While perusing the "GTO Suspension Buyer's Guide," HPP learned that these late-model GTOs have a lot of handling potential that's waiting to be realized with aftermarket upgrades. When driving our mostly-stock-suspended GTO, we wondered how badly the factory bushings were worn from the beating they have taken at the track and from 67,000 road miles.
We already installed and tested Hotchkis sway bars and showed a solid improvement, but in our quest for a 1g-lateral-grip GTO, we knew that more upgrades would be required. We contacted two reputable companies in the market, Kollar Racing and KW Suspension, to see what components they could provide to improve our GTO's handling. The consensus was that all the major bushings should be replaced with Lovells bushings from Kollar Racing, and an adjustable coilover setup from KW should be installed.
In Part I, we discuss the new front suspension components and install them. In the next issue, we will install the rear suspension pieces and then tune the system for the street and track.
The Parts
Andy Kollar of Kollar Racing offered some insight on GTO suspension and the parts needed to drastically improve our Goat's handling. Regarding the front suspension, "The front radius-rod bushings should be replaced on every GTO, said Andy. "They are soft and fluid-filled, so they absorb too much braking load when the car wants to keep moving and the wheels try to stop. This results in excessive movement of the front suspension when braking and contributes to the '04-'06 GTO's poor brake-pedal feel."
With the GTO safely on the lift and the battery disconnected, we started with the removal of the wheels and front brakes. (For full details on how to remove the brakes, visit www.highperformancepontiac.com or see Part I of "Halt," Dec. '09.) Then we went to work on the factory front radius-rod bushings. They are held in by a 24mm nut and can be removed with an open-end wrench or deep socket. The surrounding nuts are 13 mm.
We noticed this when we were on the road course and during our brake testing. The front strut would physically move backward in the wheelwell because of the high loads the front suspension exhibits during hard braking. This is not conducive to proper tire wear and performance.
Andy says the Lovells radius rod bushings will "dramatically improve the braking and handling of the GTO. This is the number one upgrade-and it's a must do!"
An added benefit is that they allow for more caster adjustment. The installation was easy using the detailed, easy-to-follow instructions included with the kit. Rear radius-rod bushings were also supplied to complement the fronts.
New polyurethane strut mounts with bearings were provided as well. "These polyurethane bushings replace the poor-quality factory rubber mounts," Andy says. "Strut rub on GTOs is a common problem. These mounts don't collapse like rubber ones." (Strut rub has been an issue on our GTO for quite some time, so we expected the factory pieces were shot.)
With the front bolt removed, we could then take off this 28mm rear-radius-rod nut.
The last two pieces were the polyurethane front control-arm bushings and the RoadSafe No Bush front-stabilizer links. The control-arm bushings will replace the soft factory rubber pieces and reduce suspension deflection.
According to Andy, "The factory links bend easily even with stock sway bars, and the factory rubber bushings deteriorate rapidly. These RoadSafe stabilizer links use a significantly thicker shaft and eliminate the need for rubber bushings. These are a must when using any aftermarket sway bar."
Finally, we have the KW Variant 3 coilover suspension. We went with the KW coilovers because we were looking for the most performance and adjustability for track use. According to KW, its Variant 3 system features "individual height adjustment and damping technology with 14-way-adjustable compression damping, and individually working damping and rebound."
KW springs feature a 515 lb/in rate in the front and a progressive rate (specs unknown) in the rear. They are considerably stiffer than the GTO's stock 392-lb/in front and 150-lb/in rear springs.
We plan to head to Sebring International Raceway later this year, in addition to our monthly trips to the autocross and Gainesville Raceway's road course. The KW V3, as they're referred to, will allow us to tame the suspension for the street and then dial in a nasty racing setup on the open track.
Installation
As with most suspension components, it is recommended that installation be done by a trained professional, which I am not. So Greg Lovell of AntiVenom in Seffner, Florida (no relation to Lovells suspension), was kind enough to come to the HPP shop and lend us a hand. Having him there to assist with the installation made things go smoother and, more importantly, safer.
Lovells and KW also recommend professional installation of its components, however, the upgrades in this story can be done by a mechanically inclined hobbyist. The only special tool needed is a press for the lower control arm bushings, and any auto parts store can press out the old ones and press in the new ones for a nominal fee. Read on to see what is involved.
Parts Part Part Number Price Lovells Front Radius Rod Bushings X82047 $210 Lovells Strut Mounts with Bearing X41772 $160 Lovells Rear Radius Rod Bushings N81099 $33 Lovells Front Control Arm Bushings N51233 $60 HD RoadSafe No Bush Front Stabilizer Links STB9020 $130 KW Varient 3 Coilover Kit 35262002 $2,295 Torque Specs Control Arm Ball Joint 44 ft-lb Control Arm 109 ft-lb Radius Rod 72 ft-lb Rear Radius Rod 76 ft-lb Outer Tie Rod to Steering Knuckle 50 ft-lb Swaybar Endlinks 37 ft-lb Strut Shaft to Body 58 ft-lb Strut to Knuckle Nut and Bolt 1st Pass 63 ft-lb 2nd Pass 74 ft-lb 3rd Pass quarter turn Caliper Bracket 52 ft-lb Caliper to Bracket 45 ft-lb