Shocking!!!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 196
Likes: 4
From: Keego Harbor MI
Shocking!!!
Hey Guys,
quick question: I have a 86 coupe, I changed the shocks last year when I bought the car. it was in very bad condition. I am somewhat of a shadetree mechanic. Put new tread on it and greased it up. I would barley stay on the road before these things were done. It drives 100% better but still has a little (sway) feeling on some roads. I don't know if it is just tracking the groove in road or should I start replacing other items.
I put mid-grade shocks on, would putting Bilstien shocks or other high quality shocks make that much of a diff. to handling and ride.
quick question: I have a 86 coupe, I changed the shocks last year when I bought the car. it was in very bad condition. I am somewhat of a shadetree mechanic. Put new tread on it and greased it up. I would barley stay on the road before these things were done. It drives 100% better but still has a little (sway) feeling on some roads. I don't know if it is just tracking the groove in road or should I start replacing other items.
I put mid-grade shocks on, would putting Bilstien shocks or other high quality shocks make that much of a diff. to handling and ride.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,414
Likes: 2,745
Hey Guys,
quick question: I have a 86 coupe, I changed the shocks last year when I bought the car. it was in very bad condition. I am somewhat of a shadetree mechanic. Put new tread on it and greased it up. I would barley stay on the road before these things were done. It drives 100% better but still has a little (sway) feeling on some roads. I don't know if it is just tracking the groove in road or should I start replacing other items.
I put mid-grade shocks on, would putting Bilstien shocks or other high quality shocks make that much of a diff. to handling and ride.
quick question: I have a 86 coupe, I changed the shocks last year when I bought the car. it was in very bad condition. I am somewhat of a shadetree mechanic. Put new tread on it and greased it up. I would barley stay on the road before these things were done. It drives 100% better but still has a little (sway) feeling on some roads. I don't know if it is just tracking the groove in road or should I start replacing other items.
I put mid-grade shocks on, would putting Bilstien shocks or other high quality shocks make that much of a diff. to handling and ride.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 196
Likes: 4
From: Keego Harbor MI
high mileage car 150,000. it drives like a dream on a smooth road. I do live in Michigan so the roads are pretty jacked up. I have not had it aligned yet, it is on my list of to do's. Thanks
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,752
Likes: 278
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Hi
Tire pressure plays a big part on the sway feeling (wandering side to side) on uneven road surfaces, With the 255 50 16 tires i always ran 35 to 38 psi and it lessened the wandering of the car with uneven road surfaces. Another thing to help this is increase caster in the wheel alignment, i went to around 6 degrees caster that helps counter the wandering feeling. Especially with the 275 40 17 on 9.5 inch rims that highlights it more that the 255 50 16 tires.
I had the 9.5 wheels all round and did not notice any wandering when the car was standard, only when i went to 17 inch rims as it was getting hard to get quality tires in 16 inch.
I recommend a wheel alignment, i get my alignment checked quite often.
Camber is also important the factory specs show this in my shop manual. These are standard specs.
Front Camber positive o.8 deg, Caster positive 3.0 deg, Toe in 0.15.
Rear Camber Positive 0.4 deg, Toe in 0.15.
I have a bit negative camber (that makes the wandering more evident) , this is mainly for track events. I have set the caster at 6 degrees to help counteract this, the positive caster also helps the wheel return to center after cornering.
Now it is very stable and will only wander a little when the road surface is really bad, like interstate highways that trucks have worn a deep rut in the bitumen. The 88-96 had a better system with the wheel offset so the wheels sits over the ball joints more rather than outside further to counteract the wandering.
Check what size rims you have, i remember a friend that always complained of the feel his car had. With the 255 50 16 tires on the 8.5 inch rims on the back it would have a "wobble feel" when turning into a corner the car would turn in then the back of the car had a fishtail like wobble. When we discovered he had the 9.5 inch rims on the front, we put them on the back and it completely changed the feel of the car.
You may not be describing this however i thought i should mention it, for there may be a lot of people complaining of the feel of the car.
Tire pressure plays a big part on the sway feeling (wandering side to side) on uneven road surfaces, With the 255 50 16 tires i always ran 35 to 38 psi and it lessened the wandering of the car with uneven road surfaces. Another thing to help this is increase caster in the wheel alignment, i went to around 6 degrees caster that helps counter the wandering feeling. Especially with the 275 40 17 on 9.5 inch rims that highlights it more that the 255 50 16 tires.
I had the 9.5 wheels all round and did not notice any wandering when the car was standard, only when i went to 17 inch rims as it was getting hard to get quality tires in 16 inch.
I recommend a wheel alignment, i get my alignment checked quite often.
Camber is also important the factory specs show this in my shop manual. These are standard specs.
Front Camber positive o.8 deg, Caster positive 3.0 deg, Toe in 0.15.
Rear Camber Positive 0.4 deg, Toe in 0.15.
I have a bit negative camber (that makes the wandering more evident) , this is mainly for track events. I have set the caster at 6 degrees to help counteract this, the positive caster also helps the wheel return to center after cornering.
Now it is very stable and will only wander a little when the road surface is really bad, like interstate highways that trucks have worn a deep rut in the bitumen. The 88-96 had a better system with the wheel offset so the wheels sits over the ball joints more rather than outside further to counteract the wandering.
Check what size rims you have, i remember a friend that always complained of the feel his car had. With the 255 50 16 tires on the 8.5 inch rims on the back it would have a "wobble feel" when turning into a corner the car would turn in then the back of the car had a fishtail like wobble. When we discovered he had the 9.5 inch rims on the front, we put them on the back and it completely changed the feel of the car.
You may not be describing this however i thought i should mention it, for there may be a lot of people complaining of the feel of the car.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 196
Likes: 4
From: Keego Harbor MI
Hi
Tire pressure plays a big part on the sway feeling (wandering side to side) on uneven road surfaces, With the 255 50 16 tires i always ran 35 to 38 psi and it lessened the wandering of the car with uneven road surfaces. Another thing to help this is increase caster in the wheel alignment, i went to around 6 degrees caster that helps counter the wandering feeling. Especially with the 275 40 17 on 9.5 inch rims that highlights it more that the 255 50 16 tires.
I had the 9.5 wheels all round and did not notice any wandering when the car was standard, only when i went to 17 inch rims as it was getting hard to get quality tires in 16 inch.
I recommend a wheel alignment, i get my alignment checked quite often.
Camber is also important the factory specs show this in my shop manual. These are standard specs.
Front Camber positive o.8 deg, Caster positive 3.0 deg, Toe in 0.15.
Rear Camber Positive 0.4 deg, Toe in 0.15.
I have a bit negative camber (that makes the wandering more evident) , this is mainly for track events. I have set the caster at 6 degrees to help counteract this, the positive caster also helps the wheel return to center after cornering.
Now it is very stable and will only wander a little when the road surface is really bad, like interstate highways that trucks have worn a deep rut in the bitumen. The 88-96 had a better system with the wheel offset so the wheels sits over the ball joints more rather than outside further to counteract the wandering.
Check what size rims you have, i remember a friend that always complained of the feel his car had. With the 255 50 16 tires on the 8.5 inch rims on the back it would have a "wobble feel" when turning into a corner the car would turn in then the back of the car had a fishtail like wobble. When we discovered he had the 9.5 inch rims on the front, we put them on the back and it completely changed the feel of the car.
You may not be describing this however i thought i should mention it, for there may be a lot of people complaining of the feel of the car.
Tire pressure plays a big part on the sway feeling (wandering side to side) on uneven road surfaces, With the 255 50 16 tires i always ran 35 to 38 psi and it lessened the wandering of the car with uneven road surfaces. Another thing to help this is increase caster in the wheel alignment, i went to around 6 degrees caster that helps counter the wandering feeling. Especially with the 275 40 17 on 9.5 inch rims that highlights it more that the 255 50 16 tires.
I had the 9.5 wheels all round and did not notice any wandering when the car was standard, only when i went to 17 inch rims as it was getting hard to get quality tires in 16 inch.
I recommend a wheel alignment, i get my alignment checked quite often.
Camber is also important the factory specs show this in my shop manual. These are standard specs.
Front Camber positive o.8 deg, Caster positive 3.0 deg, Toe in 0.15.
Rear Camber Positive 0.4 deg, Toe in 0.15.
I have a bit negative camber (that makes the wandering more evident) , this is mainly for track events. I have set the caster at 6 degrees to help counteract this, the positive caster also helps the wheel return to center after cornering.
Now it is very stable and will only wander a little when the road surface is really bad, like interstate highways that trucks have worn a deep rut in the bitumen. The 88-96 had a better system with the wheel offset so the wheels sits over the ball joints more rather than outside further to counteract the wandering.
Check what size rims you have, i remember a friend that always complained of the feel his car had. With the 255 50 16 tires on the 8.5 inch rims on the back it would have a "wobble feel" when turning into a corner the car would turn in then the back of the car had a fishtail like wobble. When we discovered he had the 9.5 inch rims on the front, we put them on the back and it completely changed the feel of the car.
You may not be describing this however i thought i should mention it, for there may be a lot of people complaining of the feel of the car.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 163
Likes: 4
From: Perth WA
At 150,000 miles you are probably in desperate need of replacing your rubber suspension bushings if you want to get back a solid driving feel.
I would suggest replacing the original rubber with polyurethane with a kit such as:
http://www.zip-corvette.com/ProductDetails/ProductDetails.aspx?pid={06dac1bb-c948-415d-97be-4f9c573c6822}&gid={71a7214e-5f0d-4506-abd6-77f65d639114}&GroupName=Polyurethane+Bus hings&pname=84-96+Polyurethane+Suspension+Bushing+Kit&R eferer=&Alias=&ptct=SGR-SR&CTitle=&
If you would prefer to replace them in stages then start with just the front control arm bushings:
http://www.zip-corvette.com/ProductDetails/ProductDetails.aspx?pid={26e5510b-cd80-42b4-bd3a-9b64ec6ad4d9}&gid={71a7214e-5f0d-4506-abd6-77f65d639114}&GroupName=Polyurethane+Bus hings&pname=84-96+Front+Control+Arm+Bushings+%28Polyure thane%29&Referer=&Alias=&ptct=SGR-SR&CTitle=&
There are a number of different brands of these available but I would bet any would make a big difference if yours are still original.
I would suggest replacing the original rubber with polyurethane with a kit such as:
http://www.zip-corvette.com/ProductDetails/ProductDetails.aspx?pid={06dac1bb-c948-415d-97be-4f9c573c6822}&gid={71a7214e-5f0d-4506-abd6-77f65d639114}&GroupName=Polyurethane+Bus hings&pname=84-96+Polyurethane+Suspension+Bushing+Kit&R eferer=&Alias=&ptct=SGR-SR&CTitle=&
If you would prefer to replace them in stages then start with just the front control arm bushings:
http://www.zip-corvette.com/ProductDetails/ProductDetails.aspx?pid={26e5510b-cd80-42b4-bd3a-9b64ec6ad4d9}&gid={71a7214e-5f0d-4506-abd6-77f65d639114}&GroupName=Polyurethane+Bus hings&pname=84-96+Front+Control+Arm+Bushings+%28Polyure thane%29&Referer=&Alias=&ptct=SGR-SR&CTitle=&
There are a number of different brands of these available but I would bet any would make a big difference if yours are still original.
