Handling Upgrades that are worth the $’s

I have a 2002 Ram Air. It handles pretty well. I have the SLP shock tower brace on order and have been thinking about the body braces, but I don’t know how much they will help. Are the body braces really worth the price? Do they add to handling that much?

I went for the Ram Air for the better handling package (over the TA). I thought I would try to beef it up a little more. I was thinking about beefier sway bars? I am not sure what would help for not too many $’s.

Obviously going with 18 in tires will help, but I don’t have 2 grand to drop on new rims and tires:( .

Any advice would be great.

Thanks,

Jeff

i think i would get the sway bars before the braces. if you get the right bars then they are well worth the money. plus, i know that the fbodies werent the best in terms of body role, but i would think that the braces are really only for serious road racing and high horsepower applications, not worth it for putting around town (not that the WS6 putts)...

i think i would get the sway bars before the braces. if you get the right bars then they are well worth the money. plus, i know that the fbodies werent the best in terms of body role, but i would think that the braces are really only for serious road racing and high horsepower applications, not worth it for putting around town (not that the WS6 putts)...

This is what I have as far as suspension.

Subframe Connectors(SLP....I will never buy another SLP product)
BMR Strut Tower Brace, PanhardRod bar
Lakewood Lower Control Arms
Polyurathane Torque Arm Bushing
KYB AGX Shocks and Struts

The car handles really well now. I am not even going to do sway bars at this time. Body roll...there is none...you just feel the "G" forces as you go around the turns. The car is a blast to drive now in the twisties.

As far as the $$$ for the suspension mods...worth every penny in my opinion. I'd also let you know that I wouldn't waste $$ on overpriced items. Lakewood and BMR products are very good products.

Body roll...there is none...you just feel the "G" forces as you go around the turns. The car is a blast to drive now in the twisties.


What do you think was the key item to reduce the body roll?

Lakewood Lower Control Arms? How hard are they to put on?
KYB AGX Shocks and Struts?

Thanks for the info,

Jeff

What do you think was the key item to reduce the body roll?

Lakewood Lower Control Arms? How hard are they to put on?
KYB AGX Shocks and Struts?

Thanks for the info,

Jeff


Lakewoods LCAs are easy. Jack the car up and support it on the rear subframe. take the jack and support the rearend by it. If I remember correctly, just have two 19mm(or was it 21mm)...anyways, get two wrenches to loosen up the bolts...take a long screwdriver to pry the arm out. slap the new arm in place, put both bolts back in and you are done with that side. Just do the other side.

KYB AGX Shocks and struts....I just had firestone put them in. I don't have a spring compressor here. its worth the $$ to have someone do them and then have the alignment checked on the car. Just make sure that they charge you for the hours that your car was worked on. They tried to charge me for 6 hrs when its a 3 hr job :disappoin :grinno:

Body roll...probalby the Strut Tower Brace, the shocks/struts and Panhardrod bar.

Body roll...probalby the Strut Tower Brace, the shocks/struts and Panhardrod bar.

DarkblueTA,

I just got the SLP shock tower brace and installed it yesterday. Man you can really tell the difference with it installed :thumbup: . I should have gotten one 11 years ago for my 93 Formula. It is much more stable, less roll and much less slop when cornering. Very Tight. I don’t think that I will step up to the shocks and struts (till mine wear out;), but I am interested in the Panhardrod bar. I have seen them out on the web, but being a computer geek I am not sure what it is, what it does and how to put it on.

I may also go with the subframe connectors (not SLP of course;) ). The guys on the ws6zxr.com forum say to go for the weld-ons so that will be a few more $$ then I may want to pay.

So that brings me back to sway bars? Anyone have any thoughts on them?

Thanks again for all of the info (ask me about computer stuff and I’ll help:) ),

Jeff

I may also go with the subframe connectors (not SLP of course;) ). The guys on the ws6zxr.com forum say to go for the weld-ons so that will be a few more $$ then I may want to pay.

So that brings me back to sway bars? Anyone have any thoughts on them?

Thanks again for all of the info (ask me about computer stuff and I’ll help:) ),

Jeff

You're on WS6zxr.com? PM Extreme Performance..heck, call them 405-721-2430 and ask for Robert. Tell him that you want to get a panhard rod bar and subframes. (I'm on WS6ZXR also...just in the COFBA section though)

Subframes, I would get the BMR Boxed weld in frames.

Panhardrod bar, Just jack the car up, slide jack stands under the rear subframes. I used adjustable wrenches to take off the bolts(its the bottom bar that you remove). You put the new bar on, but DO NOT TIGHTEN THE bolts. Take your floor jack and jack up the rearend to the height at which the tires are at their "normal" location in the wheel wells. Once you have the axle at that point, then proceed and tighten down the bolts to the panhardrod bar.

If you have any questions just ask me.

I have a BMR PHRB/STB and they work great. Lakewood also makes good parts for the price.

You're on WS6zxr.com? PM Extreme Performance..heck, call them 405-721-2430 and ask for Robert. Tell him that you want to get a panhard rod bar and subframes. (I'm on WS6ZXR also...just in the COFBA section though)


Yes I have been hanging out around the…
Project TransAM-WS6ZXR > Technical/General Forums > Appearance and Detailing >
and
Project TransAM-WS6ZXR > Technical/General Forums > LS1 Tech Area

Fourms getting some good information and no popups:).

So Robert it the man at Extreme Performance. They certainly have some sweet rides on that site…

http://www.superior-motorsports.com

I’ll have to look Robert up after I grease the wife up for another round of improvements. I take it that he ships to St. Louis MO.

Thanks for the info,

Jeff

Yeah..talk to Robert. Hey, he ships things out here to Las Vegas for me :wink: there will be shipping fee, but its normal whenever you buy something from somewhere. Just give him a call and tell him I sent ya. hope all is well.

Matt

I just did SFC's, panhard and LCA's and the handling is much better. More fun to drive.

This is what I have as far as suspension.

Subframe Connectors(SLP....I will never buy another SLP product)



Ok I have to ask, why not the SLP SFC? It has the cross section that looks like it would be more stable.

What about Double Diamond. Just about the same design.

Thanks for the info.

Jeff

thier product is very good i have heard alot of good things about the double diamond design be\ing ver strong, but you can't get a "track pack" torque arm setup because they take up alot of space. i would also think they would limit your true dual exhaust setup if you ever got one.

maybee they just had a bad experience with slp

Ok I have to ask, why not the SLP SFC? It has the cross section that looks like it would be more stable.

What about Double Diamond. Just about the same design.

Thanks for the info.

Jeff


http://www.lvfbody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10954

Read this thread and you'll know why

http://www.lvfbody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10954

Read this thread and you'll know why

Man that sounds harsh. I can see why you would sware them off.

Thanks for the link.

Jeff

wow that sucks
but thats the first time i have heard anything bad about them

Well I ended up getting the subframe connectors. I got the Spohn and they were worth the cost. They tuck up under the frame with no loss in clearance. I also had the guy who welded them in make a few mods to make them similar to the SLP design. Here is a link to the in work results....

http://mcma.1.forumer.com/index.php?showtopic=266

The subframe connectors rocked for removing about 80% of the body roll, but as always it could be better. So I was plotting my next move. On the market are lower control arms, a panhard rod (probably do both at once), beefed up sway bars, or lowering it. I have been told the CA and panhard rod are the next step, but I can’t help thinking that lowering it or the sway bars would help with the body roll and lowering it would help the nose dive while breaking. Now I would never go for just lowering the spindles, because that is only show and no go, but I don’t know how far down it takes to get the perfect balance. I have heard everything from 1/2 inches to 3 inches. My guess is 3 is too much, as well as with the RA tires I am worried about tire rub.

Anyway, does anyone have any experience with this and a recommendation on how many inches and what vender would be good to go with (my guess is something with variable rate springs etc.). Of course I have not really priced the mods yet so I may be in for a shock.

Thanks for the info,

Jeff