Toruki

So a question for the forum...on an 83 GSL with a set of the Federal SS 595's in 205-60 R13's with stock wheels, are RB springs and Tokico Blues overkill? Stock springs and the Blues?

It's not a daily driver or race car, just my teleportation chamber to the 80's.

I think my stock springs are okay, although there's one bump in the road nearby that seems to bottom out and send my rear end flying up like a shot...I can't tell if that's the shocks or the springs, opinions welcome. I'm pretty sure the springs are stock from the factory, shocks probably are too as there's only ~35K on the car. No obvious leaks.

Thanks!

TomSmy

iTrader: (11)

Funny you mention that - i have the same issue with the back end on a bump right near my house.

I am currently installing the RB springs and Tokico Blues. Something I noticed is that my rear springs were far more corroded and thinner than the fronts. How do yours look?

Not sure if they are thinner from factory but mine looked rough.

Tom

chuyler1

iTrader: (1)

I was in the same situation as you the beginning of last summer. I picked up an '85 GSL with 20,000 miles. I'll cut to the chase. Your shocks are blown and your springs are sagging and worn out if they are original to the car. Mine were and my car looked like it had never seen the outside of a garage for 30 years. So this is where you go from here...

Option 1)
New stock springs and new KYB shocks. This will give you the most 80's original feel for the car. It will raise it back up to the original height (which I can guarantee is at least 1" higher than it sits now in the front, and probably 3/4" in the rear). The car will feel soft if you've been in any sort of sporty car built in the last decade but a little more composed than it does now. Great for cruising, not so great for hard driving, autox, or track days. You definitely over-bought on tires if this is the route you go. The stock suspension is just too soft for a grippy tire....and anything that isn't a 4 season tire is too grippy.

Option 2)
Racing Beat springs and Tokico Blues. This will eliminate most of the body roll and make it handle like a modern sports car coming out of the factory. You'll noticeably feel the car corner flatter and have less nose dive under hard breaking. However, you'll also begin to feel the road more which means the endless patchwork of Boston streets could become a little jarring if that's all you drive on. If you get this car onto back roads mostly, you'll really enjoy this combo.

Option 3)
Racing Beat springs, Tokico Blues or whites, AND the Racing beat front anti-roll bar. This will get the front end of your car cornering flat and you'll be able to use all the grip available with those tires. With this upgrade, the car will be planted but it can be so stiff it tosses you around a bit when one side of the car ends up on a rough patch of road and the other doesn't. Installing the anti-roll bar is a bit of a hassle and it isn't related to upgrading/replacing the springs and shocks so you can hold off on this until you get a feel for the car with your other changes.

I went with option 4) Racing beat springs, tokico blues, and racing beat front AND rear anti-roll bars. It's a bit much for the street but I'm driving it that way. The rear bar can introduce a bit of snap oversteer which I've only experienced on the track. I'm running Yokohama S.Drives which aren't as grippy as your Federals. In no way are these upgrades considered "overkill" for the street.

With options 2-4 you'll want to cut down the bump stops. Part of the reason you are hitting them now is because the car is sitting low on sagging springs and your shocks have no control over the travel. Only installing new OEM springs will raise high enough to prevent you from slamming into them on that bump you keep hitting. So with the RB springs, it is recommended you cut 1/3 to 1/2 of them off.

Toruki

+1 chuyler1, this is great. Option 2 sounds like my kind of option.

chuyler1

iTrader: (1)

Also, if you need help, I'm right over the border in NH. You could go for a spin in mine to get a feel for it.

Toruki

Thanks for the offer, I might take you up on that in the spring, once the salt gets washed away for good. You guys have had it much worse up there this year.

aeenox

How many of you guys have bought a set of the Federal SS959?? Ive been debating if I should get a set. But I keep on reading mixed reviews about them.

chuyler1

iTrader: (1)

I took mine to work yesterday. I commute down to Waltham. I can't say it stayed dry, but as long as cars aren't spitting up salty spray I'll bring it out for some exercise.

I can't really say about the Federal tires. 205 is wide for a 5.5" rim but they have a stiff sidewall. I thought about them for a while, but ended up putting some Yokohamas on a set of 15x7 rims instead. Someone posted photos of the federals mounted in a this thread. People are also talking tires on Facebook and the Federal is getting positive reviews. If you want something better than an all season, but not a dot legal track tire like the R888, it's really your only option right now.

Toruki

Aaagh, it's been a few weeks since I've been out. That 595 thread is great.

Toruki

I just measured my ride height...fender to wheel centerline. Factory specs say it should be

Front 344 to 384 mm, mine = 333
Rear 338 to 378 mm, mine = 336

You guys were right about stock springs being tired. So I guess new performance springs won't lower it significantly compared to present, and that's cool with me, I'm 6'4" and nowhere near as limber as I was in the 80's. As it is there's some "choreography" getting my knee past the steering wheel.

Anyone got a set of RB springs for sale? Off to the parts forum.....

cshaw07

iTrader: (14)

The 595 tires are worth of the rb springs and tokico shocks.