[Napalm]

I had the diff insert and I loved it - but I road coursed and didn't have crazy power either. one thing I ended up doing the drill out the spot welds - place the insert while in a vise - then retack the diff rear mount method. as I could never get my superpro diff insert to seat all the way in. another option however would have been to dremel the diff insert at the forward face.

but it was actually a lot easier than it sounded - well other than re welding which had I done it again I'd have screwed it back together with some short grade 10 screws and nuts.

 

[evsnova74]

I should mention I'm close to stock ride height, maybe lowered 10mm all around.

 

[PBMunicorn]

biggest issue I have with coil overs is that most people also seem to use them to lower the car - and often too much. doing so then reduces your spring travel but increased your apparent spring rate - leading to higher accelerations over bumps. (think up and down not going down the street) The dampers then have to control that and even with a dual adjustable setup you only have so much allowance before the springs are not overdriving the dampers.

This is what people call a jouncy ride - or something that is so tight its not smooth. I try to talk people out of them as often as I can.

Yea I’ve read that alot. I don’t wanna go any lower than an inch tops but really would choose coils for the performance benefit and aside from the on tap height adjustments, coilovers seem like they would last longer as well. I daily my car, but also want it to handle and perform really well. But I know you can achieve that with strut/shock spring combo as well so I’m really just saving $$ and researching as much as I can before I pull the trigger on anything.
sometimes I even contemplate just buying a set of oem eBay struts/shocks and a nice spring combo along with the poly stuff and would save a boatload and feel like it would probably tighten up my basically stock 2004 a lot over the oem stuff that’s on there now quite well. But again, I want to just “buy once” if I can and be able to adjust how low I go

 

[Glynn]

I have Pedders w/e with the external reservoirs. For daily driving duty, I wish I just spent more for the KWs.
For zipping around, double adjustable is fun to tinker with.
The car sits in the garage most of the time these days so the Pedders don't have much of a chance to throw me out of the seat like they used to.

 

[OaksAndStones]

I'm looking for the same info in a different direction. My rear left strut just gave out, and I want to do a full upgrade while I have the cash. Is the PeddersXA remote canister kit worth the extra price compared to the ones without? Lowering the car and drag racing mean nothing to me. But I live for corners, and not drifting. This is the first time I have ever done a suspension upgrade. Any recommendations on bushings or other parts I need to go with a coilover kit?

 

[OaksAndStones]

To elaborate a little more, I generally baby the car with easy country cruising. But on a few occasions I like to tear up the turns on winding backroads. These are small farm roads that are paved, but not the most well maintained. So there are quite a few dips and bumps, another reason lowering it would be bad

 

[Glynn]

I'm looking for the same info in a different direction. My rear left strut just gave out, and I want to do a full upgrade while I have the cash. Is the PeddersXA remote canister kit worth the extra price compared to the ones without? Lowering the car and drag racing mean nothing to me. But I live for corners, and not drifting. This is the first time I have ever done a suspension upgrade. Any recommendations on bushings or other parts I need to go with a coilover kit?

You sound like the prefect customer for some Konis and nice springs (no Eibachs).
No need to spend money on the ability to adjust compression for what you're doing.

Koni dampers and Hotchkis sway bars make for a great corner carver that provides lots of adjustability.


Shoot Kollar a message.

'04-'06 GTO Suspension - We Install Front Coilovers And Bushings In Our '05 Goat - High Performance Pontiac Magazine

In this tech article HIGH PERFORMANCE PONTIAC installs front suspension, including adjustable KW coilovers and Lovell's bushings, on a 2005 Pontiac GTO - High Performance Pontiac Magazine

www.motortrend.com

 

[PBMunicorn]

You sound like the prefect customer for some Konis and nice springs (no Eibachs).
No need to spend money on the ability to adjust compression for what you're doing.

Koni dampers and Hotchkis sway bars make for a great corner carver that provides lots of adjustability.


Shoot Kollar a message.

'04-'06 GTO Suspension - We Install Front Coilovers And Bushings In Our '05 Goat - High Performance Pontiac Magazine

In this tech article HIGH PERFORMANCE PONTIAC installs front suspension, including adjustable KW coilovers and Lovell's bushings, on a 2005 Pontiac GTO - High Performance Pontiac Magazine

www.motortrend.com

I was leaning toward that exact set up as I’ve heard nothing but good reviews, but I just figured with the price of a full set of Konis shipped ($750) Front and rear Pedders or lovells springs ($450-550 shipped) a hotchkiss sway bar set ($600) an assortment of poly bushings, new strut mounts/bearings ($130) and also drag bags for the rear ($120) that that right there alone is well over $2000 dollars + When you could just get a full set of Pedders coilovers or BC coilovers for a 4 or 5 hundred dollars less if I’m not mistaken.

And I could be totally wrong but I was under the impression that If you do go coilovers, it’s even more adjustability, and prolly wouldn’t need the hotchkiss sway bars? (Maybe just keeping stock sways and upgrading end links?) I’ve always heard that coilovers are super stiff and great for handling And height adjustability. And with the few different brands for our cars, they all seem like they’d be cheaper for a full set than even just Konis and new springs alone.

 

[PBMunicorn]

Not to thread jack but I also currently have exploded strut mounts (can turn the top nut with complete ease and there’s a massive gap between the strut tower and strut brace (whatever you call it) where the strut mount/bearing goes.) but my struts themselves feel fine and when going slow enough over bumps they sound like normal dampers (that crisp factory air sound they don’t sound all jacked or feel jacked up in anyway but hard to know for sure until removing everything.)

Basically, is it pointless to remove everything JUST to replace the top strut mounts with some super pros or something? Leaving the OEM struts for now? I’m more just worried about safety of driving the car w/ catastrophic strut bearing failure and they pop and crack and groan constantly while turning. (Also assuming are the culprit for my random 60-70mph steering wheel vibrations :/) I’ve been waiting to do everything at once (struts mounts shocks etc) but idk how much time I have left before absolute failure and dont wanna risk anything😫

 

[Sacrifice]

Id remove them to replace. Can put on your new struts if they are in good shape down the road with just a new bearing purchase

 

[Nothubertjfarnsworth]

Better than just an insert at least?

i didn't notice a difference.

 

[Rich-Tripower]

I was leaning toward that exact set up as I’ve heard nothing but good reviews, but I just figured with the price of a full set of Konis shipped ($750) Front and rear Pedders or lovells springs ($450-550 shipped) a hotchkiss sway bar set ($600) an assortment of poly bushings, new strut mounts/bearings ($130) and also drag bags for the rear ($120) that that right there alone is well over $2000 dollars + When you could just get a full set of Pedders coilovers or BC coilovers for a 4 or 5 hundred dollars less if I’m not mistaken.

And I could be totally wrong but I was under the impression that If you do go coilovers, it’s even more adjustability, and prolly wouldn’t need the hotchkiss sway bars? (Maybe just keeping stock sways and upgrading end links?) I’ve always heard that coilovers are super stiff and great for handling And height adjustability. And with the few different brands for our cars, they all seem like they’d be cheaper for a full set than even just Konis and new springs alone.

You have to ask yourself a couple of questions:
1. Would you even use the height adjustability of coilovers?
2. Are you willing to deal with the stiffness of coil overs?

Also, adjusting stiffness at the corners to control body roll is vastly different than doing the same with larger sway bars. Making the corners so stiff so as to control body roll with smaller sway bars will make it ride so stiff that it would be unpleasant on normal far-from-perfect roads. Liveable spring stiffness with larger sway bars to control body roll is much better compromise to get good handling while not making it ride like a dump truck on normal public roads. Handling on bumpy roads is actually better with somewhat softer springs and larger sway bars as this combo does a better job keeping the wheels in contact with the road (instead of lifting the car instead of compressing the springs).

 

[Nothubertjfarnsworth]

You have to ask yourself a couple of questions:
1. Would you even use the height adjustability of coilovers?
2. Are you willing to deal with the stiffness of coil overs?

Also, adjusting stiffness at the corners to control body roll is vastly different than doing the same with larger sway bars. Making the corners so stiff so as to control body roll with smaller sway bars will make it ride so stiff that it would be unpleasant on normal far-from-perfect roads. Liveable spring stiffness with larger sway bars to control body roll is much better compromise to get good handling while not making it ride like a dump truck on normal public roads. Handling on bumpy roads is actually better with somewhat softer springs and larger sway bars as this combo does a better job keeping the wheels in contact with the road (instead of lifting the car instead of compressing the springs).

why would someone want to AVOID getting upgraded sway bars? the stock sways are crap.

imho the only reason for coilovers is height adjusment, and being able to swap out almost whatever spring height or rate you want.

 

[Nothubertjfarnsworth]

oh, there is separate rebound/compression adjustability as well as having an external oil reservoir... but i think most people on here aren't that serious about it.

i think koni makes universal dual adjustable inserts, but wouldn't know a thing about making them work in a GTO app.

 

[evsnova74]

i didn't notice a difference.

Ok cool, I'll just stick with that I've got. Might as well since it was so hard to get that bastard in there

 

[Nothubertjfarnsworth]

Ok cool, I'll just stick with that I've got. Might as well since it was so hard to get that bastard in there

yeah, i remember the install being a bit of a pain.

if i were doing a built and needed one, i'd get it, though. doesn't seem like there's many stock diff mounts available anymore.

 

[SkiPopeye36]

the stock sways are crap.

imho the only reason for coilovers is height adjusment, and being able to swap out almost whatever spring height or rate you want.

The stock sway bars are perfectly fine. I’ve had Pedders Xa’s set at 14 clicks up from full soft on 3 of my GTO’s with stock sway bars. Awesome “touring” ride with zero harshness/stiffness. Can comfortably cruise long distances.

 

[Rich-Tripower]

If changing the front sway bar wasn't such a royal PITA I'd have done it already on Big Red. Sways are the best bang for the buck improvement you can make to the suspension. That said, they are not awful on stock bars. On Red I may eventually go with Koni adjustables and leave it at that. Those too are a great mod that has few compromises due to their adjustability. But the strut mounts on this car aren't even showing a hint of collapse yet so I'm not in a hurry to get into suspension stuff. Headers, better mids and the FAST 102 install are top of the list now since I'm about 70% of the way there regarding parts.

 

[Nothubertjfarnsworth]

The stock sway bars are perfectly fine. I’ve had Pedders Xa’s set at 14 clicks up from full soft on 3 of my GTO’s with stock sway bars. Awesome “touring” ride with zero harshness/stiffness. Can comfortably cruise long distances.

nah, dey crap.

 

[Rich-Tripower]

nah, dey crap.

Actually, just upgrading the rear bar shows a ton of improvement. I wonder what the car would be like with an upgraded rear bar and Koni adjustables and then setting the Konis a little stiffer than normal up front? When I did the sways on the Punkin I did the rear first and did the front a week later when I could borrow a lift from a friend. It drove a LOT better with just the rear on but did tend to lean toward oversteer more of course, that's why I'd do the Konis and make them a little stiffer up front.