bottoming out

[stonny9]

My car bottoms out a lot. When I put 4 people in it including me there is virtually no travel room maybe 1/4 - 1/2 inch and when I floor it it feels like the rear tire might be rubbing the wheel wells. About 45,000 miles ago(not really sure about mileage if anything it is more) a mechanic supposeidly put in shocks that held 100lbs more because we were pullin a trailer. My question is what do I need to replace to keep it from bottoming out shocks and/or springs. i did the bounce thest on my shocks and it didn't bounce. I f I need shocks would you reccomend getting air shocks. Any help is gteatly appreciated because I am a broke teenager living at home.

[RevLimit478]

It sounds like you need new springs, not shocks. Your car won't bounce much because shocks resist the compression/rebound of the springs. Based off of what you've said, you've got some reasonably stiff shocks, hence, no bounce. The springs on any car are what support the load of both the car and the passenger. If your springs are old or have worked an awful lot, the spring rate's probably gotten softer on them. When you combine that with the weight of the people in the car, they compress too much and you'll get bottoming out/rubbing. Your best bet would be to save up for some new springs, stock would be cheaper, but progressive rate aftermarker ones would be better overall. Until you can afford them, limit your number of passengers to one. You can always excuse it by removing your backseat and calling it a weight reduction mod. Besides, unless they're girls, do you really want more than one passenger in an f-body? ;)
By the way, how many miles do you have on your car?

[ September 24, 2003: Message edited by: RevLimit478 ]</p>

[96firebird311]

Check out www.jegs.com and search for air bags, air shocks,etc. They have a couple of solutions for under $100.

[stonny9]

i have 130,000 miles and 99% of the time the passengers are teenage girls like my girlfriend and her friends.
where do/can i get progressive rate aftermarket springs for my car? thanks for ur help

[ September 25, 2003: Message edited by: stonny9 ]

[ September 25, 2003: Message edited by: stonny9 ]</p>

[stonny9]

if i get new springs for the rear should i get them for the front to considering that I have 130,000 miles and also what is the price range for a spring and/or set of springs. Should I get springs from discount I can get them at a huge discount(50% i think) because my brother in law is a mechanic.
I forgot to mention that I wouuld like to get air shocks when the shocks i have on now wear out.

[ September 26, 2003: Message edited by: stonny9 ]</p>

[Arctc Wolf]

for price, stock replacements should work. the rest of the aftermarket are lowering springs w/ stiffer progressive spring rates. the most expensive option would be a coil-over kit, which allows stock ride height, but ur choice of stiffer spring rates.