My Suspension build!

[dirtracr95]

Start Date:10-06-09

Alright I am starting to gather things for my build. Heres how my car currently sits:

*259,000 Miles
*Smashed front energy suspension front endlinks
*21mm rear bar with energy suspension endlink bushings (19mm bar was stock)
*KYB GR-2 Struts
*Front STB
*245/45/17 Bridgestone Potenza RE050a Pole Position Fronts currently

Heres how I want it to sit when Im done:

*14" C6 Z06 Brakes
*00-05 H-Body front spindles
*KYB AGX's all around
*W-body Front lowering springs Eibach
*Rear Disk Conversion
*Addco front sway bar endlink kit. (Stiffer than energy suspension poly endlinks)
*Addco 7/8" (22.25mm) Rear sway bar with the stiff bushings
*Custom rear Lowering springs
*The rear 245/45/17 RE050a Pole Positions.
*Bearings instead of rubber bushings in the rear control arms.
*Rear lower control arm tie-bar.
*Solid Bushings for the front control arms
*Rear STB
*Steering quickener
*Tuning my Alignment

What I have so far:
*The 7/8" rear swaybar
*Addco front sway bar endlink kit
*00-05 H-body front spindles (paying for them Thursday)
*Donor rear control arms
*Donor front control arms

I know how to weld. I have a welder and can easily get ahold metal for the Rear STB and the brackets for the Rear swaybar. I dont want to drill the "Frame" to install it.

Addco Front Endlink Kit

Addco Rear 7/8" Swaybar

[dirtracr95]

Update 10-10-09


I put the Addco front endlink kit on today. OMG it is a big difference over the energy suspension bushings. I had to use some of the old energy suspension washers to get the endlinks tight because the bolt ran out of theads. I cranked down on it with my electric impact so the bushings are already pretty tight unloaded they dont bulge though. The Car doesnt have anybody roll at all. Granted I had been used to driving with no front swaybar because the endlink bushings were mashed and destroyed making it ineffective. But it still feels a whole lot stiffer than when the energy suspension bushings were new. Steering response got better too.

This is what the bushings look like after I cranked down on them.


Some differences I noticed between the energy suspension endlinks and the Addco one:

The washers that press up against the bushings are bigger in the addco kit. With the energy suspension kit the washers were smaller and cutting into the bushings. Addco washers completely cover the bushings.



The addco center sleeve seems to be shorter than the one that was in the energy suspension kit. That might have been why I needed to use the old washers to get the endlink tight.


The only thing I am worried about is the bolt that came with the Addco kit. It is a smaller diameter than the one in the energy suspension kit. I didnt measure it but it seems like the Addco kit's bolt was 5/16" while the energy suspension bolt is 3/8". As long as it holds I wont have a problem.



I am going to be getting things ready to install the 7/8" Addco rear bar.

Im on the lookout for some W-body front Eibachs so if you know of someone who has any and may want to sell them let me know. Otherwise Ill buy the SSC's from ZZP and just sell the rear springs. But I got some time til I finish getting the rest of my front end parts. All I have left to get for the front is AGX's, Z06 Calipers, Wilwood 2 piece rotors, Stainless Steel lines and Springs.

[dirtracr95]

I might have Eibachs by the middle of next week. Things are starting to come together slowly but surely.

[BonneMe]

Why are you wanting to run such a big brake kit? I would be more focused on pads and fluid first, as a 14" rotor will be A LOT of unsprung weight added to the car, which will definitely hurt performance.

[00Beast]

I'm with Jason. I just upgraded to slotted EBC rotors and their Red Stuff Kevlar/Ceramic Pads in stock size on my SSEi, and it stops just as good as, if not better than my dad's GXP, with nearly an inch larger rotors and dual piston front calipers. It's not about size, it's about efficiency.

[dirtracr95]

Actually the 14" rotor will weigh 19lbs flat. The stock ZO6 rotor weighs like 27lbs. Plus I am going from steel spindles to Aluminum ones. The Eibach or SSC drop springs from the looks of it will probably weigh less than the stock F41 springs I have now. I don't know if the 6 pot Z06 Calipers are aluminum or not but if they are it will probably not weigh a terrible amount more.

In the end Im not worried about clamping power I can get my potenzas to almost lock up with my 10" brakes. However I wanna make sure I am not going to get any fade unless Im really beating the Hell out of the brakes. I boiled the crap out of the fluid last night in 2 75-0 all out stops. I felt it fade by the end of the first stop. My pedal is a giant sponge right now. Time to bleed it until I finish gathering my supplies.

Plus I want 18" rims on my car and already hate how small my stock brakes look in my 17's

Current shopping list:
AGX's
Z06 Calipers
Wilwood hats
Wilwood rotors
Eibachs or if I cant find them, SSC's
Hardware

My '02 Spindles (thanks Andrew)

[95naSTA]

FWIW I found that a 97-02 GP strut and spring with a 92-99 H-body strut top and 00+ Bonnie knuckle is 10lbs lighter then the factory combo.

[dirtracr95]

Im guessing mostly the spring and spindle. Thanks for backing me up.

[BonneMe]

I was just commenting on the brakes as that will most likely cost more than everything else, if not more than the car KBB's for stock lol. What MC/Res are you going to run with this setup?

[95naSTA]

I don't really see the purpose past the 12" slotted rotor/f-body setup I have. It's not hard to make people kiss my dash and I'm sure my car is heavier. Plus, I have not been able to warp my rotors. They have about 23k on them. I was warping stock sized rotors (even powerslots) in less than 5k.

As far as modding past the KBBV.. It's an 88 with over 200k. That's not hard.

[BonneMe]

As far as modding past the KBBV.. It's an 88 with over 200k. That's not hard.

Well, yeah, the project will go over that, but I was just meaning the rotors themselves..

What do you plan on doing with the car? A good 12" rotor + some cooling ducts will be just as stout (better on a track most likely) as a 14" rotor, and will be more cost effective while still performing great.

[00Beast]

Plus, adding a 14" rotor is way more intertia that has to be over come. Leverage works both ways on that setup.

[dirtracr95]

I wanna run it at a couple road courses when all said and done. And I do quite a few 100+ stops. I dont plan on ever getting rid of the car. Its got a priceless sentimental value as its the First car I bought. KBB lists it at $1200 in excellent condition. The turbo, by itself, that I will be putting on after I finish the suspension costs that much. Then factor in the intercooler, BOV, wastegate, piping, software/hardware to tune it I'm looking at 3 grand before the stroker kit. But I don't expect the engine to be done for 2 years unless I can get more money at work. Suspension mods are more gratifying for me because I get really bored going in a straight line. Its all about the lateral G's for me.

Plus, adding a 14" rotor is way more intertia that has to be over come. Leverage works both ways on that setup.

I also plan on running 18's so the bigger brakes will help resist brake fade and fill in rim. I am sick of looking at how small my brakes are in my current 17's. Like I said up top I get bored going in a straight line so the rotational weight is really not something I care about. My front suspension overall with 14" brakes will be lighter than stock with my 10" brakes. Which will be better for suspension response due to the lower unsprung weight.

[Oldsman105]

Subscribed ! I can wait to see 6 pot Z06 brakes on a H-body!. How big of rear brakes do you plan to run?

[yourgrandma]

There might be some good deals on the brakes from guys switching their zo6s to zr1 brakes. I would look for two piece rotors to save weight.