Suspension kit decision

[Bonehead]

What was the biggest factor in deciding on which brand kit you chose?

I'm struggling with which brand to go with. I'd like to try a brand I haven't used before. I'd like a full kit from the same manufacturer. Coil overs, spindles, sway bars, control arms. Here are the key things I look for when picking pretty much anything for my builds.

1. Quality - I want the best I can buy and will save to get the best performing part no matter the cost
2. Service - not anticipating any problems, but if there is, I want to know the company will be aggressive in finding solutions.
3. Price - its a factor, but I don't buy based on the cheapest thing I can find
4. Options - what choices I have

So here's what I'm down to. Ride tech, Detroit Speed or UMI. I'm leaning towards Ride Tech as it seems to have the kit option I want, but have not made any final decision. I'm looking for YOUR reasons why you chose what you did and what your assessment was of the kit after you bought it. So based on the things important to me, how did the brand you chose fit into those categories?

I appreciate any replies. Looking forward to hearing about everyone's feedback. Help me make my choice!

[howehot]

You can't go wrong with Ridetech. They have track proven pieces and will be there to help you out.

[SSLance]

I run bits and pieces from all three of the suppliers on your short list on my car, but never a full kit from any of them. All of the pieces I purchased from all three have fit the bill perfectly, did exactly what they were designed to do very well, and I am very happy with all of the purchases to this day.

I can tell you this though, on your #2 point...service, you won't find anyone better than Ridetech. Their personal service and the care for their customer satisfaction is always top notch.

The quality is great on all three, no problems there with any of them.
On the prices, personal preference will lead your choice here.
The options are also going to come down to personal preference and application.

So to me the one point that really lets one stand above the rest is Customer Service...and that also might be the most important. I can't say that service with the others has been bad at all as they have done everything I would ask of them as well, but there was just an extra touch of care involved with the Ridetech guys. Just watch how they react on the forums to people with issues and you will see how they care about getting things right no matter what it takes.

Good luck with your decision.

[Bill Howell]

I hate to be Captain Obvious here, but what kind of car are you asking about? Different companies have parts for different cars. We can assume you are talking about one of the A-bodies listed in your sig, but we all know what happens when you assume.... :)

[Build-It-Break-It]

I don't have any of the vendors you have listed but I will comment on the vendors I have purchased from and be honest. My car is a 68 Camaro hardtop for .

For my rear suspension Speed Tech rear torque arm with single adjustable Ride tech cool overs.
1. Quality, top notch laser cut brackets, professional welds
2. Service, great service, friendly, answered all my questions,I was missing parts and they immediately sent them to me without hesitation.
3. Price, affordable and priced fair for what your getting compared to other torque Arm kits. $2200 shipped to my door. Not bad

Front suspension, Scott Mock new VRP Complete subframe( I'm waiting on it as of now)

1. Quality, from what I've seen in pictures its top notch welds and looks amazing, proven on the track also
2. Service, nice guy on the phone, I've been waiting 3 months for my subframe, no email or phone updates unless you contact him(in all fairness he works alone and builds them himself), he built me the wrong subframe (caught this due to pictures he sent that i caught) but he immediately admitted he made the mistake and would finish my frame asap to send it out.
3.Price,I paid $5400 shipped to my door, haven't received it yet but the total seems fair.

To sum it up I went with what i did for the prices and quality. It was something i could afford and wouldn't risk safety or quality. I went with the rear torque arm because i wanted a great daily driver but also wanted something i could take to the track on occasion, also i could add bars to make it a 4 link to take to the drag strip. The front suspension was because it was priced fair and wasn't much more then building my stock subframe once everything is added up, coilovers, control arms, sway bar, etc. i sold my complete subframe for $450 and gained some money back.

Hope this helps even tho its not your vendor choices.

[BMR Sales]

I'd like to see you put us in your Decision Making Process. High Quality, USA Made Parts that other Companies have Copied. We aim to make Quality Pieces for an Affordable Price. We only use USA sourced Steel (we Buy 8 Miles of DOM Tubing at a Time), Manufacture Parts in House, we PowderCoat in-house, We Stand behind what we sell (which is pretty easy, since we have very few failures - Zero A-Body Product Problems since I have been here)

T.C.

[killer69]

I don't have any of the vendors you have listed but I will comment on the vendors I have purchased from and be honest. My car is a 68 Camaro hardtop for .

For my rear suspension Speed Tech rear torque arm with single adjustable Ride tech cool overs.
1. Quality, top notch laser cut brackets, professional welds
2. Service, great service, friendly, answered all my questions,I was missing parts and they immediately sent them to me without hesitation.
3. Price, affordable and priced fair for what your getting compared to other torque Arm kits. $2200 shipped to my door. Not bad

Front suspension, Scott Mock new VRP Complete subframe( I'm waiting on it as of now)

1. Quality, from what I've seen in pictures its top notch welds and looks amazing, proven on the track also
2. Service, nice guy on the phone, I've been waiting 3 months for my subframe, no email or phone updates unless you contact him(in all fairness he works alone and builds them himself), he built me the wrong subframe (caught this due to pictures he sent that i caught) but he immediately admitted he made the mistake and would finish my frame asap to send it out.
3.Price,I paid $5400 shipped to my door, haven't received it yet but the total seems fair.

To sum it up I went with what i did for the prices and quality. It was something i could afford and wouldn't risk safety or quality. I went with the rear torque arm because i wanted a great daily driver but also wanted something i could take to the track on occasion, also i could add bars to make it a 4 link to take to the drag strip. The front suspension was because it was priced fair and wasn't much more then building my stock subframe once everything is added up, coilovers, control arms, sway bar, etc. i sold my complete subframe for $450 and gained some money back.

Hope this helps even tho its not your vendor choices.

Thanks for the Plug , glad you were pleased with our product.

[Rod]

I'd like a full kit from the same manufacturer. Coil overs, spindles, sway bars, control arms. Here are the key things I look for when picking pretty much anything for my builds.

1. Quality - I want the best I can buy and will save to get the best performing part no matter the cost
2. Service - not anticipating any problems, but if there is, I want to know the company will be aggressive in finding solutions.
3. Price - its a factor, but I don't buy based on the cheapest thing I can find
4. Options - what choices I have

So here's what I'm down to. Ride tech, Detroit Speed or UMI. I'm leaning towards Ride Tech as it seems to have the kit option I want, but have not made any final decision. I'm looking for YOUR reasons why you chose what you did and what your assessment was of the kit after you bought it. So based on the things important to me, how did the brand you chose fit into those categories?

I appreciate any replies. Looking forward to hearing about everyone's feedback. Help me make my choice!

what car? and what do you want to achieve?

[MuscleRodz]

who is doing the install? Front suspension is fairly easy. Depending on who is doing the work may change who to recommend.

[Bonehead]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, its for the 67 El Camino I'm currently building. Fortunately, everyone makes stuff for these! I do my own work. Its half the fun in owning a toy!

As far as the three I listed go, it was just the short list I had looked at. I really appreciate the encouragement to look at other brands. Another fun thing for me is using different products from different suppliers to see their best effort.

This El Camino is primarily a tool for me to use for work related things and just for the fun of it. I'm looking to get back into a little bit of auto cross and back on the track for some road race enjoyment. As far as the suspension goes, that's how I will set it up to handle both of those activities, but its a street car - not a full on race car.

[Rod]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, its for the 67 El Camino I'm currently building. Fortunately, everyone makes stuff for these! I do my own work. Its half the fun in owning a toy!

As far as the three I listed go, it was just the short list I had looked at. I really appreciate the encouragement to look at other brands. Another fun thing for me is using different products from different suppliers to see their best effort.

This El Camino is primarily a tool for me to use for work related things and just for the fun of it. I'm looking to get back into a little bit of auto cross and back on the track for some road race enjoyment. As far as the suspension goes, that's how I will set it up to handle both of those activities, but its a street car - not a full on race car.

simple enough a 1964-1967 GM A Body - CoilOver System - Level 2 (https://www.ridetech.com/store/1964-1967-gm-a-body-coilover-system-level-2.html) from ridetech is just $3500 bucks that's front arms(upper and lower) rear arms (upper adjustable and lower) single adjust coil overs with Hyperco springs and our own coil over conversion brackets for the rear suspension and front tall spindle to help the geometry

being single adjust shocks, it wont break the bank and you can adjust for the track, and you can ad the front swaybar if want want to round it out(our bar is 1000lbs per square inch compression) or you can run a BMR, speedtech, dse or whoever bar there compatible with our arms

[rustomatic]

Everybody here sells good stuff, but when you buy a kit, you usually wind up with something that you don't want (or wish you hadn't purchased) later. If you can, do your homework until you can't stand it, and find individual items that will meet your objectives most appropriately. As an example, I've got control arms from both Total Control and Global West on the front of my car; I have Koni shocks (which will probably also go away at some point). My steering setup has been reconfigured at least three times, and has parts from Unisteer, Howe, and Borgeson, and maybe someone else. Then there's the Edelbrock intake manifold with the Holley carburetor... Doing more homework now may save you some agitation later...

Sample reasons for choosing different parts: Total Control upper arms offered adjustability (namely caster, without shims) and size that Global West and others did not (in upper control arms)--I needed the upper arms to tolerate 15-inch rims with maximum backspacing, along with sufficient turning clearance. Global West lower arms worked with adjustable strut rods as a package; adjustability, materials (no weird plastic), and durable construction were all factors of comparison/contrast here.

Carburetors are obvious to most here: Most show car guys seem to like Edelbrocks (good, basic runners). Racers usually seem to favor Holleys (infinite tunability)...

Experience teaches that you want to at least be able to adjust rebound in your shocks; more adjustability is better, once you know/experience what you want the car to do at specific times/locations/stress points...

[Bonehead]

simple enough a 1964-1967 GM A Body - CoilOver System - Level 2 (https://www.ridetech.com/store/1964-1967-gm-a-body-coilover-system-level-2.html) from ridetech is just $3500 bucks that's front arms(upper and lower) rear arms (upper adjustable and lower) single adjust coil overs with Hyperco springs and our own coil over conversion brackets for the rear suspension and front tall spindle to help the geometry

being single adjust shocks, it wont break the bank and you can adjust for the track, and you can ad the front swaybar if want want to round it out(our bar is 1000lbs per square inch compression) or you can run a BMR, speedtech, dse or whoever bar there compatible with our arms

That was the exact Ride Tech kit I was looking at. For what I'm doing, the coil overs are a bit on the over kill side, but I've gotten addicted to the adjustability.

[Rod]

That was the exact Ride Tech kit I was looking at. For what I'm doing, the coil overs are a bit on the over kill side, but I've gotten addicted to the adjustability.

the ride quality you will get from the coil-over conversion will change your mind on the over-kill and you will never build another car without coil-overs.....you'll see

[Bonehead]

the ride quality you will get from the coil-over conversion will change your mind on the over-kill and you will never build another car without coil-overs.....you'll see

I know. Which is why I'm building yet another car with coil overs! Its one of those non-negotiable must haves. :)

[Bonehead]

Would be interested to know what percentage of the community uses coil overs for their car. Seems like its not universally offered with the different kits available for my vehicle. Which also makes me wonder if I really do need coil overs on all four corners. Though its really difficult to not want them, having run them on my 67 Chevelle.

[Rod]

Seems like its not universally offered with the different kits available for my vehicle. Which also makes me wonder if I really do need coil overs on all four corners.


why wouldn't you run coil-overs on both ends? that's like running around with a flip-flop on one foot and a tennis shoe on the other, sure you can get around with one flip-flop and one tennis shoe, but running a marathon in a flip flop sucks, and chillin at the pool in a Nike shoe on one foot sucks also

[Bonehead]

why wouldn't you run coil-overs on both ends? that's like running around with a flip-flop on one foot and a tennis shoe on the other, sure you can get around with one flip-flop and one tennis shoe, but running a marathon in a flip flop sucks, and chillin at the pool in a Nike shoe on one foot sucks also

Couldn't begin to tell you. Though some manufacturers offer coil overs in the front and adjustable shocks in the rear. I'm guessing there is a good reason why?

[UMI Tech]

For daily drivers, we've been having good success with our springs combined with RideTech shocks. We've used both the RQ and HQ. If you hit the occasional auto-x, the rebound adjustables are pretty sweet. Our springs are medium-firm for good handling without wrecking the ride quality. All UMI is made in-house here in PA and of US sourced tubing.

One thing's for sure, you're looking in the right place on PT.com as all of us sponsors have the desire to help.

[Decline]

The main reasons I am going to get coil overs are for height adjustability, weight savings, damper adjustability, better ride quality, ability to corner weight. Plus they're just damn cool
I'm currently weighing suspension options for my Camaro and my biggest concern is correcting the front geometry, which usually involves control arms, which usually leads to coilovers.

If your vehicle build doesn't really require all of that adjustability then I'd say just get a hotchkis TVS kit or something similar and call it a day.. I agree it doesn't make sense to only run one end with coils

[Nothingface5384]

Cant go wrong with the 3 companies you've listed
For spindles either ats or lh kustoms
As for carb..edelbrock performer is ok..the avs version is better nit still mot great.
Of you eant a great carb either buy a rebuilt q jet from a specialist such as Ken from Everyday Performance or buy a street demon carb best out the box carb

If you decide to go with ride techs shock waves consider the airmaster brake kit

As for full kits im for one that cant seem to find a perfect kit..I always end up finding something i dont like and find other vendor parts to fill the void

[Bonehead]

AH gotta love paying the tax man. Put me at a disadvantage for a little bit, so I've got another couple weeks to decide. Thanks everyone for sharing your experience and thanks to those manufacturers who reach out to their customers on this level. It really does set you apart from your competitors.

[Phantomphan1974]

Leaning towards RideTech for my 69 Chevelle with LS1. So many choices out there. Got the LS1 last year and my suspension needs an upgrade to match the engine. Thinking the level 2 kit. Can I use my existing sway bars? HO front 1.25in solid (company used to be in Hawthorne,CA in mid 90,s) and a stock rear GM sway at least for the time being. Not trying to break the bank but figure this will hopefully be the last suspension upgrade I need.

[Schwartz Performance]

Yes you can reuse your sway bars.

-Dale

[Phantomphan1974]

Thanks, I know eventually I want to upgrade to better ones.

And I am thinking that I probably will only need the single adjustment shocks since it will be mostly street driven as well but want the better adjustabilty just in case.

[Schwartz Performance]

Singles are good for most applications. Dedicated track cars benefit most from their triple adjustables. If you need a quote let me know!

-Dale

[Phantomphan1974]

Singles are good for most applications. Dedicated track cars benefit most from their triple adjustables. If you need a quote let me know!

-DalePM sent

[Phantomphan1974]

Anyone have link or suggestions on how to remove and replace the upper bushing on the rear end on an A-Body?

[UMI Tech]

We just did a set yesterday. They were poly so the inner part just pressed right out after pressing the sleeve out (use a deep socket with a rib, like 3/8 or 7/16). Then we sliced the shell with a muffler tool and tapped the flanges in to relieve pressure.

With stock rubber, you can drill through the rubber in a few places to get the rubber piece out. Then proceed accordingly.

There are a few tools out there but they're $50+ and we like to do things the hard way.

Installation was much easier as we simply slid one of our new Roto-Joints in there and spun the clip on.


Anyone have link or suggestions on how to remove and replace the upper bushing on the rear end on an A-Body?

[Phantomphan1974]

Thanks!

[Phantomphan1974]

Ordered ridetech level 2 kit and looking forward to install. Need to replace the dog ear bushings since they are still the rubbers ones. Was thinking about these and wanted anyone thoughts and feeling. Overkill or just go with poly ones. Not looking forward to their removal but got some suggestions on removal of them. http://www.cachassisworks.com/p-1488-chevelle-65-72-a-body-monte-carlo-78-87-g-body-axle-housing-bearings.aspx

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