Stiffer shocks

[getdowngranny]

I just put new wheels on the car and had to roll the rear fenders because it was rubbing. My car is 1 inch lower than stock and the 20's fit just right. The issue that I am having is when I hit average bumps the tires are still rubbing on the rolled fender lips due to a lot of travel on the rear. Will stiffer rear shocks help me out at all?

 

[Steve V]

What shocks are on it now?

 

[getdowngranny]

Some kind of Gabriel shocks.

 

[Steve V]

Get some bilsteins.

 

[getdowngranny]

They are Gabriel ultras. So the bilsteins are going to help me out? Didn't you have a set for sale?

 

[Buick Mark]

Stiffer shocks may help sometimes, but what about when you have a full tank of fuel, a couple people in the back, and you floor it and the back end squats?
Stiffer shocks arent going to help you there. You need to correct the tire clearance issue, stiffer shocks are a very weak bandaid in my opinion.

 

[getdowngranny]

Stiffer shocks may help sometimes, but what about when you have a full tank of fuel, a couple people in the back, and you floor it and the back end squats?
Stiffer shocks arent going to help you there. You need to correct the tire clearance issue, stiffer shocks are a very weak bandaid in my opinion.

Car sees maybe 2000 miles a year if its lucky. I havent had someone sit in the back in at least 3 years, always has a full tank and it has at least 250 pounds (low ball estimate) of stereo related weight in the trunk. If i raise the car back to stock my issues will go away, but also have ugly fender gap. I would just like to know what my options are for stiffer shocks than the gabriel ultras. The backspacing on the wheels and the tire size are correct for a Turbo Regal, just not a 1 inch lower Turbo Regal.

 

[charlief1]

Have you checked to see if the rear bushings are bad? After 25 years the bushings may be completely shot and and allow the rear to move around to much. One other thing may be the rate of the springs. Are they new and if so what's the rate on them.

 

[getdowngranny]

Have you checked to see if the rear bushings are bad? After 25 years the bushings may be completely shot and and allow the rear to move around to much. One other thing may be the rate of the springs. Are they new and if so what's the rate on them.

All bushings are new rubber within the last 5 years. Springs seem to be some kind of overload springs since they are closely wound on bottom and spread apart towards the top.

 

[Steve V]

My shocks are gone. Maybe some coilovers? Those sound like cargo coils, unless they are a fancy lowering spring.

 

[getdowngranny]

My shocks are gone. Maybe some coilovers? Those sound like cargo coils, unless they are a fancy lowering spring.

I wish they had a tag or a part # on them. They might be some kind of lowering spring, but on the other hand, the previous owner could have put cargo coils because of all the weight in the trunk.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Body bushings shot?
Body centered on frame?

 

[getdowngranny]

Body bushings shot?
Body centered on frame?

Every bushing on the car has been replaced within the last 5 years. Car looks centered and rubs on both sides given enough squat.

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

Shocks - maybe an adjustable koni
you may also use a set of airbags filled with just enough air to not let the car drop but at the same time not enough air raise it.

 

[scot w.]

The backspacing on the wheels and the tire size are correct for a Turbo Regal, just not a 1 inch lower Turbo Regal.

Just what is the back spacing on Your rim's? Tire sizes?

I think a stiffer shock to stop the rear tires from rubbing rolled fender lips is a bandaid to the issue and if you went with real stiff springs or shocks to hold the rear up so it don't rub then the ride will be horrible. My guess is the back spacing is not enough and/or the tire size is too big on your 20" wheels?

But if you want to properly accomplish what your asking a Adjustable Coil over shock would be the route you want to go seeing as you will get adjustability out of the shock in dampening and also you can adjust the ride height of the car.

 

[kidglok]

Ridetech single adjustable!

 

[getdowngranny]

Looks like ill be going with some coil-overs. Now, considering all the extra weight i have in the trunk, what weight springs should i go with?
130, 150, 175 or 200?

 

[Turbo6inKY]

Once upon a time, a very wise autocrosser explained shocks to me like this:

The spring controls how far the suspension will move. The shock controls how quickly it will get there.

So no, shocks are never a solution to a clearance problem.

 

[getdowngranny]

Once upon a time, a very wise autocrosser explained shocks to me like this:

The spring controls how far the suspension will move. The shock controls how quickly it will get there.

So no, shocks are never a solution to a clearance problem.

That is why I have decided to go with a coil-over set-up so I can adjust the height accordingly.

 

[charlief1]

What weight springs should i go with?
130, 150, 175 or 200?

Stock is 116 lbs/in so if you liked how it rode stock I'd go with the 130 lb springs.