Changed Springs...too Bouncy...help!!!

creektrack

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May 17, 2013
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So I have a 96 vert GT and I changed my springs the other day from the too tall stockers to a set of Roush Stage 3...well since I've done that, it's been pretty bouncy, and I wanna eliminate the bounce...im getting tired of driving around like a honda with cut springs. ..

I was told the struts were bad when I bought it but it never seemed to drive bad until now...

Does anyone have a suggestion as to which route I should go? Are the stock struts gonna be ok if I just get a new pair? Or should I get a different style? I dont wanna spend $1000 on shocks and struts, but I know I can't do it on $100 either...
 
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That's kinda what I figured...so what woukd be a good replacement? I think it was about a 1.5" drop with the roush springs...

I was told I can use fox body struts as they are shorter, is this true? Or is there a better option?

I do plan in the future with going full tubular, which is one reason I don't wanna spend a whole bunch, because it's just gonna get changed anyway within probly a year...
 
Yeah imma get an alignment for sure, but my immediate issue was a bad ball joint, so I wanted to do rebuilt control arms, drilled/slotted rotors, and springs all at once....which is why I wanna get shocks and struts real quick so I can do the alignment. ...it did improve the sloppiness in my steering, as well as the responsiveness. ...
 
Cant get a perfect alignment without cc plates....

Those are on my list as well...

Not trying to insult you but, make sure the springs are clocked correctly into the control arm pocket. I am guilty of this as well. lol

No offense taken...I did make sure they were set correctly, in fact, I raised and lowered the control arm a few times to make slight adjustments. ..
 
You most likely need new struts and shocks. Springs control ride height, struts and shocks control the bounce. Most springs change spring rate to act more hard so you don't bottom out over bumps or lift too much. Unless you got cheapo springs I would replace your shocks and struts first :) better to do that first and then get it aligned. You do have camber movement if you take the tabs out of your top bearing plate, and slot one bolt- maybe, I can't remember but I think all 3 are already slotted- but do this when you do your struts and tell who ever is aligning it that you have adjustability on the top bearing plate.
 
Ha funny you should ask, I've been looking this up for 2 days now. I'm planning on getting a k-member, a arms with perches, and rear spherical control arms from pa racing and plan on getting new struts and shocks. My struts right now are blown out and my car bounces hard over speed bumps. But besides all that, from what I've been gathering is unless you have a 2 inch drop or greater fox struts are not necessary, also if you are not low enough that in hard cornering you can lift your tire, how much I dunno. Rear shocks from fox'a are the same as ours. I was debating if I should still get them because I have 1.5 inch drop springs with my isolaters removed.
 
Oh and yes fox struts are shorter lol. Went on a ramble rage :p. not a lot shorter but their working range is shorter. Also they bottom out quicker from what I've been reading. Hopefully some one comes in with experience to clarify
 
Let me know what you figure out, cuz with the roush stage 3 springs I believe it was about a 1.5" drop...definitely looks a lot better now...but I did notice when I jacked up my rear end today the the spring was lifted up on one side of the perch due to the difference of height...
 
I like Strange 10-ways for a street car.

Here's the thing though. "Bouncy" is relative. I'm not sure if you're describing it as bouncy because it's stiffer, or bouncy because the stock shocks and struts are weak. It would be nice if you could ride in an SN95 with suspension already upgraded so you could see for yourself if you like it or not.

The reason I mention it is because stiffer springs like you bought should be coupled with stiffer shocks and struts... but then it'll REALLY be bouncy.... well, bouncy in a sense that you feel every bump.
 
Your spring isn't in properly? If you truly want a better quality ride than bilstein shocks and struts are the way to go. Or tokico adjustable shocks and struts. Better quality absorbers make all the difference in the ride. Me personally, I'm dishing out way too much money in all the new suspension components, that I'm might just go fox struts and shocks but in KYB form until I can spring for the bilsteins
 
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I was told when I bought the car the rears were bad, but it didn't seem as though they were, it seemed to drive just fine, and it has stock shocks and struts still, which should have about 130k miles at the moment...I dont see any leakage, its just that its noticeably "bouncier" over bumps, including the highway...so as sharad said, maybe I am confusing bouncy with stiff, but I don't really have a comparison besides the way it felt stock and now...

I mean, I know I need to replace the shocks and struts, my question is this...and keep in mind, I plan on going full tubular with coil overs by a years time, so what ever setup I use, I only need it to last till the end of the year basically...

So ultimate question: What's going to be the easiest way out here, whether it be "stock" fox in kyb form, or kyb gas-adjust for the sn95, or a whole nother route?

And I do wanna say that the roush springs gave me anywhere between a 1.5-2" drop, even though everywhere I read stated that it was only a 1" difference...
 
At 130k I'm pretty sure they are bad :p. 50k is pretty much when they are bad, some are freaks but not any where near 130k, more like 65k is a freak to me lol. If you want something in the mean time that'll probably feel a lot better is a cheapo set off eBay for 105 bucks. I put them on my brothers 95 when I took off his torched springs and put on a set 04gt springs that i cut a coil off of and no iso's. His car feels better than mine right now. As for a coil over set up some one will have to chime in because I don't know much about coil overs for our cars. I would see if a new set of shocks and struts feel any better, and if they do and you want more than I would get a better set later down the road.