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.
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 .
I'll need more then that. I don't drive a Honda. lol
I know I'll need springs, struts,and relocation brackets, but what else?
The only thing that is required is springs to lower the car. 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.
- 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
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.
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 .
Hello
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!
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.
__________________ Sam Strano SCCA National Champion (x6)
SCCA ProSolo Overall Champion-2009
SCCA ProSolo Class Champion (x5) Strano Performance Parts
814-849-3450 www.stranoparts.com
If you lower your car, do you "need" an adjustable Tq arm?
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.
__________________ Surgeon General says nothing about smoking a ford.
Very, very, very rarely.... Basically you can never say never.... so, almost never.
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.
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 have had several people tell me a tq arm is required after lowering a car to adjust pinion angle ...obviously, this is not true based on what Sam and others have said. Can anyone elaborate a little bit more though? Is the change in angle simply not significant, or does it not change at all? At what power level do you run the risk of snapping the stock TA with normal street driving? Thanks for any info.
__________________ 2002 Trans Am WS6 blk on blk M6 12k miles-UMI 3-pt. SFCs/shock tower brace/adj. PHB (coated silver), CCW 505a's (18X11/18X10)
2002 Camaro SS NBM M6 47k miles-SLP lid, MSD wires, ARH headers/catted y, MagnaFlow catback, UMI 3-pt. SFCs/shock tower brace/adj. PHB/adj. LCAs, Kinesis K29 wheels, tune courtesy of dlove...more to come
2006 Z71 ext cab shrt bd 5.3L Volant CAI
2002 KTM 200 EXC
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.
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.
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 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...
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.
What's all needed to lower a f-body? List please! 
1999 A4 Z/28= SLP Lid, Free Ram air, SLP lm1, pacesetter headers, ory, msd/ngk tr-55, TB bypass, Ported TB, Tuned by Frost, 6k proj hids..
