colonboy14

Hey everyone, I recently sold my 3rd gen F body and got a 94 Vette with the FX3 suspension. I had a VERY aggressive street suspension on the F body, and the vette suspension just feels too soft, especially on acceleleration and braking. I was wondering if the ZO7 springs and bars would give me a more "connected" feel with the road. I'm not looking to make this car into an all-out race car, but it definately needs a firmer suspension.

I would like to try and use factory parts, as I am a poor college student and can't afford the $300 VB&P aftermarket springs, much less coilovers.

Race Prepared

You could use Z07 sway bars & springs but they are sometimes difficult to locate used. Vette Brake Products sells sway bars, you might try the 32mm front & 26mm rear with the extreme or sport springs depending on your requirements. When installing the springs, you should consider lowering the car, VBP offers a lowering kit. The FX3 shocks can be sent back to Bilstein & revalved for autocross. You can also purchase the custom autocross controller for better shock control.

c4cruiser

I would start with installing a set of polyurethane bushing in the sway bars and end links that are on the car. That will help to flatten the car a bit but not stiffen the ride for the street.

The FX3 suspension is a dynamic system. The controller gets input from the wheel speed sensors and will stiffen the shock rate as the car goes faster. You will find that the Performance setting at speed will make a big difference in handling over the Sport setting.

FX3 was part of the Z07 package so you shold be able to add the Z07-specific springs and front sway bars (the rear bar is the same as yours). Look here for the differences in the suspension specs: http://corvetteactioncenter.com/tech/c4/susp_chart.html The Z07 suspension also got heavy-duty lower control arm bushings.

Bilstein will re-valve the stock shocks and also do a total rebuild. The "Morroca" valving they offer was developed by a CF member with Bilsteins help and is a great autocross valving and it should work with track days.

Doug Rippie Motorsports has (or had) a replacement controller that used swappable chips. The chips had different levels of program settings based on what you were doing with the car.

Solo2GS

Depending on the mileage the stocks shocks are not at all what I call track worthy if you are serious about it. Replacement is much too expensive for what they are worth. Rebuild is a little less, but still not the same as true adjustable shocks QA-1 adjustables are not too expensive. Much better and you can dial them in to your liking.

If you can find it, get a set of 88/89' Z51 springs to stiffen up the front suspension. I find that by having a stiffer front spring is going to do a lot even if you leave the stock rear on in. It will be a big difference compared to the soft ride you have now. Down side, the used springs are not much cheaper than buying something new from VBP. People know the value of them. You also need to add a 30 or 32mm front sway bar to go with it.

Lots you can do, but since you are on a budget that is the basics.

Aardwolf

The end link bushings on my car ('88 100K miles) were very worn, replacing just those with new poly, made the car much tighter in corners. And they were real inexpensive.