I installed Koni Yellows, Steeda Sport springs, Strano adj F/R bars, and a Steeda adj panhard on my GT/TP over the winter. I've got over 1000 miles on the street and just finished my first weekend on track with the set up and thought I'd share my thoughts.
First, the install. Drop is about 1 inch all around and looks great. I didn't install a relocation bracket, bump steer kit (or even shorter stops), or aftermarket end links (per Strano's advice on the links). Also did M/M plates. Set the alignment at 1.8 in the front, about 7 caster, and 0'd out the toe.
Street: On full soft, the ride is every bit as comfortable on the street as stock. No added NVH. Very happy with this.
Track: Ran the car on 285 hoosiers on the stock suspension last year. Found the car had tons of grip, but the movement on the springs, especially dive under braking, made it less than ideal for accurately hitting marks and making adjustments.
This weekend, I ran on Grand Am GT-Os (and streets for the first time for a couple of sessions). Also added a GC Lock, which I think helped alot, too. Dampers were set to full soft in the front and .5 turns from soft in the rear per Hypermotive. Strano recommended middle position on the front bar, and wasn't sure how the slicks would work, so suggested soft in the rear to start, but suspected I might need to move to middle. I already had both in the middle so I left them there.
Biggest improvements, not surprisingly, is turn in and under braking. Turn in was much sharper. Neutrality was still there all the way through the turn. On exit, the car put the power down perfectly, even under aggressive throttle application. On the street tires, I could get it to oversteer in a sharp turn with an injudicious application of throttle, but not on the slicks. On braking, the marked reduction in dive made braking and brake modulation much easier. I could rotate it as much or as little as I wanted under braking.
Car was 2.5 seconds faster around the track. I think alot of that was the tires, and even the GC Lock.
I might fiddle alittle to get it to rotate alittle under throttle on exit. Stiffen front rebound to do that?
First, the install. Drop is about 1 inch all around and looks great. I didn't install a relocation bracket, bump steer kit (or even shorter stops), or aftermarket end links (per Strano's advice on the links). Also did M/M plates. Set the alignment at 1.8 in the front, about 7 caster, and 0'd out the toe.
Street: On full soft, the ride is every bit as comfortable on the street as stock. No added NVH. Very happy with this.
Track: Ran the car on 285 hoosiers on the stock suspension last year. Found the car had tons of grip, but the movement on the springs, especially dive under braking, made it less than ideal for accurately hitting marks and making adjustments.
This weekend, I ran on Grand Am GT-Os (and streets for the first time for a couple of sessions). Also added a GC Lock, which I think helped alot, too. Dampers were set to full soft in the front and .5 turns from soft in the rear per Hypermotive. Strano recommended middle position on the front bar, and wasn't sure how the slicks would work, so suggested soft in the rear to start, but suspected I might need to move to middle. I already had both in the middle so I left them there.
Biggest improvements, not surprisingly, is turn in and under braking. Turn in was much sharper. Neutrality was still there all the way through the turn. On exit, the car put the power down perfectly, even under aggressive throttle application. On the street tires, I could get it to oversteer in a sharp turn with an injudicious application of throttle, but not on the slicks. On braking, the marked reduction in dive made braking and brake modulation much easier. I could rotate it as much or as little as I wanted under braking.
Car was 2.5 seconds faster around the track. I think alot of that was the tires, and even the GC Lock.
I might fiddle alittle to get it to rotate alittle under throttle on exit. Stiffen front rebound to do that?