2014 Caprice lowered

Suspension, brake, and hydraulic/electric steering discussion.
Black6
Posts: 116
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:36 pm
Location: Indy

2014 Caprice lowered

Post by Black6 »

2014 caprice. King springs for a VF/SS. SSSL fronts. SSLHD rears (with 1LE LCAs that raise the rear).

Do not buy these front springs with stock shocks. They bottom out and it rides like garbage. On my SS I had SSL fronts on it, switched to the SSSL fronts and it did not really change the ride height. So I have not bothered to change out the SSSLs for SSL fronts to see if it helps, I feel like it won’t raise it up really. I’m most likely going to put SL fronts on the Caprice so it matches the rear height and hopefully improves ride. So to recap do SL fronts on your Caprice, and do SLHD rears. Probably be ok with SSLHD rears but they may be lower in the rear however. I ordered my parts from sparesbox. They also had lowering struts on there as well. If my car still rides like crap I’m going to order struts for lowering.

Image
Black 2014 V8

Be jealous of my factory carpet.
lastcall190
Posts: 604
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 5:17 am
Location: North Jersey

Re: 2014 Caprice lowered

Post by lastcall190 »

Thanks for info. Car looks good regardless.

-J
2012 Caprice
2008 CVPI

Both gone but not forgotten...
SSpeedracer
Posts: 149
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2018 6:34 pm

Re: 2014 Caprice lowered

Post by SSpeedracer »

Black6 wrote:So to recap do SL fronts on your Caprice, and do SLHD rears.
I've got KHFL-151SL Front and KHRL-152HD Rear, both with OEM PPV struts. The front is a poor combination, is too harsh and bottoms out. I don't know if its the springs, the struts or the combination of both. KingSpring does not list either spring for the PPV, they don't officially sell any spring for the PPV.

I chose the KingSprings because a tapered coil spring is far more elaborate than a linear coil spring. However, upon assembly the entire tapered section and more is fully compressed and rendered inactive for most driving situations. The remaining active coils appear to have a higher spring value than the stocks. I say 'appear' because I don't know the material modulus, just going by visual diameters. Same for rear springs. Tapered sections and more fully compressed. But, the rear tends to ride better, does not bottom out. (I cut the rear foam bump stop in half)

I'm leaning towards one of the three front combinations:
1) OEM 2014+ SS springs with OEM 2014 SS struts.
2) KHFL-151SL springs with OEM 2014 SS struts.
3) KHFL-151SL springs with Monroe Sport/Lowered struts WN/VF

I would prefer keeping the lowered appears with 151SL's but I don't want to keep swapping and experimenting with springs/struts if the underlying problem is the 151SL's regardless of which strut is used.

Has anyone used a KingSpring on an SS strut or Monroe Sport strut?
2016 Caprice
s/c'd cav
Posts: 1382
Joined: Mon May 30, 2016 3:12 am
Location: PHOENIX AZ

Re: 2014 Caprice lowered

Post by s/c'd cav »

king lists springs for the WM/WN which is our cars
SSpeedracer
Posts: 149
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2018 6:34 pm

Re: 2014 Caprice lowered

Post by SSpeedracer »

I selected Holden/Statesman/WNCapriceV8 and got the 151SL and 152HD, but at the time KS would not confirm drop/tune for PPV variant. Took a chance. Also, KS suggests the Monroe GT Sport strut/shock combo for the lowering springs.

I've held off on getting the GT Sport because they springs might be too stiff for me regardless of strut. I'm on the fence deciding to drop another $500 into GT's and 1/2 a saturday only to find out its still too stiff. It would likely eliminating the bottoming out however. Also, i just bought a '71 Torino and my wife will give me a shit for "playing" with the Caprice right now.

Link with KingSprings lowering info:
https://jhp.com.au/shop/suspension-brak ... commodore/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
2016 Caprice
Navy Lifer
Administration Staff
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Location: Canton GA

Re: 2014 Caprice lowered

Post by Navy Lifer »

Interesting that King basically ignores existence of the WM/WN - the springs for Caprice and Commodore are very close to the same, if not shared in some specs. Without a Holden parts catalog it's a little hard to know for sure.

Pedders shows common use of their springs for both platforms. The 2956/2957 setup was recently installed on a PPV using Monroe Magnum OE struts, and worked out very well. More about these springs here: http://newcaprice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=84" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've wondered about the various Monroe "GT" strut/shock options that are offered in AU. Monroe USA doesn't offer them, so they have to be brought in from AU via vendors like JHP. How much they offer any improvement over the OE or aftermarket Monroe parts available here (also made in AU) isn't clear.
s/c'd cav
Posts: 1382
Joined: Mon May 30, 2016 3:12 am
Location: PHOENIX AZ

Re: 2014 Caprice lowered

Post by s/c'd cav »

i think our cars are lighter than the HOLDEN variants , so the drop would work out a bit less than their stated amounts

unless you have all he LEO equipment , or added more weight in others way to the car
Black6
Posts: 116
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:36 pm
Location: Indy

Re: 2014 Caprice lowered

Post by Black6 »

Well glad I posted and didn’t waste time with the SL front springs if you are getting the same “bottoming out” that I’m getting. Guess I’ll just buy 14 SS struts this spring and see how the work with these front springs I already have.

On a side note my 17 SS has SSSL fronts and SSLHD rears, rode alright. Then had the dealership re set the ride height and it rides and handles way better than stock now.
Black 2014 V8

Be jealous of my factory carpet.
SSpeedracer
Posts: 149
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2018 6:34 pm

Re: 2014 Caprice lowered

Post by SSpeedracer »

Black6 wrote:Then had the dealership re set the ride height
What is that?
2016 Caprice
s/c'd cav
Posts: 1382
Joined: Mon May 30, 2016 3:12 am
Location: PHOENIX AZ

Re: 2014 Caprice lowered

Post by s/c'd cav »

SSpeedracer wrote:
Black6 wrote:Then had the dealership re set the ride height
What is that?
its because of the magnetic ride on the 15-17 SS's
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