Front Coil Springs

[Squid4life]

Old thread, but curious what you ended up with and how you like them? I am going to be doing some front suspension on the 87 twins car and curious what is a good setup to be able to play with ride height as well as compression and rebound to adapt for track conditions/ street driving. Car has dual adjustable AFCO coil overs on the rear, and all stock up front with some cheap Comp Eng. shocks right now.

 

[sackracing]

I ended up using QA1 stock mount coil overs on the front. Easy to install and you can dial in ride height. I highly recommend this setup, and the cost wasn't that much more than new coils and good shocks for a conventuals setup.

 

[Squid4life]

Did you get them from Mark? (buickgn.com) or somewhere else, like Summit? Which spring rate did you go with if you remember? And did you go with the torrington bearings underneath to help adjust without binding?

Are they pretty simple to make adjustments on? Thanks brother for the info!

 

[sackracing]

This is the set I bought.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hal-gr401-10350c/overview/make/buick

I just had to take a ball joint loose, bolt the bottom to the shock mount holes and raise the lower control arm up with a floor jack.

I used the 350 pound springs in the front and I have the adjusters up 1 inch.

 

[Squid4life]

Perfect! Thanks brother, really appreciate it.

And holy F@#$, your car looks killer right there! Very nice!

 

[sackracing]

Thanks, that pic is from my first 9 second pass.

This is a pic installed:

 

[jpratt]

Edit after I saw the picture. Will those work with stock LCA?

 

[sackracing]

They should, the mounts fit a stock shock mount and they sit high enough to clear the stock a arm. I ran into a problem getting the AFCO shocks I did have to fit these a arms, because they are more like stock than the others I had.

 

[sackracing]

The shocks are mounted on top of the lower a arms with grade 8 bolts. I'm not worried.

 

[turbobitt]

I used AFCO's in the front but the control arm will need to be modified to clear the big body shock. If I were to do it over, I would buy the lower control arms for the coil over shock and be able to have the adjustability of ride height.

I think the AFCO shocks can be used as either way, coil over or conventional depending on the hardware kit. I also like that AFCO sells there shocks with the high speed valving to prevent bounce.

Allan G.

 

[jpratt]

What LCA's are those?

 

[Squid4life]

I used AFCO's in the front but the control arm will need to be modified to clear the big body shock. If I were to do it over, I would buy the lower control arms for the coil over shock and be able to have the adjustability of ride height.

I think the AFCO shocks can be used as either way, coil over or conventional depending on the hardware kit. I also like that AFCO sells there shocks with the high speed valving to prevent bounce.

Allan G.

When you say "lower control arms for the coil over shock" do you mean regular tubular lowers? I don't recall seeing an LCA specifically for coil overs, but I could have missed it. I like the idea of AFCO's being rebuildable, I know my rears were by the previous owner. Not sure about the QA1's in that regard.

I would like to go with Gbody upper and lowers, and either AFCO or QA1 coil overs. I know coil overs are not 100% necessary, but I'd like to play with ride height. I get bored easily and would like to mess with it.

 

[Squid4life]

What LCA's are those?

IIRC from other threads, Gbody lowers and Spohn uppers on his car.

 

[sackracing]

They are spohn adjustable lowers and spohn uppers. Trz makes lowers that use a conventional coilover mount. Mine are stock mount, but still work like coilovers.

 

[sackracing]

You can buy a coilover kit for AFCO front shocks and use them like I'm using the qa1s.

 

[Mike E]

When you say "lower control arms for the coil over shock" do you mean regular tubular lowers? I don't recall seeing an LCA specifically for coil overs, but I could have missed it. I like the idea of AFCO's being rebuildable, I know my rears were by the previous owner. Not sure about the QA1's in that regard.

I have what he is talking about. Notice there is no place for a stock style spring to sit. The coilover also does not need the T-bar to bolt up to the a-arm.

You can easily use the afco's on a stock or tubular replacment that works with stock shocks and springs. All you have to do is buy the t-bar, most come with them. But, before you buy, set the car on the ground at the ride height and measure where the stock shock would be. Everywhere you read it says g-bodys use a 4" shock. On mine a 4" shock was sitting on the bump stops at ride height. I had to buy 3" travel to work right. TRZ says this is pretty common. If you measure and call TRZ they will sell you the right length.

For springs, you can run stock or coilovers. With coilovers you have two choices. You can buy the QA1 beehive springs, they they only have a few spring rates. Or you can buy the TRZ spring adapters that use a 2 1/2" coilover spring that gives you lots of spring rate choices, but you have to cut the factory spring seat out inside the frame.

 

[Squid4life]

I have what he is talking about. Notice there is no place for a stock style spring to sit. The coilover also does not need the T-bar to bolt up to the a-arm.

You can easily use the afco's on a stock or tubular replacment that works with stock shocks and springs. All you have to do is buy the t-bar, most come with them. But, before you buy, set the car on the ground at the ride height and measure where the stock shock would be. Everywhere you read it says g-bodys use a 4" shock. On mine a 4" shock was sitting on the bump stops at ride height. I had to buy 3" travel to work right. TRZ says this is pretty common. If you measure and call TRZ they will sell you the right length.

For springs, you can run stock or coilovers. With coilovers you have two choices. You can buy the QA1 beehive springs, they they only have a few spring rates. Or you can buy the TRZ spring adapters that use a 2 1/2" coilover spring that gives you lots of spring rate choices, but you have to cut the factory spring seat out inside the frame.

That is such a clean look, but damn it looks so close to the ground. Those arms really swoop down that much, or is it my eyes?

Thanks for all the education here guys, I really appreciate it!

 

[scot w.]

Just another option, there is also the RideTech line of Coil-Overs which teamed up with FOX racing to offer a fantastic coil over shock. We now carry ALL of these shocks ---> http://www.gnsperformance.com/products/suspen_ridetech_coilovers.html The quality of these shocks is incredible!

They offer shocks that mount to all a-arms, upper or lower and also have any spring rate you need for your application.

Ridetech Coil-Over Features:

• Mono tube gas pressure design offers superior fade free performance
  
• Impact forged aluminum body provides superior strength and reliable service
  
• Larger 1.834" piston provides outstanding ride quality and durability
  
• Double sealed rod guide with dust cover eliminates oil leakage
  
• 5/8" chrome shock shaft

• Anodized finish protects against corrosion
  
• Available as fixed valve or rebound single adjustable
  
• CNC machinedbillet hardware
  
• Unique pinch clamp height adjuster uses finer thread for easy adjustment (No more set screw marks damaging the threads of your shock body)
  
• Includes 1/2" bore x 1" Kevlar lined bearings for noise free operation

.

 

[Mike E]

That is such a clean look, but damn it looks so close to the ground. Those arms really swoop down that much, or is it my eyes?

Thanks for all the education here guys, I really appreciate it!

It's not as bad as it looks in my pictures. Maybe only 1" less ground clearance than a stock a-arm. My car was extremely low when I took that picture. This might give a better idea.

 

[Squid4life]

Just another option, there is also the RideTech line of Coil-Overs which teamed up with FOX racing to offer a fantastic coil over shock. We now carry ALL of these shocks ---> http://www.gnsperformance.com/products/suspen_ridetech_coilovers.html The quality of these shocks is incredible!

They offer shocks that mount to all a-arms, upper or lower and also have any spring rate you need for your application.

Ridetech Coil-Over Features:

Scot,
I saw those in some other posts and looked them up. They are a few hundred $ more, but I know that Ridetech is nice stuff. But, I always pictured Ridetech as more Protouring type parts and not so much drag race parts. Correct me if I am wrong. I mean, you would think a coil over is a coil over, but I always associated them with cars like yours and not skinny tire 90% straightline cars... Also, I am trying to picture how it looks installed and how you would make the adjustments on the top knob. (or is that pic just a random one?)

Who knows when I will actually get around to doing the front. One little part needing replaced (in my case shocks, with a little lower ride height) snowballs into upper and lower tubular arms, coil overs, etc. Gets pricey in a hurry! And the damn car isn't even on the road yet!