1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

fb dift suspension setup?

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Old 01-16-08, 12:42 AM
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PA fb dift suspension setup?

ok so i have a gsl-se 124K ... dellorto carb/racing beat intake/Racing beat headers/racing beat exhaust/holley carb/holley fuel pump. im looking for suspension but i havent really seen any1 posting that the car will be used for drifting. so here i am asking (dont flip out on me if i missed a thread about this if i did then my bad) but anyways. the car is not my dd strictley drift and maybe to go to a couple meet once in a while, i dont really go to the track (also dont flip out on me for street drifting i dont do it in residential areas soo chill) but anyway again stiffness is a plus and would like to kno spring rates where i can get them etc. i am not worried about money just want to kno what other people use, and works since this is my first fb, and ive tried to search but could not find much, ive seen posts about the illuminas so i am thinking about them but would like to kno if there are any other or beter options. thanks and my bad if i upset anybody!
Old 01-16-08, 01:01 AM
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for the track, the Illuminas are probably going to be your best bet, what with the adjustability, along with some coilovers from RE-Speed with springs to match. possibly a pan-hard bar and tri link, since the suspension will be getting the **** kicked out of it. Poly bushings. One question though, how are you running a Dellorto carb AND a Holley at the same time? Is that just a typo? Also, just because you aren't drifting in a residential are, does not mean someone can't get hurt. I'm not preaching, I've drifted my FB before on city streets too, but it only took sliding into a curb once for me to stop. Just food for thought. good luck
Old 01-16-08, 01:08 AM
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^ +1..orion said it right with illuminas and re-speed coilovers..can't go wrong..there are a few on here that have used them for track purposes...
Old 01-16-08, 02:24 AM
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mazdatrixs has spring rates for the aftermarket springs that ST, Eibach and RB offer in their faq section. If you want stiffness/adjustability then coilovers are the way to go in combination with the illumina inserts
Old 01-16-08, 03:24 AM
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Re-speed offers height adjustable perch for the car, you will need the panhard and tri-link to have any success drifting this car.
Old 01-16-08, 04:18 PM
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thanks and yea it has the delorto on it but the holley was given to me with the car sorry i was gonna ask which one would be beter my bad...and as for the drifting we use industrial parks with look outs we dont go unless is clear no one is on the roads besides us so the only one i can hurt is myself and im ok with that.
Old 01-16-08, 05:30 PM
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I have the Progress group springs The rates are 160# fronts and 125# rears as per progress group. I believe that makes them the stiffest full length springs you can buy for the fb. The car doesn't lower much but it's easy to control. To help them out I have tockico illuminas set to 4 in the front and 2 in the rear. As of time of testing (drifting in a warehouse parking lot) I had stock swaybars with worn out stock bushings, energy susension bushings for the tension rods. and es bushings in the lower control arms. approx 380 tread wear tires (yes they suck)
All other bushings and parts are stock form 1984.

The car was easy to control and cause over or understeer at will. The only thing I did not like was there was no way to reduce the steering time it took to travel from lock to lock and as I got tired after quite some time I wouldn't be able to keep the steering moving fast enough to catch the car on kick back when i wanted the car momentum in one direction to be used to fling the car and pick up speed in the opposite direction. So I bought the re-speed steering kit since the rack i have now is a 15:1 ratio it is a lot faster. I have yet to test the car as there is a new engine going in and a bunch of oither stuff going on with it at this time. I'm sure it will more than fix the steering transit time though as just steering the car sitting still takes no effort ane the lock to lock turns are greatly reduced I would say how many turns it is lock to lock but i don't know how to measure it properly and don't want to mis quote anything. It appers to be about 3-3.5 turns sometimes it seems like less than three but I don't think I was paying attention. The stock one is like 4-4.5 or something like that. It's also a veriable ratio stock per billy starting at approx 20:1 and ending at approx 17:1. So depending how far you steer on the stock stuff you are changing the ratio and now I know why it really feels weird stock and can't wait to drive the new stuff. 15:1 is more along the lines oif most normal quick steering cars on the market.
Old 01-16-08, 06:51 PM
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Front spring rates into the 400-450 in/lb range can be found. Billy sells qute a selection of springs for his coilover setup.
Old 01-16-08, 06:58 PM
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Stock will work fine for drifting. It's the drifter that makes all the difference. I would start with rims and tiers. Get a few sets of spares, and putthose on the rear and sock will drift surprisingly well.
Old 01-16-08, 10:23 PM
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Originally Posted by trochoid
Front spring rates into the 400-450 in/lb range can be found. Billy sells qute a selection of springs for his coilover setup.
I think you're talking about coilover springs the 2 1/2 inch jobbers. I was speaking of an actual lowering spring. You were probably not even talking about my post though. he he
Old 01-16-08, 11:07 PM
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Yes I was refering to your post. There are several places to buy stiffer springs, some are even a direct replacement for stock ones, and most all of them are 0.8-1" lower.

If you look at ReSpeed, I believe they sell springs in assorted lengths.
Old 01-16-08, 11:15 PM
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lsd, stiffer springs and stiff sways will do just fine for drifting. you could get the illuminas 5 way adj for added sidewayz fun. I would stay under 15 inch wheels/tires on the stock steering rack since anything bigger you have to be the worlds strongest man to turn the wheel.

what speeds (mph) do you plan on actually drifting at ?
Old 01-17-08, 05:23 AM
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he dont need a LSD, he could always weld the spider gears and save a few hundred dollars. speaking of drifting it snowed this morning. i can practice

good luck with your fb
Old 01-17-08, 06:59 PM
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welded diff!
yup dont need coilovers. just need some stiff springs and better shocks, unless you're planing to drift it everyday then you will need some coilovers so that you can adjust it to the right stiffness for the kind of sliding you are doing.
otherwise springs and shocks will do.
right now im saving up for a panhard, trilink, and a respeed steering rack =)
Old 01-17-08, 07:09 PM
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welded diff are not steetable from what I have learned.

if its a track specific beater drift machine go for the welded diff.
Old 01-17-08, 10:04 PM
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I don't drift, but I use my sa for trackdays and solo events.
I have most of the suspension pieces from gforce engineering( coilovers,turn in spacers, trilink,and the panhard bar) and I have a set of advanced shocks, coilovers, and camber plates from ground control. I remove the rear bar sway bar and kept the stock front bar.
I hyme joints in the rear and urathan bushings in the front of the car. Its very adjustable the car handles great.
Old 01-17-08, 10:35 PM
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Spend $75 on Jim Susko's setup manual (from G-force Racing) and learn how to make your car handle really well and then adjust from there. It is cheap insurance and if it prevents you from a single error in your suspension setup it will save you money. Oh yeah, he is a two national road racer in an FB.
Old 01-17-08, 11:24 PM
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where'd u guys find a panhard bar n trilink? or is the trilink a watts linkage?
Old 01-17-08, 11:31 PM
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Gforce and ISC Racing sell panhards and tri-links specifically for the 1st gens. A tri-link replaces the watts system.
Old 01-17-08, 11:38 PM
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You can go the "ghetto" route, which would be chopping the stock springs and using old snow tires...

Me, on the other hand, prefer to do things the "correct" way. I'm building my car to last, so that's my view on things. www.re-speed.com is definitely the way to go if you want to do it right. Illuminas, coilover springs, definitely a limited slip rear end if you don't already have one, and some decent tires designed for drifting. Some heavy swaybars should also help out a lot...
Old 01-18-08, 12:04 AM
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Originally Posted by trochoid
Gforce and ISC Racing sell panhards and tri-links specifically for the 1st gens. A tri-link replaces the watts system.
whoa!!! if i had found these sites earlier i probably never wouldve bought a fc. thanks for it info now go help me on my thread lol
Old 01-24-08, 11:35 PM
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Originally Posted by MWMburton
whoa!!! if i had found these sites earlier i probably never wouldve bought a fc. thanks for it info now go help me on my thread lol
Always do lots of research into the aftermarket before buying a car to tune.
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