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Coilover Questions



You will have to do some cutting and work if you build your own. Pre-built coilovers are available by Intense and Arraut Motorsports, but they can be costly.

Boots on the Bilsteins won't work, you will need to get the covers (unless someone else can say different)

Helper springs aid in rebound stability through corners and over road imperfections. They also serve the additional function of keeping the main spring under proper preload. Basically a little better ride, because they will compress at a softer rate over the main spring which will be more for body roll. If I could do it over again...I would get these.

Genesis guides I have no idea, this is new to me.

Like I said these require a little work to have and keep; a good alternative is Bilsteins with lowering springs. I drove in the snow on SSC's....and my Saab sits lower than that and I drive that in the snow without issue.

There are different forms of lowering, there is the stock height because people think potholes and snow will make it all impossible and they will die; there is the optimal performance where you have just a 1.5-2" drop just enough to put the struts and car at the position to feel comfortable yet controllable, which is accomplished with either springs or coilovers(this goes even further when you get struts and springs in a paired values, but Grand Prix's don't really have that, so don't ask), then there is the full monty where you drop the car to stupid lows, potholes, snow, and even pebbles be damned and suspension geometry means nothing.

Every car since my Saturn...has been option 2....the Grand Prix was option 3. LOL

Basically you need to decide, how much you want to invest, how much time you have to involve yourself with this project, and what you really want out of the car (be it handling or looks).
 
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Well this will be a winter thing when I do have time so I think I'll be doing this. Seems a lot more complex than just SSC springs so I'm more interested. I like learning and the challenge so you can expect me doing this, but I'll be on here asking more questions when I start for sure lol. I have the general idea of this now. I'm a farmer so I have welders, plasma cutters, lathes and more stuff so I do have this to do this
 


Drunkie said:
You will have to do some cutting and work if you build your own. Pre-built coilovers are available by Intense and Arraut Motorsports, but they can be costly.

Boots on the Bilsteins won't work, you will need to get the covers (unless someone else can say different)

Helper springs aid in rebound stability through corners and over road imperfections. They also serve the additional function of keeping the main spring under proper preload. Basically a little better ride, because they will compress at a softer rate over the main spring which will be more for body roll. If I could do it over again...I would get these.

Genesis guides I have no idea, this is new to me.

Like I said these require a little work to have and keep; a good alternative is Bilsteins with lowering springs. I drove in the snow on SSC's....and my Saab sits lower than that and I drive that in the snow without issue.

There are different forms of lowering, there is the stock height because people think potholes and snow will make it all impossible and they will die; there is the optimal performance where you have just a 1.5-2" drop just enough to put the struts and car at the position to feel comfortable yet controllable, which is accomplished with either springs or coilovers(this goes even further when you get struts and springs in a paired values, but Grand Prix's don't really have that, so don't ask), then there is the full monty where you drop the car to stupid lows, potholes, snow, and even pebbles be damned and suspension geometry means nothing.

Every car since my Saturn...has been option 2....the Grand Prix was option 3. LOL

Basically you need to decide, how much you want to invest, how much time you have to involve yourself with this project, and what you really want out of the car (be it handling or looks).
Click to expand...

Helper springs are effectively 0 spring rate, only for preventing the spring from falling out of the seat.

Tender springs have a rate, and help create a dual rate situation, as well as helping prevent the spring from falling out of the seat. Issue there is damping.

You can turn bilsteins into very nice coilovers with proper valving and such. The crimped ones can be done as well. Where there is a will, there is a way.
 
91parkave said:
Dude if you have all that **** you can get this done in a hour or two
Click to expand...
Yeah. We build a lot of home made things so we aren't lacking in things like that. Drill presses, cylinder press, etc. I don't know how to work the lathe though... too complicated for me lol I say it's a shaft polisher
 


At one point in time rockauto had them but IIRC they were starting to discontinue them. Maybe buy that used set of Craigslist.
 


Yeah. I can't really find them. If I can't seem to find them since I live in Canada, what's the next best thing? Just for a plan b.
 
Plan b... Hover car

Probably would just go gr2 and try those out and see how you like them or just stick with the strut/lower spring combo
 
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