young olds

im looking to get rid of the bouncy floaty feeling going through dips on the freeway at speed. i already have new shocks but i bought the cheap ones. also looking to go bigger on the front sway bar and adding a rear sway bar but i need one that bolts to the axle and using links to attach to the frame as i cant use the factory style. I went on a weekend trip and went through a pass with curvy roads that i was taking at pretty good speeds and it was sketchy, i also have some nice curvy roads near me i like driving on so i want to improve the handling.

Fun71

The right springs will help a lot. I replaced the worn out, sagging, factory springs on my car with FE2 equivalent front and rear springs and the car is much firmer feeling and handles a lot better, while still retaining a comfortable ride quality.

MDchanic

No question for what you describe you need a set of good sway bars, but a good set of shocks will make a big difference as well.

You can't knock Bilsteins, but they aren't cheap.

- Eric

CutlassDad

Springs and/or shocks will help with the bouncy floaties, but be very careful when changing sway bars to help with the curvys. In general,he stiffest sway bar should be on the front (understeer).

young olds

My car was originally a 6 cylinder car so I'm guessing the springs are lighter than v8 springs. I definitely want to keep a nice smooth ride I just don't like that up and down boat motion. I know the sway bars will help with roll and I'm hoping shocks will help with the floaty feeling, I feel like stiffer springs will make the ride rough.

young olds

I was thinking about this bar for the front as its a direct replacement and sounds like it's as big as you can go http://www.summitracing.com/parts/su.../model/cutlass

MDchanic

Remember, a big bar will reduce smoothness, so you may want to drive a couple of other people's cars with different sized bars (even different years and makes - A-bodies are darned near identical from '64 to '72) to help choose the right bar sizes.

You'll need good shocks regardless, so I'd change those first and then go from there.

- Eric

young olds

If I keep my soft 6 cylinder springs will it kind of counter act the bigger sway bar as far as smoothness?

Fun71

Good shocks will dampen the bounciness if that's what you are after. Soft springs are gonna ride like soft springs.

MDchanic

No, without the springs to resist the movement of each wheel, the ride will probably become rougher, as each wheel pulls down its opposite wheel every time it hits a bump.

- Eric

joe_padavano

You can get up to a 1.5" front and rear bar for the A-body. Bigger is not always better, however. These cars are understeering pigs from the factory. As a general rule of thumb (and yes, there are a lot of variables), the stiffer end of the car breaks away first. Going too large on the front bar can actually increase understeer. You might want to start with a 1.25" Trans Am WS6 front bar. I get used ones at swap meets for $25 all the time.

The rear bar is more of a problem. I don't know why you don't want to use the stock mounting location. Herb Adams sold a 1.5" rear bar and I've scored two of them used so far. This will definitely help with understeer, but it bolts to the stock location.

young olds

Even if I wanted to its not possible as I made my own lower bars for the rear end and didn't make provisions to mount a sway bar. Maybe I'm trying to accomplish something that can't be done because I like a nice cushy ride but I hate the way it feels to hit dips in the freeway and bob up and down. I am willing to give up some comfort though if I get a better handling car.

young olds

Understeer is where the front pushes through/slides and oversteer is where the back try's to come around. Is that correct? If that is correct based off of what you said, joe, I'd rather it be more inclined to over steer than under. Drifting is fun ��

joe_padavano

It's pretty easy to add brackets like this:

joe_padavano

Correct. I like a car you can steer with the throttle...

MDchanic

Although I personally like a stout set of sway bars, from your description, I think you would be very happy with a very good set of shocks, and may or may not like the effect of thicker sway bars.

- Eric

young olds

Other than bilstiens are there any other shocks I should look at? I could make brackets like that, my bars look just like those. I just don't like the idea behind that type of sway bar. I'd rather go from the axle to the frame.

RocketV8

While I'm sure there are cheaper options I really recommend a simple handling kit such as BMR or UMI. I put the BMR Handling Performance Package (level 1) on my car and it handles just perfect! Nice and tight, I can lay into it in the corners, launches straight as an arrow. Not harsh at all, still very comfortable.

I boxed my rear LCA:s and use rubber bushings. The kit is very well balanced IMO.

MDchanic

Konis.

- Eric

young olds

Any particular line/series from either one of them or just choose based off of how much I want to spend? So far it seems like I'm just gonna do shocks and ad a rear sway bar. But how thick should I go on the back to try and take out the Understeer that these cars have? Should I match the size of the front?

tmaleck

In my opinion, the addition of shocks and sway bars by themselves will help, but not fix what is wrong with the car in general. The suspension geometry is the issue. Positive caster, along with camber gain while cornering need to be addressed. I have UMI front control arms with the tall upper ball joint and delrin bushings. I have about 4 degrees negative caster and a Lee manufacturing Jeep steering box and calibrated power steering pump. I have KYB gas front and rear shocks and stock A/C springs in front. The rear has a PMD control arm and sway bar kit with Vista Cruiser progressive springs. It doesn't handle like my 2015 Camaro, but compared to when I got it, the back of the car stays mostly flat in a turn,and it doesn't feel like a marshmallow while driving.

This is a lot of work and expense, but without fixing the underlying issues,
you may not be happy with only doing part of the job. BTW, how are your control arm bushings and ball joints?

Out of the stuff you've listed, I think the single best thing to do is add a rear sway bar.
Tim

young olds

my ball joints have been replaced and seem to still be tight. idk about the bushings though. they can probably stand to be replaced. i did some research on other sites and i think a rear sway bar and good shocks are going to put me where i want to be.

young olds

i decided while im in there i want to put new suspension bushings in. for some reason im having a hard time finding rear bushings. i installed new upper ones when i did the posi and gears but i need the lowers and frame side uppers now. any help, maybe a kit that has all off them?

young olds

Found all the bushings except the upper control arm frame side. I did some research on pro touring and got kinda carried away on summit. Expensive Cart but I think it'll be worth it

Seff

The six rear control arm bushings are identical. Same part number.

young olds

Cool thanks

young olds

I ordered my parts, I'll post pics of the work and after pics. While I'm in there doing the bushings and junk I'm finally doing my disk brake swap and lowering it

young olds

Got my parts yesterday and installed the proforged steering parts. They seem to be good quality parts, my stock center link rubbed my oil pan but the new one does not.

young olds

I almost have the car back together. I got all new moog bushings installed, proforged ball joints and steering components. I also lowered it and installed bilstien shocks. After some research I ordered "tall" ball joints instead of standard. The tall lower ballpoint lowers the car .5", affectively increases spindle height .5" and reduces bump steer. The tall upper ballpoint simply adds to the affective spindle height giving me a total of 1" increase in spindle height. No rear sway bar yet, ran outta money but next on my list for suspension