What can be done to improve ride of my TA?

**Street Fighter** · 10-11-2013, 06:51 AM

I just got back from Cruise on the coast in Gulfport Ms. where my brother lives, we saw over 3000 hotrods of all makes and models cruising down the many streets of the gulf coast, I decided to drive my TA and give it some highway time, it was about 400 miles round trip, it haven't been that far in about ten years.I hated just about every mile of it, I had forgotten just how harsh a ride these cars give. I put 30 psi in the tires and did the normal checks before leaving. every bump or hump was felt the car rattled so I felt like trading it off at one of the dealer ships coming back. The only thing that kept me from doing it is they were close at the time I left for home. the car have 40,000 miles on it and is well taken care of and looks good but there has to be something I can do to make the ride a lot better. What can I do, need help .

**Mean Green Z28** · 10-11-2013, 07:16 AM

Any suspension mods or stock? Stock wheels/tires? If stock, that's about the best you'd get. You could try sound deadening to make the car "feel" a bit better put together since it'll take away a lot of road noise/etc. Drove a T/A that had dynomat covering every metal surface underneath the carpets/dash ... felt a million times better cos it felt so solid and not like a tin can.

**Street Fighter** · 10-11-2013, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by Street Fighter

I just got back from Cruise on the coast in Gulfport Ms. where my brother lives, we saw over 3000 hotrods of all makes and models cruising down the many streets of the gulf coast, I decided to drive my TA and give it some highway time, it was about 400 miles round trip, it haven't been that far in about ten years.I hated just about every mile of it, I had forgotten just how harsh a ride these cars give. I put 30 psi in the tires and did the normal checks before leaving. every bump or hump was felt the car rattled so I felt like trading it off at one of the dealer ships coming back. The only thing that kept me from doing it is they were close at the time I left for home. the car have 40,000 miles on it and is well taken care of and looks good but there has to be something I can do to make the ride a lot better. What can I do, need help .

No mods other than 17 inch wheels and tires.

**theorangeguy** · 10-11-2013, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by Street Fighter

No mods other than 17 inch wheels and tires.

what size tires are you running...? thin sidewalls make it a little worse...i've owned 4 Fbody's now and not one of them was what I would call a "smooth" ride lol

with that said...when you get on them, they like to hunker down to the road and go...which is why I dont mind the rough ride

**tatertot91** · 10-11-2013, 12:43 PM

Some bilstein shocks and a look over all your suspension bushings goes a long way with these cars.

**cammed goat** · 10-11-2013, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by tatertot91

Some bilstein shocks and a look over all your suspension bushings goes a long way with these cars.

This. And some new spring perches.

**Street Fighter** · 10-11-2013, 04:14 PM

I had planed to spend about $6,000 on headers, tune and what ever else performance wise I could get for that amount.I had no plans of doing ride control.I may be taking the $6,000 and sale it and get me something that have a better ride.When I was younger 14 years ago the ride was not such a problem but now that I am older it's not what I can deal with.

**Decadence75** · 10-11-2013, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by Street Fighter

I had planed to spend about $6,000 on headers, tune and what ever else performance wise I could get for that amount.I had no plans of doing ride control.I may be taking the $6,000 and sale it and get me something that have a better ride.When I was younger 14 years ago the ride was not such a problem but now that I am older it's not what I can deal with.

Ultimately it's your choice to keep the car or not. But instead of a knee jerk reaction like getting rid of it, try heeding the advice of a couple previous posters. The ride was not good on these cars from the factory because honestly the shocks were horrible and cheap. I would second a new set of shocks such as the Bilsteins or Koni just released the STR.T series for our cars, the will cost about the same and go a long way toward a better ride. Even though you only have 40K on the car, the bushings are over a decade old and rubber does tend to rot. Something to think about before getting rid of a nice ride.

**Street Fighter** · 10-12-2013, 01:40 AM

I might try getting new shocks and check the bushens and see how that works. I love the car but I just want it to ride a little better than it does. I'll be trying the shocks and work my way around the car and see how it rides. where can I find the shocks and whatever else I my be needing?

**Decadence75** · 10-12-2013, 01:58 AM

I would call Sam Strano. He would be the best person to point you in the right direction to get what you need.

**kingls1** · 10-12-2013, 05:02 AM

Originally Posted by Street Fighter

I had planed to spend about $6,000 on headers, tune and what ever else performance wise I could get for that amount.I had no plans of doing ride control.I may be taking the $6,000 and sale it and get me something that have a better ride.When I was younger 14 years ago the ride was not such a problem but now that I am older it's not what I can deal with.

First off I don't feel any of these cars were ment for everyday life they were built for performance fun and the ride and noise are all apart of the experience..with that said start with the suspension and work your way back to motor& exhaust etc.. H.P. is no good with out the right suspension, I went the other way and finding out suspension is just as much a player in having a fast car than anything. $6g's should get the job done with everything, there are a ton of aftermarket parts for these cars just read back through old posts and stickies and see what works for others.

**Mean Green Z28** · 10-12-2013, 06:09 AM

Also, subframe connectors really tighten up these cars.

Here the only issue I need to re-iterate ... I know everyone's telling you to upgrade, and overhaul your suspension, that's fine. However just like people have also said, its not built to have a lexus like ride ... its a sports/muscle car. Suspension upgrades will get you a much controlled but "firm" ride, Chassis upgrades will firm up the body and help with frame twist/etc. But again, you're looking for a Grand Touring car sort of ride, you'll probably not get it .

**35th-ANV-SS** · 10-12-2013, 06:38 AM

Originally Posted by Decadence75

I would call Sam Strano. He would be the best person to point you in the right direction to get what you need.

Good advice. He knows his shit and won't sell you anything you don't need. That's why he's so respected in the car scene.

**SteveC** · 10-13-2013, 07:03 AM

These are "performance" vehicles, I felt that the stock setup was too soft (I am 65 years old), I replaced a lot of the stock suspension parts with BMR products with poly bushings. Coupled with the sub frame connectors, I am finally getting the ride handling that GM should have done in the first place.

If you want a "softer" ride, try the Kia "Cradensa" or whatever the h*$l they call it.

SteveC

**transamtom** · 10-13-2013, 10:31 AM

Buy a 5th Gen

**Decadence75** · 10-13-2013, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by SteveC

These are "performance" vehicles, I felt that the stock setup was too soft (I am 65 years old), I replaced a lot of the stock suspension parts with BMR products with poly bushings. Coupled with the sub frame connectors, I am finally getting the ride handling that GM should have done in the first place.

If you want a "softer" ride, try the Kia "Cradensa" or whatever the h*$l they call it.

SteveC

There are plenty of setups for a 4th gen f-body that will give it modern comfort plus great handling. The line of thinking that it's a sports car so deal with it is antiquated and just wrong.

**cammed goat** · 10-13-2013, 01:27 PM

A car owner should always be mindful of failure. It's a part of life. Every car has its issues which can be resolved. But that's my thinking.

**SteveC** · 10-13-2013, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by Decadence75

There are plenty of setups for a 4th gen f-body that will give it modern comfort plus great handling. The line of thinking that it's a sports car so deal with it is antiquated and just wrong.

A matter of opinion, if you keep the stock rubber bushings, hollowed out undersized stock sway bars (end links), and the stock stamped out suspension parts (i.e. torque arm, lca's, panard bar) and factor in "no unibody" construction, you can never achieve a well handling vehicle.

JMHO

SteveC

**Decadence75** · 10-13-2013, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by SteveC

A matter of opinion, if you keep the stock rubber bushings, hollowed out undersized stock sway bars (end links), and the stock stamped out suspension parts (i.e. torque arm, lca's, panard bar) and factor in "no unibody" construction, you can never achieve a well handling vehicle.

JMHO

SteveC

No, not opinion. Call Sam Strano. He will be able to set your car up however you want it to ride. If you want to talk stock parts, sure it will be a crap ride. It was not designed to ride well. But saying that a good ride is a matter of opinion only is just wrong as this chassis can be made to ride just as good as anything else out there.

**SteveC** · 10-21-2013, 05:30 AM

Originally Posted by Decadence75

No, not opinion. Call Sam Strano. He will be able to set your car up however you want it to ride. If you want to talk stock parts, sure it will be a crap ride. It was not designed to ride well. But saying that a good ride is a matter of opinion only is just wrong as this chassis can be made to ride just as good as anything else out there.

We finally agree, no one is "wrong" except for YOU telling someone they are wrong, what is good for one, may not be for the other.

Set up your vehicle the way YOU want to, and I will setup MY vehicle the way I want to (without the help of Mr. Strano, whoever he is).

SteveC