Dear Iain, Walt, and mid-60s Buick owners who cope with "lunar landscape" roads,
I do have 1" drop Eibach coil springs with kyb gas shocks. The ride is substantially better, not harsh, and handles well. Very pleased with it.
Usually I hear about harsher rides from people who install coil-overs.
My wagon is at her stock height and that's what I want. Some campgrounds could have rough roads so some extra ground clearance is only prudent. She has been upgraded to KYB shocks. I'm not entirely pleased with them because when loaded (she is a wagon after all) the ride can be too mushy. However, perhaps that won't be a problem as much as in the past. She isn't likely to be carrying heavy things in the future.
OEM grade is likely fine for your use, you are not looking for a max-G corner burner!
Ground Up has some good package deals, $262 for boxed rear lower control arms and sway bar:
. . .
Thanks for the recommendations! I agree that simply going with stock is probably sufficient given that I'm still aiming for simply a "mellow ride."
Stick with rubber bushings for A arms and control arms. You can use polyurethane sway bar bushings to stiffen the cornering a bit without affecting the ride.
I was planning to stick with rubber as well.
Springs, shocks, and especially tires will determine ride quality. Larger diameter tires will roll up/over obstacles easier ('angle of attack' is the technical term), and larger sidewall will produce more cushion.
Indeed the larger tires should be a significant help.
What springs did you use? A hp 'handling' spring with large diameter wire and short length will produce a harsh ride, while a longer but smaller diameter wire coil will give more in the bumps. Not optimum for handling, but it'll absorb bumps better.
I don't remember which springs were used exactly, but it was some sort of a stock-type spring. They had to be customized to adjust for the heavier weight of the engine.
Maybe air bags?
If you're towing, a weight-distributing hitch will distribute the tongue weight on the front and rear suspension, not just the rear.
I can see it is going to be many years before I can take on the travel trailer project in earnest, so I' deferring the upgrades that would be needed to handle the heavy loads. When that time comes, air bags or air adjustable shocks are definitely essential as well as the load-distributing hitch. I may go ahead and upgrade Biquette's towing wiring to modern standards. That way if I could rent a trailer for whatever purpose. That would also bring a dedicated brake power wire that presently Biquette doesn't have. I would like to camouflage a third brake light in the headliner just behind the tailgate window. Something to do before the headliner gets replaced.
Thanks for the suggestions!
Cheers, Edouard