Sleeper_08

Yes but shocks + Watt's + NT01s make for a real fun time on track

It just hurts the credit card

Xeno

just another side question... i don't think it'll change what you all think is the problem, but i figured i'd ask.

i noticed when i'm on the highway, i kind of feel like i'm 'floating' at times (kind of like how a boat bobs on the water, but not to that severity). still assuming it's the shocks, i'd imagine this is probably because i'm riding on the springs more than the shocks are able to rebound?

also, when i pull into a driveway from an angle, the rear kind of 'creaks' or 'crunks'; again i'd assume this would be from the springs compressing more than the shocks are able to rebound?

out of curiosity (if for some reason it's not the shocks), could a bad panhard cause the kind of 'shifting' described in the first question, and/or the creak from the second due to excess torque force from the rear moving?

Sam Strano

Item 1 is a lack of rebound control. Item 2 isn't the shocks... that's just things moving and flexing. Partially can be the swaybar twisting in it's bushings but more likely it's just body flex (this is where things like subframe connectors help). When you enter a driveway like that, the front and rear are at different angles, and so the body wants to flex and full length SFC's tie front and rear together by adding more structure.

You can see some info about the ones I like best here (click on the pics to blow them up): http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=34&ModelID=5

Xeno

cool, thanks for the info

Kobie

What tires are you running? Might be ready for some new shoes!?!?!

Xeno

^^ oem, but they aren't cracked and still have a decent amount of tread left

Sam Strano

Worn tires will cause traction issues, like the car sliding and skating around... But the description seems to be classic shock problems. Not that some new tires would not give the car more outright grip.

But if you think about it the two biggest complaints are the floaty feeling, and the way the back end jumps when bumps are encountered. Those are shock issues. If he was having trouble with the rear end sliding out from under him all the time, can't get any power down and is constantly fighting oversteer then I'd say the tires were at fault.

Having said that.... I'm quite sure that if you put some new tires on the car and got rid of the stock tires that are all heat cycled out, you'd find the car would have a lot more grip all around--but still float and have the rear end act up on bumps.

Xeno

don't really mean to necromance this thread, but i finally have some extra cash, so i'll be planning on ordering some koni str's from you sam in the next few days (thank you again for the help you gave me)


side note, anyone know roughly what a 'reasonable price' for installation might be? i have a fairly trusted mechanic, but just thought i'd check (you never know when someone might be trying to screw you )

Sam Strano

The price for installing rear shocks is at best zero.... they are super simple to put in you can do it in the driveway with simple tools. For that matter you don't even need to jack the car up you can do it on ramps too.

Fronts.... well, you can do one of two things. Have a shop do it all, or take the spring/strut assembly off yourself, and have a shop compress the spring and swap struts. Or I guess you can do option #3, rent a spring compressor and do it yourself. Fronts are not that hard on this car. 2-3 hours *MAX* would be about what I'd charge for labor on that job, so it really depends on your local labor rate.

Xeno

Just ordered my shocks/struts

Thanks again for the help, Sam!