want to upgrade suspension

mipthat · #1 04-07-2009, 12:54 PM

hey guys, i'm thinking of getting 17s for my 00 gt. believe stock is 16..also gonna buy new struts nothing fancy..def going to buy the gmpp sway bars front and rears. Basically will adding a inch in rims mess up the ride much? and any other suggestions for suspension

richtazz · #2 04-07-2009, 01:42 PM

To keep the overall tire diameter correct, putting 17's on require a shorter sidewall tire, but I don't think it will harm your ride quality. Solid vs hollow sway bars will help eliminate body lean without compromising overall ride quality too much as well. Try to stay away from lowering springs, as they throw off the alignment angles and give a much harsher ride.

mipthat · #3 04-07-2009, 02:03 PM

hey thanks for the info! solid sway bars.. would those be the gm performance parts ones? are there better ones out there? and thanks for the info on lowering springs. these cars are pretty heavy and i wasn't sure if they'd like being lowered

00GTP4ME · #4 04-07-2009, 05:27 PM

I really doubt going to 17's is going to make much of a diff on the ride. These are heavy cars and if you're concerned about ride, I'd stay away from lowering as well.

BNaylor · #5 04-08-2009, 11:40 AM

Where you may get into trouble with suspension and alignment is with 18" or higher wheels. But 17" is a good all around size.

The important part is to keep the overall diameter proper based on tire aspect ratio so there is a limited mount of speedo error.

On tire size with 17" inch wheels you can go P245 50 17 with .04 speedo error. 65 mph will actually be around 65.04 mph.

Stock tire is P225 60 16.

richtazz · #6 04-08-2009, 12:20 PM

I got my solid front sway bar kit from ZZperformance. It's an entire kit including new end links and mount bushings, and is cheaper than even the OEM sway bar from GM (which doesn't include the links and mounts). I upgraded because my factory hollow one is cracked on both ends where the links attach, a common problem on these cars.

mipthat · #7 04-08-2009, 01:48 PM

thanks again guys! you've always been great

mipthat · #8 04-08-2009, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BNaylor

Where you may get into trouble with suspension and alignment is with 18" or higher wheels. But 17" is a good all around size.

The important part is to keep the overall diameter proper based on tire aspect ratio so there is a limited mount of speedo error.

On tire size with 17" inch wheels you can go P245 50 17 with .04 speedo error. 65 mph will actually be around 65.04 mph.

Stock tire is P225 60 16.

how much will it affect anything going with different tires? 245 50 17s are pretty pricey so just looking at my options

NOVAZ27 · #9 04-09-2009, 03:00 PM

HELLO. I have a 2006 GT that has the 17" wheels as stock. I had thought about going to a wider tire come replacement time. When I checked for tire clearance I noticed that the rear strut's spring flange was pretty close 3/4 - 1". The stock tires were 225/55/17. You might check your clearances before you go the 17" route.
My son has a 99 GTP. He runs 255/50/16' GY. EAGLES with no problems.They handle great. LATER

HOPE THIS HELPS.

BNaylor · #10 04-09-2009, 03:19 PM

He should have no problems with 17" wheels on a '97-03 GP. The rim width is wider on bigger wheels in most cases and the wheel positive offset helps compensate. I run AR Casino 18" wheels with Goodyear Eagle RSA tires in P245/45-R18 on my GTP and the speedometer is right on. At the track I install Nitto NT555 drag radials on the front end but thats a different story. IMO P245/50-R17 tires are an ideal setup and match.

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD