# Suspension- what the heck am I doing?



## Godspeed (Oct 12, 2011)

Okay, so I'm starting to show some signs of sag. Fine- new springs

$450 for OEM height with stiffer springs and my shocks are too soft with the stiffer springs. Well, shocks are another $500 for anything decent. At this point I might as well get lowering springs and I’m already in for $800+. I need bump stops now? Sounds like I’m really limiting my suspension travel. 



Might as well get coil over setup at this point. So now I’m reading the rear diff needs some sort of bracket and the camber on the rear needs to be adjusted but can’t because there is no camber adjustment so I need to get that.

At this point, I’m just leaning back towards getting that air bag thing for $80 and moving on with life. This sounds like a nightmare of “and you need this $200 part” ending up to be $3500. 

Can someone fill me in on everything I'm looking at if I get coil overs, just lower it, or don't do anything (something else in the front apparently sucks and will collapse). Basically, I just want to not incur further costs. What do I need to do to just keep it running well? If the price is close to a coil over setup, well then, fine.

Lastly, if I just buy new OEM rear springs will they sag again? With Pedders OE ride height ones, are they much stiffer than OEM?


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## svede1212 (Nov 1, 2005)

You don't need adjustable camber rear control arm bushings unless you go over 3/4" drop. IMHO the fixed poly rear control arm bushings are a great mod. Bags are an excellent addition to control wheel hop if you get on her a lot but I strongly recommend rear shocks. The stock ones come shot from the factory. You'll need front strut bushings as they collapse and front radius rod bushings as they leak and fail. Those are the basics and I'd shop around on brands. Pedders is usually the most expensive with other brands working just as well.


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## LS2 MN6 (Jul 14, 2010)

What I got:

Energy Suspension Master Kit - $210
Lovells Eliminator Kit - $1000
Lovells Poly Strut Mounts - $140
Whiteline Front Radius Rod Bushing - $140
Lovells Rear Radius Rod Bushing - $30
Lovells Diff Insert -$35
RoadSafe Ball Joints - $100

That's basically it. Total cost $1655.

I've installed everything but the rear subframe and rear control arms. All work was done by me in my garage. I needed someone to press out the stock front control arms and the ball joints as well as press in the ball joints. That cost $80. I have a regular bushing press\puller, it costs about $200. I got a spring compressor online for $50. Other than that regular shop tools.

You shouldn't pay more than $2000 for tools and parts, assuming you already have jack stands, jacks, and a mechanics tool set. You might need to load up on some large mm sockets and wrenches (you need a 24 mm and a 30 mm for the radius rods, & a 21 mm to get off the caliper so make sure you have all sockets and wrenches from the typical 19 mm to 26 mm + the 30 mm).


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## svede1212 (Nov 1, 2005)

That's about what I spent on similar parts with the exception of going hog wild and skipping the diff insert for a Harrop and adding Hotchkis sway bars. The work is fairly easy and you don't have to go wild to get a very crisp and thorough suspension upgrade. I also did all the work in my garage with a spring compressor from Harbor Freight for $11-$12


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## Godspeed (Oct 12, 2011)

So if I just upgrade to eibach lowering springs (1.0 front/ 0.8 rear), do I need to get a camber kit for the rear as well?


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## svede1212 (Nov 1, 2005)

Not right away but with Eibachs you probably will eventually. I see quite a few people unhappy with them and their weakness. The only good cheap way I know of is to use drag bags and get new shocks.


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## Godspeed (Oct 12, 2011)

I might just get Pedders OEM height shocks that are stiffer. Ugh, what a pain.


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