I want to lower my camaro, but I don't have the cash for revalved bilstiens or konis, so my question is can the stock shocks handle it? In the front I'm going down about 1 1/4 inches, and 2 inches in the back. I've have a friend that owns a performance shop thats going to cut the springs for me. I'm worried that the stockers won't have enough travel. I have everything else I need to lower ----- relocation brackets, and adj. panhard rod. As soon as I get the money I will switch to some better shocks becauses I do alittle road=racing.

 

um...im not sure if they will handle it, i blew my shocks on my winter car when i lowered it, but then again i slammed it to the ground, i say they might blow, but its worth it if you ask me, lowered cars look so much cooler.

 

i believe it's fine. i have a set on lowering springs that i plan on getting installed early next week. a lot of people are running lowering springs w/ stock suspension. i think you're fine as long as you aren't planning on completely slamming your car.

 

i have mine lowered and ive been told my many that it will be fine for a while

 

"they will be fine for a while" is accurate. The lowered shocks can't handle the stiffer spring rates for long and wear out very quickly. I probably ran my Eibach's for 4 months with the original deCarbons.

Perry

 

My stock shocks have lasted a year now. They are now junk.

 

ya i excpect a year from mine....thats it

 

I cut my springs 8 months or so ago, everything is still cool with the shocks.
I have heard that they will wear faster though. I don't know why any other shock would be better. Maybe I don't know enough about them, but even a high performance replacement shock will be set up for stock ride height. How they would last any longer I don't understand.
Anyway, I will run mine as long as they are okay. Then I will look for a shock that is specificly recommended for lower ride height.
Also, it's good that you got the relocation brackets and APB, but in my case, I didn't need either. I got the APB before lowering because I was told I would need it, but I adjusted it to stock length for a baseline and didn't need to change it after lowering. I still don't have the brackets, I also don't have wheel hop... so I won't be getting the brackets unless I develop the hop.
Good luck!
Dave

 

The problem isn't directly the ride height. The issue is that when you lower the car, you basically have to go with stiffer springs to keep the car from bottoming out since it has less clearance and suspension travel to start with. The stock shocks are barely capable of dampening the stock springs, and are definatelty not up to stiffer springs.

If you are going lower for cosmetic reasons only, you will probably be happy with the stock shocks. But they won't last as long, and your car will actually handle worse lowered with stock shocks. The car will also tend to be "bouncy" over bumps rather than taking the hit and leveling out.

That being said, I am replacing my SLP Bilsteins with Koni's next weekend and will have four Bilsteins for sale. PM me if interested. I am swapping them because I want an adjustable shock since I autocross, road race and occasionally drag race and want to get the most out of the suspension.

 

ya thats what i want to get

 

I am pretty sure they run more bux than that!
Why spend a penny on them anyway? My car rides the same as my friend's Eibachs. I did all the labor, the whole thing start to finish cost $99 for a Lakewood PHB that it turns out I didn't need and $49 for a spring compressor.
To each his own I guess...
Dave

 

You should be just fine. Though you will be putting a lot more stress on the shocks. Just do it and start saving up for the shocks

 

I think he means 180 because his friend works in a shop, assuming he gets a discount....If he is not assuming that, I would like to know where the hell he gets eibachs for 180

 

A Pro-Kit from Sam Strano is $220, or $209 if you buy shocks with it. Four Bilstein HD's are $329.

 

And if you want those bilsteins revalved, then it'll be 480 I think