How to Lower your 2000+ Bonneville

[SSEiMan01]

Yeah, I don't want a drop THAT bad...

Besides, my knees appreciate ground clearance anyway.

[yourgrandma]

Yeah. I figured it would be cost prohibitive. Now I just need to decide between a gto and a g35 coupe.

[gweg_b]

Ouch!!

Yeah, $400 I could handle, but $800 is way too up there. Sucks though, as I was kind of looking forward to this, and thought it might not be too bad of an idea for my LeSabre as well. Ah, a man can dream though. . .

[SSEiMan01]

Tough call... Lol

[deano55]

*dang*....screw it! Break out the sawzall!

lol

[yourgrandma]

I would have no problem cutting a set of fe5 springs but they are doh or pigtailed. Can't cut them down.

[sethjamesrimrodt]

Zip ties!!!!


Disclaimer: Don't do this.

[95naSTA]

Take it from someone that had to try cutting progressive rate springs on their own.. with new struts no less.. don't do it. PoGo

$400-600 for springs to lower a car that's rarely ever lowered is nothing..

I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that there's only been less than a dozen documented drops among all the 92+ Bonnevilles.. HellI've had 4 on my platform alone..

With a couple measurements/research you guys could go Konis, AGXs, Bilsteins, + DIY coilovers but nobody wants to send more than $200 on their 4x4 suspension..

[deano55]

Take it from someone that had to try cutting progressive rate springs on their own.. with new struts no less.. don't do it. PoGo

$400-600 for springs to lower a car that's rarely ever lowered is nothing..

I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that there's only been less than a dozen documented drops among all the 92+ Bonnevilles.. HellI've had 4 on my platform alone..

With a couple measurements/research you guys could go Konis, AGXs, Bilsteins, + DIY coilovers but nobody wants to send more than $200 on their 4x4 suspension..

for me it's what more important, faster or lower...... faster comes first, besides we're talking springs, while they were in production they were around 300 dollars, now custom ones 800.00, no thanks

[gweg_b]

For me, it's not that I don't want to spend a lot of extra money on lowering my car, it's just that I can't. If I had the extra money, I'd get all 4 springs for $800, but at this current time, I only budgeted $400-$500 for springs.

I love the idea of lowering my cars, and I'm keeping this path open, but as I said, I just can't right now. If anything, if the Bonneville never gets lowered, my LeSabre still will no matter what.

[WhiteArrow3800]

I don't have the down time to fool with measuring and fabricating something up, not to mention it's on DD duty, otherwise I'd have already had (or at least attempted) W-Body equipment on the car. Being a broke-arse college student doesn't help the "racecar budget" at all either.

[yourgrandma]

With a couple measurements/research you guys could go Konis, AGXs, Bilsteins, + DIY coilovers but nobody wants to send more than $200 on their 4x4 suspension..

How? Short of getting a job at a parts store to measure the lengths of every strut in production to compare against the coilover options, Im finding it pretty tough to find any info at all. Theres also a good reason nobody with a bonneville wants to spend money on suspension. Its probably the same reason they bought a Bonneville: they have no concern for handling.

I do want to get it to handle as well as reasonably possible, but I also dont want to ruin the ride. If its going to be a bouncy, rickety oxcart, why not just sell it and buy an actual sportscar(what Im working on).

So, perhaps now that the easy way of lowering these things is out the window and nobody thinks $800 is reasonable for custom springs, we should discuss the coilover option in a more in depth manner. For example, I was never able to figure out how to adapt the top spring pad. How do we find a coilover strut with the right length? Is the bottom mount easily convertable?

Basically Im fed up with this car. Im willing to put a little more effort into getting what I want out of it, but for the money ive spent on it, I could have easily bought a GTO, modded it and had a set of tires to spare by now. My fault, I know, but I think we all feel the same frustration when trying to do anything to these cars.

Sorry for the rant, but this really feels like the last straw.

[95naSTA]

I started a new thread for 2000+ coilover discussion.

I figured out my W-body strut, 00+ Bonneville knuckle, F-body front brake conversion from comparing junkyard assemblies.

The car was only down over a holiday weekend.

[yourgrandma]

The strut length is different, though. I know w body knuckles have the same mounts, but the spring height and overall length conserns me. Anyway, if there's a thread for that, I'll blather on in there.

In other news, I have another quote for springs. If I can get an order of at least three sets together, they can do $650/set.

[gweg_b]

$650 is a lot better, and it's keeping me interested. However, I would need at least 3-4 months to have the money to be able to go in for it, as the little money I do bring in is sort of tied up with some other projects. But, if time is not a factor, I am definitely interested.

[yourgrandma]

Once I get more quotes Ill start a group buy thread. Still havent heard back from www.coilsprings.com .

[Bonnie01]

would you by any chance have a part number for the Eibach kit?

[05joenov]

Sorry just found the other thread.

Not sure if you are still pursuing this but I'm in for my GXP.

[eskurka]

I hear that if you hit the springs with a torch heat it up then hit it with cold water you can lower the car but im not sure how it will ride after this.. anyone else hear of this or try it..

[yourgrandma]

Torching springs goes back to the very origins of hot rod and lowrider culture. It functions to lower the car well enough but it ruins the temper of the spring and has very unpredictable effects on spring rates. It has long been considered a hack way of doing things and there are much better ways.