cdb95z28

I`ve drag raced my 95 Z28 since new. I now want my handling back (begone Koni drag shocks!) I still have the DeCarbons, but I`m looking for something a little better(Bilsteins/Koni single or double adj.) I have a set of Eibachs that I bought a few years back and they are going back on. I`m also open to new anti-sway bars. This is mostly a street driven car, but I want to try some twistys at BeaveRun(near Pittsburgh, PA) or VIR.
Thanks!!

`95 Z28 Polo Green ordered and bought brand new
M6 w/ stock clutch/drill mod
Currie 9" 4.11 Detroit Locker
Lingenfelter 3.5" driveshaft
stock brakes and 16x8 wheels still wearing GSCs
Hotchkis Panhard bar and trailing arms
Spohn adj. relocated torque arm
stock short block LT1 W/AFR 190cc/Ferrea valves
Comp Xtreme 230/236/112 Solid Roller
Hooker LT/Random dual Cats/Borla
12.04@120/ 1.76 60` poor M&H racemasters

Tom R.

when i had my rx7 convertible i was talking to a tuner about improving the performance. i mentioned that i wanted it to perform like a boxster. the expert politely suggested i buy a boxster.

my 944S2 with konis was stolen in september and replaced by my 93 Z28. i want my handling back too, but my mechanic doesnt want to learn any more german and doesnt want me hanging around any more.

here is my experience with my z28. i bought the car in september with 32k miles and the PO installed SLP's eibachs, and Doug Rippie's revalved bilsteins. with the 17" rims the rear was dispraportionately stiffer, and the handling suffered. it seems Rippie uses a stiffer rear shock and softer rear spring than SLP. end result with 17" rims was the rear was too stiff, very poor ride, and unpredictable handling. Even with 5-7lbs more pressure in the front the ride wasnt balanced.

While trying to isolate which item i should change i switched back to the 16" wheels. this neutralized the handling and made the ride bearable.

The car now has dunlop winter sport m2 snow tires 225//16 and the car handles better than it did with near new BFG Comp TA Zrated 275/20/17. there is less understeer, i can take sweepers faster, more securely. go figure.

I learned there are a lot of eibachs that fit our cars. check the rates on yours before you buy shocks.

in summary, check which eibachs you have and get the shocks that are valved to work in harmony with your springs and wheels. mine didnt with 17s.

Sandman_97Z

I have the Bilstein HD shocks (non-SLP) and the Eiback Pro-kit...and I love it. This is how the car should have come from the factory.

For a daily driver (mine is), the cost, and performance, this setup is what I'd recommend....

By the way, 17x9 inch wheels and 275/40zr17 tires are a must...

Tom R.

sandman.
im glad you are having better luck with the 17s than i did. just sold mine on ebay.

Sandman_97Z

not to threadjack, but what didnt you like about them?

bruecksteve

Tom, it sounds like your springs (combined with shocks) are your problem. I've never heard of anyone complaining about 17" wheels. Not only that, but your rear bar is way too large for a 32mm front bar. I use a 21.5 rear bar with my 35mm front and some people consider that marginal. Sounds like too much rear stiffness. If I'm correct, your rear springs start at 115# and progress to 185# which is WAY too much IMHO. I use 125# non-progressive springs in the rear and that is plenty.

BigRich

sell the eibachs and get coil over fronts

i have the prokit and koni SA on 94Z28, 255 16s, 1LE F sway

friend has 99SS coil over fronts (Strano), v6 springs rear, Koni DA, 275 17s, 35mm F sway

while he has bigger tires and sway bar, our shock rebound settings are almost identical...i drove his car on fun runs and it feels WAY better than mine

my eibachs get a bouncy feeling in transitions, i think from the progressive spring rate

Sandman_97Z

I disagree.

My instructor, who has been racing F-Bodies at AutoX for years, said that my car was one of the most balanced F-Bodies he had ever driven.

I am telling you...Bilstein HD's and the Pro-Kit are the way to go...especially when you consider the cost of this setup compared to a Coil-over setup...

Just my opinion i guess

Tom R.

Steve,
I agree 100% with what you wrote. It took me a few months to figure out exactly what the PO did to my car. He bought parts from a catalogues. i may be a mm too big i took my measurements using a vice grip and converted them to metric then checked the web site. who knows for sure what brand bar is on my car. i dont have the receipts, just the POs statements (and hotchkis stamped on some parts)

For the six or eight autocrosses a year I will be using crappy rubber on salad shooters until a friend from PCA gives me a set of hand me down Rs.

My post was more of a warning to make sure the parts match before putting them in. Im pretty sure if my cars PO put in SLPs bilsteins my handling problem wouldnt have been as bad, or even non existant with the 17s.

Thats the problem with these cars that I didnt have with my porsche. there are a lot more choices!

I sold my chrome ZR1 SLP 17" rims on ebay, they go out today. I got a set of 16" five spoke firebird take offs from SLP with new (5 miles use) goodyear rubber from SLP that should be on its way. I have my snows mounted on 16" 10 spoke camaro rims. for a commuter car this addict happy. until i get the bug for my next fix.

Sam Strano

You need shocks. Shocks, and good ones, are a huge part of making the 4th gen respond the way we want. Realize that spring rate can mimic shocks in SOME ways by making response quicker. But they also make tire compliance less, and you can run into a lack of damping with shocks too weak to control the springs.

The reason Sandman likes regular HD's with his Pro-kits is this: LT1 pro-kits are a bunch stiffer than LS1's. This helps cover the lack of rebound in the regular HD valving, making the car transition decently well. If he drove a car with Revalved shocks or say Koni's, he'd notice a difference. Also, shocks do not effect the steady state balance of car. It's good the car is balanced, but this is not really anything to do with the damping.

MrBigXL. The difference you are seeing from your car to your friend's is due to the roll stiffness of the swaybar, not the springs. The average rate of the coil-overs I use most of the time is pretty similar to an LT1 Pro-kit (just not progressive). The sway bar is WAAAAYYYY bigger though, which lessens the roll, and makes the car feel less soft (because it is transitionally). FWIW.

And cdb95z28..... I'm not more than 1.5-2 hrs. up the road.... small world.

BigRich

ok thanks. i may be calling soon

his car also has like 3/4" more ride height than mine

DT

First off replace all of the bushings, it will make a difference if you still have the oe 1995 bushings. Koni/bilsteins are great depending on your spring rates and sway bar size is tough to get right, i bet someone on here can guide you. Camber plates are nice too if you get them.

Sam Strano

Ahhh.... there aren't camber plates for the 4th gen.
Can't make use of them because of the double a-arm/coil-over shock arrangement. You could tilt the shock 45 degrees, and it wouldn't effect camber.

Tom R.

I came back from my wrench a little while ago. We used his micrometer to measure the sways. I have 32/21, 1 1/4, (3/4-7/8) and a different panhard rod. thats all he was willing to look at tonight after moving the front abs wire that was rubbing.

Steve,
does that make more sense? I guess I have a level one/1LE setup.

Now I think I see why Sam recommends different shocks for the rear. I think I fit into that category. gotta search the archives.

cdb95z28

To all , thanks for the info. I knew I would get some direction.