Suspension recommendations for sporty regular/daily driver?

Status
Not open for further replies.

CaliWagon83

Royal Smart Person
Nov 12, 2017
1,933
2,139
113
Orange County, CA
Hi all. As you know, I'm still at the early/exploratory stages of building my wagon. The finished product will be substantially more powerful than it is currently, and I want a suspension to match. I don't plan on drag racing it, and most likely won't autocross it, although I might, and want a suspension that can at least "hang in there."

I'd love to hear any suggestions for like a "Stage 1" street suspension. QA1, Hotchkis, PST, UMI, BMR, I'd love to hear any of your experiences, good or bad. I don't mind a firm ride, but don't want a punishing ride. Don't really care about infinite adjustability. I'm kind of more of a "set it and forget it" guy. Thanks.
 

383_GrandPrix

G-Body Guru
Sep 9, 2016
678
1,310
93
Quebec, Canada
From what you have said in your post, no matter what company you go with, Polyurethane bushings will best. Poly doesn't transfer the NVH that delrin or heim joints do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

307 Regal

Royal Smart Person
Oct 21, 2009
1,667
915
113
Northern Indiana
Depends on what you mean by "hang in there."
Read the bottom section first.
If you mean hang with the competition, it won't matter what suspension you have if you're using standard or all season tires. I know this from experience. With bad tires you not only have less grip for acceleration, but you'll also have a lower maximum cornering speed and longer braking distances. This means you won't be able to use as much throttle or keep as much momentum as many of your competitors. In a sense, an autocross car is a machine with the sole purpose of getting the maximum performance out of a set of tires, constantly resting on the ragged edge of traction, and it's the driver's job to operate that machine at maximum efficiency. You need to get your set of tires through the course quicker than the next guy can get his through. So study, practice practice practice (at events), then buy your wagon some running shoes, and then practice a bit more. With those alone, ("those" being a good knowledge base and a capable set of tires,) you'll then be able to "hang in there" with a number of competitors. Not all of the cars that show up are fast in a straight line, many are stock, and many drivers are rookies.
Above all, don't forget to have fun. Remember that you're out there with a station wagon that was designed to haul anything but @ss, and don't worry about not keeping up. Especially your first time out. No matter how you do, someone is going to enjoy watching a woody wagon try to dodge cones.

----> Or if that's not what you meant, perhaps you just mean that you want your car to "hang in there" during turns and at least feel more sporty and confident. In which case, just get some new shocks and a stock-style set of aftermarket sway bars and call it a day! I also know this from experience. That's really all you need. Before I ever started racing, my first upgrade to my suspension was a set of sway bars from UMI. They only had one style of set back then and the rear bar was stock style. Heck, my front shocks were blown when I installed them. And yet I still thought my car felt incredibly sporty, and it felt like my ride quality didn't suffer in the slightest bit. I still use those sway bars to this day.
There's really no point in spending a few grand on suspension if you're only maybe going to autocross once. Put the money into restoration, brakes & drivability, then scratch the biggest itch. Whether that be power or handling. Just keep in mind that if you don't upgrade wheels and tires then there's no sense in handling improvements.

Sorry if this reply is excessive. I'm up way too late.
 
  • Like
  • Agree
Reactions: 6 users

UNGN

Comic Book Super Hero
Sep 6, 2016
3,048
3,264
113
Southlake, TX
Rebuild the upper and lower control arms with new bushings and taller ball joints (Proforged, $50 from summit) . For a street car, the polygraphite bushings work good and don't squeak when the lube washed out.

With the arms off, replace the shocks with bilsteins and the front springs with something stiffer.

A moog spring in the 600lb range (5658 or 5660) would allow you to lower the car (by cutting a little off the spring at a time) without it bottoming.

If you lower the car, add ZQ8 microcell foam bumpstops (p/n 15956547) on the LCA to replace the urethane.

If you want to upgrade the brakes, 99-2003 2wd S10 blazer spindles/11 brakes from the junkyard are a cheap easy swap.

For a front sway bar, a Hollow 3rd gen F-body bar works good.

Add the front jounce bars from a Cutlass and a Grand Prix bar to triangulate these.

If you don't have one, add a 12.7:1 steering box from a performance G-body and a 93-95 Grand Cherokee steering shaft.

Align the car with caster maxed, .7 - 1.0 degree of negative camber. Adjustable upper control arms makes this easier, but aren't a necessity.

Go down the frame and look at the condition of each lower frame bushings. Replace any washers or missing/damaged lowers with 457915 Pink lower bushings.

In back, add a pro-touring style sway bar.

With these changes, even with 15X6 wheels and cheap tires, the car will feel much tighter and will "handle" good. It will turn when you want to turn and not understeer at all. With big wheels and sticky tires, it will hang with a modern performance car on a curvy road.
 
  • Like
  • Informative
Reactions: 2 users

MrSony

Geezer
Nov 15, 2014
6,793
6,679
113
Des Moines, Iowa
I'd say all the factory bracing, if not just the thicker f41 sway bars, jounce bars, and maybe a shock tower brace. Along with the obligatory shocks and springs. And bushings and new BJs (heh) of course.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: 1 user

CaliWagon83

Royal Smart Person
Nov 12, 2017
1,933
2,139
113
Orange County, CA
Thanks for all the feedback. Grand Cherokee steering shaft, I had no idea! Good thought on the tighter-ratio rack. I imagine that makes a big difference.

If I get serious about autocross, probably not a bad idea to get a dedicated set of wheels and tires to save wear on the daily shoes.

I do plan on doing the Hellwig Frame FX upgrade, so I imagine the stiffer chassis alone will make a difference.
 

melloelky

Comic Book Super Hero
Oct 22, 2017
4,135
9,484
113
mass
these's guy's have it covered pretty well..I'll throw my .02 in.poly is good in moderation.the parallel four link that we all know and have come to love by design is constantly in bind with any type of bushing.poly by design is a bushing that Does not reduce suspension bind.which is what you're(most of us are) looking to accomplish.it's not a very bushing to use on ALL four pick up points in the rear suspension.poly on all four points limit the rear end from articulating.if you were only going straight then there's REALLY no issue.you need something on the frame side of things that will allow it to articulate.a Spherical bearing,derlin bushing or a Del-A-Lum bushing is the way to go on the frame side of things.on an old-assed car like ours these man made synthetic bushings aren't as noisy/transmitting as much vibration as once thought.steer clear of any rod end style,they are not long for this world in a street application,they wear rapidly and can become loud.the derlin style bushing is actually self lubricating by design,that's a lot more than you can say about a standard poly bushing.the common misconception is to outfit the whole rear with poly and it's ll be stiff,some truth there. If this type of bushing is used street/road race applications the rear suspension will be placed in bind when the car goes over bumps and around corners.(see stiff!) because the control arm bushings will not allow the rear end to have proper movement that we're looking for.
 
Last edited:
  • Agree
Reactions: 1 users

Michael Watts

Master Mechanic
Dec 12, 2017
418
201
43
My 1981 El Camino SS Came with Ranch springs when I bought it I added a Hotchkiss kit with 1 1/4 front hollow sway bar, 7/8 rear bar .Along wth rear trailing arms and braces. It sure made a difference
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Doug Chahoy

Comic Book Super Hero
Nov 21, 2016
2,564
2,661
113
This thread is a perfect example of why I joined GBF. I'm not yet ready to start on my suspension, but I'm learning what to do when I am. I don't plan on ANY form of racing, I just want a good tight handling cruiser. Out of necessity I already did the 2 steering upgrades mentioned , with great results.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Michael Watts

Master Mechanic
Dec 12, 2017
418
201
43
I have my 1979 Z-28 RS Camaro if I want to "play" that way. My El Camino is my daily driver and for hauling parts and other things in.Plus if someone gets to close to me on a corner .With my suspension and a 290 HP 350 its nice to pull away from them.Especially the Japanese cars.Remember its just a pick up.
 

Attachments

  • 130044932860518017_26257430996_o (1).jpg
    130044932860518017_26257430996_o (1).jpg
    265.7 KB · Views: 272
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Status
Not open for further replies.

GBodyForum is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Please support GBodyForum Sponsors

Classic Truck Consoles Dixie Restoration Depot UMI Performance

Contact [email protected] for info on becoming a sponsor