Suspension Q's:

[Bernie Benz]

> From: Steven Hauptmann <hauptmanns at llr.sc.gov>
> 
> Scott,
> I have the H&R's w/ Bilstein sports and I really like the improved ride and
> control. The car moves through a corner much flatter and has lost much of
> that boat feeling I associated with the stock springs.
This effect implies that the H&Rs are a much stiffer spring than are the
stock springs, and has nothing to do with the rebound damping
characteristics of the strut insert.
> 
> It's my understanding that the Boge tg are not as stiff as the Bilsteins but
> have heard the Boge tg work well with the OEM springs.
"Stiff" is the wrong word with which to describe damping.  You imply and I
agree that Bilsteins overdamp the stock suspension, and that the Boge TGs
provide damping closer to the "critical" optimum.
> 
> Downside to the H&R's for a daily driver IMO is the increase in negative
> camber. On my car this has accelerated the tire wear on the inside edge. I
> will be installing some adjustable camber plates so that I can move the
> camber closer to zero degrees.
A shorter spring designed to lower the Static Ride Height alters the
suspension geometry increasing negative camber beyond the positive
adjustment limit.  If one desires to retain the stock upper spring perch and
strut thrust bearing, an adjustable camber plate won't accomplish much, no
more than slotting the strut tower mounting holes (BTDT), achieving less
than 1/4" additional adjustment before the upper spring perch is against the
tower wall.
> 
> A friend of mine used delrin (sp?) bushings at the swaybar to control arm
> location and reported the car (5000tq) handled much better. I actually
> bought them from him when he sold his car and I plan on installing them on
> the 200 if I can ever get around to it. Of course the ride will be stiffer
> and noisier and they will not absorb vibration like rubber bushings.
IMO a bad application for a rigid material like Delrin, as there is much too
much angular change between the sway bar and control arm with normal
suspension travel.  Eventually this will either brake off the necked down
end of the bar and/or destroy the inner control arm bushing.

Bernie
 
> 
> Steve Hauptmann
> South Carolina