yes I know, but suspension ?

[cutsup1996]

Hey guys beena while since I was here. This will be a little long but I'll try to keep it to the point. I WILL be lowering my car this summer but I have some final questions first. First off my car is a 96' Cutlass Coupe 3100, I have front and rear RSM strut tower brace bars, and 225/60/16 Michelin Pilot XGT H4's. I will be getting the rear coil over conversion from FFP and then I need to decide of front springs. Now, I think I saw a kit on JCWhitney where you can adapt an air suspension to leaf spring, am I right? Anyone here done that what do you guys think of it and the cost on that? Ok the front spring choice, I am thinking the Suspension Techniques 2" lowering springs. Anybody have those springs and 2" isn't too much is it? Will my bigger tire size rub, the originals were 215/60/16. Also my struts now are fine but of course I will get the KYB GR2's with the rear kit that come with it, do I need to replace the front ones too and if so what do I get? I think I saw a Eibach lowering front kit but it didn't pertain to pre 2000 on the site too, anybody know? So I think the sure thing is the rear, FFP coilover, change that height all I want and maybe after a while they will have the fronts and by then I can just change them too cause the ST front springs ain't all that expensive, go ahead with the 2" drop? need to replace the front struts too? Any and all suggestions or comments are greatly appreciated. I know this is an old topic but help a fellow w enthusiast out. Thanks again guys.

 

Viva la cutty!

[90TGP]

I don't think anyone makes air ride for the w-bodys. I'm pretty sure juice from http://www.clubgp.com was the only one with airride and all of his stuff was custom fabricated to work on his GP.

 

I would HIGHLY recommend getting KYB GR2's for the front with lowering springs. Your current ones won't cut it, and besides, you'll have them on the rear with the coilovers. You can get them from http://www.tirerack.com.

 

Not sure about the tires rubbing, but you shouldn't have any problems, just don't take my word on it .

 

I would also HIGHLY recommend replacing all four of your strutmounts with new ones from http://www.tirerack.com. They are old and prone to breaking. With new suspension, especially coil-overs, it just puts a lot of stress on the old worn out parts.

[cutsup1996]

hey thanks for your response, c'mon guys lets hear more out there. Now new strut mounts come with the rear kit from FFP so that is covered, my next question is the front strut mounts on tirerack.com, they have heavy duty and standard mounts for my cutty. They don't have a cost difference and the site doesn't specify the differences of the mounts and possibly what they should apply to like I guess to stock suspension, you know from FE3 to FE1, so anyone know? They also have protective boots for the front struts, should I get those too or will my stock sleeves still work and also work as a good as those boots?

[GnatGoSplat]

I think the ST springs are only supposed to drop 1.25-1.5". There won't be any rubbing with that small of a drop.

 

The rear airride you mention for leaf springs is just helper bags. On a truck, you can pull a leaf which lowers the truck, and then with the helper bag pushing down on the spring, you can raise it up. The top of the helper bag mounts to the frame. On a W-body, you can't remove a leaf. We just have one single leaf spring, so the best you could do is just find a really saggy rear leaf that's lower tha you'd ever want to go. Then I suppose you could try a helper bag to lift the rear to the desired height, but where would you put this helper bag? They're kind of large, and I don't think the bottom bag mount can attach to the fiberglass spring. At least, not easily. You'd have to build a bracket around the spring and probably put a rubber bushing where it touches the spring. The brackets would all need to be custom fabricated.

 

FE1 and FE3 mounts aren't any different from GM. I don't know about the aftermarket ones that tirerack sells. The existing front strut boots will work with ST springs.

[cutsup1996]

I am just leary but on jcwhitney site how come these springs are only on the monte carlos list and not the cutty's? I know some people got springs, did you guys get suspension technique springs? Just cautious and making sure nothing is messed up on this, gonna be some $ spent so...

[GnatGoSplat]

Yeah, I bought those springs.

 

Probably not listed for any other W-body because ST doesn't offer a rear spring, and they probably don't think anybody wants to lower just the front.

[cutsup1996]

ok great thanks a lot man, the lowering project has begun, I well let all know when it's completed.