lowering question?

[jsmith]

Gents, I just installed new eibach lowering springs and bilstien shocks. The rear of car lowered as advertized, but the front just dropped about 1/4 inch from previous height. will the springs sag or settle? My poor car looks ridiculous now. How long should I wait for the springs to settle or sag, and If they don't I am going to cut them to acheive the look I want. If I want the front to drop another inch, how much should I cut out of the springs. Dang its frustrating when things don't perform as advertized!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the help guys. Jeff

 

[T Spool]

I've heard this too many times and that's why I refuse to buy new so called lowering springs. I assume you've driven on them a bit to settle them into the perches, but beside that they're not going to settle or sag. If you cut the already stiff springs you might as well put some bricks in their place. Good luck and let us know what you do to fix the problem.

 

[jsmith]

Thanks for the reply, no I haven't driven on them, there is about 7 inches of snow on the ground here and It is up for the winter. I just got done installing them I hadn't thought much of needing to drive on them to seat them in the perch. thats a thought, maybe I will just have to wait for spring to make my decision. althought I wonder how much different they would be seated in the perches.

thanks jeff

 

[T Spool]

If you simply let the jack down when you were done and haven't moved the car at least move it back and forth in the garage a few times and then jump up and down on the bumper. Sounds crazy, but it will probably sit a little lower, but not much.

You must have some lake effect snow from St. Clair? There's only about an inch of snow here in Belleville.

 

[8UWITH6]

They will settle some, shoulda gone with Bell Tech Spindles. Sometimes those drop the car too much in front though! Dont ask me how i know

 

[jsmith]

Thanks tspool, I have been bouncing on the bumper like it was my girlfriend. unfortunately no change. What about the howe ball joints I have read about? will that help or am I just swinging in the wind again? I really hate the thought of cutting these springs. wish there was another "proven" way to get the drop in front

We moved from michigan last spring to wisconsin, just haven't changed my signiture here. thanks again for the advice.
Jeff

 

[T Spool]

jdpolzin usually chimes in on lowering threads and has done his homework on the Howe balljoints. The problem is you've already spent alot on the Eibach springs and now you have to spend alot more on balljoints plus your time. I went through all this on a Camaro, it sucks I know.

Were your original springs worn out? If not, try to cut a 1/2 coil out of them. At least it won't cost anything. There are lots of opinions on cutting coils if you use the search. You can always cut the Eibach's, but she's going to be stiff.

 

[Evaddave 87gn]

Doulbe check,,

You may want to check that the spring is seated correctly. They tend to shift when you compress them.

Evaddave

 

[Tony_SS]

I'm in the same boat. I'm replacing my eibachs with a 3" OPG drop spring front and 2" OPG drop in the rear. The eibachs barely dropped the fron .5 inch and I've had them on for a season. They wont settle all that much. Kinda BS having to cut up a drop spring, might as well buy a Moog 5660 and cut that if you want to try the trial and error method.

 

[jdpolzin]

jdpolzin usually chimes in on lowering threads and has done his homework on the Howe balljoints. The problem is you've already spent alot on the Eibach springs and now you have to spend alot more on balljoints plus your time. I went through all this on a Camaro, it sucks I know.

Were your original springs worn out? If not, try to cut a 1/2 coil out of them. At least it won't cost anything. There are lots of opinions on cutting coils if you use the search. You can always cut the Eibach's, but she's going to be stiff.

Hello! Just as T Spool said, you have spent a good chink of change on those Eibachs but you are not dead in the water just yet. Those springs are very good springs to start a lowering project with. DO NOT CUT THEM! Just as Spool said, you are going to be awefully stiff if you do. The spring rate is designed to accomplish ride quality, ride height, and to hold the weight of the front end. I would definatelt order a set of Howe's Ball Joints from Savitske Classic & Custom and install them on your car. One thing we all need to realize is that using one component to drop our cars is only cause for disaster. You can drop a car utilizing spindles (not BellTech's), spring, wheel diameter and taller ball joints. the best bang for the buck is to use 1" drop spring like yours and taller ball joints. This set up will also help the front end geometery and help aleviate bump steer. The Howes BJ's will drop your car another 7/8 - 1".

Now, if you do deside to install the taller ball joints, and you are still not happy with the height. Then start shaving the spring little by little. One thing about these springs that people dont think about when they install them and it only drops the car 1/2" is that our stock springs are 20 years old and sagging badly. I dont know if you have been around many very low mileage GN's but if you have, you probably notice the factory ride height is almost like a 4x4!

Onto the BellTech drop spindles, these are JUNK! They do look cool, I will have to admit but they do not do anything for the front end geometery except moving the wheel 2" closer to the inner fender causing it to bottom out. The Howe's ball Joints will allow the wheel to move up and in to the fender, allowing more clearence and keeping the tire flat and planted on the ground while cornering!! If you really want a BAD AS$ set up. Get the ATS spindles with the C5 hubs! They are completely redisgned spindles that drop our cars 7/8" and are designed to correct the bump steer issues we have! This is the set up I have! It's not cheap though!

---------Jeremy

 

[jsmith]

Thanks for the info Jeremy, I really don't want to cut these springs, like you said I figured they are set up to be that length and after installing them and the bilstiens just bouncing on the bumpers the car is much stiffer than before. and I don't want to effect that to much. So Today I was looking at the Howe website and I just looked at the suppliers site you mentioned. I take it the ones at the supplier are the tall ones? and do I need to do both upper and lower? I want to get the most drop I can. I've seen some people refering to just the lowers. So, should I do both? Thanks for the help, Jeff

 

[jdpolzin]

Thanks for the info Jeremy, I really don't want to cut these springs, like you said I figured they are set up to be that length and after installing them and the bilstiens just bouncing on the bumpers the car is much stiffer than before. and I don't want to effect that to much. So Today I was looking at the Howe website and I just looked at the suppliers site you mentioned. I take it the ones at the supplier are the tall ones? and do I need to do both upper and lower? I want to get the most drop I can. I've seen some people refering to just the lowers. So, should I do both? Thanks for the help, Jeff

I dont use the Howe's ball joints with my set up but I am pretty sure you only do the lowers. I would call Mark at Savitske Classic & Custom and talk with him. He is the suspension expert and is a very nice guy that can walk you through what you need! Dont feel to bad if you have to trim those springs a little, it wont hurt it if you only have to take a little off. Mark will trim his on occasion too!

 

[grocerygetter]

I know I parked next to a low mile GN at a show and my sled was a good 2" lower than his car...I just have Eibach pros and Tokico shocks. Nothing else.

 

[87GN&98VET]

I put Eibachs on mine and wasn't real happy with the stance, so I cut about a 1/2 coil off the front and about 3/4 coil off the rear and made isolators for the rear out of a rubber cargo mat. Ride really isn't too bad with 245/45ZR17 tires - even on crappy Michigan roads!

 

[TR Custom Parts]

I put Eibachs on mine and wasn't real happy with the stance, so I cut about a 1/2 coil off the front and about 3/4 coil off the rear and made isolators for the rear out of a rubber cargo mat. Ride really isn't too bad with 245/45ZR17 tires - even on crappy Michigan roads!

I have the Bell Tech spindles on my GN, they were on there when I bought it. Probably his cheapest and easiest way out at this point. I never had a problem with mine.

BTW, are those two babes in the background of your pic arguing about who gets shotgun in the GN?