ground control coilovers - need some advise

**bossho** · 10-20-2009, 07:45 PM

I;d like to thank all of you that have responded to my previous questions, you;ve been a tremendous help and I'm sincerely grateful for all the good info. I've owned mustongs only for the past 10+ years and just about 2 months ago purchased my first F-Body (98 Trans Am Ram Air).

My first project on it is the suspension & handling. I've already purchased the Prothane Master bushings kit and am now trying to determine what specific parts I will require for my suspension. My end goal is a streetable 700'sh HP Streetable Monster and I am starting my build from the rear of the car and the bottom of the car and eventually working my way up to under the hood.

I am definately leaning towards the GROUND CONTROL coilovers for 98-02 Trans Am, I will definately buy from a sponsor of this board if any of them sell them but here's a link to the product:
http://www.dlspeedonline.com/proddetail.php?prod=2510

It appears that this coilover package comes with everthing needed except for the actual shocks and struts (please correct me if I am wrong). I'm admittedly not one to tinker around with the settings very often so I was also leaning towards the Bilstein SLP valved shocks or secondly the Bilstein HD's.

Is this all that I would need for a complete suspension? Does anyone have any input to this combination? Pro's con;s etc?

I am also considering front/rear swaybar. LCA's etc. -but I'm still doing research on other suspension and handling related parts.

Once the bushing kit and colivers are installed, what is the next part or parts (aside from tires - all set there got Nitto 555's) what should I should look at next that will have the biggest impact on suspension and handling?

Thanks in advance for all of your very much appreciated feedback and advicse.

Sincerely,

Sully
Tampa Bay

**Sam Strano** · 10-21-2009, 07:39 AM

The GC kit has no dampers. You can use Bilstein's, but they are not up to the damping required long term by the springs GC sells as the default springs in the kit. In fact I don't use spring rates anything like what they do.

Bottom line is if you want a cheap way to get coil-overs that's it. But then you have to sort out the springs rates and the damping to match on your own. Suspensions are just as critical to match, and use good components in, as an engine. In ways, maybe more so because the suspension is *always* doing something, where the engine isn't. There are times you are just coasting, or cruising along where you don't car if you the car makes 400 HP. But stability, ride, handling, braking, putting power down even are all suspension's domain.

You have to decide what you priorities are for the car, if it's just to have "coil-overs" then your plan is fine. If it's to have a setup that works well, then not so much.

**bossho** · 10-22-2009, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by Sam Strano

The GC kit has no dampers. You can use Bilstein's, but they are not up to the damping required long term by the springs GC sells as the default springs in the kit. In fact I don't use spring rates anything like what they do.

Bottom line is if you want a cheap way to get coil-overs that's it. But then you have to sort out the springs rates and the damping to match on your own. Suspensions are just as critical to match, and use good components in, as an engine. In ways, maybe more so because the suspension is *always* doing something, where the engine isn't. There are times you are just coasting, or cruising along where you don't car if you the car makes 400 HP. But stability, ride, handling, braking, putting power down even are all suspension's domain.

You have to decide what you priorities are for the car, if it's just to have "coil-overs" then your plan is fine. If it's to have a setup that works well, then not so much.

Sam, I've heard your name too many times on this board with good things associated with it, I will be calling you for direction on purchasing my suspension from you.

Thanks,

Tom Sullivan
Tampa Bay, FL
941-822-2015