Hi. I have a 1993 Camaro Z28 with all stock suspension. The car has 174,XXX miles and I would really like to upgrade the suspension a bit. What are the first things to do to a suspension?? I don't want to start off with something that won't benefit me because I don't have another part first. I know I will have replace the springs and struts, especially since the rear of the car likes to bottom out.

I already have Z28 front springs and 1LE rear springs. Are these good enough for good handling and ride?? I was looking at a set of Hotchkis springs.

Sorry for all the questions. Any help you can give me will be much appreciated. Thank you.

Carlos

 

I guess the first thing people will want to know is what will the car be used for? If youre looking for handling etc I hear Sam Strano can get you on the right track. As for straight line I went with adj lca's, adj phb, sfc's, and in a couple of days I'll have c/e adjustable rear shocks, and a poly bushing for the tq arm until I can upgrade to a UMI. I also hope to have qa1 dragr shocks and springs for the front next month. Mabey after that ill get a rear drag bar. If that doesnt get me down the track straight nothing will. I'm also using 315/35/17 drag radials on a 17x11 rim.

 

Well, I want the car to have more of a handling characteristic. I was thinking springs, shocks, all bushings, and sway bars.

 

If handling is a goal you can't go wrong with the Eibach pro-kit springs and Bilstein shocks. The car will drive like it is on a rail.

QA-1's are a little more money but give you ride height adjustability.


Look up your year and model here.

http://www.shox.com/appguide/shoxshop/

Adjustable control arms and panhard rod are not necessary on a street vehicle near stock horsepower. If you start fast with this vehicle you'll appreciate the LCA lowering brackets especially if you go with a lowering spring. They make a huge difference to the amount of wheel spin. The transmission mount should be replaced as should the torque arm bushing and the control arm bushings with poly. Energy suspension is best as far as I am concerned.

Rick

 

So springs and shocks are good starting points. What's next? Sway bars, LCA's, LCA lowering brackets???

Is the Eibach Pro Kit and the Bilsteins the setup you have in your car Rick?? I had Bilsteins on my mind too. But the springs seem to be tricky.

 

I had those until I replaced the fronts with the QA-1's for drag racing and a drag spring. I could take a corner near our home that was about 50 degree turn at near 90, stuck to the road like glue.


I do not drive the car on the street anymore. LCA's really don't do much unless you need the adjustablity for tall tires. On a drag car you can have the stock ones boxed for strength by welding a top plate on them but not necessary on a street driven car. The weld-on LCA lowering brackets are really needed to create more downward pressure on the rear tires during acceleration. I don't think the sway bars help at all unless you plan on auto-x. SFC's will really help prevent flex in the body.

http://www.thunderracing.com/

has some good information and I 've bought from them many times.

Rick

 

Thanks Rick I will definitely keep what you said in consideration. Right now the car is stock but I do plan to modify it, but like I said before, I want handling more than drag characteristics.

Carlos

 

with 174xxx miles i think the first step is bushings all the way around (unless you're going to spend some serious money and replace a-arms, controls arms etc) after bushings look into shocks, while ur doing shocks is the best time to do springs

 

Yeah. Bushings is definetely a must do and I will be doing that through either a Energy Suspension Hyperflex Kit or Spohn Total Bushing kit.

Carlos

 

The VERY FIRST thing that should be done to the car is Sub frame Connectors! You will IMMEDIATELY feel the difference with those installed. I can't stress enough.
Next I'd do springs/shocks/struts. Then go from there....you can replace the bushings with Poly, do a Moog front end rebuild, then go after tubular LCA's, relocation brackets, PHR, wonderbar, torque arm etc.....

- Joel

 

Sub Connectors?? Forgot to even consider that. Well even if I could do that item first I can't because it's a must that I replace the springs and struts simply because my car bottoms out the rear. Bushings need to be done too I think because they are 174,XXX mile old. I guess what I should get next might after all the basic maintenance would be an SFC then whatever else?

 

At 175K your shocks are definitely a candidate for replacement. With stock springs, Bilsteins are a good choice. With stiffer springs, revalved Bilsteins or Konis are preferable.
After that I would check the condition of the front lower a arm bushings, they may be shot. I would replace them with OEM type Moog bushings, not poly. I would go with aftermarket LCAs and PHB in the rear instead of rebushing the stockers.
Beyond that, Sam Strano's hollow swaybars would be my first mod.

 

Thanks for the responses everyone. BUD M, why wouldn't you go with poly in the A-arm bushings? And what about the SFC??

 

With that many miles on stock shocks that should be the first thing you worry about. After shocks/Springs and new bushings I would look into subframe connectors. As said before a eibach and bilstein combination would work out perfect for what you want. Just a word of advice though, when changing the front shocks you might want to order the upper shock mount to have it, because I am sure with 175k miles they are going to be pretty much welded onto the stock shock...

 

Two reasons I would use the stock type bushing: the caster bushing needs be flexible, not a strong point of polyurethane, and it can't be lubed so I would expect squeaks.
As far as SFCs, they would be further down on my list. I'd do swaybars, rear LCAs and PHB first. And 17" wheels.