Ive had enough...

[Mogobs30th]

I have to drive this car until the Monte Carlo is fixed and I can sell it, and as much as I like driving the car, I HATE racking miles up on it. Its not completely my car, never will be, and I feel that I owe the other owner and explaination as to why Im doing it. BUT.....in the meantime, I cannot drive this car around with it handling like a barge.

What Im looking for is some advice as to what I can do to stiffen the car up a little. I have driven forklifts since 1999, so Im used to something that hits a bump and doesn't move. I want a suspension thats uncomfortable as hell, but grips the road WELL. Im having too many problems with hitting bumps or small holes in the slightest of turns and the car wanting to kick out on me, or the insane amount of body roll I have to deal with. Its seriously not a fun car to drive right now.

Now the catch to all of this is, and the reason why I made a post, is that Im looking for suggestions on suspension parts, upgrades, or whatnot, that I can do to the car and keep it under $500-$600. The car needs new shocks, and needs new rubber bump stops in the rear (if anyone ever had those bump stops disintegrate, you'll know that hitting holes or bumps with the rear is bad, a metal on metal slamming). Other than that, Im just looking to stiffen it up. I just don't want to spend a ton of money right now doing it.

So lets hear some suggestions.

[ACiFiC]

Re: Ive had enough...

What is this car anyways?

[TheGr8Schlotzky]

Re: Ive had enough...

1995 Firebird, look at the sig.

Are the bump stops to be included in the $5-600? I think they run about $75 a set, and at this price range that could drop the possibilities.

My first suggestion would be to swap out your 30mm front bar with a 32mm bar from a SS/WS6. Get one on a V8 board, I picked up mine with energy suspension bushings already on it for $60 shipped. Get ES endlinks and install those as well (~$15). This was a large upgrade that drastically reduced body roll. It may cause a little more under steer than you would like, depending on the rest of the suspension's condition, in which case I would upgrade the rear endlinks and bushings on your 17mm bar to Polyurethane as well. (You may not be able to find the correct bushings for the 17mm bar and have to modify the next best thing).

You could get a set of SLP-spec Bilsteins or Bilstein HDs for around 400 for the set, or you could spend a little less and get some lower quality shocks like KYB gas-a-just for closer to 250 and maybe have a little money left over to get some new stock replacement or used aftermarket springs. (I love my Hotchkis, and they are one of the better performers). Alternately, you could buy some sub-frame connectors and stock replacement shocks which will run you much less.

I'd definitely start with the sway bars though. The bars alone may will make the car much more enjoyable to drive.

[Heywood]

Re: Ive had enough...

Bump stops? Is that what those things are called? I should look at getting a set for my ride. I've littered my friend's driveway with golf ball sized chunks of them falling off my car.

[Mogobs30th]

Re: Ive had enough...

Bump stops? Is that what those things are called? I should look at getting a set for my ride. I've littered my friend's driveway with golf ball sized chunks of them falling off my car.

Its been awhile, but I believe the bump stops are no larger than 2 or 3 inches in diameter, and kinda look like a really big rubber bullet. They're there to stop the rear suspension from going up into itself, its the maximum point for the springs to recoil. Mine fell apart the last time I was under the rear of the car, and Chicago city driving is BAD on it without them.

Now, I am willing to buy any of this used, even the bump stops, but I would prefer those not being too old, as they are rubber and dry rot like crazy. Im looking for brands, types of parts more than anything, and then I can find prices from there, either new or used.

I need new shocks, that I know. I want some decent ones, but Id like to find them used from someone else beforehand, I just can't justify a new set of Bilsteins. As for the springs, im not sure about yet, I don't want the car lowered, if I can find a decent set at stock height, then I might pick them up if I can find them cheap. But the front sway bar is what I was thinking too.

Keep it coming, I have a decent start at what I am looking at now.

[Heywood]

Re: Ive had enough...

They're rubber? oh god i thought they were foam considering the condition mine are in.

[FirebirdGT]

Re: Ive had enough...

Its been awhile, but I believe the bump stops are no larger than 2 or 3 inches in diameter, and kinda look like a really big rubber bullet.

No, the rear are maybe 1.5" wide x 4" long x 2" thick - rectangular. Only place I ever got mine was a dealer.
.

[bigairboarder44]

Re: Ive had enough...

My bump stops were circular, I don't know if they changed them sometime in between the years, but you could do the heater hose mod and that'd cost like $15. I have two extra sets of the round bump stops. No, they're not brand new, but they're not falling apart either.

[Mogobs30th]

Re: Ive had enough...

Yeah, I think I have seen rectangular ones on the '99 me and Tom were tearing down, but I am fairly sure mine were round or circular in shape. I can't be absolute, because the things were literally falling apart when I was under the car last, I think I ripped the whole things off when I grabbed them on accident.

bigairboarder, do you have or can you take pics of the bump stops? The ones you have. If you're willing to sell, I'll buy them.

[bigairboarder44]

Re: Ive had enough...

Sure, I'll PM you some pictures of the better two tonight.

[Mogobs30th]

Re: Ive had enough...

hey Bigair, I got your PM, what those are aren't actually the bump stops, but more like rubber seats for the springs (isolators). I might still need those though.

What I did was take a look under the car tonite, and by all accounts, ONE of the bump stops is still there, and it IS rectangular (there was something else rubber I have ripped off), but the other bump stop is missing a good chunk of it, I think thats where I got the big rubber bullet thing from.

From what I can tell in the rear, the shocks are gone. They're oozing something out of them, not sure what it is. So next on the list will have to be shocks, and probably on all corners. I think when I have the shocks off on the rear, I'll get the springs off as well, clean them up, possibly get those seats from Bigair and maybe even repaint them. But from the looks of it now, the sway bar's rubber pieces are rotted to all hell, some are crumbling. I think a new set of shocks and something done with the rear swaybar and the bushings are in order.

Remember, these pieces are 15 years old, and have seen the worst Indianapolis and Chicago can throw at them with the weather.

[bigairboarder44]

Re: Ive had enough...

Ah, ok. Sorry about the misunderstanding. Just let me know if you want those things.

[Mogobs30th]

Re: Ive had enough...

I will, I know mine are probably shot with the rest of the rubber under there.

[bwkmaro]

Re: Ive had enough...

slp stage 2 springs 1/2 drop and double the stock spring rate.... bad *** 299$http://www.slponline.com/view_product.asp?P=70009
and kyb adjustable front shocks
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/KYB-741034/
then kyb gr-2 rear shocks
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/KYB-343211/
that should make it very nice

[bwkmaro]

Re: Ive had enough...

for about 600$