new to forum 02' Lightning- "it takes a village build"

[2Shea Motorsports]

Hey guys & gals. My name is Chris and Own 2Shea Motorsports, a small performance & restoration shop in Warren, MB. We do Street performance, race car and restoration stuff. You can find us on IG @2SheaMotorsports

I've done some reading on here and some searching etc.

I have a good customer who just bought an 02' Lightning for a summer daily driver. This is my first lightning we've worked on. It's not pristine, but will serve well as a daily summer cruiser.

Looking for some opinions / options as to what the best suspension set up are for these trucks, he's just looking for better traction and all around good handling. It's currently lowered and it rides TERRIBLE. Rough and noisey. Not enjoyable at all to drive its so stiff and rough. So we will probably return to stock ride height with minor tweaks maybe.

Some one hacked up the exhaust, cut the cats out etc, so we will correct this as well. I'm thinking new shocks (bilstein or viking) maybe some long bars?? (stifflers I have access to) or are the JLP ones better?
or maybe a set of caltracs?

Would love to hear your opinions/ suggestions on what we need to make this truck just all around a good driver.

It has a belt idler already, i'll get the measurements of pulleys, and see whats on it currently.

Here's the list of stuff we've got planned so far, but not set in stone.

Check compression / leak down/ drive train vitals & condition.
fresh plugs
Dynatech Long tubes, Catted Y pipe & their cat back (seems to be mellow / quiet on you tube clips and we want quiet-ish)
New tires
Shocks
long bars? Cal tracs??
any suspension bracing like the stifflers chassis brace?
stock front springs
pulleys (possibly)
custom tune (either SCT or HPT, havent decided yet)

I've read the "what to mod first" sticky thread already, just looking to see what parts have worked for guys and what don't , specifically for the suspension / ride quality.

Thanks for your help!
Chris

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

I had a TVS suspension on my truck and hated it, I did keep the sway bars though. I ended up going with drop spindles, stock springs and shackles in the back. It had a nice enough stance and everything else was just like stock. I can see where the stiflers bracing would help, you could definitely tell the flex in it.

I had a 6lb lower on my truck and loved it. I'd also look into a valve body from A1 Transmissions, the street bodies are nice. At light throttle you don't even know it's there but nice, firm shifts at WOT (not neck breaking like the race valve bodies)

 

[2Shea Motorsports]

Excellent. Thanks so much for the response.

 

[itzHypn0tic]

Just to play devil's advocate... I recently got my lightning and installed the Hotchkis stage 2 TVS System. The ride is rough over bumps and potholes, but it handles amazingly otherwise. Driving down my street is a nightmare because you will feel every single bump in the road and cringe if you're not swerving around the potholes (although not absolutely horrible, but I wouldn't call it comfortable for all). It does make up for it on the major roads because the thing will handle like it's on rails.

I would definitely recommend it, but expect it to be a "sporty" ride.



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