awesome maven just let me know.......im not in a rush im not changing my struts in the fricking cold but if i can get the inserts for the front in your old struts i can get a full set ready for install

 

so while we are on this topic, what would be a better option for an ss/sc lowered on h&r race springs (fairly stiff almost 2" drop), koni yellows or ss/tc struts??? the konis are sure atractive because of the adjustability and warrenty, however hard to ignore the fact that the ss/tc struts are bilsteins. the price difference doesnt really matter to me, im just after something that will take some autocrossing and good hard corner carving, give a decent ride and not blow in a year.

oh btw, whats the deal with the pricing from gm?? gmpartsdirect lists the left for $131, the right for $258.

 

Thats just the pricing, its an internal GM thing, Ive got theory but its just that, in the end it doenst matter, they are what they are.

 

yea i run into that stupid crap at work, just wondering if anyone knew if there was a shortage of rights or something.

but anyways, koni or ss/tc???

 

Tough call... TCs may be a direct bolt-in......Konis are a boltin after modding the strut body.

Konis cost a few dollars more and have a better warranty

TCs have the best damping setup for handling


Konis will give you adjustability and a warranty, but may not offer the best handling performance.

 

For the TC struts would i just need to order the struts and use my stock upper mounting parts or do I need to order all new upper mounting parts as well? Also what are you doing for the rear end? TC shocks, koni?

 

thats a good question ask me tomorow and i will trial fit the production LSJ top mount. I am guessing it will work, i have used large diameter shaft struts before....here is a post i made on RLF that addresses the next question you will be asking i am sure.

re:rear arb...

the rear roll bar on a twb Cobalt/Ion influences the roll center and can cause bad things if not done right. done right they can work great. the rubber mounting pivot of the rear twb is an issue for roll stiffness. GA cars use spherical joints in this application.

You have to use the correct materials. I use chromemoly tube it is not cheap but it is light easily obtainable and consistent. I got a quote of over 400 dollars for 20 feet from one supplier. Today i got a quote of $15/ft but he only has 8 ft, too much for one bar not enough for a second,lol

Ask your vendor what material is used in the manufacture of their bars. You may be surprised, if they cannot give you specifics, be cautious, the use of wrong materials which can elastically deform can lead to bar failure and cause you to lose control of your car and crash. One characteristic of such bars made from incorrect materials are cars that demonstrate completely different handling characteristics loaded say turning left compared with turning right. Another way is to twist the bar in a clamping device. if the bar when twisted does not return to its original shape form it is junk. dangerous.

Eibach, H&R, Hotchkiss, Addco these are examples of vendors all of whom produce excellent products from correct materials.

I use tubular chromemoly rear bars for the cars i use on the street and track . I first made and developed these in cooperation with some fine, young very bright GM engineers ,for the time attack cobalt. BTW Grand Am rules do not allow for such an add on device. Instead in '04, we developed a weld in chromemoly hollow bar twb that is used to this day.


another way of checking what you have:
To test the suitability of steel on the spot try punching, filing or hacksawing it, you'll soon know if it is hard enough because the file will skate off it without cutting it. Back in your workshop you can use a spark test to get an idea of the composition of the steel. Touch a piece of mild steel on your bench grinder so you get a stream of sparks out into space. Take a good look at the sparks and compare them to the sparks you get from the tip of a file or an allen key (both are high carbon steel). Notice how carbon steel produces a lot more sparks than mild steel and they are much finer and whiter and they explode much more in flight. The more little explosions, the more carbon in the steel.