Installed Eibach springs today [Archive] - LS1GTO.com Forums

: Installed Eibach springs today


2Cool
09-30-2004, 02:15 PM
Here is a before and after shot, similiar angles:
http://trickpro.net/gallery/albums/album03/goatside1.jpg

http://trickpro.net/gallery/albums/album03/postsprings.jpg

And some shots of front and rear, and spring comparison:

http://trickpro.net/gallery/albums/album03/frtsprings.jpg

http://trickpro.net/gallery/albums/album03/rearsprings.jpg

Front springs, stock on left:
http://trickpro.net/gallery/albums/album03/ebfrt.jpg

Rears, stock on left:
http://trickpro.net/gallery/albums/album03/ebrear.jpg

Installation took about 2 hours with lift and wall mount spring compressor plus air tools. Fronts were hardest, but no worse than most new coil on strut cars. Rears were easy once I disconnected the swaybar, the shock on the bottom, and the adjustable trailing arm at the body mount. Its definitely lower than before, no ride feedback yet as I just got done.

RedhotGTO
09-30-2004, 02:37 PM
Very Nice – Thanks for posting the pics.

Please hurry up and drive it – I need to know how you like them.

Do you have any other suspension mods? I’m thinking I would also to the bushings at the same time.

This mod is definitely on my short list. Just been waiting to hear that pogo is not an issue with just doing the springs (like it is on the GTPs)
.

AJF G T O
09-30-2004, 03:26 PM
it looks great, nice improvement over the stock look. I was hoping the eibachs didn't give rear sag, and it looks nicely evened out. One thing I noticed tho, I think your tires may be on wrong if they are directional (it looks like they are). Something you might wanna look into.

2Cool
09-30-2004, 03:26 PM
Just drove it home, and the ride is a bit firmer, but not bad at all. With the Azenis tires the car handles very well, much better than stock. It does need an alignment now though, as there is visible negative camber on the rear wheels due to the lowering, and things feel a bit squirrelly on real hard corners. That will happen tomorrow, and then things should be set for some autocross and open track events.

As for the tires, thats the way Falken Azenis look, they have an outside and inside, but no directional and an assymetrical tread pattern. The large blocks are outside for handling during hard cornering. Looks funky, but works well.

AJF G T O
09-30-2004, 03:32 PM
oh I see, I just looked at the tires and those are pretty cool, are they a lot stickier than the stock BFG's?

2Cool
09-30-2004, 03:54 PM
The KDWS have a treadwear of 400, roughly equivalent to rock. The Azenis have a 200 rating, much softer and stickier, and a very aggressive tread pattern. They are the most popular tire used in SCCA Solo II street tire class autocross events. Plus they aren't terribly expensive ($127 each shipped from tires.com)

CSiJason
09-30-2004, 03:55 PM
Do me a favor and measure the distance from the ground to the bottom of the front facia and the bottom of the side skirt. BTW, looks great!

miscreant
09-30-2004, 05:24 PM
I'd like to see some pics from the rear angle to see how the rear "tuck" of the wheels looks when lowered...

No ConeSS
09-30-2004, 06:13 PM
Are the spring rates linear or progressive?

2Cool
09-30-2004, 07:12 PM
Progressive, you can tell from the way that the coils go from spread to tighter at the end. The more they compress, the higher the rate.

Front fascia distance is now 6-3/4", and the nose is a bit lower in relation to the back than before. I had to adjust the lights a bit to compensate.

mlc
10-01-2004, 03:57 AM
Good job with the pictures. The car looks good. Let us know how the car feels after your next auto-x. thnks.

radkon
10-01-2004, 05:51 AM
I like the look but am concerned about rubbing, looks like there isn't much clearance on the front tire. Will it tuck up under the fender?

2Cool
10-01-2004, 06:24 AM
No rubbing as yet, and I have been pushing it with a passenger in the car as well for weight. Even tried some speedbumps to see if the long tubes hit, no problems as yet. The Azenis are more square than the KDWS, and actually touch the strut tower on cornering, yet they appear to clear the fenders with no issues.

GranTurismoOmologato
10-06-2004, 03:29 PM
2cool, when you took out the upper bolt on the front brake calliper carrier so that you could take out the lower strut bolt did you notice the blue stuff in there? I was wondering if it was thread lock or anti-seize. All the thread lock I have seen has been a kind of yellow. I just want to know what it is to add more if I need to.

Thanks,
GranTurismoOmologato

2Cool
10-06-2004, 07:05 PM
Yep. I saw that first when I was installing the PBR brake upgrade. It appears to be similiar to blue threadlock.

gordo24fan
10-08-2004, 08:31 PM
Which Eibach kit did you use and how much would you say it lowered the car. Some claim a 1" x .8" and the other I believe a 1.4" x 1.3". Looks sweet by the way. Got a buddy with the Nissan 350z that just walks away on the twisties from me. So, needless to say anything that can be done MUST be done to remedy this sham-mock-ery. You said the tire rubbed the strut tower. How bad does it touch and do they make a spacer to remedy that won't cause any fender rub. :secret:

Adam4356
10-09-2004, 07:46 AM
Nice pics. I'm tossing around the spring issue. The price is not bad, the look is great, and anything that reduces wheel hop and helps traction is cool with me. Wonder if wider rear tires and wheels fit with aftermarket springs ?

Jodi
10-09-2004, 01:53 PM
2cool,
Do you drive down East Dr. every now and then? If so, saw you last week. Sounded good.

anmracing
10-13-2004, 04:42 PM
Is the Eibach part number 3897.140 (1.0 & 0.8)?

The pics look good!!!

2Cool
10-13-2004, 05:37 PM
Jodi, yep, I am down that way most afternoons. The only other GTOs I have seen in town are both on that road, a yellow and a purple.

anmracing, thats the part number, and it looks more like 1 to 1.2 front and 1.2-1.5 rear drop overall.

Jodi
10-13-2004, 10:48 PM
The purple ones mine and the guy next door just got the yellow one a few weeks ago. Mine won't be there after today as we're moving our office to Satellite Bch. Pm me if there's ever any get togethers.

anmracing
10-14-2004, 04:43 PM
It is certainly a good look. It seems like it dropped it a lot more than advertised. (Truth in advrtising, I guess...)

GTOWILL
10-15-2004, 05:41 AM
I've had the Eibachs on for about a month now. My GTO is my daily driver, and I do a lot of around town driving. While the handling and performance is much improved, the novelty of the ride quality is wearing thin for me. I am really considering going back to stock springs and changing out the shocks/struts. Don't get me wrong, these are great springs! The handling improvements are drastic, and wheel hop has been greatly reduced. To me, however, I am not sure if it is worth the trade off in ride quality.

Oh, and the front end is now in danger every time I pull into a parking space. I've already dragged a few of those cement parking stops back; I can't stand seeing my baby get abused like that.

anmracing
10-15-2004, 03:57 PM
GTOWILL,
Did you also change the struts and shocks? Eibach states that the springs won't change ride quality because of them being progressive springs. Unless the struts and shocks are changed out also. Is it a much stiffer ride?

VelodromeRacer
11-06-2004, 09:31 AM
2Cool,
Nice look on the lowering. I read where you did the PBR brake upgrade, I have been thinking about at least changing my springs and rotors/pads. Were the rotors/pads a problem to do? Have you had any issues with rubbing on the tires either?