Problems Gold Line and BTG

[Cal Cruzer]

I have the H&R's and had some exhuast interference problems with my Borla kit. The bell crank would hit the exhaust and rattle some. I amde several adjustments to the exhaust and almost compltetly eliminated the problem exept over bigger bumps. I finally fabricated an exhaust hanger to take the sag out of the exhuast system back at the end of the straight run under the car. I attached it to the bolt that holds the heat shield to the bottom of the car and that ultimately solved the problem.

[Kirby]

The real problem is that with the higher performance springs you have an out of balance rear suspension; Overspring / Under damped.

Get yourself a set of konis for the rear, they will soften the rebound and also have an aditional softer bumpstop in the shell.

No free lunch, you can't do just one thing without a consequence.[8)]

[turbomangt]

I have a plan now based on what I'vew heard and what I want to achieve. I may order the BTG's (only 1.5 inche drop in the back) I won't install the front. Then I plan on selling my rear gold line, and BTG fronts, which should be a nice pair for someone interested.

[Mean Green]

I have Eibach springs, 1.6" front and 2" rear. I had the BTG exhaust and now have the Heartthrob single and no clunking problems with either. I have stock shocks, too. I wonder why others are having problems? [:I]

[Cal Cruzer]

quote:Originally posted by turbomangt

I have a plan now based on what I'vew heard and what I want to achieve. I may order the BTG's (only 1.5 inche drop in the back) I won't install the front. Then I plan on selling my rear gold line, and BTG fronts, which should be a nice pair for someone interested.

Gary,
Please read Kirby's comments again. He is very correct about matching spring rates. I initially installed just rears on mine but after a 5 minute drive I went home and put the fronts on. The car just does not handle right with unmatched springs. I am not advocating one spring over another, just match them up. Goldlines people seem to think theirs have the best ride, I don't know. I do know that you can run out of talent real fast in an emergency manuver with a suspension that is not set up right. Spring rates are a huge part of that. Please rethink your plan

[quicksilverdon]

I have rears only, am very pleased with handling improvement, also have the "clunk" with duals. I am quite sure (based on sound) the clunk is exhaust where it crosses over beam axle. Where & what padding was used, Gary? I've learned to live with it, but if I don't have to....

And c'mon, 3/8" ?? You could handle that with tire pressure!

[Mike-in-Orange]

quote:Kirby Posted - 04/19/2004 : 11:08:38 PM
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The real problem is that with the higher performance springs you have an out of balance rear suspension; Overspring / Under damped.

quote:kgdptblue Posted - 04/17/2004 : 10:26:18 PM
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Hey Gary, it seems that there are two reasons people are lowering, for me it was all about performance and handling, so I went with the whole ball of wax! Eibach frt & rear lowering springs and just had new Koni shocks and the Eibach front a rear sway bars. What a combo! The baby handles like it's on rails. The front end feels as tight as,.. well you know what I mean. So I guess it alll depends on what your after. Lower the front and your in for some more issues, maybe. just my .2

I had my Tokico performance struts/shocks installed last night and I gotta tell you, they made an amazing improvement. Kirby, you are 100% dead on. When I first put on my GoldLines I didn't think the ride had changed all that much, but I was getting tired of the bouncing around, especially at the back end, and the annoying exhaust/axle clunk. Tightening up the exhaust helped, but there were still many places when the two could be made to contact each other. It was really annoying when the rear would bounce around AND contact was made.

I tried going over certain railroad tracks, speed bumps, freeway dips, etc today. I intentionally sought out the areas that had been most upsetting to the stock shocks/struts and GoldLine combo. In order to get the exhaust/axle clunk now I have to hit the speed bumps way harder than I normally would. The rear end doesn't bounce around like it used to, and the handling is overall tighter and more confidence inspiring. I'm telling you, the improvement in ride quality is well worth the $265 I spent on the set. How much of an improvement you'd get with a 3" drop in the rear like SakiGT did I can't say, but that's a pretty extreme change and I suppose some compromises are really in order there.

kgdptblue, you must have one sweet handling PT there! From now on, if anybody asks me about lowering springs, I will strongly urge them to upgrade their shocks/struts no matter which springs they go with. The factory set just isn't up to the task.

[LAF]

If you are not matching springs you are setting yourself up for unpredictable results at the worst time. This will bite you sooner or later. These are just not round pieces of steel, metals, coil, coil diam., compression rates, all kinds of stuff are at work here. I would never mismatch springs, or tires. Just match em up!

[ptgtcb]

The spring rate for the eibach and gold lines are pretty much the same, same dia wire and amount of coils. I have eibach front and rear springs and then put the goldline slammer rear springs on to lower the rear more. Looks good but it is just a little too low and it did cause the front to come up a little, seems to handle the same or better. The only problem it that it is going to be too low when I load it up, most likely will sag in the back. I intend on making some spacers out of a type of plastic to space it about 1/2 to 5/8. The spacers will fit under the rubber isolators, you just have to make sure there is enough spring locator still sticking up to retain the spring and not to worry the material is extreamly tough as one of the guys at work uses this on his race car with 800 lbs springs and raced all last season with no problems.