Looking for inexpensive, but noticeable suspension mods

[Camarorulz]

I don't know much at all about suspension mods, and I'm looking to make my car handle better. The way the car handles stock is just not responsive enough or flat enough for me anymore. I want to improve the overall performance of the car, not just straight line acceleration. I have an auto, so I'm not looking to do autoX or anything. Could anyone recommend some good suspension mods for me. I had these in mind.

Lowering springs for flatter cornering (Eibach, Hal maybe)

new shocks (Hal,Bilstein,etc.)

sway bars

LCAs (I'll need these for drag racing anyway, cause my traction sucks balls.)

Feel free to suggest other mods, please!

What I want to see is a noticeable improvement so I don't have to worry about taking corners too fast. My car handles very consistently, but sways quite a bit through corners. I'm tired of this. Also, how hard are these to install. I don't want to try to find a shop to do my installations, I'd rather just do the stuff myself. What tools would I need?

Thanks in advance.

[John_D.]

Sway bars and lca's are easy to install. Sway bars will definitely help the sway. Lca's will help if you have wheel hop.

Front springs and front shocks are a lot more involved, as far as do-it-yourself. (and more expensive)

I did sway bars a year ago and was very pleased with the results on the street. I did springs and shocks a week ago for autocross.

[Camarorulz]

how long did it take you to install your sway bars, what tools did you use? should they come with instructions?

[Dominic]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Camarorulz:
how long did it take you to install your sway bars, what tools did you use? should they come with instructions?<hr></blockquote>

You need a 13mm wrench, 13mm socket, 9/16" wrench and socket, 3/8" drive ratchet, some rhino ramps, about 2hrs of time, and patience. It helps to have a friend hold the bar in place too.

They don't normally come with instructions, but each bar is held on with 4 bolts + 2 endlinks. Its extremely straightforward [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Arctc Wolf]

SFC's(140), STB(100), swaybars(200 w/ bushings), LCA's(140).

[Dominic]

LCAs and Swaybars, Shocks, and Springs... those are all very noticeable.

I havent tried SFCs so I dont know, I've heard mixed reviews, but I want some [img]smile.gif[/img]

[6birds]

1LE sway bars rock! It is the only suspension mod I have done, and probably will need to do. When I got my 02 Bird I was surprised that it handle like a wet sponge. I did research and decided to go with the 1LE front and rear bars. I paid about $200 from gm parts direct for the bars and endlinks. I then took the car to my friendly dealer and had them installed for $80. The tech that put them on came into the waiting room and said it was like a totally different car now. Handled better than his Trans Am. He took the part numbers and ordered them for his car. There are those on this board that will tell you just bars are a bad idea. Maybe if you are autocrossing they are. But if what you want is a more responsive turn in and flatter cornering, this is the ticket in my opinion. I am no kid, I am 38 years old and would never do anything to my car that had ANY negative effects. I am nothing but happy with these bars.

[chas]

i like the slp sfc's. they hang a bit lower than everything else. when i bottom out on speed bumps i tend to hit the sfc's not the car's frame.

[chas]

i like the slp sfc's. they hang a bit lower than everything else. when i bottom out on speed bumps i tend to hit the sfc's not the car's frame.

[V6Bob]

"There are those on this board that will tell you just bars are a bad idea. Maybe if you are autocrossing they are. But if what you want is a more responsive turn in and flatter cornering, this is the ticket in my opinion. I am no kid, I am 38 years old and would never do anything to my car that had ANY negative effects. "

I simply disagree about the 21 rear, and I'll tell you exactly why.

The flatter cornering and more responsive turn in are almost entirely due to going from a 28 front to a 32 front. That's most of what you're feeling.

While the car feels great in ordinary driving, you have caused negative effects on the _emergency_ handling. A sudden swerve, particularly in the wet, can cause the rear to snap around. Even a pro is more likely to get out of an emergency better if the rear doesn't come around.

If you just went to a smaller rear, you'd get back the emergency handling at a small cost. The small cost is that in ordinary driving the car will feel just a bit more stable.

It's a simple and unavoidable tradeoff. A big rear bar feels a bit more responsive in ordinary driving but does not handle as well in an emergency.

"It is the only suspension mod I have done, and probably will need to do."

If you put on better shocks, you'd improve handling in all circumstances. They're the one true win-win.

[Camarorulz]

Thanks for the input everyone. V6Bob: you're saying that sway bars alone will actually make the car unsafe in an emergency situation? Can anyone else verify this?

[AllTheGoodNamesAreGone]

"V6Bob: you're saying that sway bars alone will actually make the car unsafe in an emergency situation? Can anyone else verify this?"

bob is full of it.. dont worry.. get your sway bars.. be happy.. it wont make it UNsafe..

~Bill

[V6Bob]

Here's what I'm saying. It's just my amateur opinion, but it's based on some knowledge and some experience. People can read it, and make their own decisions. I'm not trying to put anyone down or win an argument or show everyone how smart I am. I'm trying to help people, especially those who say they don't understand suspension. I understand suspension a little.

I'm not disagreeing with the people who have gone from stock bars to 32/21s and say they feel great. I'm just saying a smaller rear bar than a 21 is a better choice. I'm saying that, on stock V6 springs, a smaller rear bar than the 21 will make the car handle better when you are near the limits of traction, either in competition or in an emergency or in wet weather. And I'm saying that mostly people feel the front bar change and a smaller rear will roll about the same and feel similar to the 21 in normal driving, just a bit more stable.

[ June 22, 2003: Message edited by: V6Bob ]</p>

[Dominic]

Listen to V6Bob, he is right concerning the bars. By stiffening the rear, you're just asking for oversteer, and yes in some situations it could mean you wrecking your car.

I might eventually change to a 19mm rear bar on mine in the future, just to see for myself. Right now I have no problems with my 32/21 setup, and it works really well for me even in autocross (even in autocross in the wet believe it or not), but I haven't taken my car out at highspeed and tried to do emergency maneuvers with it [img]smile.gif[/img] .

The 32mm front bar IMO is a must. The rear bar, I'd say go 19mm for safety and cost. Bigger is not always better. I haven't had any problems with my 21mm rear bar, but I can't say its the best, its simply better than stock for what I do and how I drive.

For what its worth though, I did my bars one day at a time, and I noticed the most difference when I swapped my rear bar.

[ June 22, 2003: Message edited by: Dominic ]</p>

[PewterBird]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Dominic:
Listen to V6Bob, he is right concerning the bars. By stiffening the rear, you're just asking for oversteer, and yes in some situations it could mean you wrecking your car.

I might eventually change to a 19mm rear bar on mine in the future, just to see for myself. Right now I have no problems with my 32/21 setup, and it works really well for me even in autocross (even in autocross in the wet believe it or not), but I haven't taken my car out at highspeed and tried to do emergency maneuvers with it [img]smile.gif[/img] .

The 32mm front bar IMO is a must. The rear bar, I'd say go 19mm for safety and cost. Bigger is not always better. I haven't had any problems with my 21mm rear bar, but I can't say its the best, its simply better than stock for what I do and how I drive.

For what its worth though, I did my bars one day at a time, and I noticed the most difference when I swapped my rear bar.

[ June 22, 2003: Message edited by: Dominic ]<hr></blockquote>


I will have to support dom and v6bob, on this, I have done lots of research on this board and other boards, these guys know their ****.

Another reason to get a 19mm rear bar, is that on the 98 + cars.

Stock it is a 28mm front, and 15mm rear. If you got to a 32mm/19mm upgrade, then that is an even 4mm increase in front and back. That will keep the understeer/oversteer ratio closer to stock.

If you increase the rear to 21, then that is a 6mm increase. That will cause the ratio to shift to more oversteer, and that is what makes the car feel more responsive, and thus more dangerous.

Personally I haven't upgrade yet, but I would do the 32mm/19mm combo. I keeps the balance truer to stock config, but stronger.