Neon struts adapted to l-bodies (possibly others)

[altered7151]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdawg early 90's cant remember.

All the ones I saw are macpherson struts, those wont work.

[Travis_k]

If the galant struts will work you can get kyb agx struts for them.

[altered7151]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis_k If the galant struts will work you can get kyb agx struts for them.

Awesome, maybe this weekend I'll have the parts store pull both of them off the shelf and compare the galants to the l-body.

[altered7151]

Just looked up the kyb's on tire rack, they're 91 a piece, and the koni's for the galant are only 94 a piece. Hope they work.

[capev86]

how about using your regluar k chassis strut assemblys with neon springs? i was thinking about doing that on the front of my 89 spirit es to level things out. it sits waaay tooo high in the front!

[BB3]

I was poking around the web and found this:

http://www.nasaproracing.com/rules/Spec-Neon.pdf.

13.1 Strut/Knuckle/Hub Assembly Struts shall be either OEM, aftermarket (Yellow) Koni Adjustable, or OEM 1995-1996 Neon ACR Arvin struts. Daimler-Chrysler P-body steering knuckles, hubs and wheel bearings are permitted for durability. ACR spec hubs (P5007314) are required for safety if the P-body setup is not used. Remote reservoir struts are not allowed. Custom revalving of struts in not allowed and all strutsshall use the valving as specified for their original part number.

It looks like they are talking about Shadow steering knuckles as an upgrade for Neon knuckles.

[Cooter]

I checked the saturn sc2 yesterday, the rears are struts, and they are struts on the 95 also.....

[The Pope]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdawg be careful of those cheap coil over kits. They are not designed for handling. Most are designed for maximum drop heigth in mind, therefore they have a REALLY short length. They are made for show cars and such that just want to hammer it on the ground. At least get a name brand like Ground Control or something like that. Also something to look into is http://www.truckn-store.com/product....t.asp&ID=92377 which uses an adjustable perch instead of a sleeve type that just uses a really short coil to drop.

Ground control thinks you should use 7" springs on an L body with slam the car. If you buy from them tell them 9".

Rob

[The Pope]

Gen 2 Neon struts are $147 at www.jegs.com. They are the Koni yellow Sports

part # 610-8641-1474SP

Rob

[Phreakish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by altered7151 Thats what I was going to suggest, get the cheap coil over, then ditch the springs and get the good replacements, perfect length and rate.

that was my plan originally, and will more than likely do it on the rears, but I like the el-cheapo springs on the front, car rides well, sits low and looks mean. I still havn't broken an axle (cross your fingers for me) and it handles MUCH better than even the stock suspension did in good shape (stock parts were fine just rode REAL high, and I like my car where it is now, lol).

The stiff (and I mean Stiff) rear makes the car handle odd sometimes, it 'bucks' over drop-offs, meaning it wants to kick the rear into the air - car is so light in the ass when empty, its MUCH better mannered with my 2 trannies and a slew of other parts I have back there right now (just came from home in CA).

[Tryte]

Ok, Ive been following along with this post and i know it is pertaining to Lbodys. But the same should apply to the front suspension of a PBody (which is what i have). Ive been thinking that 1G Neon struts would at least fit up front and thus i could use 1G Neon coilovers, which are more abundant. So with the exception of drilling an extra whole in my strut tower for the strut bolts, the 1G neon coilover should bolt right onto my 92 PBody?? And just doing that will lower it about an inch and a half or so. Now ive got coilovers up front with full camber adjustment if i do that.

Now heres where it gets interesting. Im not against doing some custom welding in the rear to make rear 1G neon coilovers fit in the rear of my Pbody. But the major question is what is the height difference between a neon strut and a regular Pbody strut. Because if they are nearly the same, then i see no reason why i couldnt cut off the shock support and spring perch on the axle, weld on a new strut support that will adapt to the 1G neon strut. And then weld in a strut tower on either side in the rear inside the trunk to fit the neon style upper perch.

So the question is, does anyone know the length difference between the rear struts on a 1G neon and the rear shocks on a Pbody?

Coilovers on all corners would be a blast. If the dimensions of the rear struts are very similar, i think i will start welding in the spring when the car comes back out of storage.

[The Pope]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tryte Ok, Ive been following along with this post and i know it is pertaining to Lbodys. But the same should apply to the front suspension of a PBody (which is what i have). Ive been thinking that 1G Neon struts would at least fit up front and thus i could use 1G Neon coilovers, which are more abundant. So with the exception of drilling an extra whole in my strut tower for the strut bolts, the 1G neon coilover should bolt right onto my 92 PBody?? And just doing that will lower it about an inch and a half or so. Now ive got coilovers up front with full camber adjustment if i do that. Now heres where it gets interesting. Im not against doing some custom welding in the rear to make rear 1G neon coilovers fit in the rear of my Pbody. But the major question is what is the height difference between a neon strut and a regular Pbody strut. Because if they are nearly the same, then i see no reason why i couldnt cut off the shock support and spring perch on the axle, weld on a new strut support that will adapt to the 1G neon strut. And then weld in a strut tower on either side in the rear inside the trunk to fit the neon style upper perch. So the question is, does anyone know the length difference between the rear struts on a 1G neon and the rear shocks on a Pbody? Coilovers on all corners would be a blast. If the dimensions of the rear struts are very similar, i think i will start welding in the spring when the car comes back out of storage.

Um, no. The gen 1s are going to sit a P body on the ground, you need the whole strut and knuckle gen 2 setup. The rear is the same as a Daytona, no strut, it's a shock and spring on axle. Ground Control has a coil over for sure for the fronts and I've seen pics of rears (not sure if they were Ground Control). A P body you can buy better springs anyway fairly cheap, same with the Konis. L bodys you get completely raped.

My car uses Daytona / P body front Konis, Ground Control coil over for an L body with 7" springs and L body KYB upper strut mounts with 11" Shelby Daytona knuckles/ brakes. ALL BOLT ON. Camber is looking great. The back is a standard GLHS rear Koni with Ground Control coil over with 9" springs. The 11" rear disks are bolted on. Neon stuff works but I like the Daytona stuff better, and I have a rounded out 11" brake system too. Gen 2 Neon is for using 12" Willwoods I have a couple pics of the Daytona struts on the GLHS in the mod section.

Rob Walsh

86 GLHS 76
89 CSX 187
84 DC Shelby Rampage
86 goverment issue turbo Reliant wagon
70 Challenger R/T SE
72 Challenger Rally
93 Cummins 4x4 club LE
head porting
http://pnw-sdac.org/gallery/view_alb...albumName=mods
the cars
http://pnw-sdac.org/gallery/view_alb...umName=album16

[DodgeZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pope Um, no. The gen 1s are going to sit a P body on the ground, you need the whole strut and knuckle gen 2 setup. The rear is the same as a Daytona, no strut, it's a shock and spring on axle. Ground Control has a coil over for sure for the fronts and I've seen pics of rears (not sure if they were Ground Control). A P body you can buy better springs anyway fairly cheap, same with the Konis. L bodys you get completely raped. My car uses Daytona / P body front Konis, Ground Control coil over for an L body with 7" springs and L body KYB upper strut mounts with 11" Shelby Daytona knuckles/ brakes. ALL BOLT ON. Camber is looking great. The back is a standard GLHS rear Koni with Ground Control coil over with 9" springs. The 11" rear disks are bolted on. Neon stuff works but I like the Daytona stuff better, and I have a rounded out 11" brake system too. Gen 2 Neon is for using 12" Willwoods I have a couple pics of the Daytona struts on the GLHS in the mod section.

how much was all the Ground Control coil over stuff?

[The Pope]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DodgeZ how much was all the Ground Control coil over stuff?

the whole kit with the universal springs is under $400, I paid $370 for front and rear. The Omni kit is a bolt on for the Daytona front struts. If you order a kit to use with all L body you need 9" springs all around, they sold me 7" and it's way too short. But 7" works great up front with the Daytona struts.

Price wise your a hair cheaper than FWDs Konis and coil overs and can bolt on 11" brakes. You also can buy for around half price the fronts only and buy FWDs rear setup, which I may end up doing. I'm not real intrested in paying $125 per shock plus parts to rebuild my old rear Konis, true choice hoses you.

For an econo setup up to a MP autocross setup you could buy the LRE rear L body springs and 250 lb Ground control coil overs up front. Then the spring rate is low enough to use a cheaper shock like a GR2. Or leave it stock and run 200 lb springs. Those cheap coil over kits come with cheap springs too, Ground Control will be more with the Eibachs. In truth if you can buy a Neon setup and the hat has the same size hole in it as a Daytona strut you can use them, the lower end is just a sleave and easy to make work. The shorter Gen 1 Neon coil over is most likely whats needed for spring length. I just used grade 8 washers for a spacer and the L body upper mount bolts on. The washers hold the coil over hat in place and seat the upper L body bearing, pretty clean and simple.

Rob

[rfb6435]

I have a similar setup to Rob in the front which I based on his advice. I cut the spring perches off, and jb-welded the spring perches from ground control to the struts. I ran 8" springs because cutting off the perches lowers things a bit. I should have some pictures and can take and pose some more. Cutting the perches isn't necessary but it looks better IMO.

One bit of advice should you cut the perch off is to only cut most of the way through and then drive it the rest of the way off with a chisel. I accidentally cut slightly into the strut body and nearly runied the strut.

I bought a half kit from Ground control for an 87 GLHS for $200 or so(call them they have it even though it isn't on their webpage).

-Rich