What's all needed to lower a f-body? List please!
What's all needed to lower a f-body? List please! I'll be lowering my z/28 over the winter. I'd like to get a list of everything I'll need. I have longtube headers and plan on some C5 Z06 wheels down the road.
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From: Barrie , Ontairo , Canada
If you have stock shocks dump those , which type of springs you gonna go with ?
When I lowered my car I installed :
Eibach prokit
Bilstine shocks / SLP Tuned
UMI On Car adjustible Panhard Bar
But then I had some traction issues & installed :
UMI adjustible lower Control Arms & Re-location brackets that helped a bunch .
Also depends on what you are going to do with your car Drag or do you want it to handle good .
Also if you have the extra cash opt for Koni adjustible shocks I should have went with those instead of the bilstines , I`ll be switching those out next summer . And looks llike your car has T-Top`s Subframe connectors I would highly recommend
those by far ! I went with UMI 3 Piont`s extremely well made product I cannot say enough as to how important they are .
When I lowered my car I installed :
Eibach prokit
Bilstine shocks / SLP Tuned
UMI On Car adjustible Panhard Bar
But then I had some traction issues & installed :
UMI adjustible lower Control Arms & Re-location brackets that helped a bunch .
Also depends on what you are going to do with your car Drag or do you want it to handle good .
Also if you have the extra cash opt for Koni adjustible shocks I should have went with those instead of the bilstines , I`ll be switching those out next summer . And looks llike your car has T-Top`s Subframe connectors I would highly recommend
those by far ! I went with UMI 3 Piont`s extremely well made product I cannot say enough as to how important they are .
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,798
Likes: 16
From: St.Charles MO
Good shocks will control those springs (shocks should be #1 on the list anyway, the stockers are horrible).
An adjustable panhard bar (or a watts link) is used to recenter the rear end after being lowered.
Relocation brackets put the rear control arms back to a stock-like angle, definitely not needed by any means at all, and may hurt handling.
And of course an alignment.
More of the same...
- if you ever plan to compete, decide where you want to compete and limit your parts to what is allowed
- Linear springs and shocks which can properly dampen them. If you won't take the time to adjust them for different conditions, save the money and get non-adjustables.
- dual rod-ended panhard using LH and RH ends for ease of adjustability (which is less expensive and less weight than a watts link, but some feel the benefits of the watts outweigh (pun intended) the costs)
- I'd wait to buy the lowering lca brackets until after you see how level the arms are after lowering (see below).
- learn to drive slower over speed bumps
- be prepared to scrape those headers
- worry more about hitting trash/roadkill on the streets/highway where you otherwise wouldn't have to
Regarding the LCA angles...
Call Sam Strano to discuss your needs
- if you ever plan to compete, decide where you want to compete and limit your parts to what is allowed
- Linear springs and shocks which can properly dampen them. If you won't take the time to adjust them for different conditions, save the money and get non-adjustables.
- dual rod-ended panhard using LH and RH ends for ease of adjustability (which is less expensive and less weight than a watts link, but some feel the benefits of the watts outweigh (pun intended) the costs)
- I'd wait to buy the lowering lca brackets until after you see how level the arms are after lowering (see below).
- learn to drive slower over speed bumps
- be prepared to scrape those headers
- worry more about hitting trash/roadkill on the streets/highway where you otherwise wouldn't have to
Regarding the LCA angles...
Call Sam Strano to discuss your needs
Strano lowering springs and koni sa shocks.That's what Strano recommends with his lowering springs.His springs are the best,as far as lowering springs.That's what I would start with and go from there.Call Sam Strano up and see what he says. 1-800-729-1831.Drive it and see what you think before you spend more money.
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If you have stock shocks dump those , which type of springs you gonna go with ?
When I lowered my car I installed :
Eibach prokit
Bilstine shocks / SLP Tuned
UMI On Car adjustible Panhard Bar
But then I had some traction issues & installed :
UMI adjustible lower Control Arms & Re-location brackets that helped a bunch .
Also depends on what you are going to do with your car Drag or do you want it to handle good .
Also if you have the extra cash opt for Koni adjustible shocks I should have went with those instead of the bilstines , I`ll be switching those out next summer . And looks llike your car has T-Top`s Subframe connectors I would highly recommend
those by far ! I went with UMI 3 Piont`s extremely well made product I cannot say enough as to how important they are .
When I lowered my car I installed :
Eibach prokit
Bilstine shocks / SLP Tuned
UMI On Car adjustible Panhard Bar
But then I had some traction issues & installed :
UMI adjustible lower Control Arms & Re-location brackets that helped a bunch .
Also depends on what you are going to do with your car Drag or do you want it to handle good .
Also if you have the extra cash opt for Koni adjustible shocks I should have went with those instead of the bilstines , I`ll be switching those out next summer . And looks llike your car has T-Top`s Subframe connectors I would highly recommend
those by far ! I went with UMI 3 Piont`s extremely well made product I cannot say enough as to how important they are .
Thanks for suggesting UMI Performance! Like mentioned above you are definitely going to need a adjustable pan hard bar to center the rear under the vehicle. And you will have some traction issues and the best bang for the buck is the lower control arm relocation brackets. Below is a link to show you what all UMI Performance has to offer!
http://www.umiperformance.com/catalo...e296ppr5hs16o1
If you have any other questions feel free to ask and I will be more than glad to help.
Thanks Again
Brad
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Verdad Gallardo I really like the UMI stuff! I'll get most of my things from them. Strano springs seem to fit the bill also. My car will see the track maybe 2 times a year. Most of the time I'll be on the streets with the car. Will lowering the car fix my wheel hop?
Strano Performance sells the entire UMI catalog, fwiw. So there is one stop shopping available.
Lowering a car can actually stop wheelhop. Not guaranteed to, but has happened. Some cars hop stock, and dropping them and the resulting instant center changes eliminate or lessen hop. Also shocks can help too, if the stock shocks are weak you can get hop from them being an issue.
So really, I'd have to say do the springs/shocks and see what's what. If you have further needs, we'll address them accordingly if/when the time comes. Don't assume you need everything known to man, because most don't.
Lowering a car can actually stop wheelhop. Not guaranteed to, but has happened. Some cars hop stock, and dropping them and the resulting instant center changes eliminate or lessen hop. Also shocks can help too, if the stock shocks are weak you can get hop from them being an issue.
So really, I'd have to say do the springs/shocks and see what's what. If you have further needs, we'll address them accordingly if/when the time comes. Don't assume you need everything known to man, because most don't.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Very, very, very rarely.... Basically you can never say never.... so, almost never.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
From: Ridgecrest Ca
Ive driven my car for 2 years on strano's with no t/a. I also went close to a year and a half with out an adjustable phb. Got the UMI poly/poly on car adjustable one and love it. Only a small squeek and only noticeable when im idling aroung parking lots and things of that nature.
TECH Regular
iTrader: (10)
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 420
Likes: 0
From: Joliet, IL / Virginia Beach, VA
Thanks. Just didn't know if lowering the car changed your pinion angle or not. I didn't think so due to the point where the Tq arm is mounted to the end of the transmission, but I wasn't for sure. I'll probably get an adjustable one anyways, but was just curious on when I "need" to get it.
When you need to deal with axle-hop or are trying to maximize every ounce of your straight-line traction.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Thanks. Just didn't know if lowering the car changed your pinion angle or not. I didn't think so due to the point where the Tq arm is mounted to the end of the transmission, but I wasn't for sure. I'll probably get an adjustable one anyways, but was just curious on when I "need" to get it.
I just found a set a sportline springs. Do I need new shocks also? Or can I use the stock shocks. I been asking around and some people say yes and some say no. Anyother input would be great. 
Last edited by 2001somws.6; Nov 15, 2009 at 09:29 AM.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,798
Likes: 16
From: St.Charles MO
You are not required to use anything but lowering springs to lower the car. But if you decide to stay with the stock shocks you may be knocking some fillings loose...
You may want to search around before you take that leap. Sportline springs are arguably the worst springs you can buy for these cars, I have yet to see anyone that truly like them. Their rate is way too low for the drop they give which makes you hit the bump stops harder and much more often (and you may be sitting on the bumps stops in the rear).
You are not required to use anything but lowering springs to lower the car. But if you decide to stay with the stock shocks you may be knocking some fillings loose...
You are not required to use anything but lowering springs to lower the car. But if you decide to stay with the stock shocks you may be knocking some fillings loose...
Thanks for the info. I have heard of storys of the stock shocks blowing out. I also know someone with the sportlines on a t/a and he says its not that ruff but to take inclines at an angle and his stock shock are fine. I dont have the money for shocks but want to make sure so im not wasting my time.
Last edited by 2001somws.6; Nov 15, 2009 at 12:30 PM.