i'm looking to finish upgrading my suspension beyond the shocks/struts and springs. i'd like to improve handling and strengthen everything, but my main concern is improving launch traction. i've been told lower control arms are the best for that. anyone have any advice on good brands that aren't ridiculously expensive? are upper control arms actually good for anything significant? how about subframe connectors, good/bad/useful? last thing, do strut tower braces actually help at all? these are the things i'm looking at adding, any advice would be great.
I'm all about buying used stuff, just check it out real good before installing if you go that route. I like Steeda control arms, although I think I'm gonna go with The Megabite Jr. this time around. Uppers are useful, especially adjustible one which allow you to correct pinion angle when installing polyurethane or spherical bushings. SFC's are a great addition and will really stiffen things up. The strut tower brace will help a little bit, but not nearly as much as the SFC's and control arms.
If you're looking for straight line performance, you don't need the strut tower brace. Sub-frame connectors are alomost mandatory on any 79 to 04 car.
I only use the double adjustable upper for all my customers. It gives you the ability to fine tune the pinion angle for your car, instead of take the geometry that was welded in with to upper boxes. Those locations can vary but up to a quarter inch.
When combined with a quality set of lowers, they will prevent axle wind up and let you transfer the power to the ground.
for handling, yes, the strut and shock tower braces will do wonders for the car, almost make it feel like a completely different car, it reduced the body roll significantly on my car. if you want straight line performance, do like funky and pkstanger mentioned and just get the sfc and the control arms. i remember reading somewhere that for straight line, the rear shock tower brace does help, but is pretty much useless unless you are making lots of power.
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RIP Gloria A. Torres
4/26/61 - 10/30/07
The best Mom-lady I could have ever asked for
you say the braces will help handling, particularly the body roll, as i read it. but since i put the new springs and shocks on it, there is no body roll, at all. will the braces still help the car handle better in other ways?
sounds like control arms and sfc are next, thanks.
What springs/shocks did you go with? in my case i had a lot of body roll and the car felt really loose, the front brace really reduced the roll and made the car feel stiffer and more predictable and fun to drive. the rear brace likewise made the car feel stiffer even more, but not as much as the front one did. if you say you dont have bodyroll anymore, the only other thing i can think of the braces helping with is the stiffness.
EDIT: just out of curiosity, how did you test to know you have no body roll?
__________________
RIP Gloria A. Torres
4/26/61 - 10/30/07
The best Mom-lady I could have ever asked for
i have koni all around. i'm not sure i ever really tested body roll. i thought it was when the car tilted when going around corners, like a boat, which it doesn't do at all anymore. that's what i was referring to when i say no body roll.
any advice on brands of control arms or sfc's? and is full or standard length sfc's preferrable?
i have koni all around. i'm not sure i ever really tested body roll. i thought it was when the car tilted when going around corners, like a boat, which it doesn't do at all anymore. that's what i was referring to when i say no body roll.
any advice on brands of control arms or sfc's? and is full or standard length sfc's preferrable?
oh, ok, koni's are good. as for the body roll, you are right, thats what it is. on the freeways and just driving around town isnt exactly going to test your car to the limits, so you might still have body roll you just dont notice it as much. mine is like that right now (stock rear suspension, tokico struts up front, and front and rear brace), around town and on the highways i have very little body roll, but take it to the track or up the mountains/canyons and it rolls like a boat (ok, exaggeration, its not that bad but its still very noticable, at least to me)
as for the subframes, get the full length. dont have sfc yet, but ive heard the ones from maximum motorsports are really good.
__________________
RIP Gloria A. Torres
4/26/61 - 10/30/07
The best Mom-lady I could have ever asked for
maximum motorsports isn't too expensive, which is good. how is bbk when it comes to suspension parts? i've found pretty good deals for sfc's and control arms between those two brands. i don't need hardcore racing equip, but i don't want crap either.
nope, the sfc arent too expensive, average price is around $150 i think, but dont forget that you have to weld them on, so if you cant do that yourself keep in mind you gotta pay a little more to get welded. as far as bbk's suspension lineup goes, i havent bought anything from them, but the performance parts i do have from bbk have all been excellent.
__________________
RIP Gloria A. Torres
4/26/61 - 10/30/07
The best Mom-lady I could have ever asked for
thanks for all the advice folks. went ahead and got some lower control arms and sfc's. can't wait to feel the grip. now all i need is a clutch to handle it and i should be set.
cool dude, let us know how it turns out. on a side note for that clutch, if you have a little money to spare, i would suggest you go ahead and get an aluminum flywheel while you're at it.....just a suggestion tho.
__________________
RIP Gloria A. Torres
4/26/61 - 10/30/07
The best Mom-lady I could have ever asked for
looked at some flywheels and they look a little bit more confusing to pick out. even the ones for my year, there's two different types, 8 or 6 bolt. though most places don't even divide them into years, just sizes and bolts. same with the clutches. mostly divided into dia and # of splines. i have a stock 2000gt with a t5 manual, can anyone tell me based on that what size/style/whatever clutch and flywheel i would need.
need some suspension advice please 
