I need to be completely schooled on what all is needed when upgrading the front suspension.
For starters, my car is a 1994 Trans Am with stock suspension and 93K miles. I am going to do the whole suspension first and then start building a 4bolt engine for it.

Anyways, what all is involved? I want to stick to BMR products as I have had a ton of success with these parts in the past and can get them for a GREAT price.

I was thinking:
HAL QA1 front shock/spring combo
BMR Tubular K-member
BMR Tubular upper and lower a-arms
BMR front sway bar
BMR Strut Tower Brace

Is it definately a good idea to get new ball joints? Are there any other things I am forgetting that I will need once I go to start installing everything? I know about like the endlinks, bushings etc. but anything else?

Most of my driving will be street driving with the occasional drag strip and autocross sessions.

Thanks

 

I'd rethink the all BMR plan if I were you. I'm not knocking them or suggesting you avoid them completely, but for example the front bar most of us use for autocross is the Suspension Techniques 35mm bar.

 

I understand, but autocross I might do like once a year if that. I would like to eventually get into that. I figured that it would be better to get all the same company's pieces since they should be engineered to work together.

 

I dont think it would matter to mix-match parts with your suspension, most people on her are doing that. Some of the companies parts are similar. As far as autocross goes, the HAL shocks are more of a drag racing shock than an autocross. The best shocks would be re-valved Bilstein's or Koni's, the Hal's are a little softer of a shock. I hear the 35mm ST sway bar is the best bar to use, and as far as k-members, someone else might want to fill in about that, I have heard that some aren't strong enough for autocross/road race/street use.

 

It's a good theory. It just doesn't usually seem to work out that way. For one thing, not everyone has the same goals, competition class rules, etc. For another, some things are sold simply because they're a standard part that everyone thinks they need, not necessarily because they're a good idea. For example, poly/poly rear LCAs.

 

most people think hal's are drag shocks, but they do now make the best product out there i think!! you wont believe what they have done for my impala ss (yes i race it) if you redo the k-member, you will be put in a class at auto-x you dont want to see! the k-member is a light weight item, and thats why most people put it in. figure out just what you want from the car, and go from there. also, the 1le is pretty damn fast at the track!

 

If you are just doing the front suspension right now, and are not worried about spec. class rules then this is how I would personally do it....and kinda how I did it on my car.

First things first, as far as the K-members go, I've had good luck with the PA Racing member that is in my car but I also told them that I planned on road racing the car, so with that said it does have some extra supports and gussets welded onto it. But sometimes it still makes me a little leary. I also do not think it saved that much weight for the cost and the PIA it was to get in the car but it does make plug changes much easier on those back ones. If LG ever gets around to finishing theirs I think it will be a very durable piece.

Control arms. Right now uppers ya got 2 choices, Global west uppers or BMR fully adjustible with rod ends. If you know what your going and know your going to be changing the alignment a lot go for the BMR stuff (I don't think LG has done uppers yet?). Other than that Global seemed to have done their homework on their uppers and they have worked great for me so far.

Lowers, if your going to change them the only ones I have seen that I would put on a full weight street car thats going to see any kind of handling is stock ones with 1LE or poly bushings or the LG Motorsport lowers with rod ends. Not that I have seen any of the others break, its just there is a lot of force and weight on those arms, and most of the other guys like BMR and PA did most of the stuff for drag cars.

Springs/Shocks, I've always said it and I think the only other people that believe me are the ones that have them but I'm going to stick with LG's coil over kits to be about the best handing shock/spring combo out there. You have fully adjustible ride height and weight jacking. The springs (I believe) are the same as used on the world challenge cars. If you need adj. shocks those can be ordered as well, but personally I don't think its needed if your not going to be seriously running the car in a spec. class. I still think the car rides better now than when it was a stock 1LE, but it handles much flatter.

As far as bars go, well AutoX guys are probably going to run a bigger bar than myself but I just run stock 1LE 32/21mm bars front and rear. Other nice thing about those, it came on mine, and I'm sure you can pick up a set pretty cheaply.


Take it or leave it...just my thoughts on it. As far as what I have on my own.
PA K, modified with supports and gussets
stock 1LE lowers
Global uppers
LG coil overs
1LE sway bars

Only things I would change would be going to a LG lower control arm and a rod ended upper that is adjustible. If the Kmember ever bends or (heaven forbid) breaks, then I'll probaby go back to a stock one or look into getting another PA and adding more to it or having LG make one up if theirs isn't out yet.