Lan.Jet

I wanted to upgrade my current suspension and wanted some opinions from those that have driven both The LG G2 coilover and the C5 T1 kit. I now have a stock 2000 FRC with the T1 bars only. This is for track use

mikahb

Either way you're going to notice a big difference and have a great handling car, so hard to go too wrong. That said, I'd steer towards the coilovers. The T1 setup is a "spec" setup that works well for what it was intended to do, but in my opinion is not optimal. Stiffer springs and bars would tighten the handling up a bit and you can do all that with a good coilover setup.

Have fun!

gkmccready

I'm really partial to the DRM coilovers. They offer no end of grip for me and they just plain work.

Lan.Jet

I know you race but can't remember what class. Did you have the T1 kit?
I am looking for a TT setup. I probably will never do W2W. I just can’t afford it.
And every time I try an after market piece I am usually disappointed. But I have been very happy with the GM parts. Although the coilovers look very appealing. I just want to be sure be for spending the $$$$


Thanks for the replies

argonaut

I have the LG G2s. I'm just an HPDE guy. My 99FRC handled very well stock but had too much body roll and I really disliked the stock springs over stutter bumps or wash board. The combination of Hotchkiss bars and the G2s not only improved the handling but the ride is much better. Its a firm ride but the shocks are very well damped and much quieter than stock. Its a great set up.

varkwso

I went with the VBP "Raftracer" setup on our 99 FRC and have been very happy with it - it keeps the stock design with different springs/bars. It is better then the T1 setup for what I do with the car. But T1 is very nice also.

I have driven/ridden in a lot of different setups on C5 and C6s and I prefer the feel of the GM arrangement over the coilovers - but I am old and set in my ways. Many, many people love the coilover setups and are fast in them.

Mikah raced T1 and ST2 - now he runs whatever seat he can find

TT has your name on it I can tell....

Lan.Jet

Last year my car was completely stock with F1 EMT tires and it felt good. This year I wanted to get a little help to drop some time so I installed the T1 bars and it help a little I was able to drop a second on my local track. Then I went to Pilot cups. This did not help it made it worse. I have had three Pro drivers take it out and they all said it was very skittish “tail Happy” and to be very carful with it. This is why I want to be sure it is a balanced package. I don’t have to time at the track to be dialing in the suspension and I am just not that good at it. I want to use my time to work on driving. I have probably one day left on the cups and then will be switching to Hoosiers.

Jeff what kind of shocks did you use?

drivinhard

Do you have an adjustable rear T1 bar, or is it the older style non adjustable?

My car is pretty tail happy (more than I want it to be, on entry and exit on a square set up) with the non adj old style T1 bar.

I recently picked up an adjustable T1 rear bar and look forward to softening the rear up. I still can't get in the gas as early as I prefer with the non adjustable bar on a square tire set up.

IMHO, the T1 bars on some tracks are too much. I am of the "run the car as soft as you can get away with" school of thought. A little weight transfer side to side isn't a bad thing, I prefer it to some degree, as you helps you feel the car's limit a little better.

I also think the stock C5Z set up with 04 shocks is probably the best dual street/track set up of any car I've ever driven. Any set up that's more capable punishes you on the street, the C5Z has amazing street manors for what the car is capable of on track.

AtomicZ

Call Randy at DRM. I have them on my C6 Z06 and couldn't be happier.

Lan.Jet

Yes it's the adjustable I now have it on the softest setting. I was thinking about putting the stock bar back on to test. As far as street driving it doesn’t matter for me I only use it on the track.

Lan.Jet

Yes I have though about them too. Randy is really good to work with.

95jersey

Another BIG bump for the LG's. I bought them over the T1 kit for a few reason's.

1) LG's reputation for a good product that is proven (not that T1 kit is not proven).
2) They are MUCH cheaper than a T1 Kit
3) The T1 kit was not much stiffer than the stock C6Z06 suspension and I thought that is way too soft
3) You can cheaply and quickly change the spring rate with coil overs to your liking (your stuck with the T1 kit). There are so many options with coilovers (also easily change ride height)
4) Did I mention they are 1/2 the price compared to T1 kit??? (money left over for other mods)
5) I wanted something stiffer than T1, especially with the C6Z06 suspension being already so close to T1, I couldn't see spending $5k on something that would only marginally improve the car.

Also, I think at this point coil overs in general are a proven upgrade on Corvette's, which wasn't the case 5 years ago. There are guys that are just as fast on T1 as any coil over car, but like I said...1/2 the price.

varkwso

I was stuck with stock shocks for pts (not the best choice unless forced) - but I think I can add some better ones now with some point optimization.

mikahb

Like Jeff said, I raced in T1 and ST2. Were my car just an ST2 car, I would have seriously considered a coilover setup, but of course that would make it illegal for T1.

The T1 kit is good stuff and well proven. Like 95Jersey mentioned, the fast T1 guys are REALLY fast on that setup. That said, with the T1 kit you're signing up to accept the feel of the car "as-is." The adjustable rear bar does make a difference, but front bar and spring rates are what they are. Coilovers give you the option to explore different setups either to find what feels best to you, or what works best on a particular track.

Like I said in the beginning - either way you're going to have a vastly better handling car than what you started with, so you can't go wrong either way. For my money, the adjustability and relative affordability of the coilovers - whether LG, DRM, or Pfadt - would make that my choice.

fatbillybob

In my area the racers running T1 setup hold all the track records and fight back and forth among themselves and break each other's records. From my point of view T1 is proven and are minimal modifications to suspension only. There are no fancy cams and weights of cars have a minimum etc. So for those guys to hold records is pretty amazing compared to all the vettes with giant horsepower, giant wings, and suspensions and brakes you would drool over. It seems to me that unless one is a very good driver settings that CO's offer are just as likely to make you slower as faster especially if one's knowledge of how to tweek suspensions is poor. It also seems that the spec nature of the T1 setup would tell you if you needed a faster setup because "you hold all the local T1 track records" or if "one is so far off the pace that driving lessons and seat time are needed." T1 could be the least cost way to find that out since rarely does one stop at buying just coil overs.

JimbeauZ06

Not necessarily. I picked up a full T1 set-up (lightly used) from guys on the forum for around $1500. Even new now that the C5 has expired from T1 you'll find prices for new T1 parts much cheaper than in the past.

I looked at the LG and Pfadt coil-over setups and based on discussions with guys running both types of setups went with the T1. Plus I have Phoenix Performance in my back yard and they know how to set it up right!

Good luck!

Tom03Z06

Just another option to add
Hyprco springs, get some re-valved Bilstiens form DRM, Aluminum Bilstiens from LG or adj from Pfadt

Hyperco HPT (Track/Solo)
12407HPT (Front) 625#
12408hpt (Rear) 850#

Stock Z06: 526# Front, 714# Rear
T1: 582# Front, 793# Rear

LG Motorsports

T1 bars are the best for the Corvette, there is really no sway bar design that works better.

The coil over option does allow a broader range of set up options, having each corner adjustable.

We built our Coil over package and set up using the T1 bars. And in my opinion they allow for you to actually run a softer spring and still maintain the proper balance even with if you chose a soft spring for a rough course.

The T1 Springs are fixed, and they are pretty stiff so you have no latitude when going to a different track and different track conditions.

If you are running SCCA and you have to use the T1 set up, then so be it, you have to use that. but if you are running Nasa and have a choice, then your door is open.

If the rules allow Coil Overs, then I would not even think twice, they would be on my car.

It is all relative when you speak of "lap records" because you don't know how fast or slow these same drivers and cars would do if they switched to a good high quality coil over.

Later,

LG

Lan.Jet

Thanks for the reply Lou. You bring up the point about changing the springs for the track. Lime Rock is my home track and I do about 90% of my time there. I don’t know if you have driven it since it has been repaved but would the springs that come standard on your shocks be tuned for this or can you recommend what to use when purchased?

LG Motorsports

My first race at Lime Rock was in 1972. I was beating Sharp there in 74 in a Datsun 510.
My last race there was in 2005 on the pole in World Challenge.

I am not sure when they paved it but the big thing was the bump at the bottom of the down hill.

Good spring and shock set up there could get the power on early for the entry on to the pit straight.

Either way, you still have the uphill and the down hill that require some spring rate to keep the car off the pavement.

We always ran medium springs and big sway bars there. If I go back there, that is what I would run for sure.


Shocks want to be a little soft especially on rebound to allow the tires to get back on the pavement on the uphill and the same on the down hill.

I would say that our standard springs used in conjunction with the T1 bars would be great there.

Hope that answers your questions.


Thanks

lou gigliotti

PS Are you coming to Watkins glen in 8 days?