Ridetech complete coilover kit for Chevelle advise

[Volks]

Looking at the complete kit from Ridetech 11240201 for my 71 Chevelle project. Wondering if anyone has any experience with the whole kit installed. I would be using the one with the single adjustable shocks. Not a track car. Car has a LSA and T56. Also will probably be getting a new Moser or Strange 12 bolt with Ford ends if that matters. Kit says it comes with 2 inch dropped spindles. That might be too low for me. Thinking I would be able to adjust it up some with the coilovers. Any thoughts on spring rates for a combo like that? Or anything else I might not be thinking of? And yes I called them earlier but just got the answering machine. Holiday time. Also would need to know if there would be any clearance issues with a 15 inch wheel and the tie rods?
Thanks Don

[redsixty9]

Make a call to ridetech. They could answer any question you could think of. If your really not doing crazy stuff and want good handling as a driver you may want to check out their streetgrip kit. I have a level 2 coilover kit w/muscle bars on my 69 GS400. To be honest it takes a lot of fooling around to get the setup right. It's not just bolt it on and go. Getting the right stance, wheel/tire combination, ride quality and alignment right takes some trial and error for sure. The upside is it's starting to handle better and better. The more you learn about suspension and how everything works together the better you'll know what makes what react to the adjustments you make to dial it in. Call ridetech they could guide you to a baseline on what your trying to achieve for your driving style and needs.

[Mark69bird]

Looking at the complete kit from Ridetech 11240201 for my 71 Chevelle project. Wondering if anyone has any experience with the whole kit installed. I would be using the one with the single adjustable shocks. Not a track car. Car has a LSA and T56. Also will probably be getting a new Moser or Strange 12 bolt with Ford ends if that matters. Kit says it comes with 2 inch dropped spindles. That might be too low for me. Thinking I would be able to adjust it up some with the coilovers. Any thoughts on spring rates for a combo like that? Or anything else I might not be thinking of? And yes I called them earlier but just got the answering machine. Holiday time. Also would need to know if there would be any clearance issues with a 15 inch wheel and the tie rods?
Thanks Don

If you want some good advice you should look up suspension geek (Rodney) and talk with him. I got a lot of good tips from him. Just a great guy to talk with. I just purchased a complete suspension kit from him. Very knowledgeable.

[Volks]

Make a call to ridetech. They could answer any question you could think of. If your really not doing crazy stuff and want good handling as a driver you may want to check out their streetgrip kit. I have a level 2 coilover kit w/muscle bars on my 69 GS400. To be honest it takes a lot of fooling around to get the setup right. It's not just bolt it on and go. Getting the right stance, wheel/tire combination, ride quality and alignment right takes some trial and error for sure. The upside is it's starting to handle better and better. The more you learn about suspension and how everything works together the better you'll know what makes what react to the adjustments you make to dial it in. Call ridetech they could guide you to a baseline on what your trying to achieve for your driving style and needs.

As I said I called them today,no answer. Thought maybe someone on here has their kit installed. Not interested in Streetgrip as it doesn't have coilovers. Not sure what a Level 2 is, I don't see any levels on their website. And yes I probably don't "need" any of this for what I'm going to use this car for. Hopefully the stance can be adjusted with the coilovers, wheels and tires have to be able to put a stock SS wheel on it, ride quality should be able to adjust with the shock setting and sway bar after getting the right spring rate, and I have an alignment rack at work. The plan is to not use any original parts on the frame so I'm looking at complete kits instead of piecing it together from several vendors. Will try to get in touch with them again next week.

[Volks]

If you want some good advice you should look up suspension geek (Rodney) and talk with him. I got a lot of good tips from him. Just a great guy to talk with. I just purchased a complete suspension kit from him. Very knowledgeable.

So what kit did you end up buying?

[Rod]

Give me a call at the shop tomorrow, 11 pm here and I'm crashing, the shop #931-231-4505 Suspension Geek, I'm located just below Nashville TN ... I work for ridetech, was a team driver for Hotchkis, and now I have my own shop

182835

[dhutton]

Looking at the complete kit from Ridetech 11240201 for my 71 Chevelle project. Wondering if anyone has any experience with the whole kit installed. I would be using the one with the single adjustable shocks. Not a track car. Car has a LSA and T56. Also will probably be getting a new Moser or Strange 12 bolt with Ford ends if that matters. Kit says it comes with 2 inch dropped spindles. That might be too low for me. Thinking I would be able to adjust it up some with the coilovers. Any thoughts on spring rates for a combo like that? Or anything else I might not be thinking of? And yes I called them earlier but just got the answering machine. Holiday time. Also would need to know if there would be any clearance issues with a 15 inch wheel and the tie rods?
Thanks Don
Why do you want coilovers with the associated stiffer springs, reduced shock travel and the associated rougher ride?

I built my A body with SPC lowering springs, Bilstein shocks, SPC arms, ATS spindles, Currie rear arms and Hellwig sway bars. The ride was great and it handled well. Perfect for a street car imho.

That Ridetech stock style rear sway bar is less than optimum the way it operates on the trailing arms. A proper sway bar mounted to the frame is better imho.

I also built an A body with the Street Grip system. Ride was actually pretty good once we worked through the issues.

Don

[andrewb70]

Ridetech has redesigned their rear bar arrangement.

Andrew

[dhutton]

Ridetech has redesigned their rear bar arrangement.

Andrew

Thanks for the correction. You are correct. The pic on Summit shows the older style.

Don

[redsixty9]

As I said I called them today,no answer. Thought maybe someone on here has their kit installed. Not interested in Streetgrip as it doesn't have coilovers. Not sure what a Level 2 is, I don't see any levels on their website. And yes I probably don't "need" any of this for what I'm going to use this car for. Hopefully the stance can be adjusted with the coilovers, wheels and tires have to be able to put a stock SS wheel on it, ride quality should be able to adjust with the shock setting and sway bar after getting the right spring rate, and I have an alignment rack at work. The plan is to not use any original parts on the frame so I'm looking at complete kits instead of piecing it together from several vendors. Will try to get in touch with them again next week. level 2 was the coilover kit with muscle bars on GM A body 1968-72 it has a Strange S60 with the big ford ends and I can run stock wheels. It's not the suspension kit it's the brake size that limits your wheel choice. I run Baer ss4+ brakes so I can run my slicks and 15" wheels at the drag strip. The rotor size and caliper will limit your wheel choice. Sorry about the streetgrip kit but it does change the stance and is a complete kit and you can use your stock wheels.

[Volks]

Why do you want coilovers with the associated stiffer springs, reduced shock travel and the associated rougher ride?

I built my A body with SPC lowering springs, Bilstein shocks, SPC arms, ATS spindles, Currie rear arms and Hellwig sway bars. The ride was great and it handled well. Perfect for a street car imho.

That Ridetech stock style rear sway bar is less than optimum the way it operates on the trailing arms. A proper sway bar mounted to the frame is better imho.

I also built an A body with the Street Grip system. Ride was actually pretty good once we worked through the issues.

Don

I want coilovers so it's easy to set ride hight. Ridetech kit has extended lower arms and 2 inch drop spindle for more travel and my car won't be that low so that's why I was interested in it. What do you mean about working through the issues with the Streetgrip? It looks like they share a lot of the parts on the kit I'm looking at.

[Volks]

level 2 was the coilover kit with muscle bars on GM A body 1968-72 it has a Strange S60 with the big ford ends and I can run stock wheels. It's not the suspension kit it's the brake size that limits your wheel choice. I run Baer ss4+ brakes so I can run my slicks and 15" wheels at the drag strip. The rotor size and caliper will limit your wheel choice. Sorry about the streetgrip kit but it does change the stance and is a complete kit and you can use your stock wheels.

Ok So what shocks are you using? Single adjustable ones? Thoughts on spring rates? Would you buy it again?
And I talked to Rod earlier today, so I'll also be buying through him.

[andrewb70]

I want coilovers so it's easy to set ride hight. Ridetech kit has extended lower arms and 2 inch drop spindle for more travel and my car won't be that low so that's why I was interested in it. What do you mean about working through the issues with the Streetgrip? It looks like they share a lot of the parts on the kit I'm looking at.

Coil overs are not for setting ride height.

[Tsaints1115]

I will throw my $.02 in by saying RideTech makes a much higher quality product compared to some others out there. I went with the full RT setup under my wagon but there's a few braces I wanted to include that they don't make so they were purchased from another manufacturer. The RT parts bolt right up as they advertise and the fit/finish is excellent. As for the other brand.............not so much.

[dhutton]

Coil overs are not for setting ride height.

X2. Coilover shocks need to be roughly centered in their stroke at ride height. If the OP is expecting to compensate for 2” drop spindles by adjusting his coilovers he is mistaken and will likely end up with the shock nearly at the top of its stroke.

I’m always entertained by guys recommending parts that they have zero miles on. Just because they bolt in and look nice it doesn’t mean they ride nice. Just because they win in autocross and at the track it doesn’t mean they ride well on the street....

Over the years and a lot of builds I’ve learned a lot of hard lessons. It’s interesting to note that Roadster Shop has come to a lot of the same conclusions and has introduced a line of frames that actually ride nice on the street.

https://roadstershop.com/product/full-chassis/1955-57-chevy-ride-line-chassis-2/

Don

[Volks]

X2. Coilover shocks need to be roughly centered in their stroke at ride height. If the OP is expecting to compensate for 2” drop spindles by adjusting his coilovers he is mistaken and will likely end up with the shock nearly at the top of its stroke.

I’m always entertained by guys recommending parts that they have zero miles on. Just because they bolt in and look nice it doesn’t mean they ride nice. Just because they win in autocross and at the track it doesn’t mean they ride well on the street....

Over the years and a lot of builds I’ve learned a lot of hard lessons. It’s interesting to note that Roadster Shop has come to a lot of the same conclusions and has introduced a line of frames that actually ride nice on the street.

https://roadstershop.com/product/full-chassis/1955-57-chevy-ride-line-chassis-2/

Don

OK I understand the point you're making about setting ride height. I was thinking that if I did go up with it an inch it would probably be only a half inch on the shock. Didn't think that would be near the end of travel.
Not sure who recommended parts that have zero miles on. I'm just looking to install all new parts on my build so I was looking at complete kits. Do you think the car will ride like crap on the street with this set up?
Car is in primer now very close to paint so I'm trying to get my plan in order.

Thanks Don

[dhutton]

OK I understand the point you're making about setting ride height. I was thinking that if I did go up with it an inch it would probably be only a half inch on the shock. Didn't think that would be near the end of travel.
Not sure who recommended parts that have zero miles on. I'm just looking to install all new parts on my build so I was looking at complete kits. Do you think the car will ride like crap on the street with this set up?
Car is in primer now very close to paint so I'm trying to get my plan in order.

Thanks Don

It might be ok if you only want to go up an inch. My point was counting on two inches might be overly optimistic. A lot of guys think coilovers offer infinitely adjustable ride height only to learn too late they are far from it.

I really can’t say how it will ride for sure. I can only offer up my experience with a couple of A body builds. For a street driven car I prefer springs and shocks over coilovers. The Ridetech progressive rate springs in the Street Grip package are very nice riding. Not a big fan of solid control arm bushings on the street.

Ultimately it comes down to what you judge to be a nice ride. Ideally you would take a test ride in a car with the setup you are considering. In my experience potholes and sudden drops in pavement really tell the tale.

Don

[stab6902]

It’s interesting to note that Roadster Shop has come to a lot of the same conclusions and has introduced a line of frames that actually ride nice on the street.

https://roadstershop.com/product/full-chassis/1955-57-chevy-ride-line-chassis-2/

Don

Exactly. Maybe now that Roadster Shop is doing it, people will stop looking at me like I'm from another planet when I recommend rubber bushings and microcellular bump stops on everything but focused track cars.

I also recommend factory style springs and good quality adjustable shocks. You're not going to beat the durability and value of a factory style setup, and there are ways to fine tune ride height if needed (trimming springs, adding spacers, etc).

[Volks]

I hear you on the height adjustment. I have a set of QA1's on one of my Camaro's and making a small adjustment really made a big difference in getting the stance right.

I understand your points on the StreetGrip package. Agree those progressive rate springs are probably the best for what I'm doing. But I saw a video on their site with a red Chevelle convertible that they swapped the springs in the parking lot and that car looked too high in the rear and a little low in the front. Fronts can be brought up a little with a spacer but can't really bring the rear down. And the kit includes things I wouldn't use since I still need control arms. Could just buy the springs and shocks. Also don't see lower control arms for regular coil springs either. I have 3 first gen Camaro's with all different parts (SPS arms, Smith Racecraft arms, tall Howe balljoints, QA1 coilovers on one, unknown gold sway bar on one LOL. So I could just do the stock spindle tall ball joints and quality arms route on this car I guess. It would be nice to have 1 car with all parts from one manufacturer i was thinking.

I also have a 2010 Camaro SS. Obviously that car rides better to me than all my old stuff. If I can get the Chevelle somewhere close to that it would be great.

[stab6902]

I'm running BMR springs and Ridetech single adjustable shocks on 2 cars (an A-body like yours and a 68 Firebird) and I really like them. A lot of the Ridetech stuff, especially the springs and swaybars, is not the best value in my opinion. The BMR springs are less than half the price and still made in the US, plus BMR is transparent about their spring rates and offers 1" and 2" drops.

[stab6902]

Here's how my car sits on BMR 2" drop springs:182994

[Volks]

Here's how my car sits on BMR 2" drop springs:182994


Car looks good. And I see those BMR springs are inexpensive. But only come in red. And their arms are hammertone not black. LOL Not a fan of that.

[stab6902]

And I see those BMR springs are inexpensive. But only come in red. And their arms are hammertone not black. LOL Not a fan of that.

Yeah I hear ya. Their color scheme probably hasn't seen any updates since the 90's lol.