How well can you make a GN handle?
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This is a great topic to use the SEARCH feature...you'll find hours of info in seconds.
Also, visit www.gnttype.org and review their collection of several excellent suspension articles.
HTH
PhilthMonger
New Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2003
after freshening up the front end with new bushings/ ball joints/ tie rods & ends, and installing bilstein shocks w/ eibach springs, the handling of the car really came to life. night and day difference. the car feels comfortable tossing it into turns that I would never have done at speed w/ the old soggy garbage that was on there before.
HR rear anti-roll bar
How about the new HR rear sway bar? Everybody talks about the 60ft. times not about the handling performance.Thinking about buying one.Don`t want to throw my money away if it does not improve my handling.I have bilsteins,front Iroc Z hollow bar,Suspension Techniques rear bar.Want to make it handle better then now.
How about the new HR rear sway bar? Everybody talks about the 60ft. times not about the handling performance.Thinking about buying one.Don`t want to throw my money away if it does not improve my handling.I have bilsteins,front Iroc Z hollow bar,Suspension Techniques rear bar.Want to make it handle better then now.
HRpartsNstuff
Member
- Joined
- May 27, 2001
You did hear the saying, "Good things come to those that wait" right?
Well, then you could figure that "GREAT things come to those who wait even longer"
Actually, we are getting caught up fairly decent last month & this month. Should be shipping the same week ordered come mid Nov.
Allan, yours WILL go out next week, with the motor mounts. You will be VERY impressed with the much improved street handling characteristics. GM probably didn't want to use anything like this cause we would all be using the streets for road racing at high speeds
OOOOOHH what a feeling Takes the stress out of the body too, your t-tops will thank you with there much quieter response. Back to work now... 
salvageV6
Daily Driver
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
Me too.
Car will have 15" wheels, Nittos out back, Michelin Pilots out front 235/60/15.
HR Parts uppers and lowers, bilstein shocks, air bags, and baer front brakes 12" with the thick rotors.
Dual HR parts motor mounts.
New front end parts too.
Now you know why I'm waiting for the rear bar and uppers need them to finish the package.
Oh and if Baer ever ships out my rear disc brake system that will go on in the spring.
That will finish the GN so next year it becomes the driver.
Car will have 15" wheels, Nittos out back, Michelin Pilots out front 235/60/15.
HR Parts uppers and lowers, bilstein shocks, air bags, and baer front brakes 12" with the thick rotors.
Dual HR parts motor mounts.
New front end parts too.
Now you know why I'm waiting for the rear bar and uppers need them to finish the package.
Oh and if Baer ever ships out my rear disc brake system that will go on in the spring.
That will finish the GN so next year it becomes the driver.
Rear sway bar
Salvage6: WOW! You are really all setup.I have stock arms with
Suspension Techniques 1 1/4" rear sway bar.Front Iroc Z 36mm
hollow bar.Bilsteins all around.Wonder if using the HR rear bar setup will improve my handling even more? (DAY & NIGHT DIFFERENCE) Let me know.
Salvage6: WOW! You are really all setup.I have stock arms with
Suspension Techniques 1 1/4" rear sway bar.Front Iroc Z 36mm
hollow bar.Bilsteins all around.Wonder if using the HR rear bar setup will improve my handling even more? (DAY & NIGHT DIFFERENCE) Let me know.
I know when I first test drove my first GN I was very surprised at how well it handled. I heard horror stories and I drove an 84 Gran Prix back then so I thought handling would be about the same. I was wrong.
I think most of the complaints are from people with worn out front ends and running crappy tires. Once I got the front end rebuilt and some good 50 series tires on 16" rims my car outstopped and out handled two of my friends cars, a 91 5.0 and a 93 TA. I remember having someone pull out in front of us and I stopped with plenty to spare, only locked the wheels for a split second on accident and my friend in the Mustang went screeching by me with all 4 locked, probably another 50' or more. Think about it, .79 on the crappy 215/65/15s isn't too bad. Hell, put those on an exotic car and it will handle like crap too.
I think most of the complaints are from people with worn out front ends and running crappy tires. Once I got the front end rebuilt and some good 50 series tires on 16" rims my car outstopped and out handled two of my friends cars, a 91 5.0 and a 93 TA. I remember having someone pull out in front of us and I stopped with plenty to spare, only locked the wheels for a split second on accident and my friend in the Mustang went screeching by me with all 4 locked, probably another 50' or more. Think about it, .79 on the crappy 215/65/15s isn't too bad. Hell, put those on an exotic car and it will handle like crap too.
salvageV6
Daily Driver
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
TCGN the GN has the stock bar on it so any improvement will be night and day I believe.
Just put the huge ATR bar on the other car WE4 and that helped tie the back end together and greatly stiffened the car up and improved handling out back. Night and day on the old rusty falling apart car anyway.
I like the 235/60/15 up front for overall street handling and cornering. Slight rub at times lock to lock turning in a parking lot on certain brands. The Michelins don't seem to rub luckily.
I don't road race or anything so handling to me is daily driving, emergency maneauvers, braking, high speed lane changes, and tossing the car into corners when an idiot in a beemer things he can go by you.
In the straightaways I open up way to much ground to give it up in the corners.
I really like driving these cars.
Just put the huge ATR bar on the other car WE4 and that helped tie the back end together and greatly stiffened the car up and improved handling out back. Night and day on the old rusty falling apart car anyway.
I like the 235/60/15 up front for overall street handling and cornering. Slight rub at times lock to lock turning in a parking lot on certain brands. The Michelins don't seem to rub luckily.
I don't road race or anything so handling to me is daily driving, emergency maneauvers, braking, high speed lane changes, and tossing the car into corners when an idiot in a beemer things he can go by you.
In the straightaways I open up way to much ground to give it up in the corners.
I really like driving these cars.
Re: tires
I have 245/50/16s up front and 255/50/16 BFG DRs out back. I had to use a spacer on the fronts to get the offset just like I wanted it. Had to barely touch the fender lip in order for them to not rub. The BFG Comp TA KDs work very well for the front. For the rear I didn't want the DRs but with my girlfriend driving occasionally I figured for her own safety they were the best compromise. The difference in response from a 60 series tire to a 50 series is big. The Z rated tires seem to be a little stiffer also with better response.
With the stiffer, wider tires up front, your front end has to be in good shape or it will follow every rut in the road. For people considering suspension upgrades, I would suggest getting some good tires first and decide if you still need more. My dad's daily driver with all the normal upgrades (ATR bar, boxed rear control arms, bilsteins, urethane swaybar bushings, extra body bushings, rear seat brace, and front end braces) feels sloppier than his stock suspensioned (other than the front braces) GN. Only difference is the GN runs very good low profile tires. I believe the suspension is not as bad as people make it out to be. The brakes on the other hand are horrible. Mine would be hard pressed to lock the tires even on a single stop.
I have 245/50/16s up front and 255/50/16 BFG DRs out back. I had to use a spacer on the fronts to get the offset just like I wanted it. Had to barely touch the fender lip in order for them to not rub. The BFG Comp TA KDs work very well for the front. For the rear I didn't want the DRs but with my girlfriend driving occasionally I figured for her own safety they were the best compromise. The difference in response from a 60 series tire to a 50 series is big. The Z rated tires seem to be a little stiffer also with better response.
With the stiffer, wider tires up front, your front end has to be in good shape or it will follow every rut in the road. For people considering suspension upgrades, I would suggest getting some good tires first and decide if you still need more. My dad's daily driver with all the normal upgrades (ATR bar, boxed rear control arms, bilsteins, urethane swaybar bushings, extra body bushings, rear seat brace, and front end braces) feels sloppier than his stock suspensioned (other than the front braces) GN. Only difference is the GN runs very good low profile tires. I believe the suspension is not as bad as people make it out to be. The brakes on the other hand are horrible. Mine would be hard pressed to lock the tires even on a single stop.
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