late model suspension upgrade

[ppress79]

I got the complete front suspension from a late model s-10 4wd and installed today. All went well but it had a 28mm sway bar compared to the sy's 31mm. The endlink mount makes the bar's legs @6" shorter which makes it stiffer but I'm wondering which vehicles inparticular have the larger 31mm bar or do I have to walk around w/ calipers until I find a larger one?
I also noticed the torsion bars are much thicker. Can they be used in the Sy as well or are the too stiff?

Phil

 

[NecroWolf]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

the suy torsion bars are the softest riding ones. i'd think if you swapped them it wouldn't ride as low or as smooth

 

[2kwik4u]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

Any of the 2g trucks you find with a ZQ8 suspension package should have that larger 31mm sway bar. Typically they are found under "Xtreme" trucks, or any 2wd truck with factory 16" wheels.

 

[ppress79]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

I thought the late model torsions sould be too stiff.
Phil

 

[Daveman2]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

Forget torsion, go QA1 coilovers. Torsion bars are a joke for the amount of weight they add to the vehicle.

I used to have what you're calling a 'late model suspension', it sucked.

 

[s_blazin]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

any 4dr s10 blazer 91-94 should have your sway bar in the correct size. i'd keep the torsions. coilovers are nice looking but cost alot and also i feel some strengthening should be required in order to use them, the shock towers were designed as just that shock towers, not intended to hold the whole front end. i have coil overs on my sy and am prolly going to return to torsions.

but to each there own, i'm not saying they are bad at all, don't get me wrong, just not sure if it's worth it

 

[Daveman2]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

just not sure if it's worth it

I am, the torsion setup rides like ass. It's a ridiculous amount of unsprung weight.
Trust me, unless you plan on trying to go 4WD.
All I've done for the past 4 years with my car, is to get rid of all the stuff that you're trying to put on, because it's not an improvement unless you plan on 4-wheeling or having it ride at a high height.

If you feel like strengthening needs to be done, that is VERY easy to have fab shop do that.

There have not been any improvements on the chassis design in the decade since the Sy/Tys were made unfortunately, I have the same balljoint angle issues you guys have.

If you can't tell a difference between the torsion bars and the QA1 Coilovers then you probably got too stiff of springs, or haven't lowered the car much.

I also forgot to add that the QA1s completely fixed my horrendous understeer problem I had with the torsions

 

[s_blazin]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

well to be honest the truck has not driven since the coilovers were installed, and i have not driven a syty with them on it, so as far as ride quality, i have no arguement since i have no knowledge of how they drive.

LOL and no i do not plan or 4x4ing.

i will add that i have not seen anyone ever have problems with their coil overs as far as tearing the shock towers, but i have heard alot of times about people having issues with getting the shocks in just the right place to where they don't rub on anything or bind up, or break out shock eyelets

i guess it's give and take....maybe i'll reconsider going back to torsions

 

[ppress79]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

I will be going to coilovers but they aren't the priority. I really wanted the bigger brakes and the better swaybar set up from the late model trucks.

Phil

 

[s_blazin]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

yea on the cheap, the s10 blazer from 99+ maybe....? has bigger brakes, but afaik the sway bar is not any bigger. maybe i'm wrong though.

i am set on the camaro front and rear brakes though, get the conversion brackets, cut your spindle and go to the junk yard and find camaro with brakes on it. swap is super easy to do in front with access to a grinder with a cut off wheel and rear, not as easy, gotta pull axles out but mine went quick.

i'm in the middle of doing a how to write up on how to do camaro brakes on syty/ 2wd-4wd s10's, front and rear and then want to do a price comparison of buying a kit versus building your own. my feelings are you can do it yourself for alot cheaper.

but thats if you have the time and patience and necessities to cut and grind and pull junkyard items

hope it helps :2cents:

 

[ppress79]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

The bar wasn't bigger but the 2 leggs are "shorter" because of where they mount to the arms so they should be stiffer. (theoretically)

Phil

 

[BigBadSmoosh]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

coil-overs are the best modification for sytys, dollar for dollar.

they make the trucks handle and perform, instead of roll like a regular s-series truck.

 

[Daveman2]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

coil-overs are the best modification for sytys, dollar for dollar.

they make the trucks handle and perform, instead of roll like a regular s-series truck.

And they made my car ride SO much better!
I realized today that I can pop the triangle side windows because the ride is soft enough that they don't get shook closed like when I was running the torsion bars, no joke.

 

[ppress79]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

Finished the upgrade last night. I did not remove the upper arms but now you can see the camber is off. One side is positive and the other is negative so I'm now going back to the alignment shop on Monday. Otherwise everything was pretty straight foward and works fine.

 

[ppress79]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

Got a 34mm bar off a late model 4x4 s-blazer and the rear bar also. Went to the dealer and ordered the upper mounts for the rear bar end links for an Extreme since they bolt on after drilling 3 holes on each side.
I have a Hellwig rear bar for a SyTy but it is only 19 mm compared to the Blazer 23mm bar so I will use the Blazer rear bar instead. Guess I'll be sellling the Hellwig soon too.
Will post after I get to drive it with the bigger bars installed.

Phil

 

[Try Me]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

Ive been on the fence about this for a long time (front suspension). I can see where the torsion bars are antiquidated, but every time i read about someone doing coil overs recently they seem to have problems with the install.

It is an expensive mod, but if it is a nice fit and done with quality parts i think the coil overs would be the way to go. Not to mention the weight savings.

Im confused as to what all you changed on your truck Phil. What all did you change over from the "late model" truck?

 

[ppress79]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

I installed lower A-arms, hub, rotors, calipers, caliper adapters and now the 34mm swaybar. I took it all as one unit and swapped them so it was pretty quick to do. My late model Sonoma 4x4 now has all of the old Sy parts on it since it is a daily driver/ beater so it was free except for the 34mm bar.

Phil

 

[Try Me]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

So what was there to gain from the change?

 

[ppress79]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

Larger rotors. 2 piston calipers and better swaybar end-link mounts plus much bigger sway bars.

 

[Try Me]

Re: late model suspension upgrade

Ok that makes sense. So it was mostly for a brake upgrade. The bigger sway bar wont hurt anything either :tup: