Intrax Birchmount observations

[Intlcutlass]

This is NOT an endorsment for either product... Just for the people who have done searches for ride quality , or handling once these are installed. I have read a couple different posts of people who would like to know "How are they"...

 

I have had the Birchmount on for 4 days , and the Intrax a week longer than that.

 

The intrax--- The ride is stiff, but not uncomfortable and not "sharp".When you hit a speed bump or a pothole though, you DO have to be aware of your speed. If you go bolting over objects like these... your going to feel it hard. These are a progressive rate spring so if you ease into bumps and whatnot.. they are not bad. If you go hot doggn around... I am not sure your car will like you that much. I got about 1.5" out of these, and as long as you don't live on a pothole dence enviroment, I would highly recomend.

 

The birchmount- I took off the top most (and shortest) leaf thinking it would softed the ride, as I have seen comments that the ride is pretty stiff and also still a little high. In total, I saw about a 1.75" drop, and am very pleased. I have read comments that claim it's a noisy spring.... I have not seen that... so far the ass of my car seems form , yet forgiving. I HAVE noticed that due to the drop , the spring sits rather close to the lower control arms. It does not appear to be hitting them, but only time will tell. I also notches the end of the spring (where it fits into the knuckles) to match the OEM spring because I wanted to re-use the OEM pads. It IS heavier that the fiberglass springs, but I am not sure of the point of that. If the metal spring is 15lbs heavier... why is that important? It might be something your concerned about or not... Hopefully somebody will chime in to give a little more info.

 

 

If anyone else has any comments, please post them, if these is a central thread for this people will do less searching to find results.

[Pabz]

After installing the birchmount (with intrax) i found that my back end would swing out on me, I installed aweb80's RSTB and it totally cured the problem.

 

Thus, i recommend getting a RSTB when you install the birchmount.

[kuntzie]

im running olds '98 dprings in the front with about 1/3 or so of a coil cut and i have the birchmount in the rear... i got a 3" drop but its a little more then that b/c i shaved the pucks. the ride is really good but stiff... some ocasssional "float" id say from the rear... but overall it feels about the same, except handles better

[tdaye]

I started with a steel spring I got made around the corner from me, it gave me a 3" drop and was 3 leafs. I found after almost a year that the ends of the spring were bending (where it sat in the spring pearches). I'm guessing this was because the spring was basicly flat and couldn't flex much because they aren't designed to flex backward...and that was the weakest part of the spring. i also found the ride to be hard and bouncy. Since then I got a fiberglass one from Flex-a-form, I find the ride quality as good or maybe better then the stock spring and I got a total of about 2 1/2" drop...but not without trouble. The first spring I was sent only gave me a 1/2" drop, the 2nd broke and the third was a charm and gave me what you see now in my pic. It was a bit more $ for the fiberglass one but I find it worth it for the ride quality.[br]Posted on: May 10, 2006, 07:30:09 PM_________________________________________________I have a question slightly off topic...if on a 1989 Cutlass you were to remove the rear spring completely, what would the car's weight sit on?

[R Dubya]

I HATE MY BIRCHMOUNT!!!

 

the thing is loud as hell, makes the front end so stiff from not flexing that it bottoms out the springs to full compression so there is absolutely NO GIVE. Did I mention its loud as hell?

 

Get coil overs. My opinion.

 

[Psych0matt]

my intrax springs are pretty red and are sitting behind me on the floor.

[DiscoStudd]

my intrax springs are pretty red and are sitting behind me on the floor.

Ha, mine are too! 'Cept they're sitting in the basement along side my Birchmount spring.

After installing the birchmount (with intrax) i found that my back end would swing out on me, I installed aweb80's RSTB and it totally cured the problem.

Thus, i recommend getting a RSTB when you install the birchmount.

I haven't installed the Birchmount yet, and my rear end swings out on sharp, high-speed turns, almost violently. I chalk it up to the combination of the KYB struts and the 50 series tires gripping the road "better" than the car was originally meant to. I also haven't installed my swaybar, which I figure will help, but the strut tower brace sounds like a good idea...

[firefighter_0029]

How do you have a 2 1/2" drop in that pic? I have a 1 3/4" drop (Before I started it was 28" from the wheel well to the floor and now it's 26 1/4") And I'm almost tucking 15" Steelies.

Your car must have looked as high as a truck before you started.

 

Anyone else have advise on how many turns to cut out of front springs to get around 2" out of the front? (I know I shouldn't but It's my beater and I don't care)

[tdaye]

Mine was 29" on the rear when I started, 26 1/2" now.and if the pic was taken from a better angle...like from above, it would look even lower. Look for before and after pic here http://www.cardomain.com/ride/660474

[GnatGoSplat]

im running olds '98 dprings in the front with about 1/3 or so of a coil cut and i have the birchmount in the rear... i got a 3" drop but its a little more then that b/c i shaved the pucks. the ride is really good but stiff... some ocasssional "float" id say from the rear... but overall it feels about the same, except handles better

 

What kind of 98 Olds springs fit?

 

I have a question slightly off topic...if on a 1989 Cutlass you were to remove the rear spring completely, what would the car's weight sit on?

 

The bumpstops (or jounce bumpers as GM calls it). They're on the strut shaft and are supposed to be attached to the upper strut mount, although most come detached over time.

 

[firefighter_0029]

Mine was 29" on the rear when I started, 26 1/2" now.and if the pic was taken from a better angle...like from above, it would look even lower. Look for before and after pic here http://www.cardomain.com/ride/660474

 

I wasn't thinking. I believe you. Turby's sits real high in the back too.

[Intlcutlass]

The bumpstops (or jounce bumpers as GM calls it). They're on the strut shaft and are supposed to be attached to the upper strut mount, although most come detached over time.

 

I know there's no way they could support the car, so whats the point of those little wings at the end of the leaf brackets (where the leaf bolts to the pearch). they look like they are supposed to stop the suspesion are from traveling past a certain point...

[Speed Stick]

Hmmmm..... I hope my Birchmount spring is not loud. I ordered it Monday and I should be able to get a good drop out of it because my car sits really high. I am still trying to get the front springs though, i found them just have to order them. Heres more pics of my skyscraper, car was dirty. (Yeah my rims kinda suck)

 

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2046848

 

 

EDIT: Does anyone know aweb80's email to ask him about RSTB?

[tdaye]

Good luck with the FAF, as I said I finally got what I wanted (2.5") but it took me a total of 3 springs to get it...and the ride is as good as the stock spring was.

Shawn I saw your reply to my question, if the jounce bumpers were removed, what would the next thing the cars weight would sit on if there were no leafspring?

[GnatGoSplat]

Good luck with the FAF, as I said I finally got what I wanted (2.5") but it took me a total of 3 springs to get it...but the ride is as good as the stock spring was.

Shawn I saw your reply to my question, if the jounce bumpers were removed, what would the next thing the cars weight would sit on if there were no leafspring?

 

So you finally got the 3rd spring installed? Got pics? Last spring pic I saw is the one with the crack.

If you removed the jounce bumpers, I believe it would be metal-on-metal contact of the strut body contacting the upper strut mount.

 

[tdaye]

ok, so what are those hard rubber things kinda with a 8 shape under the strut for? if you had no struts or leaf spring what would the cars weight sit on... I'll email you a pic tonight with the new spring..

[GnatGoSplat]

Oh, those are the auxilliary springs. They make it so the spring is progressive rate.

I took those out of my car many years ago, I don't know if they would stop suspension travel or not.

If you had no struts and springs, I imagine the lateral arms would hit the frame rail but that's just a guess. I'd have to look under there to know for sure.

 

[tdaye]

ok, I was wondering if the auxilliary springs supported weight at all, it's ok to remove them? is there a point to remove them? lol one of mine seems alot more compressed then the other, wonder why or if it matters at all

[GnatGoSplat]

You can remove them, but it will make the rear stiffer on small bumps. It may also raise the ride height a little.

 

I removed them only because they interfered with my 94 rear calipers.

 

[tdaye]

I would think that if they did anything to the height that it would lower it a little bit to remove them, not raise it ...?

 

[GnatGoSplat]

It'll raise it because if you take a good look at them, you will see the way they are placed, they lengthen when the lateral link is more horizontal (car is lower) than when the link is more angled (car is higher).

 

[Intlcutlass]

Has anyone else noticed how easy it is to Hydroplane with the Intrax????

 

I was doing a cool 35mph in the curb lane, and with all the water lately, I probably should have thought about what I was doing , but the pass side all the sudden broke loose a little bit...

 

It was one of those "pucker" moments. I was a little surprized at how easy that happened...

 

 

Anyone else???

[GnatGoSplat]

Weird. I would think hydroplaning is a function of the tires. Did you get it realigned?

I have never hydroplaned with my ST springs and 18" tires.

 

[Intlcutlass]

Weird. I would think hydroplaning is a function of the tires. Did you get it realigned?

I have never hydroplaned with my ST springs and 18" tires.

 

 

Not Yet.... I want to replace the bolts in the ball joints before I get it realigned. I only "eyeballed it" when I was putting everything back together....I hate re-using hardware (crusty), so I went and picked up some grade 8 replacments....

 

I was going to do it this weekend, as well as install the stainless steel brake lines in the front, and install my "cleaned" and painted calipers, but it was too wet cause of therain latley....and , it's supposed to rain solid till Thursday....

 

Do you think that (alignment) , has something to do with hydro-planing??? My tires are good.... at least 8/32 still on them....(isn't new 10/32?).

[Pabz]

Weird. I would think hydroplaning is a function of the tires. Did you get it realigned?

I have never hydroplaned with my ST springs and 18" tires.

 

 

Not Yet.... I want to replace the bolts in the ball joints before I get it realigned. I only "eyeballed it" when I was putting everything back together....I hate re-using hardware (crusty), so I went and picked up some grade 8 replacments....

 

I was going to do it this weekend, as well as install the stainless steel brake lines in the front, and install my "cleaned" and painted calipers, but it was too wet cause of therain latley....and , it's supposed to rain solid till Thursday....

 

Do you think that (alignment) , has something to do with hydro-planing??? My tires are good.... at least 8/32 still on them....(isn't new 10/32?).

 

Are they summer tires or all seasons? All season tires will hydroplane alot easier IMO