Cascade Crew

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

First. Let me say , it may seem I am all over the place, which I am, but I do finish and work on each " project ". I may have some mild form of add, which in turn causese to be all over the place. Anyways, for awhile now, I have been collecting parts and working on my suspension. I have new front kyb struts. New spohn front ball joints. Slightly used rear sportlines, sponhn non adjustable lcas, and adjustable panhard. So I still need rear shocks and a rear end with discs to complete my rear. Rear end I may have tracked down a low mileage 99 trans am rear. Which brings me to shocks. Midgrade budget pair? Kybs again? And what about a tried and true front and rear sway bar set? Right now I have stock z28s. I see many different combos bit would like recommendations on a decent all around combo. And then, my next step which I will be doing over next coupleof weeks is the front components. End li ka, center link, bushings, etc. Which bushings are best rubber, and which nbest poly? Thanks

Twilightoptics · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 8:09 am Post subject:

Del-A-Lum have the best bushings hands down.

Spohn doesn't make ball joints for our cars.

'99 trans am rear end sticks out like 2" on both sides.

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

I remember reading about 4th gen rear. I don't think it would be a big deal sticking out to much because I have stock rims nd they look as if I cam push put a bit and still look good. But is it two inches per side or two total. Main reason for getting this particular rear is cause price at 200 is good with it being so low miles, plus ill get discs and poai at same time.

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

Also I have been reading a lot about strut mounts, and it seems that especiallywhen replacing stock ones, they are an improvement that you can feel. Are the founders ones a good " budget" set?

Alphius · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:46 am Post subject:

I have Founder's strut mounts. They seem pretty good to me.

The rear axle is pretty significant. I ran a 4thgen rear with IROC wheels and it looked odd. Now I have another 4thgen rear but I am running 4thgen backspacing wheels as well so it looks normal.

This was with my thirdgen IROC wheels. Excuse the horribly dirty car.

You can see here how the 4thgen offset puts the wheels back where they are supposed to be.

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

So with the fourth gen wheels it looked normal? I'd that's the case, it solves problem pretty easy

Twilightoptics · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 10:14 am Post subject:

DBL_TKE · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 11:35 am Post subject:

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

Holy smokes. They do appear to stick put a bit

Twilightoptics · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 12:20 pm Post subject:

Alphius · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 12:21 pm Post subject:

Yep, 2 inches per side. It's not good.

If you ran 4thgen wheels it is a lot better but then you have to have spacers to allow the fourthgen front wheels to bolt on.

For a few years I ran 4thgen offset wheels in the back and thirdgen offset in the front. No spacers and it was all good. 17x10 rears and 17x7 fronts. Torq Thrust II.

Hielor · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 12:32 pm Post subject:

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

Those what I got

Twilightoptics · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 12:56 pm Post subject:

Quote: "Spohn doesn't make ball joints." - Paul

http://www.amazon.com/Moog-K6145T-Lower-Ball-Joint/dp/B000C55YBS

It's a Moog part.

End Quote.

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

Is moog a quality product?,becauae I also see they make most of the stuff for the front suspension

Twilightoptics · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:10 pm Post subject:

Moog is a good quality part yes. Especially their "problem solver" line. They re-designed a lot of components like the idler arm for better durability.

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

Sweet. Didn't realise all the front pieces were so much cash. Each piece by itself is alright, but with as many pieces as there are it will take me all summer to collect all the parts. But at least I know they will be a lot better then what o got.

aaron_sK · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 5:42 pm Post subject:

Free pro tip: Don't buy any non-Spohn part from Spohn. Their markup is stupid high.

Get Moog parts off RockAuto. Those ball joints alone are five bucks less apiece. I just checked.

I have always had very good luck with Moog products, and I have a whole box full of them waiting to go on my car.

KYB is as cheap of a shock as I would run on anything. The Gabriel/Monroe stuff is such trash you may as well not even install it.

If you have Z28 sway bars just leave them alone unless you trip over a screaming deal on some WS6 bars with the hollow front.

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

The ball joints I got of member heilor for 15 each so I feel that was good deal. I will probably get the kyb rear shocks, though I missed out on a nib pair of bilstiens hd for 100 for pair. But what as far as front springs. I have the sportlines for the rear , bit nothing as of yet for the front. And I did see a guy selling some 89 ws6 bars on craigslist. So should I give those a try? And while I like the look of tubular red a arms, the stockers with new bushings should be fine right? And is there need for new stickers or freshen up old ones?

Twilightoptics · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:07 pm Post subject:

Get sportlines for the front. Match your springs.