I've heard they ride better and handling is better too. Is it? By how much? Would it be worth it?

If it is worth it, there's this guy parting out his LS1 which I'll be buying the parts from. I'm just not sure which parts I should buy off of him though, is it just the shocks?

 

No difference on all Z28 cars with LT1 or LS1. Same supension.

 

I was reading Insideline's eview of the 1997 Camaro...

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...rticleId=44099

"...[for 1998] the suspension is getting retuned for better handling and a softer ride."

 

Supension relates to the Camaro model Z-28 and not to the engine type. And your quote "better handling & softer ride" GM may have retuned the cheap shocks.

 

ah, I see. I'm kinda desperate to do something for the ride cause every commute in my Z28 is a 'physical experience' haha...the lowering springs have definitely made it worse but i wanna find something better than stock to replace em with.

 

you're into spring rates there. with lowering the car, you have to run higher spring rates to keep from bottoming out. the only real way you're going to soften the ride is by going with softer springs. shocks and struts are really only there to control body movement, they provide some spring force, but it's so minimal you'll barely notice it.

iirc, the LS1 F-Bodies had slightly lower spring rates up front because of the drop in weight over the front tires compared to the LT1. but stock height springs will only give your car a funky stance.

 

So I'm thinking maybe there is a spring with low height (as in shorter), lower rate, and enough vertical distance between each coil so that it wouldn't bottom out. Sounds quite possible, doesn't it?

 

Just replace your front struts and rear shocks with cheap ones and you will get that soft and floating ride you are looking for or buy a Ford. Also stop messing with the springs that was the start of your problem.

 

If it was bottoming out due to a solid spring you would be correct. But the bottoming is the supension itself hitting the rubber stops. So low spings require a higher spring rate inorder to stop the car from hitting the stops.

 

never messed with them, it was like that when I got it.

and the whole point is to not get that floaty ride. my impala had a floaty ride, it couldn't absorb bumps for crap. I mean how come a mercedes as old as my camaro can handle good AND have a good ride by a Camaro cant?

@Gorn: Oh, I see. Didn't know that.