Fill me in on lowering springs. I have no knowledge on them. Suggestions of brands. Will a one inch drop on the SS cause any problems on speed bumps? Is installing them something you do on your own or how much does it cost to get done? Is there anything you have to buy besides the springs to lower it?

 

i only have experience with the eibach pro-kit that lowers your car 1.2". so far, i'm happy with eibach.

i have scraped sometimes on speed bumps, just got to take it REAL slow over speed bumps now. i was under my car today doing the rear diff fluid and noticed some scrapes on the y-pipe. also have to be real careful with the front fascia, pulling into driveways is now at least a 45 degree operation.

you'll want to have a respected shop do the install, unless you have a spring compressor, which sounds like you don't. springs aren't something to mess with unless you have the right tools and know what you're doing. there's a lot of potential energy stored in a compressed spring...

finally (sorry this took so long) i'll mention some problems i had with tires rubbing. i have the 17x9.5 ZR1 style SS rims with 275's all the way around. i had some rubbing of the right rear tire in the fenderwell when i hit large bumps. some people say lowering your car will make the rear axle come off-center, but i didn't notice that. however that can be fixed with an adjustable panhard rod. anyway, to fix my rubbing problem, i installed SLP jounce bumper spacers. problem solved.

IMO, i think the f-bodies look 100% better about an inch lower. check out the site in my sig, you can see pics before and after lowering.

good luck

 

I just got back from the shop getting my pro kit installed. Looks great and still have alot of ground clearance. I got the springs used for 160 shipped from Janzter, and the install with alignment was 193. My 93 is on the ground with Hyperco and it still rides nice too, although ground clearance is a major concern with it!!

With an LS1 I'd go with the pro kit you want the ground clearance and going any lower you have to watch the car more carefully, but it is livable.

 

I got the Eibach Sportline kit. I think the car looks great, but it is quite low, and in Michigan the roads suck. I just got Bilstein HD valved for lowered cars to help the bounce but it still needs some help. The car sticks really well now, but the rear is hitting the jounce blocks even on hard cornering. I am going to try removing 1/2" of the jounce block and installing a stiffer rear bar. I would go with a 1" drop if I were to do it again, though you probably still would need some new shocks.

Brian

 

Sounds like a hassle. Plus the with my luck everything that can go wrong will. So I think I'll pass on lowering it. I appreciate your responses.

 

Come on, it's not that difficult... well, honestly - it's easy but you'll need to take your time. It takes about 2 hrs one side if you never did it before. You can get the spring compressor from AutoZone (free if you bring it back) ... also at Auto Zone you can get the Camaro Manual for like 15$, the suspension chapter isn't bad. ... you can get the springs from Ebay... all together it'll be around 180$ - 200$ shipped and installed, depending on the springs you want. Stay away from cheap stuff that lowers your car by 2", That's what I got when I tried it the first time. These cheap springs sag a lot and after a few month your car is soft and lowered approx 2.5 inch......the Eibach springs sell for 160$ , just be patient and wait for a good offer...

 

don't get me wrong 99blackSS. i'm very happy with my springs, one of my best mods IMO. all i was trying to stress is that there can be some drawbacks, but all are minimal.

if you like the looks of the lowered f-body, i'd say go for it and don't worry about the few times you're going to scrape. you'll learn to take it easy in driveways or speed bumps.

if you decide to do it, i'd have it professionally done by a speed shop. i paid about $400 for spring/shock install and 4 wheel alignment. it's not cheap, but they'll do it right.

 

I live close to San Jose. Where did you take you car to have it done? Do I have to replace the shocks when I replace the springs?

 

i had it done at speed merchant. i know they're pricey, but i've had nothing but good luck with them. they know what they're doing and very friendly also.

i don't know exactly where you live, but i took mine to the one on lincoln ave, just off san carlos st. close to downtown san jo. i think there's also one on el camino real, but i've never been there, can't vouche for them.

you don't have to do the shocks, but i would highly recommend it. it's a long story, but i had to pull my car out of the shop before they had finished the rear shocks. everything else was done except for the rear shocks. well, for the day i drove it with stock shocks in rear, i could tell the rear was much bouncier than the front. the next day i had the rear shocks put in, and man, what a difference. i went with the bilstein shocks, been ok so far. but i would definitely not stay with the stock shocks combined with lowering springs.

hope this helps.

BTW, new shocks will be pricey... look around on the net to get the best deal. i would not buy the stuff from speed merchant, get it off the net, then have them install it.

 

Shocks are nice to put in but not necessary as long as your stock ones don't have too many miles on them they can handle the 1 inch lowering OK they will be a little more bouncy.

They charged you 400 for labor!!!!!! It is a 2.5 hour job by the book times and a high end alignment is 75 so that is 270.00 job TOPS!! Another option is to do it your self. The rears are literally a 15 minute job it is harder to get the car jacked up and on jack stands than it is to replace the rear springs.

The fronts are REALLY easy with an air ratchet without it some of the bolts can be fiesty. Basically you can take out the assembly with like 8 bolts, take them to a shop and have the new springs installed for like 15-30 and then install the assembly. Then your looking at an alignment for 75.

But the end result is a car that handles better, feels closer to the road and more solid. And looks bad a$$ the stock look is like a freakin 4x4.... sports cars are supposed to be low!!!

If you have any questions on doing it youself I can try to help I've done it like 4 times now. IMHO I wouldn't pay 400 to have it done and I don't mind paying extra for good work but not that much.

 

yeah, i probably paid too much. but for someone like me, it was worth it. i'm always at work. don't really have the time on my hands to tackle a suspension project that i don't really know much about. i know if i take my car there, they know what they're doing and it will get done right. i don't have to worry about my car when it's there. any time i've taken my car somewhere else, they'll usually screw something up (like jacking the car up on the GFX supports!!!!! that's happened like 3 times)

anyway, yeah, like i said it's pricey, but worth it to me.

if i had a lot of free time on my hands, i probably would have done it myself...

 

Oh I hear yah man even though I know how to do it I paid a compentent local guy to do. lucky for me he has killer rates, I think he likes cutting me a deal because of the business I bring him.

Like I said there are some things I would spend more money on for the right shop so I wasn't saying you paid too much even. I just didn't want to guy to go to the first guy and hear a 450 quote and think "that isn't so bad" . But a good private mechanic should charge you only book labor on it and its 2.4 hours the going rates around here are 65-75 an hour that is where I got that figure, it is highly possible that in your area things are higher!
Plus I mean if you went to Lingenfelter I bet 400 would be cheap but I would love for that shop to have my car

I just don't want to scare the guy away from the joys of a lowered car. I 'm going to go drive mine to the 7-11 and get a big gulp right now just "because "

Peace!

 

A friend at school said he paid $250 for parts and labor to lower his Eclipse. He probably didn't use good parts though.

 

I just installed the eibachs on a 2000 Z28...the front sits higher than the REAR!!!! Anyone got a fix for this?

-B

 

Aint that the truth!