Need some suspension help

Want some new struts? What brand springs to buy? How much camber to run? What brake pads? What's the best setup for your situation....
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DOHC_tuner
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Need some suspension help

Post by DOHC_tuner »

Updating my post to help others so not to provide incorrect information.

Not alot of help here so doing my effort to keep the Beretta alive outside of the small circle in this community.

I completed the rear install of Eibach springs and KYB shocks. It was a very easy and straightforward install. Use a car jack to hold the rear subframe from falling when removing the old shocks! The old lower washers from the stock shocks will not work on the KYB shocks. I used just one washer that was included with the KYB kit and placed it between the strut and the upper rubber mount. That was the only way I could get it to work. I have seen a Monroe kit available for this situation but did not have that information at the time. The old stock top washer that's sits inside the trunk in the rubber mounts work fine. May order a Monroe kit in the future. Ignore the picture attached showing the stock washer on the struts. As mentioned above this has been addressed.

Now, drums were the hardest part of the rear.

Drum brakes are a hassle! Seriously going to consider the Neon rear brake swap! And to think I had a Srt4 for parts at one point.

Posting images of how the drums should look once completed. Once you do one side the other side is a breeze. Soo many springs and brackets!

Now as for the front suspension. Front struts are no where to be found for a 87-90 Beretta. So look for a Chevy Cavalier. You will see the arm for the lower brace. I have a 1990 GTZ, so newer models will be different I have heard. FE7 suspension bar connects directly to the front strut so you will need to weld the brace if your new struts don't have it. Also a option is to connect the bar to the control arms, however less effective.

Or get 94+ Beretta front struts and get the newer top stut mounts to fit. Front springs were the same except the top strut mounts changed. The body mounting points are the same. Valving for these now are not available for each different variation of Berettas so that is a downside.

Best option will be creating custom coilovers. A write up is available on this website.

I think I heard Skylark and other cars share the same FRONT struts. Found a set of PRT struts from a 1994 Z26 Quad 4 ok Rockayto in full assembly since it includes new hats and bumper stops. Don't have high hopes for these, however my stock struts are bad so anything should help. I have read the PRT struts sit higher so that may offset the minimal drop of the Eibach springs. Will post a update once installed.

Brand is the issue. Read Gabriel struts don't last and same for Sachs. My are blown so going to try some that are neither of those and update once installed.

Tried BC coilovers company to ask to make a custom set for my Beretta but have not heard back. Will call them directly soon. Have their kit on my Srt4 and they are top quality.

Oh and while I was at it, I stalled some under body LEDs to give it some fun at night. 😆

Car hasn't had a bath since so ignor her dirty look lol
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BucketHead
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Re: Need some suspension help

Post by BucketHead »

Thanks for posting this, I am working on getting my 89 GT back into regular use and I was in a panic trying to find new struts. If I read you right, I can get a set from a newer model, plus mounts, and bolt everything right up?

Agreed on the rear drums. My neighbor was giving me a hard time when I said they were a pain- but these are a pain, I don't care what anybody says.


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Rettax3
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Re: Need some suspension help

Post by Rettax3 »

Hmm, missed this post somehow. Nice write-up, great up-to-date info on the limited parts availability and some good work-arounds. :good:

I've crawled through just about every inch of my '92 N-Body Grand Am's front end (finally scrapped the shell of that, a bit painful considering the work I had put into the frame back in the day, but it just wasn't worth trying to retain the car and rebuild it, including the final move halfway across the country), and firewall-forward it is basically an L-Body Beretta under different body-work. They kept the basics on that the same until going to the "Wide Track" in '99. So if adapting the upper mount is a viable option for the '91 and older Berettas, KYB struts are available under the GA listings even if they don't show up for the Beretta.

̶B̶u̶t̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶a̶l̶s̶o̶ ̶r̶i̶g̶h̶t̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶G̶T̶Z̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶I̶n̶d̶y̶ ̶F̶E̶7̶ ̶s̶u̶s̶p̶e̶n̶s̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶n̶e̶e̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶s̶w̶a̶y̶-̶b̶a̶r̶ ̶b̶r̶a̶c̶k̶e̶t̶ ̶w̶e̶l̶d̶e̶d̶ ̶o̶n̶.̶.̶.̶ ̶Y̶u̶c̶k̶.̶ ̶:̶(̶ ̶

Edit:
Doh! :fool: Been so long since I've worked in the wheel-well of either of my Indys I didn't remember the older FE7 sway-bar bracket was a separate bolt-on plate. Thanks Woody for the correction. :good:


Oh, and I love drum brakes. :ROFL: :P
Last edited by Rettax3 on Thu Jun 01, 2023 4:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.


1989 SuperCharged 3800 Srs-II (First)Six-Speed GTU
1990 Turbo 3.4 5-Speed T-Type
1990 4.0L 4-Cam 32-Valve V-8 5-Speed Indy GTi (Project)
1990 Stock(!) 3.1 MPFI Auto Indy
1995 LA1/L82 4T60E Z-26
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woody90gtz
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Re: Need some suspension help

Post by woody90gtz »

Yes the 94+ style strut assemblies bolt right in. Ran my 91 like that for a dozen years.

The early FE7 cars 90-91 actually have a bracket that bolts to the knuckle for the end link. It was just the 92-93 with welded strut tab. That's how I ran my last car.
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I also cut my Eibachs on that car to get it as low as I wanted. Everybody says "don't do it" but it drove perfectly and I never had any issues dailying it for years. Front I just cut and tapered and installed as normal. Rear I had to make upper spacer rings to locate the coil via the ID of the second/third coil after cutting the big outer one off.
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For this car I actually made DIY coilovers that still have rubber isolators so they won't make a racket.
https://youtu.be/et8G4sg5xGA
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91 "SS" - WOT 3400/5spd - 13.29@101.6 - World's fastest N/A FWD Beretta
96 "T56" LS/6spd/8.8 RWD swap - 13.45@104.7 lol
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DOHC_tuner
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Re: Need some suspension help

Post by DOHC_tuner »

That slammed Z26 looks amazing! That is the height the Beretta needs! Make some coilovers for the Beretta community.....not to take away from the Eibach group buy lol


DOHC_tuner
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Re: Need some suspension help

Post by DOHC_tuner »

Beer soap anyone? Lol

Well removed ALOT of parts! Got them cleaned and painted. Stripped one of the bolts and had to get my tool welded to the bolt to turn it!

If anyone has the part number for the transmission seal please let me know!

Thank God for someone making this tool. Removing the bolts on the struts and knuckle were not coming out until I got this tool!
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