aggravating suspension mod - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

jake2212 · 06-30-2013, 08:12 PM

so the past 2 weeks or so have been incredibly frustrating. started off by installing springs in the front only. that was all fine and well then i got it aligned. the car started making weird knocking noises in the front suspension and it honestly fell like it was going to fall apart. i took it to the dealer right away and it turns out one of my sway bar links was completely detached

so i said okay. they replaced the link and charged me 2 hrs labor which is complete bull considering i could do it in a fraction of that myself. instead of arguing with they guy i just took it and said okay because i spent the entire day at the dealer and was just too worn out. now my car is riding really funny with a slight vibration and occasionally pulls either right or left. i am so incredibly frustrated and now its going back to the dealer tomorrow again to be reinspected. the springs themselves look amazing and i love how my cars stance looks. but this whole process is making me think if it was worthwhile.

heymatt · 06-30-2013, 08:59 PM

Stock links with drop springs?

Falundir · 06-30-2013, 09:16 PM

Try a performance shop.

jake2212 · 06-30-2013, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heymatt

Stock links with drop springs?

ya

SPCBA · 06-30-2013, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falundir

Try a performance shop.

agreed. really sounds like shody workmanship and general not knowing what to do or caring.

heymatt · 06-30-2013, 10:12 PM

I may be wrong, but. Aren't adjustable links required when going to drop springs? Alignment specs would be different once you start changing suspension components that affect ride height.
Dealership is only going to set it back to "stock" specs. Which doesn't sound like it solved the problem.
Probably should look for either a mod friendly dealership in your area, or a performance shop that is familiar with the 5th Gens.

jake2212 · 06-30-2013, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heymatt

I may be wrong, but. Aren't adjustable links required when going to drop springs? Alignment specs would be different once you start changing suspension components that affect ride height.
Dealership is only going to set it back to "stock" specs. Which doesn't sound like it solved the problem.
Probably should look for either a mod friendly dealership in your area, or a performance shop that is familiar with the 5th Gens.

but what would they do?

heymatt · 06-30-2013, 10:25 PM

Front end is lower, rear is at stock height. The stock front links are at a fixed length needed for the stock springs. With the lowered springs, the front links are too long.
Best guess is they are flexing under an increased load. More weight transfer rear to front due to the increased rake of the car.
I don't claim to be an expert on 5th Gen suspension, that' s why I say best guess.
Others, I'm sure will chime in on the best possible fix.

jake2212 · 06-30-2013, 10:33 PM

ugh, wth. im about to just got back to stock springs. too much and i think i already ****ed with my warranty a little too much

jake2212 · 06-30-2013, 10:56 PM

actually, i am gonna get the bushings timed first. it was something i didn't do when i got the car lowered and now im thinking that could be/part of the problem.

Fast6.3 · 06-30-2013, 11:02 PM

I would call the spring vendor and ask if stock endlinks work with your springs they might be binding. Timing the bushings will help eliminate bounciness dont think that would cause vibration hopefully pete from pedders will chime in or some of the suspension gurus. Dont despair I dont think its anything major frustrating as hell been there

jake2212 · 06-30-2013, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fast6.3

I would call the spring vendor and ask if stock endlinks work with your springs they might be binding. Timing the bushings will help eliminate bounciness dont think that would cause vibration hopefully pete from pedders will chime in or some of the suspension gurus. Dont despair I dont think its anything major frustrating as hell been there

they are pfadt springs

caverman · 07-01-2013, 09:00 AM

Stock ends links are just fine. That's not the issue at all. I ran stock end link with LSR swaybars and Hotckis springs for over a year without issue. I also ran a couple Auto-X events with that setup....again, no issue.

First thing I would say to do if you would like help from the forum is tell us exactly what you have and what you did. That's going help give us an idea of the whole setup.

BTW: what was the reasoning from just replacing the front springs? I would be concerned that the difference in spring rate between the new stiff ones in the front and soft ones in the rear might make the car ride funny. I don't know that for sure but I would think it would.

jake2212 · 07-01-2013, 12:27 PM

well i didn't get it checked out at the dealer because they wanted $150 just to see what was wrong with it. i took it back to the place where i got it aligned and they said everything looked perfectly okay. the steering wheel was a tad to the right so they straightened it out. looks like my car is okay

if i end up putting the stock springs back on(probably the route i will take) and go to a diff dealer will they charge me the 150 still to have it looked at?

06-30-2013, 08:12 PM	#1
jake2212 Drives: none (yet) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: The Villages, FL Posts: 1,131	aggravating suspension mod so the past 2 weeks or so have been incredibly frustrating. started off by installing springs in the front only. that was all fine and well then i got it aligned. the car started making weird knocking noises in the front suspension and it honestly fell like it was going to fall apart. i took it to the dealer right away and it turns out one of my sway bar links was completely detached so i said okay. they replaced the link and charged me 2 hrs labor which is complete bull considering i could do it in a fraction of that myself. instead of arguing with they guy i just took it and said okay because i spent the entire day at the dealer and was just too worn out. now my car is riding really funny with a slight vibration and occasionally pulls either right or left. i am so incredibly frustrated and now its going back to the dealer tomorrow again to be reinspected. the springs themselves look amazing and i love how my cars stance looks. but this whole process is making me think if it was worthwhile.

06-30-2013, 08:59 PM	#2
heymatt Drives: 2012 IBM 2SS Vert. Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Tequesta, Fl. Posts: 784	Stock links with drop springs? __________________ LS3/M6 K&N, VMAX throttle body, RX Catch Can, skip shift eliminator, DT shorties and Solo HFC, DRL harness and 5K LED DRL, ZL1 rear sway, 1LE front sway

06-30-2013, 10:12 PM	#6
heymatt Drives: 2012 IBM 2SS Vert. Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Tequesta, Fl. Posts: 784	I may be wrong, but. Aren't adjustable links required when going to drop springs? Alignment specs would be different once you start changing suspension components that affect ride height. Dealership is only going to set it back to "stock" specs. Which doesn't sound like it solved the problem. Probably should look for either a mod friendly dealership in your area, or a performance shop that is familiar with the 5th Gens. __________________ LS3/M6 K&N, VMAX throttle body, RX Catch Can, skip shift eliminator, DT shorties and Solo HFC, DRL harness and 5K LED DRL, ZL1 rear sway, 1LE front sway

06-30-2013, 10:25 PM	#8
heymatt Drives: 2012 IBM 2SS Vert. Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Tequesta, Fl. Posts: 784	Front end is lower, rear is at stock height. The stock front links are at a fixed length needed for the stock springs. With the lowered springs, the front links are too long. Best guess is they are flexing under an increased load. More weight transfer rear to front due to the increased rake of the car. I don't claim to be an expert on 5th Gen suspension, that' s why I say best guess. Others, I'm sure will chime in on the best possible fix. __________________ LS3/M6 K&N, VMAX throttle body, RX Catch Can, skip shift eliminator, DT shorties and Solo HFC, DRL harness and 5K LED DRL, ZL1 rear sway, 1LE front sway

06-30-2013, 11:02 PM	#11
Fast6.3 Drives: 2016 2SS coupe 2015 3LT Stingray Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: El paso texas Posts: 880 View My Garage	I would call the spring vendor and ask if stock endlinks work with your springs they might be binding. Timing the bushings will help eliminate bounciness dont think that would cause vibration hopefully pete from pedders will chime in or some of the suspension gurus. Dont despair I dont think its anything major frustrating as hell been there __________________ Ported intake manifold and throttle body kooks 2" headers no cats

06-30-2013, 09:16 PM	#3
Falundir Drives: 2017 1SS 1LE - Hyper Blue, P85DL Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: East Bay Posts: 2,189 View My Garage	Try a performance shop.

06-30-2013, 10:33 PM	#9
jake2212 Drives: none (yet) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: The Villages, FL Posts: 1,131	ugh, wth. im about to just got back to stock springs. too much and i think i already ****ed with my warranty a little too much

06-30-2013, 10:56 PM	#10
jake2212 Drives: none (yet) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: The Villages, FL Posts: 1,131	actually, i am gonna get the bushings timed first. it was something i didn't do when i got the car lowered and now im thinking that could be/part of the problem.

07-01-2013, 09:00 AM	#13
caverman Drives: '69 SS Convertible Join Date: May 2009 Location: DFW, TX Posts: 7,111	Stock ends links are just fine. That's not the issue at all. I ran stock end link with LSR swaybars and Hotckis springs for over a year without issue. I also ran a couple Auto-X events with that setup....again, no issue. First thing I would say to do if you would like help from the forum is tell us exactly what you have and what you did. That's going help give us an idea of the whole setup. BTW: what was the reasoning from just replacing the front springs? I would be concerned that the difference in spring rate between the new stiff ones in the front and soft ones in the rear might make the car ride funny. I don't know that for sure but I would think it would. __________________ *-2010 Camaro* 2SS \| M6 \| VR w/White Stripes \| 1 3/4" KOOKS - 3" Magnaflow \| LPE 3.91 gears \| ADM tuned \| Halltech w/ADM Scoop \| Spohn/BMR Trailing Arm/Toe Rod \| BC Coilovers\| Pedders FE4 ZL1 swaybars \| Cradle/Diff/Radius Rod bushings \| VMax TB \| Morimoto Projectors \| MGW shifter \| Red Calipers Build Journal

07-01-2013, 12:27 PM	#14
jake2212 Drives: none (yet) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: The Villages, FL Posts: 1,131	well i didn't get it checked out at the dealer because they wanted $150 just to see what was wrong with it. i took it back to the place where i got it aligned and they said everything looked perfectly okay. the steering wheel was a tad to the right so they straightened it out. looks like my car is okay if i end up putting the stock springs back on(probably the route i will take) and go to a diff dealer will they charge me the 150 still to have it looked at?