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Old 02-06-2001, 12:43 PM   #3
Skankin
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Join Date: Dec 1998
Location: London, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,349
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The inside front tire doesn't do much, and the outside is always way overloaded. Taking any weight off the front will help. Relocating the battery might be a consideration.

The problem with front lowering springs is that while you lower the centre of gravity 1.5", you lower the front roll centre A LOT more (cause the control arms are angled more).

This can be fixed with a K-member that raises the LCA pivot points. Some of them move the rack back for better geometry, move the LCA's forward for weight distribution, angle the LCA's for less brake dive, move the engine down/back etc... really depends what you want, and how much you'll spend. Some of them require coil-over's though.

Another alternative is the dropped spindle setup from www.ajeracing.com (which also maintains the steering geometry).

Since you've already got cc plates & springs, k-member might be prefered. MM is suppose to be releasing a k-member with stock spring perches. Could do that and add some stiffer LCA bushings to help maintain alignment.

Are you using the steeda adjustable sway bar, along with the stock one? That thing supposedly yields some aweful binding, which often induces over-steer even before the crappy front slides out. You might wanna see what the guys at www.corner-carvers.com have to say... they'll probably tell you to start with it's removal.

The rear roll centre is mainly dictated by the upper control arms, and it's way too high (they also cause binding, and the AWEFUL rear brake jacking). Nothing else will give you as much anti-squat for straight-line hook, but if you wanna handle, ya gotta get rid of them. This requires a lateral location device like a panhard bar, and a torque arm, 3rd link, or parallel uppers. The cheapest route is probably the maximum motorsport setup. This requires much stiffer springs in the rear.

Since you've already started piece-by-piece, MM is probably the best place to go. The steeda 5-link might be the best rear solid axle set-up, but it's pricie. Griggs has great stuff, but it's pricie too... and a little more unique (can't really integrate any of their front stuff into your combo). Ground Pounder has a cheap k-member with decent geometry... not sure if you can use the stock springs though...

Everyone starts with springs, but if you want real results, they'll probably end up getting swapped out. I did the FMS-B springs, KYB's & bushings a couple years ago, but now I want more, and they'll probably all come out (at least it was pretty budget, so I didn't waste too much $$$).



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'89.5 5L LX, hatch, Medium Canyon Red, 155K Km (No winters), 5sp, 3.08, GT interior, a/c, Alpine CD, K/N, Crane PS91, Walbro 190 LPH, March Pulleys, Mr. Gasket 180 therm (HP balanced), 3 core rad, MarkVIII fan, Variflow controller, Polygraphite front bushings, FMS-5300B springs, 6 KYB's, 73mm Calipers, Maximum Motorsport 4pt chassis brace, Western Motorsport Racing's Sub-frame connectors. Re-ringed bottom end, conv. motor mounts, melling oil pump, FMS-C50 waterpump, GT40P heads (blended, polli
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