guess my aftermarket springs:)

**sisko85641** · 05-14-2008, 08:30 PM

I just bought a 2000 z28 Camaro with the sport appearance package. it has 275/40/17 tires and red lowering springs. I was reading and saw that someone measured the stock y-pipe ground clearance and said it was 5.25". I just measured mine and it is only 3" and that is with the stock flattened y-pipe. Thats a big 2.25" drop, far to much for the rough roads here in Oregon. Any guesses as to what brand these things are. They are bright red in color and were put on the stock de carbon shocks, but i haven't had the chance to take the wheels off and see if there is any writing or markings on them. I will try and take a look this weekend. Needless to say these things are going to go and I will likely get something like the Slp Eibach kit with the Bilsteins, that should only lower an inch, not 2.25" Especially being that i am planning on getting headers.

A little background on the car. I bought it from a dealer who thought it had a blown head gasket. Took the heads off, found it didn't have a blown head gasket so I replaced with MLS gaskets anyways, and bolted everything back up. Flushed coolant, oil, did fuel filter pcv, etc. So at least I know the engine is good now, it has 88K miles. I'm also trying to figure out what kind of shifter it has. It has a hurst stick with I big black 8-ball style like the white hurst ball shift knobs. But this thing has a very notchy shifter. I had a b&M on my old 2000 3.8 firebird and loved it. Not notchy but much shorter throw than the stock 5 speed was. This shifter is extremely notchy. Also not sure if you can just replace the handle with a hurst. Furtheremore my 06 GTO had the stock shiftwer and was very smooth. Any Thoughts on this? The main thing i would like to know are the springs.

Thanks,

Josh

**KyleLs1** · 05-14-2008, 08:40 PM

Probably eibach sportlines... they're crap, get the pro kit from eibach or strano springs. New shocks are a must too..

**sisko85641** · 05-14-2008, 08:49 PM

Thanks for the response. How does the pro kit compare to the SLP Eibach springs PN 7009?Are they the same? The current springs I feel every bump and bounce through the spine, way to stiff of a ride.

**KyleLs1** · 05-14-2008, 09:00 PM

no idea on the SLP eibachs... I have the prokit with revalved bilsteins from sam strano and i love the ride. It is stiff, but not back breaking and is a good budget setup. If you want to spend some cash get some strano springs with some Koni shocks and you will be set. I didn't want to spend that much when i did it, and i don't regret it... but if i were to do it again, I would probably spend the money and get Koni's

**Sam Strano** · 05-15-2008, 01:03 PM

Red springs with such a drop indicates Sportlines to me as well. As for the SLP kit.... can't get it until Bilstein shocks show back up. I'm an SLP dealer fwiw. Even then though I don't think it's the best solution. Just not a big fan of the shocks these days, and the springs aren't really anything special. You can get a like drop with stock springs and Koni shocks, and have WAY better shocks......

**sisko85641** · 05-15-2008, 03:13 PM

Well i'm going to have to buy some springs anyways once i get the sportlines off. I just liked the idea of the progressive springs. I'm not looking for an auto crosser, heck i will probably never take it to a track. I just want it to handle nicely through some mountain roads and still have a reasonably compliant ride. I will probably be looking at getting your 35/22 sway bar kit and pick up some of the MOOG bushings for the LCA. How do your springs compare to the pro kit. I'm looking for little to no drop, just a better handling car. Any Ideas for a good setup for a reasonably good price?

**Sam Strano** · 05-15-2008, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by sisko85641

Well i'm going to have to buy some springs anyways once i get the sportlines off. I just liked the idea of the progressive springs. I'm not looking for an auto crosser, heck i will probably never take it to a track. I just want it to handle nicely through some mountain roads and still have a reasonably compliant ride. I will probably be looking at getting your 35/22 sway bar kit and pick up some of the MOOG bushings for the LCA. How do your springs compare to the pro kit. I'm looking for little to no drop, just a better handling car. Any Ideas for a good setup for a reasonably good price?

All springs are progressive in the way they work. Even linear springs take more and more force to compress as they travel. "Progressives" just increase on a steeper rate instead of a linear fashion.

If you want little to no drop, want a compliant ride and good handling, you want stock springs. Add the swaybars, a good set of shocks and you'll be quite amazed by the result. Springs to help, but they also lower the car and ride more firmly. I'd love to sell you springs, and I can tell you without doubt the car would be way better than it is now with a set of our springs on it. However, I'm not sure that's the right way to go, and can't be without talking with you by phone.

**sisko85641** · 05-15-2008, 03:34 PM

How are the konis internally adjustable, are they shipped with a standard setting? how do they compare to the Koni yellows? it appears that there are two different types of rear koni yellow, on your site.

**Sam Strano** · 05-15-2008, 03:39 PM

All the Koni's for these cars are "yellows" or Koni Sports. All are adjustable. There are just a few different ones we can use with various levels of ease/access/amout of adjustment.

They tend to be shipped pretty much full soft, but that doens't mean we want to run them there, and in fact I always firm the fronts up. Sometimes firm the rears as a start point.

"internally" adjustable means you have to take the rears off to adjust. You do not take them apart, and it's not hard to do. They just aren't "externally" ajustable with a knob like the others.

**sisko85641** · 05-15-2008, 03:39 PM

I do like the lowered look, and I don't mid a little bit of a rough ride, but the sportlines are way to extreme and every bump you hit it just slams the car. I like the fact that your springs only lower about 1.2", which is much better than the 2.25+ that I have now. My future plans would include headers, with catted y pipe. I just want to make sure I have plenty of clearance.

**sisko85641** · 05-15-2008, 03:43 PM

Gotcha, so what is the key difference between 30-1265 Sport and the 8241-1140 Sport besides price, and I see these are single adjustable unlike the 4/3's

**Sam Strano** · 05-15-2008, 03:46 PM

I think most everyone and their brother has headers. I do. Some just don't fit well, and a few like SLP's drag on stock height cars. But we don't slam cars on height and any decent fitting header is generally not a problem.

I guess I misunderstood when you said little to no drop.

**Sam Strano** · 05-15-2008, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by sisko85641

Gotcha, so what is the key difference between 30-1265 Sport and the 8241-1140 Sport besides price, and I see these are single adjustable unlike the 4/3's

1140's adjust in place on the car without detents (set them wherever you want). 1265's have to be removed and have 4 pre-sets of which you need to pick one. Not as flexible or as quick to adjust, hence the reason they cost less.

**sisko85641** · 05-15-2008, 03:49 PM

although i do hear that the new design SLP long tubes don't have the same problems as the tuned length as far as dragging goes. But as far as konis go which would you recommend with your springs, and sway bars. Not sure i need to be fully adjustable, heck i would probably keep them on the softer side anyways. That being said for the price differences between the 1140's and 1265's I would probably just go with the 1140's for not having to take them off.

**Sam Strano** · 05-15-2008, 03:54 PM

Both are good, it's not a matter what's better... A matter of what you are willing to pay vs. how much tweakability you want. The 4/4 set (1140 rears) are the most recommended because they are the most flexible and offer the most tuning ability. And "racing" doesn't matter. Shock damping is at play at all times on the road. I can't recommend either to you without speaking to you in person. It's a 6 of one, half dozen of the other thing. Just different, not better or worse.

**sisko85641** · 05-15-2008, 04:01 PM

Do you have any package similar to the HP1 minus the UMI Panhard Bar?

**sisko85641** · 05-15-2008, 04:43 PM

actually i will probably be getting your sway bars springs shocks and Moog bushings

**Sam Strano** · 05-16-2008, 07:41 AM

I have to draw a line somewhere with the number of packages. The idea is that they are simple and easy, but it seems like everyone wants something else. That's not simple anymore....