Complete UPR setup Rides like a brick Help??

[cobraRcraig]

Here's the setup guys:
Front: UPR tublular complete Kmember and a-arms, coilovers,caster cabmer plates, adjustable ends, strange adjustable struts.
Rear, fully built solid axle, strange shocks, Mach 1 springs. UPR non-adjustable upper and lower control arms.

It's been in 2 shops locally now. It does hook and run straight, but the ride quality has gone to shit.( I was aware that I would lose some ride quality, but didn't think it would be this bad!!) Considering trailering the car to Steeda and telling them to do what they need to.

All in all I don't want the weight of my stock setup back, but don't know what to do? I'm not looking for cadillac ride quality. Just something not so stiff. Any suggestions?? Thanks as always guys Craig--

 

[vitmncya]

if its got the solid ends you will have to deal with it as that is mostly race set up but should hook like crazy get the arms with rubber bushings the should help some

 

[RcodeStang]

What spring rate up front and what bushings are on the rear control arms?

I'm not familiar with drag racing struts/shocks but they're probably horrible for anything but drag racing. Dampers make or break ride quality.

 

[Spoolx]

You installed a dragrace suspension on your car and you're shocked it rides like crap?

 

[black 10th vert]

This is my biggest fear with installing a tubular k/coilover setup on my car. I love the car to handle well, but don't want it to ride any worse than it does now with the H&R race springs (which are surprisingly decent ride-wise). I suspect that the Strange drag shocks are where your problem lies, and possibly your spring choice - especially if the valving on the shocks is not matched to the spring rates. I went with the MM valved Bilsteins that they recommended for the race springs, because the stock vert Bilsteins would have been valved way too soft for the springs. Glad I did, because it is a nicely matched setup now. Good luck!

 

[jm35ny]

Its probably the shocks, try putting some miles on the car maybe it`ll soften up or you`ll just used to it....

 

[cobraRcraig]

You installed a dragrace suspension on your car and you're shocked it rides like crap?

Yea, well it started as a weight savings deal, and the local shop installed the struts and shocks mentioned. They said that ride quality wouldn't be to bad. They were wrong. I'm not a suspension guru, thats why I brought it to 2 different shops.

I'm going to get under the car in the next couple of weeks to see if they put 89-93 struts on it as I'm leaning toward it being a bottoming out situation.

 

[cobraRcraig]

This is my biggest fear with installing a tubular k/coilover setup on my car. I love the car to handle well, but don't want it to ride any worse than it does now with the H&R race springs (which are surprisingly decent ride-wise). I suspect that the Strange drag shocks are where your problem lies, and possibly your spring choice - especially if the valving on the shocks is not matched to the spring rates. I went with the MM valved Bilsteins that they recommended for the race springs, because the stock vert Bilsteins would have been valved way too soft for the springs. Glad I did, because it is a nicely matched setup now. Good luck!

Thanks, Mines also a 10th and I don't recommend doing the conversion if you are concerned with ride quality.

My next move is more than likely steeda aluminum k, stock a-arms, and the H&R springs. That is if new shocks and struts don't fix the problem.

I went with UPR's Street/Strip coilovers I thinks They are rated at 250??

 

[3Dglasses]

If you describe what ride quality issues you have it may be more informative for those trying to help.
Too much lean in corners?
Too harsh over bumps?
Bounce on the highway?
Bounce at low speed?
Stiff and no bump absorption?

I found that my C/O setup improved ride quality, so I am surprised you have issues unless they are fitment related of too soft.

 

[D3 Racing]

I started a thread just like this:

http://www.svtperformance.com/forum...ugh-ride-after-k-member-arms-c-c-install.html

Mine also rides like crap though I didn't change as much. If they used a 79-93 strut you wouldn't be bottoming them out as they are shorter to begin with, I am thinking of changing to a shorter strut becuase I believe my stock Bilsteins are bottoming out, but the more I drive it, it is just rough all the time, the springs just may be too stiff with the weight savings. I was also going to try a QA1 coil over set up with some different spring rates.

We need to band together and figure this out.

 

[cobraRcraig]

If you describe what ride quality issues you have it may be more informative for those trying to help.
Too much lean in corners?

?
Bounce at low speed?
Stiff and no bump absorption?

I found that my C/O setup improved ride quality, so I am surprised you have issues unless they are fitment related of too soft.

I started a thread just like this:

http://www.svtperformance.com/forum...ugh-ride-after-k-member-arms-c-c-install.html

Mine also rides like crap though I didn't change as much. If they used a 79-93 strut you wouldn't be bottoming them out as they are shorter to begin with, I am thinking of changing to a shorter strut becuase I believe my stock Bilsteins are bottoming out, but the more I drive it, it is just rough all the time, the springs just may be too stiff with the weight savings. I was also going to try a QA1 coil over set up with some different spring rates.

We need to band together and figure this out.

Here's a little bit better descriptionThanks for the Help)
Too harsh over bumps
Bounce on the highway
Stiff and no bump absorption


Totally agree on the banding together, I'll pm you on my next move. Keep it coming guys and thanks alot!!

 

[black 10th vert]

Thanks, Mines also a 10th and I don't recommend doing the conversion if you are concerned with ride quality.

My next move is more than likely steeda aluminum k, stock a-arms, and the H&R springs. That is if new shocks and struts don't fix the problem.

I went with UPR's Street/Strip coilovers I thinks They are rated at 250??

I know Steeda makes a replacement K that uses stock arms, but I thought it was steel - not aluminum. Are you sure they have an aluminum one, because it doesn't seem like that would be the best choice for a street driven car?:??:

 

[SpectorV]

its a trade off, the better the handling the worse the ride will be~ just gotta find the point where you are happy with both or make it a track only car.

I know my crappy bushings in the IRS and such suck and make for bad handling but I dont autox, dont take it to the track, etc so all in all I dont plan to mess with it unless for some reason I have to take the IRS out.. .then I wont do to much just upgrade the main bushings.

 

[cobraRcraig]

Talked to MM, as some of you have suggested they said I probably have coil bind.
(From what I took from the conversation it means I have the wrong spring rate)
I'm looking at going with Tokiko D-spec at all four corners and removing the UPR coilovers and installing Maxuim Motorsports. Also removing the UPR caster camber's and installing the MM.
I'll let you know how the new set-up works out. Thanks Craig-

 

[MVD]

Did you try adjusting your front struts and rear shocks?

 

[SpectorV]

sometimes you have to beat the area around the coil over in front to clear~

 

[Teej281]

Sometimes you have too long of a spring. My co springs are 10" front and 8" rear springs whereas upr uses like a 14" spring up front which would mean for the same ride height your spring would be much more compressed, and that's for the same spring rate. You factor in that you're probably running around a 175lb spring where I'm running a 325lb spring which will not compress anywhere close to as quick as yours will...your springs probably are bottoming out. Your stranges aren't helping either though. I had them on my car for a year and a half and I hated them with a passion. Rode like crap and were noisy as sin. MM stuff is awesome. That's what I'm running and love their coilovers!

 

[MVD]

Sometimes you have too long of a spring. My co springs are 10" front and 8" rear springs whereas upr uses like a 14" spring up front which would mean for the same ride height your spring would be much more compressed, and that's for the same spring rate. You factor in that you're probably running around a 175lb spring where I'm running a 325lb spring which will not compress anywhere close to as quick as yours will...your springs probably are bottoming out. Your stranges aren't helping either though. I had them on my car for a year and a half and I hated them with a passion. Rode like crap and were noisy as sin. MM stuff is awesome. That's what I'm running and love their coilovers!

You are comparing apples to oranges. A 14" 175# spring is a drag race oriented spring whereas a 10" 325# spring is a roadcourse/handling oriented spring.

The 14" 175# will ride just fine and NOT bottom out. It simply stores more potential energy to "push" the front end up when launching at the track. The 10" 325" spring will keep the front end glued to the road.

 

[3Dglasses]

When I bought my used MM C/O kit it had drag springs. I went and bought the less expensive QA1 springs in a 10 inch 350lb/inch rating. The car would ride OK, but on a harsh corner or bump the coils would bottom out.

I then ordered a 12 inch 350lb/inch Hypercoil springs and when I received them I noticed a huge difference. The amount of gap between the coils is much larger than the QA1 spring. This gives the spring a much wider usable range of compression before they bottom out. Here are pictures of the two springs to give you an idea if the difference. NOT ALL SPRINGS ARE CREATED EQUAL.

QA1 springs

Hypercoil

You can see that the Hypercoil spring has a lot more usable range.

 

[cobraRcraig]

3Dglasses, thanks for the pics I'm hoping to get the same outcome you did.
I'll let everyone know how it comes out in a few months.

Really wanna say thanks to the site and members for all the help. I've been on this site a long time and it has never let me down. Thanks again Guys Craig-