Suspension upgrade
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,435
Likes: 9
From: Kalamazoo Mi
Suspension upgrade
Hey all i have decided to upgrade my suspension and am seeking advice. Year One offers a kit (Adcance Street/ Autocross Slalom System) that includes a 1.125 inch front sway bar, a 0.075 rear. 550Lb/in coil front springs, 360 Lb/in composite monospring, Bilstein shocks, and adjstible smart struts. This goes for $1039, but i can get 150 off. My question is that with the heaver coils and monospring is it going to make the car a butt buster. (the other kit they offer has 460 pound coils, and a 330 pound mono spring) Im looking for better handling but like i said, i dont want to rattle my teeth out. I do have an automatic tranny, so it does weigh more. Thanks for everyones advice, i ask a lot of questions, but i dont want to mess up my babby, cheers
Steve
Steve
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,092
Likes: 2
From: walpole ma
The 460 lb coils will work fine.I had them on my car and they did their job. The 330lb spring is a little light but will work well with your sway bars.(I had the same sway bars but a heavier rear spring).Thats a good street combination.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,435
Likes: 9
From: Kalamazoo Mi
im looking to install the 550Lb/in coil front springs and 360 Lb/in composite monospring the other ones were the optional lighter springs. just wondering if this would be too stiff.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 114
Likes: 18
From: McKinney TX
My '74 had a 78-82 2.5 inch metal spring that was rated at 260 lb. I replaced it with a 360 LB VBP mono-leaf and the new spring feels much less stiff. To me the mono-leaf spring caused more up and down motion in the rear so I replaced my KYB shocks with single adjustable QA-1 shocks. The earlier shocks were also adjustable so I may not have had them set right. Now I'm running the QA-1's set to 5 or 6 and for regular street driving I find the setup rides really well.
Some forum members like their ride even stiffer and I'm generally one of them. I have a 400 lb VBP spring (rated at 420 but tested at 400) that I'll install when I rebuild the differential. Bottom line as far as I'm concerned - you'll like the 360 lb spring.
Some forum members like their ride even stiffer and I'm generally one of them. I have a 400 lb VBP spring (rated at 420 but tested at 400) that I'll install when I rebuild the differential. Bottom line as far as I'm concerned - you'll like the 360 lb spring.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 276
Likes: 1
From: Pistoia PT (ITALY)
My opinion is 460 lbs in the front and 360 in the back is a good setup for streer and some light track!
I like very stiff front sway bar and light rear sway bar..... if you have some power under the pedal, it can help a bit for traction!
The most important is to buy a very good set of shocks for the rear..... the composite leaf spring is very very reactive and you need a good speed sensitive valve system.
Bilstein are good...... I don't like very much Koni..... too much dumping effect in bump and too less in rebound.... my opinion, of course!
550 lbs are too stiff for street driving...... you may lose some bolt on the way!
I like very stiff front sway bar and light rear sway bar..... if you have some power under the pedal, it can help a bit for traction!
The most important is to buy a very good set of shocks for the rear..... the composite leaf spring is very very reactive and you need a good speed sensitive valve system.
Bilstein are good...... I don't like very much Koni..... too much dumping effect in bump and too less in rebound.... my opinion, of course!
550 lbs are too stiff for street driving...... you may lose some bolt on the way!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,435
Likes: 9
From: Kalamazoo Mi
i just purchaced my new suspension set up, should be here in a few days. 1.125 front, .75 rear sway bars. 460lb/in front springs, 360lb/in conposite rear mono, Bilstein sport shocks, and a poly adjustable smart strut. I think this will be a good setup. Thanks goes to VBP for putting it togather for me.
