Rear shocks

[LAF]

I used Suspension Techniqes 1.3 lowing front and rear. I put KYB's on front and rear at the same time. I did cut the front stops in the struts, did not cut the rear bumper stops. Dont know if the KYB's are better than the stock because I was not doing those fronts again to find out, while I was there I did it. I am pleased with the look and the ride. Your milage may vary with the amount of drop you choose.

[ptgtcb]

Mike,
When I purchased my GT the first thing I could not stand was the high rider stance and the excessive roll in the corners so I installed a set of lowering springs with the expectation that the lower ride height would lower the center of gravity and improve the handling, wrong! It still handled like crap, too much roll in the corners so I bought the koni's. However, I realized that the missing rear bar is really effecting the handling of the GT, not so much the shocks as they are not going to control roll like the bars will. Since I had already installed the springs it was a lot easier to install the bars and see how the GT handled after installation and like I posted before, it was a completely different animal! Very happy with the handling at this point. The koni's will only make it better!

The shocks dampen the spring oscillations so if your cruiser did not have a bouncy rear end before the spring install there is no reason it should be after the lowering springs were installed and this is what I don't understand.
There is no such thing as preloading the shocks. If they are adjustable then you can set the dampening but you can not "preload" a shock, it is not a spring. The only problem with the stock shock is that the travel is reduced and they may bottom out sooner than an aftermarket shock designed for a lower suspension. In no way am I saying that the stock shocks are the best set up, far from it, only that they should work fine until money can be saved for a good set of adjustable shocks, such as the koni's which are expensive.

In a nut shell; what I am saying is that I would install the sway bars ,even before lowering springs, if you want this PT cruiser to even remotely handle in the corners and I would also recommend the larger after market bars rather than just adding the stock rear bar.
Just my 2 cents.

[Mike-in-Orange]

ptgtcb, I agree 100% that if an improvement in handling is your #1 concern then anti-sway bars will do a far greater job than lowering springs. I also agree that the high flying tail end of the stock setup isn't the most attractive package (to me anyway). I do plan on adding some anti-sways in the future just for that reason.

The original question by DREAM2, however, was in regard to bouncing around when using stock shocks with lowering springs, which is why I answered the way I did. I've heard from a lot of people that they bounced around more than they'd like with just the springs and stock shocks. I think you hit the nail on the head with the comment about the shocks dampening the oscillations of the springs: It's the spring rate of most aftermarket lowering springs that overpower the abilities of the stock shocks to dampen, hence the bouncing. I was struggling with the terminology and best way to word this, so thanks for the assist!

I have no doubt that the ultimate handling setup would be a nice set of coilovers, setup properly, and complimentary anti-sway bars.

[Kirby]

I am facinated with the coilover mania that exists. All coilovers differ in the front are the size of the coil and adjustability for load (here is that preloading that others talk about).

The rear is a different story....having the spring more outboard would give a more independant feel to the solid rear axle. I am personally hoping fo some young businessman to create a bolt on indipendant rear suspension (this should not be a real big deal since we already have the front link).[8)]

[camarillogolfer]

[|)]Mike-in-Orange,
Thanks for your input on the shocks. I have an '03 GT,with the BTG lowering springs, and I am experiencing the same problems that you hae described. Based on what you have done, I am going to be buying the Tokico shocks immediately, if not sooner, which will make both my PT and my wife very happy. The ride quality has to come first. The sway bars, and increased handling in the corners, will have to wait a few more months.

[ptgtcb]

I think we have a different definition of bouncy. I imagine one of those ricers who heated up there springs to lower their car or the 78 Caddy with blown out shocks driving down the freeway bouncing up and down. My GT does not do that, so [:I].
The GT comes with a "Sport Suspension" so this may be the difference we are experiencing? The stock GT shocks are more than capable to handle the goldline or eibach spring sets (I have both). I have not actually measured the rate but the diameter, count of the coils and the wire diameter is close to the stock spring rate. These spring sets were designed mainly to lower the vehicle and still retain the stock ride quality.
Anyone who says that the sways will not work with the stock shock is, well, [:0].
Again, I never said the stock shocks were the best setup. "far from it" is, I believe, what i said. What I was/am trying to say is that; if you lower you 03' up PT you are not going to see much of an improvement in handling and that a stock rear bar will improve the handling of the stock suspension aaaand, an aftermarket set will greatly improve the handling of your stock suspension and would probably eliminate the "bouncy" rear suspension.
That's it from me, enough of my drivel.
I am glad that those who have replaced their shocks are handling better. MoPar to ya!

[Cal Cruzer]

The "bouncey" is from the rear. My front end is not like that. The stock struts handle the H&R springs fine but the rears really need some better valved shocks. When I was talking to the guys from Mopar at the coilover booth at the Cruiser Block Party last year, that was the first issue that they brought up and said that they addressed with the coilover shock valving. I was thinking of getting some adjustables just for the rear. It is only really noticable when going over major woop-de-doos (sorry for getting so technical there). It's just that there are a couple of those that I cross every day to and from work so I am very aware of the "bouncey" issue.

[DREAM2]

Are the shocks in the GT the same as the ones in the 180 hp version? Do the GT's get better shocks as standard equipment? I guess you'd have to check part numbers for shocks for each to be sure. Anyone know?

[PTGT_Boy]

GT's and DC's use the "sports tuned" suspension (which I believe are Tokico shocks). The other models using "touring" suspensions (which I believe are not Tokico shocks).

[Kirby]

The O.E shocks on our GT are not the Tokico Sport shock, though, with aftermarket springs they do keep the wheels on the ground fairly well. My only concern is with the front sway; since we have NO positrack...we essentially have a one wheel drive automobile. Place a stiff sway on the front and you will experience wheel lift in tight cornering that affects the ability to put power down to the pavement.

I have heard the autocross folks tend to reduce the front sway from stock for that very reason. Front wheel drive autocross folks tend to over spring, over shock, and under sway.[8)]