Did you guys end up sticking with the J-Body coil springs, or did you find something else to use? I have been wondering if there might be a strut mount out there that might work. Or maybe there is a way to turn down the N-Body strut mount to fit the J-Body spring.
I have seen some lowering kits out there for the N-Bodies. Will the N-Body front springs work with our J-Body front struts? (for the front end) (Sorry, this question prolly belongs in a different thread.) I just don't want to buy the kit, JUST for the rear springs. Trying to get my cake, and eat it too.
Rob
Need to find me a Quote...
We're using the J spring. The N mount's seat is too small for our spring (J is 4" at top, N winds down to 2"). But the strut rod from the N is too big for the N mount.
So I'm using the J springs with the N mounts, they don't sit quite right, but it works.
That's the issue I'm currently having. I'm using the N-body KYB GR2 struts, with the stock N-body mounts, but the J-body spring. Not only is it too low in the back (compared to the front), but the spring doesn't meet the mount properly.
I'm having BAD rubbing issues. Actually, I have two other issues as well... the front bar on the driver's side is bent, so my left rear tire is actually turned in. I'm eating tire
have to fix that. (the IRS came off a car hit in the driver's side door... pretty bad too). The other is the ABS. I can't get the ABS light to shut off, even though it's all hooked up now. DOh!
I'm contemplating going with the stock N-body springs for now, until I can find some cheap Eibach pro-kit (to match the J-body front Eibach Pro-kit). Only thing is, I don't know if it will end up being the same height!!! Kind of a waste of $200 if it doesn't look right.
My rear end is at the right height. It may be a touch lower than it should be, but the rear is still higher than the front. Mine doesn't meet the mount properly either, but it works ok for now, I'll have to figure something out.
My ABS works fine. Maybe your wires/hubs were damaged in the accident??
The tire eating issue is an easy fix.
The only real issue is still my exhaust. It's up against the crossmember and loud as all hell. I'll have to do something...
In a few weeks I will make some solid mount to match n-body strut with the right j-body spring seat
for the abs it's plug and play
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Ok, something is wrong with mine then... I'm much lower in the rear than the front, and I'm grinding the crap outta my tires on the wheel well (I need to roll the fenders, but believe it or not... in a city of 2 million people, I can't find a single shop with the right f'n tool!)
I did my exhaust. I'll take some pics when I can get the car in the air again.
I looked at mine again yesterday. I guess the rear is sitting lower than it was before. I wonder if the spring is past the strut mount, hence the extra 1/2" or so.
McMoney: Any idea on ETA or Price? I was looking at designing one myself, but they'd be quite expensive unless I could get a decent number of people to order them (10+).
I'm gonna make this quick, because I have to go to a buddy's shop (with the struts now OFF the car) to fix it...
DON'T USE J-BODY SPRINGS!
One of mine un-wound itself from the perch today. I was trying to figure out why the driver's side suddenly dropped an extra inch, well that's why!
Pics later... trust me, don't use the J springs. Bad!!
Yeah, ok... no pics yet (still on g/f's camera) but the long version....
I was driving home yesterday... there's a couple of nasty bumps and some nice tight curves on the way to my place.... so I give 'er up the hill, hit a bump, hear a clunk, then my left rear tire sounds like it's dragging on the quarter panel through the turn... I'm like WTF? So I get home, look at it, and it's sitting about an inch lower than I'm used to it.. something broke, I figure...
So, I pull off the wheel and there's the spring, with one coil below the perch. It's unwound itself, because there was no tension holding it in place (i guess hitting the curve at full speed and taking the tire off the ground let it loose?).
Anyway.. I've put the stock N-body springs on there for the meantime, until I find a set of rear Eibach Pro-Kit springs that will actually work properly. I'm not half-assing it anymore. It looks funny with the back end so high up in the air, but at least it drives better now... more clearance in the back too! Ha ha...
That's why I cut strut to keep a little tension when the rear end is in the air
Location: Montreal, Quebec
I haven't had any problems yet. But I was considering a clip or something to hold the springs in the correct place. I haven't had my rear end fly off the ground.......
where are these exhaust pics...... I need PICS....
SPD RCR Z -
'02 Z24 420whp
SLO GOAT -
'04 GTO 305whp
W41 BOI -
'78 Buick Opel Isuzu W41 Swap
Gawd dayum that's a LOT of bends
Do you have any sound clips/vids of the exhaust?? Won't do me a whole lotta good since I've only got a 2200, but I'm thinkin' about Flow 80 for my car. Had a bid on one too, but got out-bid lol. Once I know how it sounds, I'll look for another one
Trailer... Turnin' a wrecked Cav into a matching trailer??
hahah
F/S: 2005 KAWASAKI ZX-6R 636, 1103 MILES, $7500 OBO ^^^
doesnt look to bad really....... thanks for the pics.
SPD RCR Z -
'02 Z24 420whp
SLO GOAT -
'04 GTO 305whp
W41 BOI -
'78 Buick Opel Isuzu W41 Swap
when we used my Sprints in my swap a few weekends ago, i used wire to keep the spring on the lower perch and drilled 2 small holes in the upper mount and did the same to hold the spring in place. i'm going to rig it up better when i get the new rear struts from Koni. thanks to whomever for getting us the part #. so far i'm loving it. the ride is sooooooo much nicer and the handing is waaaaay better and its not even aligned. its close but not spot on. it doesn't pull even under hard braking so that's good.
Tonight I installed the Eibach Pro-Kit N-body springs.... much better!! The car now sits at an even height front and rear.... so my front has J-body suspension - Eibach Pro-Kit and Koni Reds... and the rear has N-body suspension - Eibach Pro-Kit and KYB GR2's. Rides nice too... no rubbing. You can tell the car is lowered just looking at it, but it's not going to drag anything on the ground... and it handles awesome again!!!
PS. Thanks Jay for helping me do the springs
1st car show of the year tomorrow.... woo hoo!!
...j
so I have a few questions:
I read through and looked at all the pictures on how to mount the cradle to the frame, and I cannot figure out how you tighten the bolts down. The bolt goes though the hole in the frame, but how do you hold the bolt while you're tightening the nut down on it? I can't figure it out.
Also, the donor car I'm getting has rear drums on it. How would the brake lines get hooked up for that? Could you use the same rubber lines as on the calipers? Also, would you have to switch e-brake cables?
Thanks for any info
Not sure if this is how Lenko did it, but you can get lag bolts and plates..... the square part of the bolt drops into the plate, and keeps the bolt from spinning while you tighten the nut.
I used to use them alot when installing hitches on trucks/cars.....
SPD RCR Z -
'02 Z24 420whp
SLO GOAT -
'04 GTO 305whp
W41 BOI -
'78 Buick Opel Isuzu W41 Swap
Nah, there isn't enough room to move that much stuff around back there... and room for error is slim-to-none.... I just put the bolts through, and hit it with the impact gun. There's pretty much no way you could do it this way with hand tools, unless you grab the end of the bolt with some vise-grips or something. I bought a cheap-ass 8-gal compressor and impact gun.... have to do the bolts one at a time and let it refill, but it's much easier than doing things by hand.
I wouldn't even bother going with the N-body drum rear... wait until you can get your hands on a disc setup from a Grand-Am GT or Alero. Otherwise you'll be just like every other J-owner (and N-owner with drums) wishing you had rear discs.
I was just going to go down to "Ultimite Truck and Car", a company I used to work for, and pick up a J-body hitch instalation kit...... the hitch mounts the same way, bolts that drop down threw the boxed frame rail. Even comes with wire leaders to feed the bolts in
SPD RCR Z -
'02 Z24 420whp
SLO GOAT -
'04 GTO 305whp
W41 BOI -
'78 Buick Opel Isuzu W41 Swap
Just find someone with a strong-ass impact wrench. Mine all tightened right up, no problems.
I have to get pictures up here... I'm not at home right now, but I'll post later if I get time.
yeah i just made sure my threads on the bolts were good and clean and a quick zap with the air snugged things right down. the friction was enough to hold the bolt still and make er tight.
picked up the IRS last weekend...... a few of the bars where bent, so grabbed spairs while there. Need one more, didnt notice it was bent till I took it all apart. While at the yard though, I noticed the W-bodies used Rods for the lower arms, instead of the stamped steel units on the N-body. I also did a rough measure on them, and they looked to be the same length.... might look into swapping to those (the one has more adj. for toe)
If all goes well, I should have this on in the next couple weeks.
Anyone find a part number for Stainless Park Ave front lines? All I can find are full kits (front and rear), same with Cavi.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Thursday, July 13, 2006 1:27 AM
SPD RCR Z -
'02 Z24 420whp
SLO GOAT -
'04 GTO 305whp
W41 BOI -
'78 Buick Opel Isuzu W41 Swap
j/k j/k.
