would this be a good suspension setup?

[Dojo2000]

just changed out my rear shocks with Monroe gas-matics (had to do it, there was over 100,000 mi on the stock deCarbons - got two monroe's for $28; i work at sears -- woulda had to pay the $25 plus S&H for the take-offs from SLP.) but n e ways i was going to go with Suspension Techniques springs(~1.3 in drop), the monroe gas-matics in the rear and take-off deCarbons in the front(monroes are $79 at sears), and then 1LE sway bars in front and rear. how does that setup sound? i've been reading some of these new posts about oversteer/understeer and spring+shock combos and i'm getting a little worried that this setup might do more harm than good. any advice or comments would be appreciate. thanx.

[img]graemlins/burnout.gif[/img]

[RamAir95TA]

I'm assuming you'll be setting up for the strip? Lowering springs can hurt your 60' times because the weight transfer will be much less. Instead of swaybars get a set of LCA's, torque arm bushing and a poly tranny mount. That should set you up nicely for 1/4 mile.

[Dojo2000]

sorry bout that, no just a street setup

[img]graemlins/burnout.gif[/img]

[ February 19, 2002: Message edited by: Dojo2000 ]</p>

[DominusEtDeusNatus]

I changed alot of things at once so I can't comment on the sway bars alone. All I know is that 1LE sway bars and 1LE springs/shocks(decarbons) are amazing. I took some turns that I seriously though I wasn't going to make, but it kept the car flat and very controlable. Get the sway bars definitely. I'm still wondering if the sway bars helped or was it mostly the poly bushings/endlinks. I had to really look closely to tell the difference in size. 32mm versus 30mm. I had to measure them to make sure I got the 1LE not regular. It's only a measly 2mm and such a huge difference. And I still got all season tires on. Can't wait to put good tires on there.

If you're going to go with lowering springs, then get a shock meant to handle one. The springs will be severly underdamped. You hit a bump and the spring compresses. You have energy stored in the spring now, and it will recoil. If you can't damp the recoil, you end up floating all over the place with a severe lack of control. It will shock the tires loose.

I know the z28 decarbons can't control lowered springs. Plus they will wear out much faster. You'll need revalved Bilsteins or Konis.

[V6Bob]

The antiroll bar stiffness increases as the fourth power of the diameter (DXDXDXD) so the measly 2mm difference translates to about 30% stiffer. In addition, the front springs also resist roll and they're about 30%(?) stiffer also, so you've increased roll stiffness 60% at the front. Big difference. The bushing/endlinks are trivial by comparison.

You've increased it by much more at the rear, so you may have some oversteer. Be careful out there, particularly on slippery pavement.

[DominusEtDeusNatus]

Oh I see. Damn math has me again.

Anyway, I tried to force oversteer and it was definitely beyond the speed limiter. I need to find some tigher highway exits with trees far far away.

35mm bar is going in once I get better tires. Right now I have GAs. :(

That would be 85% more stiffness over stock and 43% over current one. NICE!!! :D

You can ask Magnus about me and cornering. I did a 180 going around a turn with him in the car. That was with the V6 setup. It fared better this time around. That turn is famous now. :D

[ February 19, 2002: Message edited by: Dom ]</p>