Camaro Performance Suspension:

During the eighties the debate was waged between the handling improvements contributed by sway bars vs spring rates. Both are essential but Herb Adams was perhaps the strongest proponent of the LARGE sway bar to control roll rates and thus improve handling.

Performance polyurethane bushings are often used to replace the stock rubber bushings. The intent is to limit adverse geometry changes due to heavy load resulting from aggressive driving and hard cornering. Front suspension deflections will change the desired caster and camber settings to that less optimal for cornering, thus decreasing cornering performance. Bushings made from solid aluminum or steel or use of heim joints will eliminate unwanted movement of suspension components but will also transmit tremendous forces directly to the chassis. Polyurethane components will provide improved stability while affording some cushioning.

PST: Performance Suspension Technology

PST Part #: FEKPGCHE821

  • 2 Lower ball joints
  • 2 Outer tie rod ends
  • 2 Control arm bumpers
  • 2 Stabilizer bar links and bushings
  • 4 Lower Inner control arm bushings and lube
  • Strut rod bushings (not shown)
 PST front end bushing kit

This is a performance front-end components rebuild kit for the 1982-92 Camaro with "Polygraphite" bushings to improve vehicle control and responsiveness. Kits also available for 1967-81 and 1993-2002 Camaros.
Energy Suspension
  • bump stops
  • sway bar bushings
  • control arm bushings
  • coil spring isolators
  • strut bushings
  • shock bushings
  • tie rod boots
  • body mounts
  • engine mounts
  • transmission mounts
  • ...
 Energy Suspension polyurethane parts

Gen one Camaro subframes shown with Energy Suspension front-end components.
Herb Adams suspension

Moroso Part #:
  • MOR-86010 (front) 1.31" dia
  • MOR-86510 (rear) 1.0" dia
 Herb Adams front sway bar

This forged and heat treated chromemoly steel sway bar is substantially thicker than the stock Z28 sway bar.
Attachment mechanism to the lower control arm is also more elegant using 5/8" spherical ends.
Koni

Part #:
  • 87411030 (front)
  • 261246 (rear)
 Koni 87411030 front shock

Stock replacement, Koni three way gas shock.

Front upper strut mount
(also known as "Camber Plates")		 Camaro front upper strut mount
After market front upper strut mount is stiffer and may offer greater range of adjustment.
QA1:

Third gen strut and camber plate.

QA1 struts/shocks and Caster/Camber plate
QA1 has both stock replacement strut/shocks and larger stronger units which require the QA1 Caster/Camber plate.
Strut:
  • Independent compression/rebound (HD), simultaneous compression/rebound (HS) and drag race adjustable (HR)
  • Supports coil over configuration
  • Ride hight adjustable
QA1:

Third gen coil over rear shock.

QA1 rear shock
Front K-member:
See: 		HAWK LS1 / LS2 / LS6 / LS7 Conversion rack and pinion/K-Member

Camaro/Firebird 82-92 LS1 / LS2 / LS6 / LS7 Conversion Appleton rack and pinion and K-Member
Also see:

Camaro Adjustable Suspension Installation:

An adjustable suspension allows one to adjust ride height, weight transfer control, stiffness and the corner weights to balance and tune the car's suspension. The front cross member replacement will help you lose allot of weight from the front-end.

Use the following components:

Front Alignment:


First Gen
1967 - 1969		Second Gen
1970 - 1981		Third Gen
1982 - 1992		Fourth Gen
1993 - 1995

FactoryPerformanceFactoryPerformanceFactoryPerformanceFactoryPerformance
Camber+1/4 degree+2 degrees

+1 deg (+/-0.5deg)


Caster+1/2 degree-1/2 to -3/4 degrees

+3 deg (+/-0.5deg)


Toe-In1/8 inch3/32 inch

+0.15 deg (+/-0.05deg)+0.2 deg (+/-0.05deg)

Torque Specs:

Gen 3 Camaro:
FasternerFt-LbsN-m
Strut to steering knuckle bolt195265
Strut upper mounting nut5070
Front upper strut mount to wheel housing tower2820
Front lower control pivit bolt nut6590
Bump stop to control arm2028
Control arm ball joint to steering knuckle90120
Steering knuckle to tie rod end nut4054
Tie rod clamp nut1419
Pitman arm to steering gear nut180250
Idler arm to frame nut5070
Power steering box to frame bolts80110

Shock Absorbers:

Features:

Corner Weights:

Auto racing scales
Auto racing scales with car measuring corner weights
Racing scale to measure weight at each wheel. 		Auto racing scales display
Display of corner and total weights.

Racing scales are used to measure the static weight at each wheel. This measures the fore-aft weight balance, the left-right weight balance and the diagonal "corner weights".

Fore-Aft: It would seem that a fore-aft (front-rear) weight balance of 50 percent for each would insure a vehicle balance which is equally advantageous for both acceleration and braking. You must also account for ride height, center of gravity and spring rates which affect how much the static loading will change when braking or accelerating. The engine location dictated by the vehicle design will have a profound impact on this percentatge.

Left-Right: If the left-right balance is not even, the car will have the ability to turn in one direction better than the other. Thus road racers prefer a 50 percent weight measured for each the left and right side of the vehicle.

Diagonal corner weights: The corner weights are an important factor in balanced turning. To increase the weight that one wheel applies to the road, shims can be placed under the coil spring to "load" that particular wheel. Racing cars with completely adjustable suspensions can "jack" the adjustment to pre-load the spring more or less thus decreasing or increasing the corner weight. Corner weights will affect the vehicle understeer and oversteer in a turn of a particular direction.

Vendors:

Terms:

Engineering terms: Front-end Suspension terms:

Spring Rate Calculations:

Front suspension geometry The spring rate as measured at the wheel is the stiffness as measured in pounds of force required for an inch of displacement. Due to the geometry of the suspension, the spring rate of the suspension spring may be very different than the spring rate at the wheel due to angles and lever arm lengths of the various components. For any given suspension stiffness at the wheel, calculations are required to find the stiffness of the suspension spring.

Spring Rate Calculation: Start with the weight of the car that all the springs will be supporting: W(car)
Calculate the weight that will be supported at each wheel: W = W(car)/4

The spring force of the suspension spring will be: (W * D2)/D1
Apply the spring rate correction factor below.
The actual spring rate is chosen by compressing (pre-loading) the spring to acheive the spring force required. A stiffer spring requires less pre-loading to support the weight and will provide a stiffer ride.

Spring Rate Correction for Angle Mounting:
Shock Angle
(degrees)		Correction Factor
01.00
100.96
150.93
200.88
250.82
300.75
350.66
400.59
450.50
 Spring Rate Correction for Angle Mounting diagram
Example: desired spring rate = 250lbs-in mounted at 25 degreed.
Spring rate of 250lbs-in / 0.82 = 301 lbs-in required to provide the equivalent mounted rate.

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