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shocks and springs on 4th gen

nemesis

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Aug 28, 2007
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chitown
i need to get shocks and springs for the t/a need some thing with good ride and handling. im looking for something that doesn't put a hole in my wallet. i know QA1 and koni are good but that's too much. how are the bilstein shocks? the price is good. as for springs i want the standard (not lower) springs. i can't seem to find any good springs that i like. the only one i found that might be ok was strano spring but i think it's lower 1-1.25"
 

The Beast

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May 24, 2004
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On my hawk I have koni 3 way adj and Strano springs 1.25-1.5 drop and the ride is very smooth and handles well. I highly recommend Strano springs and customer service is top notch. Can't complain about the koni they are awesome. I had a SS with bilsteins and the ride was awful. Never figured if it was the shocks, struts or just worn out springs or tires, but the tires looked new.
Here is a pic on 18's CCW

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My favorite pic

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^ the money shot

Whatever u do do not buy eibach springs
 

YoushallgoFo

TCG Elite Member
Dec 26, 2008
3,137
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Heres my car.

Strano Springs and Koni 4/4. On my car, it looks like the rear sits a little lower than the front. Car rides good though. If you've got long tubes you'll scrape over speed bumps with this set up so you have to be careful. I'd also search LS1 tech, theres a lot of little things you have to do to lower it right. 315s wont fit if its lowered. Sometimes they rub against the bump stops and fenders.


1389813468.jpg
 

transmaxed

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Jun 23, 2008
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I have been running Bilstein shocks and Strano Springs since April 2012. It ran me ~$600.

The shocks are good, but feel softer then the Koni 4/4 (some might see this as a good thing). I wish they were a little stiffer but for the price they will do. The springs dont lower the car enough to have to worry about normal driving. Just be careful over speedbumbs obviously.

Pics are below:



 

nemesis

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Aug 28, 2007
780
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chitown
yeah billet input shaft and precison stall converter show up. this going to be more of a dd. i had lower springs on my last car so i know how it is driving on street that's why i don't think i want lower spring. they give nice stance and all but i don't think it be good idea for my uses. chicago streets sux. i saw the bilstein shocks package for $600 think you get choice with either eibach or slp springs. im tempting to buy it, either that or stock springs and kyb like williamz. the t/a already lowered with factory stock height imo, so no need to go any lower. i'll be running 12 bolt moser, cut out, and 17" all around that might scrap too if lower.

** im ready to order fuel rails. i was told by a vendor that i need injector spacers. do i need spacers? im running LS3 heads and LS3 intake.
 

Bru

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May 24, 2007
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Strano and Bilstein here. My spohn torque arm scrapes like a mo fo. I bought the one for stock ride height before I lowered it. My driver side sits exactly a half inch lower than the passenger side front and rear. Car is just tweaked that way. It's nice to have the lowered look with great ride quality of the mild Bilsteins.
 

Pewter-Camaro

TCG Elite Member
May 28, 2011
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South of Wisconsin.
I'm on Short Body Koni single adjustable shocks on cut stock springs at the moment. In the past I've had everything form Ground control Coilovers Uber slammed to stock ride height with QA1's. If you are going for handling I'd rather spend money on a set of Koni's and run stock springs. Shocks make a World of difference on these cars and are a much better upgrade than springs. Springs are more just for the look.

also.. 315's fit fine on an f-body even when lowered. Just get an adjustable panhard bar to keep the rearend centered and always jack up the rear of the car by the pumpkin on the rearend so the wheels don't hang on the bump stops.
 

nemesis

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Aug 28, 2007
780
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chitown
i think im going with kyb for shocks and stock springs cuz i don't really want to dump all the money on shocks/springs i still need to buy other parts for the t/a. kyb are pretty good shocks i'll stick with them for now.

im going to run 17" all around. i want to run skinny tire up front, what's the most common size everybody run? i don't like too skinny either.
 

transmaxed

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Jun 23, 2008
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If you are going to be replacing the shocks, I would do the springs too... the springs are like $200 and almost no extra labor to do if you are already doing shocks. The car wont like ride rough or anything if that is what you think, it will just simply look way way better. I have 17's and a cutout on my car and its lowered and i have no ground clearance issues.

This is lowered and look at how much wheel gap i still have.... how can you think stock is "lowered" enough?!
 

transmaxed

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Jun 23, 2008
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i think im going with kyb for shocks and stock springs cuz i don't really want to dump all the money on shocks/springs i still need to buy other parts for the t/a. kyb are pretty good shocks i'll stick with them for now.

im going to run 17" all around. i want to run skinny tire up front, what's the most common size everybody run? i don't like too skinny either.

Skinnys on a DD? :ugh:

for a DD you dont want a skinnier tire up front, you just want a wider tire in the back. Most common is 275/40 in front and 315/35 in back.



Strano and Bilstein here. My spohn torque arm scrapes like a mo fo. I bought the one for stock ride height before I lowered it. My driver side sits exactly a half inch lower than the passenger side front and rear. Car is just tweaked that way. It's nice to have the lowered look with great ride quality of the mild Bilsteins.
I had major tq arm issues until i finally did it right with a full lenght one relocated off trans. As much ground clearance as stock.
 

nemesis

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Aug 28, 2007
780
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chitown
Skinnys on a DD? :ugh:

.

my bad i meant for track. tires on it now are 275/40/17 all around and they brand new too, but 315 in the back looks even better. yes i would replace to new stock springs if i go that route. i saw williamz t/a and he have stock springs and they cover the wheel well up pretty good. not sure what size tires he's running. i read good feedback on strano spring on tech forum yeah i might jump on the band wagon too. the drop on yours doesnt look that bad that's about how low i like. not a fan of the slam looks.
 
Most on this thread seem to have Bilsteins (me included), but more people on LS1tech seem to run and recommend Koni SAs. They're twice the price (~$400 for Bilstein and ~$800 for Koni SA sets), but Strano recommends them and actually designed his springs around them too.

Koni's are normally $1000 I think, but Koni's running a sale, until May or end of May I think, so that's why they're ~$800. I have Bilsteins, but after reading a bunch of suspension threads on LS1tech, I wish I had gone Koni SAs......in fact, I'm seriously thinking of buying them, and swapping them for my Bilsteins.

If you're still lookin' at Bilsteins, I could sell you my set - which have only seen < 1000 miles since summer 2013 when I installed them.
 
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