Succesful Steps In Building a A-Body Suspension

[HWYSTR]

I went through this whole delima myself several years ago, mainly with deciding which route to go on my A-body's suspension. Couple things I want to point out.

First, it's very easy to get carried away, and lose sight of the final config. So, decide once, and see it through.

My 'opinion' on coil overs. It was once explained to me that a coil spring is like a big lever, and the larger the diameter spring, the more linear the rate of the spring. Due to the curb weight of these cars, it only is amplified, not like in a 2500 or so pound race car, in which coil overs work best. There's a ratio in which weight and diameter coil spring is optimum, if you can imagine. So, it is thought by many that the traditional coil spring that came on these cars will track much better than a coil over. My suggestion would be to stick with the traditional coil spring. Global West has many years experience in testing spring rates, and I believe they can advise a 'consumer hobbist' very well, not to mention a max-effort corner burner.

Control arms, front, after much looking around, from dealing with ATS, and the fact that Global West designed the control arms around the ATS spindles, AND since ATS developed their' spindles for improved suspension geometry, I believe the Global West upper and lower control arms with ATS spindles is about as good as it gets, within a reasonable cost. This as all know allows the use of C5/6 brakes, another bonus.

Rear control arms, since the front GWs were selected, makes the rear selection easy in my opinion, GW again, and the spherical bushings/del-a-lum setup is second to none when it comes to articulation.

Lowering. The front driveline angles won't change when you lower the front, only the back will, and that can be corrected easily with the adjustable uppers. If the Instant Center or Roll Center is a concern, you could add the Metco Instance Center Mod brackets or similar. (I believe GW has addressed the RC issue, call them). If you really need to, you could lift the rear of the trans to improve driveline angles, and the amount you can would be dependant on the trans and body bushings used. As a reference, on my A-body, TH-400, 12-bolt, lowered with the GW and ATS 'stuff', I have no driveline vibration at any speed, even above 150mph (high driveshaft RPMs).

Roadbuster - Sweet ride! LOVE IT!! As for the Doug's being tighter to the body, yes they are, but I have still ground the heck out of mine on the daily driver! I cringe every time too! (Guess going air-borne will do that!). On the McLeod bellhousing, on the 'bird, I trimmed the entire lower lip off to avoid any 'contact', which by the way destroys the bellhousing to block alingment. To a point that you have to replace it. Check over on PY and see how I trimmed it, even cut off the extra starter bulge. And yes, it will still protect you in the event of a clutch/flywheel/etc failure. No, it won't pass SFI, or a strict drag track tech. What's your engine specs on that?

-Mike

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2Od_KQq1ms

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[1nkred1ble]

Wow....
After reading this thread front to back, I am just amazed at how cool the people on this forum are...

It is just so damn cool of you guys, especially the more experienced suspension guys, to chime in and take the time to break it all down so that it makes sense to a newer builder...I mean, you guys could just throw out some badd ass multi-worded brake lingo and expect a newbie to follow along, and lose patience and flame him when he asks for clarification or a more "basic laymans" answer...

But you guys don't...You reword it without treating him like a third grader, and that is just soooooooo DAMN COOL...Judging by the specific details in some of your answers, there are a few of you guys who really really know their shiznit and quite honestly might have better things to be doing...But here you are, in a newbies thread, taking the time to make sure this guy ends up with a correct understanding of how the suspension actually works and what to do to get his desired results, instead of him walking away with a spinning, blurry head and some parts list of "you gotta buy these items"...

If it don't get said by anybody else, "Thanks for the great, USABLE information"...

Rick

SERIOUSLY GUYS THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE`& WILLINGNESS TO SHARE YOUR WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE !!!!!

hwystr i coudent say it better myself. Perfectly noted my friend.

[1nkred1ble]

Thanks guys once again seriously I never would've even thought about half of the things that you guys mentioned.

Gathering from you guys have said, i have come up with wish list i that i want to run by you guys

DSE front Coilovers (i know you suggested otherwise but i like the fact that adjustability is a option)

Dse Rear Coilovers



Global West Rear Tubular upper and lower Control Arms

& Ats 2 inch drop spindles.

I got lost with all the bracket and mount talk, but whichever you guys suggest i will end getting.

[6'9"Witha69]

Couple things.
The ATS spindles are 7/8" drop, not 2".
You mention GW UCAs and LCAs, what about the adjustable uppers for the rear?

[BobB66SS]

Dse Rear Coilovers

Global West Rear Tubular upper and lower Control Arms

When in mocked up my DSE rr coilover kit I still had the older style Hotchkis boxed lower arms on the car. I found out that that style/size of arm interfered with the bracket DSE provides for the lower coilover mount. Make sure you check the GW arms to see if they're like the DSE ones I eventually installed; that style eliminates the interference. I'm not familiar with the GW stuff, chances are if they're tubular you should be OK. DSE will be able to tel you for sure.

[1nkred1ble]

Couple things.
The ATS spindles are 7/8" drop, not 2".
You mention GW UCAs and LCAs, what about the adjustable uppers for the rear?

sorry i meant rear uca & lca's from global west

[6'9"Witha69]

sorry i meant rear uca & lca's from global west

OK, then what about front LCAs? This is one of the areas where you need a coliover specific part otherwise you place a huge load on a part never meant for it.

[Roadbuster]

This is the most discouraging bit of information ive received so far. I can barely tie my shoes, how the heck am i supposed to do all that????? I wish i had a 1/8 of your skill & talent. Thanks for your feedback though, now im off to bakers to get a "suspension parts & lingo to english" dictionary.

Thanks for the compliments! Asking questions is a great start to learn to do this! That is where I started!

I took my time and did this in my garage with a lot of help from this site and Mark at SC&C who I bought the parts from. I don't have a lift or a giant toolbox filled with tools. Almost everything bolted in. I made some small clearance cuts for the SPC upper arms, otherwise my frame is factory stock.

Be prepared to fix the little things that come up. For example: The vibration issue I am working on I am going to try a small spacer under the trans mount. Just some 1/2" aluminum and longer bolts. That I hope will fix the problem until I get the new manual trans, then I have to cut the tunnel to make it fit.

PM me if you need a specific definition of any suspension terms I am happy to help someone learn.

Jon

[ponchopwr70]

I recommend going with sc+c. No one can believe how my car handles. I don't have the best of the best either. I have a boxed chassis, factory welds redone, eldelbrock rear arms with adj. uppers, eibach springs, sc+c stage 2-plus, 1-1/4 front bar, 7/8 rear and eldelbrock shocks. Roadbuster is right on the problems of lowering. My problem is compounded by have a gearvendors on the driveline angle. Its something I deal with and isn't terrible its just not a caddy. I have a sb chevy with dougs headers and they tuck nice and an oval exhaust for more clearance. Heres a pic of my stance my suspension has setteled a little more since but not much.

[1nkred1ble]

Thanks for the compliments! Asking questions is a great start to learn to do this! That is where I started!

I took my time and did this in my garage with a lot of help from this site and Mark at SC&C who I bought the parts from. I don't have a lift or a giant toolbox filled with tools. Almost everything bolted in. I made some small clearance cuts for the SPC upper arms, otherwise my frame is factory stock.

Be prepared to fix the little things that come up. For example: The vibration issue I am working on I am going to try a small spacer under the trans mount. Just some 1/2" aluminum and longer bolts. That I hope will fix the problem until I get the new manual trans, then I have to cut the tunnel to make it fit.

PM me if you need a specific definition of any suspension terms I am happy to help someone learn.

Jon

So After Some More Researching More Reading and MORE SAVING $$$$

Im ready to make to make my first purchase. Im looking to get the coilovers out the way first since they are the heart of my suspension set up, and im looking to work the system around them.

this is the order in which i plan on gathering everything up.

1. DSE front and rear coilovers.
2. Sc&c street comp stage 2 + Afx spindle
3. Spc LCA
4. Spc Adjustable UCA
5. c6 z06 front & rear brakes & calipers
6. Hotchkis/Metco/cpp rear & upper adjustable control arms??????????????

Does anybody know if their is a dse dealer in somewhere in so cal? around the los angeles orange county area?

Did I Get Everything? Am I missing something? maybe some swaybars ?

[MIGOAT]

Sway bars are the best bang for the buck on these rides, it helps with the roll..

[1nkred1ble]

thanks for all the great info guys after speaking w/ darren at ride tech seems like i can afford to go with their stage 1 package.

http://www.ridetech.com/products/64_...-1582-941.html

have some pics of sum more goodies
my metco rear upper & lower adjustable control arms, boy are these things purdddyyyy in person!!!!!