Suspension question

[jonnyslick]

I'm looking to turn my '85 Cutlass into a corner carver. What do you all recommend? I was thinking something along the lines of:

Hotchkis Springs
Hotchkis Sway Bars
Hotchkis Rear Control Arms
Bilstein Shocks
Urethane Bushings

Any other ideas? I'd like to get it lower than what the Hotchkis springs iwll do, personally I'd like to get some coilovers, but I can't seem to find a kit for them.

Anyone got any pics of the suspenision setup on their car?

 

[megaladon6]

i'd hold off on the sway bars and get stock ones from a junkyard. the hotchkiss ones may be too stiff and non-compliant.
urethane, especially on g-bodies is too resistant to rotation. for the front lower arms get delrin bushings from global west/jegs. for the rear control arms you want the regular rubber bushings on the axle or get these http://www.scandc.com/currectrac.htm for the frame side, which is the best option. you need to keep the rear from binding and the johnny joints are the best at that.
the front geometry sucks, the easiest way to correct it (and cheaper) is tall ball joints and fully adjustable arms. http://www.scandc.com/suspensions.htm i'd use the stage 2 kit, it will also lower the car a half inch or so. if you want insane go with the AFX kit and c6 brakes. (i am when i get the money)
for coilovers- http://www.scandc.com/varishocks.htm
call marcus at sc&c, he knows our cars inside and out and.

 

[jonnyslick]

OMG this is perfect! THANK YOU so much for that ... I have literally searched for the past 2 weeks for stuff like this with no luck. How have I never heard of this company before? Anyone ever used them before? Good stuff?

Thanks again! 😛

 

[megaladon6]

it was a bit before i found them but if you go to pro-touring.com they love sc&c and can't recommend them more. and trust me, the guys on pro-tour REALLY know their stuff!

 

[Tony_SS]

If you want to go lower than Hotchkis springs, get ones from OPG. You can get 1, 2 or 3" drop. The price is up there, but it more than pays for itself vs trial and error. I have 3" drops on the front of my 79 Monte and 2" in the rear. I love the rates.

Dont use the factory sways - Stock Sucks! A good sway bar set is the best buck in terms of handling.

I'm running an Suspension Techniques set, 1 3/8" front, 1" rear. Hotchkis makes a nice set too.. put more pricey.

If you really want to save, get a hollow 36"mm from an F-body and run an aftermarket 1" rear.

 

[megaladon6]

the only reason i recommend stock first is that with all the other mods things can get to be too stiff. the stock might compliment the stiffer springs and shocks better. plus if they're from the junkyard it's dirt cheap and can always be upgraded later. too stiff a front bar can cause understeer, too stiff a rear bar=oversteer.

 

[Tony_SS]

There's no such thing as too stiff when it comes to cornering. The stock bars are designed to be used with the mushy stock springs and have no place on a corner carver.

A good sway set offers up tremendous handling improvement.. but yes, upgrade both as a set, they are designed to work together, that's why I recommended the ST or Hotchkis set. If you need to save with the f-body front, make sure you buy an aftermarket rear to match - like I said.

 

[megaladon6]

anything can be pushed too far. dedicated, track only, corner carver or not. http://www.rogerkrausracing.com/TechSheets/overunder.shtml that's why a suspension should be balanced and the components matched to each other and to how/where you drive.
i'm not saying the stock bars are really good, but he'll need to see what the car does before figuring how big a bar he's gonna need.

 

[andrewmp6]

Yeah http://www.scandc.com/index.htm is a good company they even have a watts link for the g bodies its not listed on there site yet.

 

[Tony_SS]

Wow... sometimes you get so vested in a statement it has to be defended until its death no matter what.. Lol

He needs to use aftermarket parts designed to improve the function of stock parts. There's nothing to figure out - The aftermarktet has done that already - and thats why they offer kits specific to G-bodies.

PS its Hotchkis not Hotchkiss :lol: