Knowles's Z06

What do you think shoud be changed first or gives you the best performance when it comes to a suspension change for track use,

and does changing the bushings make the care to stiff for a begginer that still wants to be able to feel the care if it trys to get away from you on the track?

I am not sure if I want to change to pfhat coilovers and comp sway bars along with a camber kit or would you reccomend going right to the bushings first?

thx

wallyman424

If you are a beginner just go with whats on there. Spend the money on brake pads, tires and entry fees.

I'm almost positive you will get 20+ responses that say exactly the same thing.

Drug Delivery

I just had poly bushings put in with no other changes to the suspension. It's a world of difference. The car is much tighter all around and feels much more in control through turns. It is jittery over bumps such as bad seams in the road, but no track is going to have seams like that. This is with a mild track alignment, which may make car a bit more jittery on bumpy streets, but I can live with it on shorter trips. A road trip may be another issue.

I'm very glad I made this change. Considering the car is mostly street and some track I didn't see the need to change anything else. Of course, you can save labor cost by doing it all at once.

Knowles's Z06

I thought the coil overs make the car ride better when dialed in for the street...I also have already uograded tires and brakes..that is why I am looking at the suspension now..

1ED1

I have a set of VBP bushings that I am selling $250 shipped.
Thanks ED

ghoffman

You can help your suspension for almost free. The OE sway bar bushings are so tight that they restrict the motion to the point that you cannot move it with all your strength. Just shim the steel bracket with a flat washer between the frame and the steel bracket and grease it so that the sway bar can rotate with minimum force. It will be quieter, better over bumps, and handle better. Do not confuse friction with spring rate or damping, friction is a bad thing in all cases.

kmagvette

I guess that is 1 , if you are a beginner then spend your money on seat time. Like Gary said, your sway bar bushings are probably crazy tight. Get a pile of SS washers and shim them so they free up.

Poly bushings will make the car ride harder. They will enhance the feel of the car, you will feel everything on the road as well as the wrath of your wife, girlfriend, etc. for "ruining" the car. On the plus side, after they hate the car you are pretty much free to do whatever you want with it.

If you feel compelled to spend money on the car, help out the brakes with DRM cooling ducts and good track pads - I like Carbotech pads for their great release behavior. While you are at it, throw on some Stainless Steel brake lines (Goodridge).

L98Terror

X3

95jersey

Although addiing coil-overs is not that expensive and makes a dramatic difference. This time around I did coil-overs and left the stock bushing in place and I like it better than the other way around. My first car did poly's all around and just sways but stock springs and while it improved the car noticeably, adding a good set of coil-overs TRANSFORMED the car.

But for a beginneer you need another 3+ years of personal improvement before you will take full advantage of any of these products.

stano

Would you shim the front as well? Would you shim and grease any sway bar that you use, such as the PFADT,T1, ADDCO etc.

Interesting info for sure.

ghoffman

Well, just undo the links and test it! If it is so tight that you can't rotate it, then you need to do it. If it moves smoothly without too much effort, then you are done. One good test is worth a thousand opinons!

stano

There's no doubt that they are tight ( I put them on myself ) so a lot of grease goes a long way then

Any suggestions of what kind of grease to use? Bearing grease or...

gkmccready

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...08948&D=308948

"Energy Suspension Formula V Lube for Poly Bushing Installation" is what's on my list next time I put in an order with anybody that carries it!

kmagvette

I can only speak to the Phadt Comp Bars. I shimmed both front and rear. The fronts took an easy 1/4 inch of washers on the aft ends of the bushing brackets.

stano

That's good info about the front sways, thanks!

Charlie at RPM made a full plate shim for the rears on mine. I still need to lube the rears and I'll play with shimming the fronts.

Also, I'll give Summit a call for the poly bushing lube they sell on that suggestion.

Thanks guys!!

Just called NAPA and they have the lube for $7.98 4oz. tube