Budget Suspension

[nccobra97]

Hey Folks...
Looking for some expert advice....
Driving a '97 Convertible, and finally looking to do
some mods...
She's a daily driver, and with the mortgage, the kids, the animals, blah, blah, blah...
this is going to be a BUDGET TIGHT project.
Anyway...
Going with SF connectors, AM lowering springs and new struts/shocks...
My question....heard or read that '93 LX/GT struts and shocks will work on
a lowered '94 to '98?

Thanks to ALL for the help....



1997 Crystal White Cobra 'Vert

 

[wmfateam]

SF are the best first mod. Before buying my car that had them installed, I test drove two without them, night and day difference. Struts and shocks are what is going to control your ride. If they can't keep up with the spring rate, it is going to cause the car to bounce around, making it feel like the springs are too stiff. They can also be blown out prematurely because they can't keep up with the springs. My car had a set of Eibach prokits that blew out all the stock shocks and struts. I would stick with SN95 struts and socks.

 

[Mr.Bolt-on]

The best cheap suspension set up would be a set of Fox Bilstein struts coupled with a nice set of springs. A maximum motorsports 4 link, and subframes. That's about as good as it gets stock wise on a budget. Anymore and you start looking into tubular k members, and coil over set ups... which is big money.

The reason you go with Fox struts is because the SN95 struts are too long, and won't be able to compress like the Fox struts will when lowered. In other words the SN95 struts will blow out faster due to less travel. The Fox struts put the shocks rod travel at a distance to where you wouldn't bottom out.

 

[wmfateam]

The best cheap suspension set up would be a set of Fox Bilstein struts coupled with a nice set of springs. A maximum motorsports 4 link, and subframes. That's about as good as it gets stock wise on a budget. Anymore and you start looking into tubular k members, and coil over set ups... which is big money.

The reason you go with Fox struts is because the SN95 struts are too long, and won't be able to compress like the Fox struts will when lowered. In other words the SN95 struts will blow out faster due to less travel. The Fox struts put the shocks rod travel at a distance to where you wouldn't bottom out.

Thank you for posting that, I had never received a direct answer that made sense on why to use fox struts.

 

[wmfateam]

Awesome, just checked the strut travel, 1.25"

 

[cbrown9064]

Bilstein struts with MM caster camber plates will work fine also. I would recommend H&R Super Sports, Bilstein shocks and struts, MM spring isolators (front and rear) and MM adjustable rear control arms. The control arms are like $250 and easy to do while you have the rear springs out.

All told this will be about $1100. Not sure if that is "budget" for you or not.

Any springs that lower the car should be followed up with adjustable caster/camber plates to get some adjustment back.

 

[Tickle]

I've done eibach pros, flsfc, and tokico blues and the ride is great in my 96 vert. Nothing too fancy but it looks and drives great, feels nice too.

Question for the op: do you have any cowl shake? I can't get rid of mine at 55-65 mph. I'm thinking of trying to install a 94-95 fender weight. Other than that my ride is silky smooth.