old worn out 69 camaro suspension

[creekwood08]

Just recently bought my 69 camaro. I am wanting to put the air ride system on it. My plan was to save up my money and buy everything all at once next winter (air bar, a arms, rack and pinion maybe, and all the other goodies to bring the suspension up to a more modern ride.) Got under the car and found out the ball joints are pretty much done for. The whole steering components like pitman arms and etc. are very loose and worn out also. And the power steering pump and gear box leaks pretty bad ( I knew about the leaking tho). At first my plan was to buy one of those rebuild kits but I figured it would be kind of a waste since my plan was to have it all gone by next winter. Could I buy all the front end and install it with stock springs until I bought the rear end components and then install the air bags? And second question after search I found alot of ppl have different ideas about what kinda steering components to go with. What do you recommend? The car is going to be pretty much just be a cruiser. Probly will see strip and autocross once a year.

[DarkoNova]

What do you mean by "buy all the front end and install it with stock springs"? If you mean buy all the front end stuff like control arms, airbags, ball joints, etc and use the stock leaf springs out back, then yes, that will work fine. That's what a lot of us do since buying a complete front and rear suspension is usually too much money to spend all at once.

If the car is going to be a cruiser, you could probably just get PST or Moog steering components and call it a day, though personally, I'd try to get the best parts you can afford. You never know, you may think it's just going to be a cruiser, and then a couple years down the road you might decide you want to step it up even further. Better to have the best parts you can afford right from the start so you don't have to replace stuff later.

[creekwood08]

sorry I wasnt very clear. I was talking about installing the Ride tech a arms with the stock springs that are up front then when i bought the rear end components put the bags on the front but I dont know why I didnt think I could just go ahead and bag the front. Thats probly what ill do then.

[marolf101x]

You got it. . .work on one end at a time as your budget allows. There is nothing wrong with putting the Strong Arms and Shockwaves in the front and running the leafs in the rear (so long as all the parts in the rear are OK).

We have a lot of people do this in stages. Many use an inflation kit (just some 1/4" air line and Schrader valves) to fill the Shockwaves manually for a year, then get the rear (again filling manually), then pick up the control system last.

If you have any questions please feel free to give us a call.

[creekwood08]

What you said Darkonova got me thinking. Should I go with speedtech or AME subframe with the air springs or would it probly be best for me to just stick with the strong arms, air springs, muscle bar, and tru turn. I am really just going for that lowered look with the widdest meats I can fit on it. I know it all really has to do with how much money I am willing to put into it but i dont really want to have to pay for something that I am really not gonna get all of its full potential out of it. Would spending the extra money on the speedtech or AME subframe allow me to go alot lower or add alot bigger tire than just going with the air ride products. Would it really be worth it if ill mostly just be cruising? If the aftermarket subframes really wont allow the car to sit alot lower or add quite a bit bigger meats up front then im thinking Id rather same my money. Thanks everyone you all been very helpful.

[Rod]

please don't shop for the lowest price suspension stuff!!, I get calls all day long with people shopping the cheapest price on suspensions and then brag about 3500 dollars in wheels? never cheap out on suspensions and brakes!!

[creekwood08]

so would you recommend staying with the stock subframe and using the air ride level 3 or level 2......or going with the AME or Speedtech subframe with the air springs. I am not trying to cheap out I just dont want to buy something that I wont get the full potential out of. Know what im saying?

[marolf101x]

Of course I would suggest just using the stock sub with all our "goodies". Look at the 48 hour car. . .there is nothing special on that car, just the stuff we have on the shelf and it holds it's own against all the other manufacturers with aftermarket sub frames in real world competition.

[ProdigyCustoms]

I will preface this letting you know sell a lot of aftermarket subframes, four different brands of aftermarket subframes. I answer this question every day, people wanting to know "do I need a subframe"? . Most people want a cruiser that handles well, rides well, and also can be autocross or track day should they have the desire.

The new Ride Tech Tru Steer is a real possible game changer and really narrows the gap between modded stock subframe performance and the very best aftermarket subframes performance. The fact the the Tru Steer corrects the bump steer is big. But one of the huge gaps in performance between modded stock subframes and aftermarket has been the added tire size one could run on after market subframe. All the better subframes allow 265 to 285 tires on 9 1/2" to 10 rims. A stock subframe (up until Tru Steer) only allowed 8" to 8 1/2" wheels with 245 / 255 tires. Just the fact you can now with Tru Steer run 265 / 275 front tires on 9 1/2" to 10" rims is a HUGE equalizer.

There is no real way to get a true back to back comparison of any 2 suspension system as driver and driver familiarity with his car plays so deeply into performance. It would be almost impossible to get a hard performance comparison. But from what I see I truly believe if there is any true difference at all it is less then 5%. I also know for a fact most of us will never push our car past 80% of its capabilities and we do not need the absolute BEST, should someone actually be able to determine what "the best" is.

And budget can be the final deal make / breaker. We are putting together a package now that completely rebuilds the front subframe with all Ride tech good stuff, adding our 12.7 box and a few hard parts one needs to completely rebuild the subframe and also include all the rear suspension 4 link conversion, full 4 corner coil over conversion, for less then $6000 which is less then any quality modded subframe will cost with crating a delivery. Labor time is much less, everything bolts in. based on your budget constraints you expressed from the get go, I would think this is the way for you to go, even a piece at a time

[John Wright]

If I had the money back that I tossed away when I went through the suspension the first time...I'd be way ahead. Sucks doing this stuff twice...wish I'd known better.

[creekwood08]

Thats what im thinking john. Im just afraid that later down the road id wish I had went with something better. But after looking it looks like air ride stuff is good stuff. Im looking at going with the air springs because I want the car as low as I can get it (for looks wise) but not have to worry about scraping the bottom of the car every time I go out for a ride. From what Ive seen some guys are going with AME, Speedtech, and TCI subframes with the airsprings. I was wondering if the air springs combined with one of the after market subframes will allow the car to go lower. If the car goes lower and coupled with the small increase in performance I might go with the aftermarket subframe. So far Im thinking that this fall I will purchase all of the Air ride components for the front of the car and just have to manually fill the bags and next year do all the rest. If work goes like it has been I might be able to get it all this winter. Thats my thoughts unless someone can convince me to switch to the aftermarket subframe.

[ProdigyCustoms]

You won't get ride height any lower with air springs then coil overs from frame to frame. What you do not get with coil overs is the ability to change ride height, parked height, trailer height, at the push of a button (s) like you do with air. From my experiance a stock subframe with good drop spindles will go as low or lower then aftermarket subframes before going to low and having a negative impact on suspension geometry. There is a sweat spot a car likes to ride, go to low on anything / any subframe and you will deminsh the handling capabilities.

There are other ways to get the front lower like half height or eliminating body bushings will gain a inch. But then once you get the front in the weeds you are left with the problem of making the rear height match. The rear will only go so low no matter what suspension you run unless you do MAJOR surgery.