Cascade Crew

Xophertony

took the freeway to chris's house in portland and back. car handles noticably better at speed. now the only way to tell i am speeding is too look down at the speedometer. handling seems to be improved as well. car also can now go faster in and out of driveways and over speedbumps. chris said he thought the stance evened out a bit, and that the rear no longer appears to sag, i think i aggree. it may just be my immagination, but the whole car appears to sit about a quarter or half inch higher.

i forgot to grease the rear upper shock bushings, they are making a nice squeal on bumps. i will have to get back in there and correct that. i have also come to the conclusion that my springs are worn to the point of needing replacement. i am going to have to look into options on that.

regarding the springs:
i realy would like to maintain the cars current height. i believe it is probably sagging lower then stock height right now. if i find this to be correct i may get a set of 1" drop springs (which should keep the car in the same place). if i find that it is sagging less then 1 inch i will get a factory height replacement spring, probably from TRW/MOOG as i have had no complaints about the TRW replacements i put on the six (other then my remorse at cutting 1.25 coils off of the front).

a few questions:
does anyone on the boards have recently replaced factory springs? if so i need a measurement from the center of the hub to the fender lip (this way regardless of tire/wheel size the measurement is good)

does anyone on the boards have 1" lowering springs? i know most of you with aftermarket springs go with a 2" drop or more. if anyone has 1" of drop i would also be interested in a measurement from your fenderlip to center of your hub.

now that i think about it, i could use that measurement from anybody with a v8 who knows haw much lower their car is then factory.

i know depending on the weight of the car a 1" drop spring my lower a car by less or more then 1", but the difference between my fully loaded GTA and my basev 6 is only 330 pounds on the whole car, so i fuigure any v8 car should be close enough in weight.

and finally, when i lowered the front of the six by 1.25-1.5 " i was no longer able to run a 235s series tire, i had to jump down to 215s due top a rubbing issue. i was also jumping up to 15" wheels (from 14") at that time, i assumed it was due to that, but i am unsure. so this is for the 16" guys. if i lower my car, will that effect how wide i can go without rubbing? cause if it does that realy changes my plans. i like WIDE tires and plan on getting some real fat meat on my 16s (if i EVER get 16"s Rolling Eyes

) and if lowering my car will prevent me from doing that i won't lower. i can achieve better proformance gains from wider tires then i can with a slightly lower center of gravity.

thanks for all the help guys. i am off to the suspension board on TGO to do some research

aaron_sK · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 5:39 am Post subject:

I'm a little over 1", probably about 1.25 up front, and 1.5 in the back. I'll measure it when I get home from work.

Twilightoptics · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:03 am Post subject:

I am 1-1.5" lower. Cut springs baby! Made me the perfect spring rate.

I put new springs on the back of mine, and it was still too bouncy, so I cut the originals I had! HEHE

Dewey316 · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:12 am Post subject:

Ride height is over-rated. I like to roll on the bump-stops. Very Happy

Twilightoptics · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:20 am Post subject:

iansane · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:24 am Post subject:

I've got a book at work that lists most all vehicles stock ride heights. I'll check it out today.

You'll want to get springs on sooner rather than later to not wear out those shocks/struts faster.

Dewey316 · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:24 am Post subject:

I have the standard box on my car, I don't rub the sway bar, at full lock, with my wider wheels (255/45/17), I just barly will touch the plastic wheel tub. I haven't even had it touch the sway-bar, and my car is lowered abotu 3" in front.

Dewey316 · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:33 am Post subject:

Twilightoptics · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:35 am Post subject:

And fat sway bars to compensate! Very Happy

Dewey316 · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:38 am Post subject:

it did work though. That combo actualy worked really well. I almost sometimes want to go back to that combo. If it wasn't for the fact that it needed the 4x4 stance to work, I couldn't get away with those spring rates, at the current ride height.

Xophertony · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 9:52 am Post subject:

Schultzy89GTA · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 10:31 am Post subject:

Your GTA should have the better power steering ratio unless that was also swapped out Confused

Brandon just installed 1" lowering springs and is quite happy with them. I'm sure he'll chime in this afternoon.

-Schultzy

aaron_sK · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 3:14 pm Post subject:

14.5" from the center of the center cap to the very edge of the wheelwell lip on the IROC. Funny, it always seemed a bit lower in back. Must be me going crazy. Rolling Eyes

iansane · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:59 pm Post subject:

blue89 · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 9:18 pm Post subject:

I took IROC springs, cut 1.5 coils out and put them in my V6 car. It sits about 25.5" to the fender lip. A-arms sit level. The ride is hard, but not too bad. My dad is impressed at least.

Twilightoptics · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 10:45 pm Post subject: