The history of my Camaro before my mom received it in 92 is unknown other than it was used for drug running and the cops chased it down, wrecking the hell out of it. The underneath looks like it was used for four-wheeling. Mom and stepmonster lived in California, but he had a junkyard in New Mexico with an impound yard, so after he was able to take ownership he eventually fixed it up and gave it to her.

I have no idea if anything was done to the suspension. She died in 99, but I know she didn’t have anything done to it. The car was originally from California.

Is it normal for an 89 Camaro to be extremely rough riding? Just the slightest little bump and it shakes and sounds like the car is being hit by a wrecking ball. It’s really rough and jolts the car very aggressively and is very loud inside.

It does look like it may sit a little lower than many other Camaros, but is there a way to measure something to see if it’s stock?

I swear it rides like it has no springs or shocks and sometimes the bumps hurt your back, while those same bumps were nothing in my Buick.

I know it’s not suppose to be the smoothest riding car, but are these extremely rough riding cars? I’ve had it since 99, but always just assumed this was normal until reading an article about GM wanting something easy riding while still be sporty.

The car corners EXTREMELY well and doesn’t seem to lean at all. When I’m out on a country road, I like to keep it at the speed limit and sometimes 5 over and always end up with some buttwipe riding my a$$, which is annoying as hell. Lots of sharp turns in this part of Eastern Ohio, so when I come to one when a car is tailgating me, I simply don’t slow down, which has caused some of them to almost run off the road and take out mailboxes and parked cars. They don’t usually ride my **** after that.

As hard as it hits, I’m worried it’s going to damage the car, or our backs.

The drug runners had fancy aluminum (cool looking) performance 16” rims put on, which currently has 225 60 16’s mounted.

Thanks!

 

No they are not as bad as you are making it sound. My first guess would be worn stocks and struts. I would do those first.

 

More than likely, the car has never had ball joints and tie rod ends done. Get the wonderbar from TDS (top-downsolutions.com) or from an IROC at the local JY. At that age, the springs are going to be shot, as wll as shocks & struts - it's probably sagging on bad springs and that's why the 'lowered' look. My car actually raised up some when I first installed my lowering springs it sagged so bad. New sway bar end links and sway bar bushings will help alot too.

 

The ball joints, tie rod ends, idler, pitman and a few other things were replaced and are all tight.

Are shocks basically to keep the car from bouncing? I've had cars with bad shocks before and the bumps were ok, but they would bounce for awhile.

 

Shocks are to control the 'recoil' if you will from the springs. The springs actually control the 'bounce' if that makes sense.

 

So if my springs are shot, that's the likely reason for the severe rough riding and not the shocks?

Being on disability, I don't have the money to replace the springs and shocks immediately, but I may be able to buy one part at a time and get them changed next year.

The car is with me for life, so I have it a little time left to get things back in working order.

And after I'm gone, I'm hoping my daughter will keep it in the family.

I wish I hadn't let the car sit so long. Everywhere I go people are asking if I want to sell it. I even have kids yelling "nice car" and the finish is less than desirable right now.

 

Springs don't really go bad. They may sag a little, but they don't lose much of their performance. Shocks would be my first step. I recently replaced my shocks on an otherwise original suspension and it transformed the car from harsh and awful to firm and awesome.

 

It probably is the springs. They tend to settle low and it ruins the spring rates and travel of the shocks and struts.

I'd spend 120 bucks on a set of springs first. Then get a set of shocks and struts. Put new shocks on a car with dusted springs and your shocks will get destroyed quick. Vice versa does not hurt the springs though.

I put new shocks and struts on my car hoping it would solve the rough ride... But it did little to nothing. I now have a new set of springs from Summit that I'm about to install in the upcoming week or two.

 

Can you keep me updated on your results?

I found it's the rear that's really hitting hard.

 

Thats classic rear shocks going bad. I had the same issue. I found that my one rear shock was completely useless. It took virtually zero pressure to compress. The other was almost as bad.

To test, unbolt the bottom of the shock and see how hard it is to compress.

 

Here is how the car sits. Just seems to me that the back should be a little higher.

Pay no attention to the IROC emblems on the door... My ex-stepfather was a moron and had them put on when he fixed it up and painted it for my mother.

Note the spare tire on the right front and the one without the hubcap on the other. My son lost both bolts to hold them on, so I have to go to a hardware store or somewhere I can get hex bolts. Those wheels are very nice looking when they are clean. Filthy right now.

Just noticed the right rear sits lower. Wonder why?

 

Change/springs/ shocks/ struts, add wonderbar and subframe connectors, it'll be like a new vehicle....