kill understeer; H&R questions

[AZmike]

Right now I'm running a stock suspension setup. Right now I can't spare the cash to build the setup I want. I was curious if there are any less expensive mods I can do to reduce the understeer until I get the rest of my parts. Rear sway bar maybe? Has anyone tried using urethane bushings? Can you tell a difference?

Also I noticed it's pretty easy to bottom out the rear suspension with passengers in the back. Did anyone with the H&Rs have a similar problem? Or are they enough stiffer that even with the 1.5" drop they are still harder to bottom out?

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by 89LXi4dr
Right now I'm running a stock suspension setup. Right now I can't spare the cash to build the setup I want. I was curious if there are any less expensive mods I can do to reduce the understeer until I get the rest of my parts. Rear sway bar maybe? Has anyone tried using urethane bushings? Can you tell a difference?

Also I noticed it's pretty easy to bottom out the rear suspension with passengers in the back. Did anyone with the H&Rs have a similar problem? Or are they enough stiffer that even with the 1.5" drop they are still harder to bottom out?

Your LXI allready has a rear sway bar so I guess your talking about upgrading it further. Yes, if you install the suspension techniques rear sway bar (1/8" thicker than stock) you will reduce your understeer, (by increasing your rear roll stiffness). If the addco rear bar was avaible, it's even thicker than the suspension techniques bar. Adding urathane bushings to the sway bars you allready have won't do much to increase the job they do as a sway bar in general, it will increase the speed at which motion is transfered from the bar to the car. So the car should feel more resposive. And something else you should know. When you do get the H&R springs, they offer a higher rear spring rate increase vs front spring rate increase. In other words the H&R's will also decrease your understeer once you get them.

As far as the H&R's I had and my experience with bottoming out the rear. I carried my whole family in my car and never ever had problems with bottoming out. When I say my family, I mean 2 adults up front and 3 kids in the rear. When I would press the car to the ablolute limits on back hills country roads, then I did notice in certain situations that I could benefit from stiffer springs and stiffer struts (yes stiffer than the koni's). Overall it was a very nice setup that wasn't stiff at all, just nice and firm.

[RCracer]

I agree with Jim the H&R springs with the Koni dampers are great.
Not to HARD Not too SOFT.