Am I lowered yet?!

[sleepyalero]

little sneak peak........

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/8C85E393-C264-49E8-B0CF-C0C8791C01BA-10480-000002AC1C4E8B9B.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/345E316A-ADB5-41CA-B51F-D9764C7B0FEC-10480-000002AC145171F9.jpg

good before pic takin in the fall...


http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/9B35F8E3-394F-42F9-933F-1401477C1322-10480-000002B196FF8F11.jpg

[jhubbz]

Damn that thing is ridin high

[sleepyalero]

Damn that thing is ridin high

Not anymore. :)

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/F4968196-E64A-469A-ACBD-A24132CAF9AD-10480-000002B2BF7299C7.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/75AFBE60-8594-4E8E-9743-1C30329EAE58-10480-000002C0F5D1DB41.jpg

Ill have to get more later, it's snowing.


The little black gaurd under front bumper scraped going into my garage :D

[Greencoupe2.2]

almost makes me wish i had a 4 door, damn that thing's clean!!!!!

[Newlin]

Very nice! I wish mine looked that pristine.

[sleepyalero]

Thank you! I do my best with her. :)

CAN'T WAIT FOR ASS

[tw0123]

Damn dude... that is sweet!!!!!!! Can't wait til she settles in after some driving to see how low she'll go... how's the ride? You in love all over again? :)

IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!
sorry nate had to... :)

[sleepyalero]

Damn dude... that is sweet!!!!!!! Can't wait til she settles in after some driving to see how low she'll go... how's the ride? You in love all over again? :)

IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!
sorry nate had to... :)

I know took 5 years! And it rides very nice. Stiffer then stock but its good. I never fell out of love with her, never will. :)

You get my PM's? Shoot me a text!

[Shiwnath]

Damn thats lookin good. You need bigger brakes though.. They look so tiny and insignificant with those wheels lol.

[jhubbz]

Yep, I'm jelly. So what's the set up?

[sleepyalero]

Damn thats lookin good. You need bigger brakes though.. They look so tiny and insignificant with those wheels lol.

That's the next step.... Might get a rear sway bar from Two along with strut braces sometime...

Yep, I'm jelly. So what's the set up?

KYB GR2, Canuck springs, moog mounts. :)

Funny thing is the rear is grey and fronts are black here's a pic of set up.

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/2cbb165cfc0dd36b390596c11cb6c077.jpg

[xXManwhoreXx]

But its not low enough!

[sleepyalero]

i dont want it slammed lol

[jawa]

gotta have drivability
looks sick,
i still got dibs on dat tranny

[Papa Rad17]

Looking good nate. looking good. :pimp: :pimp: :posi:

[sleepyalero]

gotta have drivability
looks sick,
i still got dibs on dat tranny

thanks guys,

psh. can never be to low dependin on what your style is.

no on the trans!

[mfuller]

I know where you can get some big brakes for a reasonable price if you're interested......
Looks much better Nate.

[sleepyalero]

I know where you can get some big brakes for a reasonable price if you're interested......
Looks much better Nate.

text me details when you get a chance.

[jhubbz]

Nice! I want the same set up except h&r springs. Got a part number for the moog mounts?

[tw0123]

Nice! I want the same set up except h&r springs. Got a part number for the moog mounts?

Lol good choice!! It's what I'm hoping to have on by spring... only thing missing is the mounts which Nate is helping me with! Then my eibach's go to mike the canadian for his bu :)

[sleepyalero]

Nice! I want the same set up except h&r springs. Got a part number for the moog mounts?

I thought about h&r but eh...

Part numbers.

Front: K6520
Rear: K6519

Lol good choice!! It's what I'm hoping to have on by spring... only thing missing is the mounts which Nate is helping me with! Then my eibach's go to mike the canadian for his bu :)

:)

[sleepyalero]

Damn thats lookin good. You need bigger brakes though.. They look so tiny and insignificant with those wheels lol.

I think these will compliment nicely in the front with a little light blue/black repaint... ;) couple weeks...

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/CA4C3BDF-F9D9-4D32-8D16-5F45F22359F4-13360-0000035109AFE807.jpg

[xXManwhoreXx]

Matts setup! Your crazy

[sleepyalero]

Matts setup! Your crazy

Far from it. :)

[JLw7123]

Damn sleepy car looks great. Man makes me miss my black alero. I think the black alero looks the best but that is just me.

[04PONTIACGA]

Not one thing I dislike about this car. The new brakes would look great once you get them.

Are you just getting the fronts, or rear too? If your getting tears also, what would you want for the calipers, and brackets? I'm still sporting drums on the back of mine.

[sleepyalero]

Damn sleepy car looks great. Man makes me miss my black alero. I think the black alero looks the best but that is just me.

I'd have to agree black is my favorite color alero.

Not one thing I dislike about this car. The new brakes would look great once you get them.

Are you just getting the fronts, or rear too? If your getting tears also, what would you want for the calipers, and brackets? I'm still sporting drums on the back of mine.

Baer did not make a rear kit, so it's just fronts. As for my stock setup, they are painted light blue.. And idk if I will let them go because these new rotors are 2" bigger then stock, and if I ever need to put my 16" winter wheels on ill have to swap my brakes out because the 16s won't clear the new brakes. :( but I might.... Let me think about it...

New calipers are fairly cheap at an auto store though, I've replaced both fronts at one time because the slides were shot.

[04PONTIACGA]

I'd have to agree black is my favorite color alero.



Baer did not make a rear kit, so it's just fronts. As for my stock setup, they are painted light blue.. And idk if I will let them go because these new rotors are 2" bigger then stock, and if I ever need to put my 16" winter wheels on ill have to swap my brakes out because the 16s won't clear the new brakes. :( but I might.... Let me think about it...

New calipers are fairly cheap at an auto store though, I've replaced both fronts at one time because the slides were shot.

I thought about raiding a camaro at the local j/y to get the setup off of there, and just rebuilding the calipers. It's like $4 for the piston seals. Then I'll take them to work and get them powdercoated, but I dunno still haven't decided yet. I just need discs on the rear. My spring retainer broke of my backing plate, so I had to weld it on. I didn't wanna waste money on a new one when I would be getting discs anyway.

[sleepyalero]

I thought about raiding a camaro at the local j/y to get the setup off of there, and just rebuilding the calipers. It's like $4 for the piston seals. Then I'll take them to work and get them powdercoated, but I dunno still haven't decided yet. I just need discs on the rear. My spring retainer broke of my backing plate, so I had to weld it on. I didn't wanna waste money on a new one when I would be getting discs anyway.

Yeah I'll either leave the back stock or replace with camaro or Gxp rear, probably leave them stock.

[jawa]

I thought about raiding a camaro at the local j/y to get the setup off of there, and just rebuilding the calipers. It's like $4 for the piston seals. Then I'll take them to work and get them powdercoated, but I dunno still haven't decided yet. I just need discs on the rear. My spring retainer broke of my backing plate, so I had to weld it on. I didn't wanna waste money on a new one when I would be getting discs anyway.



i have the camaro set up on my alero so much better over stock much better stopping power with dual pistons on each caliper and you wont go through wapred roters as fast lol, you do have to have 16 inch wheels though

[04PONTIACGA]

i have the camaro set up on my alero so much better over stock much better stopping power with dual pistons on each caliper and you wont go through wapred roters as fast lol, you do have to have 16 inch wheels though

Ya, I'll be fine my stockers a 16". I also have to get spindles off a GA/Alero, and a few other things to convert.

[XanderWiFi]

That looks perfect man...absolutely spectacular. And they put everything in correctly? lol. Where did you have it done at where they have that nice open space.

I have the AGX and H&R Springs with KYB mounts, but I don't think mine is dropped as far as yours.

[sleepyalero]

That looks perfect man...absolutely spectacular. And they put everything in correctly? lol. Where did you have it done at where they have that nice open space.

I have the AGX and H&R Springs with KYB mounts, but I don't think mine is dropped as far as yours.

I had a dealership assemble the springs/struts/mounts. I installed them myself. I do 95% of the work on my car myself.., well more like 98%

Thank you for the compliment. :)

[billytheman1188]

Nice. Looks MUCH better now. As far as the brakes though....how is the availability on parts for the baer kit? Why not just go with the camaro set up....parts are readily available and it works just as good. LOVE my brake upgrade...one of my fav mods. Hate the stock front brakes....can't believe you still have them! ;)

[sleepyalero]

Nice. Looks MUCH better now. As far as the brakes though....how is the availability on parts for the baer kit? Why not just go with the camaro set up....parts are readily available and it works just as good. LOVE my brake upgrade...one of my fav mods. Hate the stock front brakes....can't believe you still have them! ;)

cause its not common on these cars. i like rare parts :)

the baer kit has 5k miles on em so they will last im sure rotors will not be a problem.. i found a kit for 970$ so im sure new calipers wont be hard to find and pads are corvette pads so thats also easy.

[sleepyalero]

Some randoms I took today,

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/71c5067bd7d5f832ca9e9942995c4ce7.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/dbe93781cdc7f038a44e097a805e800d.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/eadb27b1070d78f14b77661f0e54ce31.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/426ff637699e4174c7235001ff293662.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/60e72c4a844bc9c7f6e858065884bc6e.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/0194db35f4dd1cfc45929785ccbef80a.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/33fbdaa0f643c44b8ff489c0eb193750.jpg

[jawa]

Ya, I'll be fine my stockers a 16". I also have to get spindles off a GA/Alero, and a few other things to convert.

why do u need the spindles , just get the caliper bracket off the camaro and it bolts right up to the n bodys spindals

[Papa Rad17]

Looking good like usual nate! I feel like it needs a bit more blue though... and since your doing up the front brakes this nice you should drop the gxp set up on the rear. super stopping power! :lol:

[sleepyalero]

Thanks, I might... We'll see where it takes me yet 30% is rear braking so is it really that important?

[tw0123]

probably not super important, but it will balance out the look of the bigger brakes on the front... looks kinda wacky if you have the front huge and these tiny calipers on the back...
lol
it's all about balance!! :)

[sleepyalero]

yeah, all in good time. just got a call earlier today about testing some parts from mms so we will see where that takes me...

i wont say what until ive got it in... :)

[Nas Escobar]

Some randoms I took today,

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/60e72c4a844bc9c7f6e858065884bc6e.jpg

I'm hating right now. I have the same almost exact car as you, but the stock rims really kill my look. I'm hating right now. Damn, I really need to get my 16's or 17's ASAP. :/\

why do u need the spindles , just get the caliper bracket off the camaro and it bolts right up to the n bodys spindals

He needs the rear spindles. Well technically, he needs the everything from the rear shocks down. He wants to do a rear brake conversion since he has a Grand Am SE. They didn't come with discs. Only the GT did. That's also something I'm looking at, but I'm sketchy to using JY wheel hubs.

[sleepyalero]

get some wheels, do 18s and lower

[Nas Escobar]

That's my goal. I'm waiting for a good set of rims to show up. I'm trying to keep the weight of the rims no heavier than 19-20 pounds. I know it doesn't mean much but I feel I'll regret getting heavy rims in the future if I go that route.

[sleepyalero]

Surprisingly, my rims (just the rims) are 2 lbs lighter per wheel then my 16s.

Though I think they are also just a wee lighter (the 18s) with tires then my 16s are.. But I have not checked.

[Nas Escobar]

Really? I would have thought they were heavier.

Where did you get them?

[sleepyalero]

Really? I would have thought they were heavier.

Where did you get them?

eBay :D

526$ for the rims. Tires I got from discount tire. 105$ a piece.

[Nas Escobar]

That's not bad at all.

[sleepyalero]

Nope they came un scratched too

[Nas Escobar]

Wait, they're used rims? I thought you got them new! haha

[sleepyalero]

No they are new, I'm just saying they weren't damaged through shipping.

[Nas Escobar]

Ohh I got you now. Ay, if they scratched em up, I would have opened up a case with the seller.

[xXManwhoreXx]

I know sleepys secret...

[sleepyalero]

nas - yeah i would have to lol.

manwhore - SHUSH!!! they will find out soon enough!

[CrazzyCavanaugh]

dont wanna be a pain, but do you know were i can get these now? or do they still sell them like i would like to lower my alero but dont know what springs or struts or anything to get, ive looked but they dont sell half the stuff anymore ive found out after buying my alero

[sleepyalero]

suspension is still very easy to come by for the alero.

struts (kyb gr2) i ordered off amazon.com they were 52-54$ per strut. look for kyb gr2 for an alero somewhere, get the part number, then go to amazon, search kyb gr2 and the part number, make sure they match and boom. (thats what i did)

Canuck springs ordered off canuckmotorsports.com 189$ + 30$ shipping.

moog strut mounts ordered off ebay.. i believe it was.. 67$ for two front (pair) and 38$ for rear (pair)

then the boot kits was from tirerack.com if i remember correctly.. those were 13$ a piece (2 front kits, 2 rear)

then i had the dealership put all the components together.. around 165$ for that. i had em a few together but wanted to make sure it was right and they told me some was wrong so they had to take apart and reassemble. so kinda happy i had them do it.

took all 4 strut assumblys home, installed them on the car myself then went back to the dealer for an alignment.

and dont worry your not being a pain, glad you searched. :p always welcome to help.

[03glgold]

also always remember that if you can't find something for the alero that is powertrain or suspension related and a few things in other realms, search for a grand am of the same years as it has more support and is the exact same car

[sleepyalero]

that too.

[CrazzyCavanaugh]

ok thanks alot, i have 18's on my car and they have to much wheel gap

[sleepyalero]

thats what i have.

[CrazzyCavanaugh]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EIBACH-3875-140-PRO-KIT-LOWERING-SPRINGS-SET-1999-2005-PONTIAC-GRAND-AM-N-BODY-/370785662620?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories &fits=Year%3A1999%7CModel%3AGrand+Am&hash=item56548c369c&vxp=mtr


would these work on a 99 alero with the oem struts i would i have to buy specific struts?

[sleepyalero]

they will work, yes. but i would get aftermarket struts. the stock struts wont take kindly to lowering springs.

also you will need spring isolators for front and rear. if you dont it will be metal on metal and you will hear it clunk around. me, i just bought front isolators (it was around 70$ for the front set) then for the rear i just put duct tape (black) around the first coil of the spring on the bottom so it wasnt metal on metal. i read on a few forums that people do it as a cheaper way. and its completely safe and cheaper then spending another say 50$ on the rear. the top of the spring i didnt worry about because the top mount is rubber.

does that make sense?

[sleepyalero]

heres a little explination incase it doesnt make sense. kinda hard to see it on this pic but its all i got. basically where bottom of the spring sits on the spring perch plate you can see a little bit of black duct tape, what i did was set the spring on the strut to see where it touches metal to metal, then duct taped where it touched.

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/7ACC97C1-3E07-4588-A220-25E6DB46CDBE-8481-000001C2101476A3_zps2060ed21.jpg

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/DFB5D599-B452-4672-8BCF-5F033D3CB0D3-8481-000001C3CFAE2B35_zps1256ac3e.jpg


this one is without duct tape, you could honestly do it to all 4, but i felt doing atleast the front with isolators. but see where the spring touches the plate? you'll want to wrap that whole bottom spring in duct tape. (if you go that route)

[Difflay]

Okay so what all should you need to install these springs or if anything what could you do so you don't have to get that stuff?

[sleepyalero]

well, stock struts wont like lowering springs after awhile. so you might as well get some KYB gr2's or KYB AGX struts... springs of course, new mounts front/back. and id suggest the spring isolators in the front since there is more weight. the rear just use duct tape like shown above.

[Papa Rad17]

Are new mounts really required? I'm certainly not going to be doing any off roading but if agram ebachs and gt-2 are still around I'll be getting those. As long as they are in good shape should be ok right?

[sleepyalero]

if those struts come with mounts you should be okay, but i wouldnt want to run new struts (0mile like i did) with 80+ thousand miles on them.


like when i did mine i wouldnt want 180k old mounts on brand new struts, might as well get new..

[Papa Rad17]

Prospects are looking to be around 100,000 miles so I'm hoping I won't have to spend the extra cash. If I got to I got to though

[xXManwhoreXx]

Its worth it.. never cheap out on suspension

[03glgold]

I won't have the option by the time I replace mine...I can hear that metal on metal rattling on metal sound so common in n-bodies and j-bodies that signifies that the mount has completely gone to hell...suspension has been bad the entire 28k that I have had the car, maybe someday I will have the extra dough to replace it

[sleepyalero]

100k miles... id buy new mounts.

[TDavis]

When I got my KYB's and Canucks I got monroe mounts.

Don't get KYB mounts, they suck.

[sleepyalero]

thanks tanner

[S8track16]

Does anyone have any suspension parts for sale? I think someone was selling a setup for around $300 (can't remember who). Currently, I have all stock and the rear of my car is sitting lower than the front (I have around 125lbs. in the trunk) If I add canuck springs which is supposed to be a 2" drop, will the rear be too low, is there anything I can get to level the car out more?

[sleepyalero]

A graham was selling the eibachs for 300 idk if he still has them.

Also your springs/struts are prob worn out.. New springs and struts would help her out evenly but with 125 lbs its might sit just a tad lower, also Canucks lower 1.75 inches. But after settling I think it's about 2 in.

[S8track16]

What would a full new setup cost me (kyb, springs, mounts)? Thanks for the info.

[sleepyalero]

i believe i have it posted on first page, it was around 700$ for my setup.

i think thats with the dealer putting all 4 springs on the struts for me, and i installed the suspension on the car myself. took me ohh.... just about an hr to swap all 4 struts out.

[S8track16]

Ok, thanks for the help.

[sleepyalero]

no problem, dealer charged 164$ to put the struts and springs together for me.

then from there its just take the old strut assembly out, and pop in the new. pretty simple, the rears will give you a tough time though.

[sleepyalero]

I would just like to post a better comparison for anyone who looks here for future reference. Found a stock alero awhile back so i took before and after shots on my setup compared to theres... Results are in!!!

My car is the black one of course....

Front:

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/A90B55AF-1F20-4E6C-9234-027D46CDEBFD-1727-000001048DA9B569_zps2403b2d5.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/0E342329-1CCE-4758-B998-1388672A5928-1727-00000104D08B0BB0_zpsa7fac224.jpg


Rear:

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/F209484A-74BE-45B1-8E49-4834AA14D124-1727-00000104B975E899_zps55873465.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad58/natesalero/07A25D05-3D79-4AD2-8223-E2E7D0367E4A-1727-00000104C4CFD3CC_zps640fa255.jpg