VS Suspension help.

[scvs6]

Ill try my best to explain what problem i'm having. Sorry if I write a lot.

When I first lowered my VS, I fitted new springs and shockers. Springs were Lovells and Shockers were Monroe GT Gas. I had them on the car for a while but it was way to rigid.

So next I bought new King springs and put them in the car, but was exactly the same.

Then I decided to take the car to Pedders and get them to check the Suspension on there machine and check all the bushes while they were at it.

They gave me a call during the day and said that the suspension was too rough so they asked if I wanted to buy Sports Ryder Springs, Sports Ryder Front Struts and Comfort Gas Rear Shockers. They said that it should make a difference. So I said go ahead and also fit an adjustable pan hard rod because the diff was over to one side a bit.

When I picked up the car and took it home, it was a tiny bit better but still very rough.

Anyway, I had a VR Commodore at home that was standard so I decided to put the old suspension (king springs and monroe GT Gas Shockers) in that one weekend. After i done that and took it for a drive, it was no where near as rough as it was in my VS.

(By the way, both have live axles).

So next thing, I decide to replace all 4 tyres. It had Silverstone tyres and they were nearly worn out anyway. So I replaced them with Kumho KU31 Tyres. But after that, car is still riding rough.

Both the VR and VS have 18 inch wheels and the VR has the cheapest possible tyres on it.

Anyway, I can't understand why the VS rides more rigid then the VR.

It's really uncomfortable at times and would like to know if there is anything else I can do.

I understand that when lowering a car it makes it ride harder but this is beyond harder.

I lowered my WH Statesman with Pedders Sports Ryder and Comfort Gas Shockers and I love it. I hasn't really changed how it was before and the Statesman has 19 inch wheels with lower profile cheap tyres.

Pedders said that everything else was spot on, like bushes and everything.

Any help at all would be greatly appretiated.

Thanks in advance.

[greenacc]

Do they both have original rubber bushes in them or are there any urethane bushes in one ?

[scvs6]

I replaced some of the bushes in the VS with genuine ones and some with nolathane. But the some of the bushes are still the original ones that were on the car when I got it. I'm really not sure about the VR because I haven't had it that long.

[jzt4kikz]

Sounds tricky mate, describe your meaning of rigid ?? im starting to think an engine or tranny mount or uni joints, something along those lines if you claim u have done pretty much everything else. . . ? Does rigid mean bumpy / vibrations / shaking etc ?

[scvs6]

Does rigid mean bumpy / vibrations / shaking etc ?

Rigid meaning it rides really rough and when I hit a bump, it hits really hard and I think if I wan't wearing a seatbelt, I would probably hit my head on the roof.

Engine mounts are good but im not sure about the transmission mount (haven't checked it) and the uni joints feel good, no movement, etc.

[Krilnik]

Mines the same.

Lows in the front, Superlows in the rear. Stiff as. Feel every bump. I even threw shortnened Boge shocks in the rear.

No idea why your VR has a smoother ride. When you find out, please let me know!!

[DavoVP]

Well Im sure if i had " Shockers " in my car itd be ruff as hell to.

Its a good thing im running some " Shock Absorber's " me thinks :P

[Krilnik]

Did you go to a private school?

[scvs6]

Mines the same.

Lows in the front, Superlows in the rear. Stiff as. Feel every bump. I even threw shortnened Boge shocks in the rear.

No idea why your VR has a smoother ride. When you find out, please let me know!!

Yeah well maybe its just how it is supposed to be but if I ever find a problem and it fixes it then I definately post it up here.

I'm not sure how low mine is (SL or SSL) but I know it is 2 inches lower then standard. So i'm guessing SSL.

I also know that tyres make a difference as well, but I have tried fitting better tyres but its still the same.

[jzt4kikz]

this has really got me thinking man ... lol prick ive got a vs statesman and its lowered etc but im thinking being a statesman " posh luxury " lol maybe i can't notcie it etc - ummm back to your vs is it an executive or something like a base model?

[scvs6]

I think because Statesmans are heavier then Commodores, they ride better. My VS is a Berlina and the VR is just an Executive, both are sedans and both have live axles.

Here is a link to my VS. My 1995 Holden VS Berlina Don't see a point putting up the VR because its really just a spare car.

[greenacc]

The point i was making about Urethane bushes is that they make the ride stiifer and more bumpy than standard. So maybe the urethane bushes in your VS account for a small part of the difference you've noticed.
If you really don't like the ride, I would go buy a set of FE2 springs from a wrecker. Fit the back ones first which is easy, then go for a drive and see how much better it is. Maybe you would be better with some taller softer springs.

[aasr]

this may sound stupid but are the bump stops still the same seance lowering it ? it may be riding on the bump stops

[scvs6]

this may sound stupid but are the bump stops still the same seance lowering it ? it may be riding on the bump stops

Are they the rubber blocks that sit above the diff? I noticed when I was servicing the car that they are slightly broken and I was wondering if it was because the diff was hitting them more since I lowered the car.

[aasr]

Yeah mate that's them they should just unbolt out. when I lowered mine I just cut them down but u can buy lowered bump stops. hope this helps to out mate

[scvs6]

Yeah mate that's them they should just unbolt out. when I lowered mine I just cut them down but u can buy lowered bump stops. hope this helps to out mate

Thanks for that mate. I think ill try cut mine down a bit as well on the weekend. That could be the problem. Ill let you know how it goes. Thanks for your help

One other thing I noticed, under the car in front of the diff, there is a dent in the floor where it looks like the tailshaft (where it bolts to the diff) has hit. Is that possible? Sometimes when I take off while turning left, I hear a knocking noise under the car but I thought it was the exhaust hitting something.

[Brett_jjj]

If the tailshft has been hitting underneath the body,the engine mounts or gearbox mounts are most likely stuffed,or the rear upper and lower control arm bushes are very worn.These engine mounts (the genuine ones) usually collapse before they actually break.My engine sat about an inch or more higher in the engine bay once the new mounts were in.It really suprised me how far it had collapsed over the years.It was causing a bad vibration about mid way along the car at certain speeds..After I replaced the above mentioned components,shes all dead smooth again.

[scvs6]

If the tailshft has been hitting underneath the body,the engine mounts or gearbox mounts are most likely stuffed,or the rear upper and lower control arm bushes are very worn.These engine mounts (the genuine ones) usually collapse before they actually break.My engine sat about an inch or more higher in the engine bay once the new mounts were in.It really suprised me how far it had collapsed over the years.It was causing a bad vibration about mid way along the car at certain speeds..After I replaced the above mentioned components,shes all dead smooth again.

You were right about the upper control arms (or trailing arms). Bushes were worn out so I replace the whole arm and bushes (which repco had in stock). Thats fixed the tailshaft problem haha. Thanks mate.

[scvs6]

Hey guys, sorry for bringing up this thread again but I have fixed the suspension problem with my car. Problem was that it was too low, so I bought some new springs from Pedders for $236 (for all 4) and raised the car just under 1 inch. Rides beautiful now. This is now the 4th set of springs I have fitted to this car lol.

[hsv91ss]

What are the part numbers on the Pedders springs they were replaced with?

Also do you want to sell your pedder springs that came out? if so PM with a price and part numbers.

[DAKSTER]

Well Im sure if i had " Shockers " in my car itd be ruff as hell to.

Its a good thing im running some " Shock Absorber's " me thinks :P

Yep, you are. They are called springs. The things you are calling 'shock absorbers' are dampers. They dont absorb any shock, they stop the springs from bouncing after the springs absorb the shock. If you are going to correct people, at least be correct.


EDIT oops this is a way old thread, just jumped into someone elses hole, i didnt dig this one up i swear! lol

[VSSS_5L]

I'd be interested to know what springs you put in it as well My ss was slammed when i bought it with all pedders suspension it always had a nice softish ride (compared the the vr i had before which i lowed with industrial springs springs and monroe shocks) the SS got defected for being too low...and i retired it to the backyard for a while and didn't look at it for like a year, coz a lot of stuff would have needed changing to get it over regency inspection. First thing i did when i blew the dust off it was replace the front brakes and put some standard height front springs in it.

Then when i went looking for the defect notice, couldn't find it...rang up the police...they didn't have any record of it, rang motor reg, they didn't have any record of it either, went down the next day, registered it came home ripped the defect sticker off my car.

So currently its slammed at the back ( i towed a tradesman trailer around for a while too so i think the rears have sagged even more ) And stock height at the front. The front pedders springs are gone, coz i was gonna swap all 4 of my springs for a mates fe2 took the fronts around to his place and was just waiting for us to get around to swapping the rears...He broke up with his missus left the springs at her house never to be seen again lol.

Rides horrible being high at the front and low at the back, on bumpy country roads my exhaust scrapes the ground probably sparks flying out the back..pretty dodgy...never rode like that when the fronts were down too.

So yeah for 236 for the set i'd love to know which springs you went with, got any pics you can post up?

[VSSS_5L]

Pedders qouted me 216 for the rear springs and 185 for the front.
$401 for 4 springs is a bit different from 236. What do I gotta do to get my springs for 236?

[VSSS_5L]

front shocks 194 each
rear 91 each

front spring 92.50 each
rear spring 108 each.

Strut top mount 49 each
Bearing 35 each

I like having pedders suspension in my car but thats over a grand worth... So...Any suspension guru's out there that can tell me...is it a case of you get what you pay for...? Or can i get the same for less $$ with a cheaper brand? advice anyone?

[vsv6dude]

I am glad you sorted out the suspension issues. Sounds like very expensive exercise to go through. You must really like that car.

Just for interest sake after 4 sets of springs and shocks etc, how much has been spent the suspension in total ?

What is the car worth ?