Best 2014-2017 Chevrolet SS Suspension Upgrades Guide

The 2014-2017 Chevrolet SS is the rarest factory sleeper GM ever sold here — a 415-horsepower, LS3-powered, rear-wheel-drive sport sedan with near 50/50 balance, hiding under a grocery-getter body. But the right Chevrolet SS suspension upgrades are what turn that quiet four-door into a genuine corner-carver. After building dozens of these Holden-bred sedans in our Tampa shop, we put together this buyer's guide to the parts that actually move the needle: caster-correcting radius arms, lowering springs, an adjustable sway bar, stiffer motor mounts, and a driveshaft loop for the drag-strip crowd.

Why the 2014-2017 Chevrolet SS Is Worth Building

Let's set the stage. The Chevrolet SS is the American-badged version of the Holden VF Commodore, built in Elizabeth, South Australia on GM's Zeta architecture. Chevrolet sold roughly 12,900 of them in the United States across four model years before Holden's Australian plant closed in 2017, making this the last four-door, V8, rear-drive, available-with-a-manual American sport sedan — the genuine "last of the breed."

Under the hood sits the 6.2L LS3 V8, rated at 415 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque every single year, whether you have the 6L80 six-speed automatic or the Tremec TR-6060 six-speed manual that joined the options list in 2015. With about a 3,931-pound curb weight, near 50/50 weight distribution, and a fully independent four-wheel suspension, the SS will pull just under 1.0 g on the skidpad and run the quarter mile in the high 12s right off the showroom floor. It is one of the best-balanced factory chassis GM has ever shipped — which is exactly why it responds so well to thoughtful suspension work.

What's Wrong With the Stock SS Suspension?

For a factory car, not much — but enthusiasts who push their SS quickly run into the same short list of complaints, and every one of them has a bolt-on answer. The front tension-link (radius arm) bushings are hydraulically damped from the factory; they feel great when new but deteriorate with age and heat, producing clunks, squeaks, and creeping alignment drift. Owners also report noticeable body roll when leaning on the chassis hard, squat and the occasional wheel hop on aggressive launches, and a stock ride height that leaves a little too much fender gap for most tastes.

There is one detail that matters more than any other when you shop for SS suspension parts: Magnetic Ride Control. The 2014 cars used conventional springs and dampers, but every 2015-2017 SS came standard with GM's MagneRide adaptive damping, with driver-selectable Tour, Sport, and Performance modes. That changes which parts are compatible. The good news is the upgrades in this guide either retain MagneRide (the Eibach springs) or include the MagneRide sensor attachment (the SuperPro radius arm kit), so you keep your factory adjustable damping.

The 5 Best Chevrolet SS Suspension Upgrades

These are the parts we reach for first when a customer rolls an SS into the Tampa shop wanting sharper handling without wrecking the daily-driver ride. Every one is in stock, confirmed-fit for the 2014-2017 Chevrolet SS, and ranked roughly in the order we'd install them.

1. SuperPro Front Radius Arm Kit (TRC1011) — Best Overall Upgrade

This is the upgrade we recommend to every SS owner first, because it cures the chassis's most common failure point. Rather than just a bushing, SuperPro ships a complete OEM+ radius arm set with its firm-but-streetable polyurethane bushings pre-fitted plus an uprated ball joint that replaces the fast-wearing factory unit. The payoff is caster correction and alignment stability: steering that bites instead of wandering, more even tire wear, and a front end that stops deflecting under braking and turn-in. Because it carries the MagneRide sensor attachment, it bolts onto 2015-2017 cars without throwing damping faults.

2. Eibach Pro-Kit Lowering Springs (3895.140) — Best Stance and Ride Balance

If you want the single most transformative visual-and-handling change, it's a quality set of lowering springs. Eibach's progressive-rate Pro-Kit drops the SS roughly 1.2 inches in front and 1.3 inches in the rear (figures published by Eibach and listed across major retailers), tucking the wheels into the arches for a planted stance while lowering the center of gravity to cut body roll. Crucially, the Pro-Kit is engineered to work with the factory dampers — including the MagneRide units on 2015-2017 cars — so you keep your adjustable ride modes and most of your daily comfort. It's the rare mod that looks better, handles better, and barely costs you ride quality.

3. Whiteline 30mm Front Adjustable Sway Bar (BHF62XZ) — Best for Cornering

A bigger, adjustable front bar is the most cost-effective way to dial out body roll and tune your SS's handling balance. Whiteline's 30mm heavy-duty bar is solid and multi-position adjustable, letting you stiffen the front roughly 50 percent over stock at the firmest setting — or soften it for a more neutral, rotation-friendly feel. The kit comes complete with bushings, lateral locks, and end links, and because it shares the Zeta front end with the Pontiac G8, it's one of the most proven handling parts in the platform's history. Plan on about a three-hour install and an alignment check afterward.

4. BMR Polyurethane Motor Mount Kit (MM300H) — Best for Drivetrain Stability

Once the chassis is sorted, excessive engine movement becomes the next thing you feel. BMR's motor mount kit uses MIG-welded quarter-inch plate steel, 6061 billet spacers, and 95-durometer polyurethane bushings to lock the LS3 down. The result is reduced engine deflection under hard acceleration and shifts, which translates to crisper throttle response and more accurate gear changes — a difference manual-car owners feel immediately. The mounts are height-adjustable for clearance, and like much of the SS aftermarket, they cover both the SS and the Pontiac G8. Expect a modest increase in cabin vibration at idle, which is the normal trade-off for any poly mount.

5. BMR Front Driveshaft Safety Loop (DSL018H) — Best for the Drag Strip

If your SS sees the strip, this one isn't optional — it's a tech-card requirement. BMR's driveshaft safety loop is laser-cut, CNC-formed quarter-inch plate steel that bolts to the factory transmission crossmember using OE holes and the supplied Grade 8 hardware, so it goes on in about an hour with no fabrication. Its job is to contain the front of the driveshaft if a U-joint or shaft fails at speed. NHRA rules require a driveshaft loop on any car quicker than 11.49 seconds in the quarter mile on stock tires (or 13.99 seconds on DOT/slick tires), and a built SS gets there in a hurry. Cheap insurance for fast cars.

Chevrolet SS Suspension Upgrades Compared

Magnetic Ride Control: 2014 vs 2015-2017

This is the question that trips up most SS shoppers, so it's worth its own section. The 2014 Chevrolet SS rode on conventional passive springs and dampers. For 2015, GM made Magnetic Ride Control standard, and it stayed standard through the end of production in 2017. MagneRide uses a magneto-rheological fluid in the dampers that changes firmness in milliseconds, giving you those Tour, Sport, and Performance modes on the console dial.

What it means for parts: avoid any "coilover" or fixed-damper kit that forces you to delete MagneRide unless you genuinely want to. The lowering springs and bushings in this guide are the smart path for MagneRide cars — the Eibach Pro-Kit reuses your factory adaptive dampers, and the SuperPro radius arm kit includes the MagneRide sensor attachment so the system keeps reading suspension position correctly. If you own a 2014, you have a little more freedom but slightly less factory sophistication to preserve.

Are Pontiac G8 Parts Compatible With the Chevy SS?

Partially, and it's one of the best-kept secrets of SS ownership. Both cars sit on GM's Zeta platform, so many rear suspension components and bolt-on chassis parts cross over. That's why the Whiteline front sway bar and BMR motor mounts in this guide are explicitly listed for both the 2014-2017 SS and the 2008-2009 Pontiac G8 — the same hardware fits. It dramatically widens your parts catalog, which matters for a low-volume car.

That said, don't assume everything interchanges. Front suspension geometry was revised between the G8 and the later VF-based SS, and the brake systems are not interchangeable — the SS uses its own Brembo setup (front Brembos from 2014, rear Brembos added in 2015). Always confirm fitment by part number before you buy, and when in doubt, send us your VIN and we'll verify it for you.

How to Build Your SS Suspension: Our Recommended Order

You don't have to do everything at once. Here's the sequence we recommend at NLP Performance for the best results per dollar. Start with the SuperPro radius arm kit to restore steering precision and correct caster — everything downstream works better on a tight front end. Next, add the Eibach Pro-Kit springs to lower the center of gravity and set the stance, then bolt on the Whiteline adjustable sway bar to fine-tune roll and balance.

From there, the BMR poly motor mounts tighten up drivetrain response, and a driveshaft loop is a must once you're chasing fast quarter-mile times. If your build is getting serious, don't forget the rest of the chassis — a set of Power Stop Z26 front brakes keeps stopping power matched to your newfound cornering speed. You can browse our full suspension bushings collection and BMR Suspension lineup to round out the package.