut the top or bottom? Want to make sure that I don't screw somehing up!

Thanks for the info Horst, I may cut more than 1/2 if needed


Thanks all, will let you know how it is and post before and after pics.

Camar_Hunter_c

well if I remember correctly they are by Suspension technologies.

eric17422001

Here's a shot of my fiances '91 RS with too many coils cut, NO travel at all. Proably will get another set of stockers and compare them to the existing springs and cut them half as much. It's miserable to drive this on any long trip as is. Prior owner did the cutting.

Horst

eric17422001, where did you get your groundeffeckts?
, I like them

Horst

eric17422001

They are the stock '91 RS or Z-28 effects, they have scoops in front the rear wheel wells and on the lower part of the nose piece which are hard to see due to the bra and the overexposed picture. Here's another shot.

Eric

Horst

thanks a lot eric, do know if they fit on a firebird too?
Horst

eric17422001

I THINK the sides and rear would fit, but the nose is likely different on a 'Bird. I'm sure someone out there knows the answer to this. Try doing a search under ground effects.

Eric

redraif

The side pieces on my Firebird are the 91-92 RS/Z28 Ground effects. They fit no problem. I just did not add the lower door pieces. I did not have time when I first installed them, and then as time went on I liked them better without the top piece. They look more dramatic with my fx.

Front will not fit, the Camaros nose is shorter.

Not sure about the rear, I would use bird rear gfx though, just to be sure they will fit. There really is not that much difference b/w the rear gfx appearance wise.

redraif

I've heard its a big no-no to cut stock springs. The ride is terrible after. That may be why the ride is so bad on your car. You would still get a bad ride even if you cut less off. I guess it has more to do with the small diameter of the wire in the stock springs. Maybe thats why they ride so horrible when cut.

We were able to cut the Eibachs w/o hurting the ride though.
I wanted to cut some more off mine, but we are going to swap to an V-8 and I did not want to get to carried away and have the car bottom out when the 8 goes in. We do plan to level the car out a bit more though. It seems a bit high in the rear still. Maybe a 1/4 coil?

TomP

Oh, okay, I thought since it was in your sig line, you had installed it. Let us know how the installation goes!

eric17422001

Yup. The ride is terrible, you just get launched out of the seat on those overpasses and dips. Not to mention it's so low the GFX are all torn up on front. I think the stock springs would be all right cut if they weren't cut so far. I just have too many projects right now and until we combine households (she lives in Virginia, I in Savannah) the car is not availible for me to work on.

Eric

89camaroRSV6

did u own that car since 1989 ..wow

redraif

Yep. I got the car for my 15th birthday. Though I could not drive him outside of parking lots till I was 16. I had to prove myself on our old Skylark first. He has been my daily driver ever since.

jump6pack

REDRAIF - Did you lop off the top or the bottom portion of the springs? Want to know before I start-a-cuttin!

redraif

My boyfriend cut them for me. He will call me about 2p today. I will ask and let you know. I was working on some wiring when he cut the springs.

jump6pack

Thanks REDRAIF, look forward to seeing what part to cut!

redraif

We think it was the top he cut. He said he cut the none tapered end. To make the spring flat so it seats well, there is one end that the coil wire is leveled by tapering it. He cut the other end.

Brian K

So slicing half a coil off my stock springs is a bad idea.. I was looking for something different and if it sucked I would always buy new.. Plus I only drive it on the weekends now...

redraif

I've heard people who have done it have regretted it.

The following is what I have learned about suspension.

I think the stock springs aren't stiff enough to compensate. They are too springy. They rely on their height more to control the rate and amount of up and down travel. If you take away the height they rely on to function the car is going to bottom out and ride rough. not to mension the fact that at the age our cars are the springs are more than likely worn out anyway.

I know on my stock springs over railroad tracks were like sliding down stairs on your butt. Very jarring. The Eibach springs are tighter in that the car does not go up and down as much, but they are also softer feeling. No jarring on tracks anymore. Its because they are progressive. They are able to compensate by not allowing the car to travel as far. They get stonger the more the are condensed, so they create a more floaty effect. Less up and down to the end of spring travel.

On top of that, the wire that makes up the coil is so much larger in diameter than stock springs.