mikemiller68gs

This is my third year doing track days and this year I bought a 99FRC to track. Previous car was a 93 LT1 and is my point of comparison. The 93 had Koni yellow adjustables, C5 calipers, Kumho SPTs and it stuck and handled well. In fact, it seemed to squat when you got on it and it stuck real well. The 99FRC has new Bilstein Sports, HP+ pads and BF Goodrich KDWs, new in stock sizes.Tonight was my second test and tune with the 99 FRC. The car is sliding quite a bit and doesn't feel super stable. The active handling has come on some during occasionally. It has active handling and I run it in the competitive mode. I think the the BF Goodrich tires need to go, so I'm looking for suggestions for tires and sizes and anything else people may think i should do. It has chrome thin spokes right now and I'm not a fan, so different wheels / sizes are not out of the question. Alignment specs would be helpful also. The car is not my daily driver. I really appreciate any help that comes my way

sperkins

If I had to do it all over again for HPDE:

Safety mods.
275/40/17 Nitto 555R2 on all 4 corners (or cheap scrub Hoosiers/V710's).
'04 ZO6 shocks.
Keep the Z51 springs.
T1 bars with adjustable rear on softest setting (or stock ZO6 rear bar).
Max camber at all corners on stock eccentrics
-1/8" toe in rear
0 to 1/16 toe out up front
Carbotech XP10/8
Turn off the AH/TC

Excluding the tires, this is the exact same setup I use on my '99 FRC. It is an amazingly cheap combination that is very very good and the car will give you good feedback to learn from and later tune on. I just wish someone would have told me this stuff a few years back. I'd be rich with all the money I would have saved.

Z06cool

You were always too shy to ask. We had heard of you through the forums and your full bodied car condoms but never saw you. Mystery man...

argonaut

My 99 FRC has:

- Hoosier scrubs or NT01 or 555RII (whatever I can find cheap)
- Hotchkiss bars
- LG Coilovers
- "Aggressive Street" alignment from Phoenix Motorsports
- OEM Z06 rims
- CL RC6 pads

The main difference in my setup between last year and this year is the alignment. Last year I had a DIY alignment and was never real happy with it. The Phoenix alignment has made a huge difference, car is much more neutral and predictable now. Part of what they did at Phoenix is raise the car up - I had it way to low. From listening to them at the shop, thats a common problem - people running their car to low.

The AH on my FRC sounds different than yours. All I have is an on/off switch...no 'competitive mode'....interesting. Mine is tuned out anyway so I can run a square setup and not have the computer bark at me.

Independent1

Think you will find some good info here;

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...e-learned.html

2000BSME

you're making me feel like a rich genius, although I did lose 3 $250+ dollar tires from a poor alignment issue... and it did take me a long time to ween off of the ah/tc.

mikemiller68gs

Thanks for the info. Time to find some tires, wheels and an aggressive alignment

Mike

webrz06

Mike;
I have two sets of black aftermarket, 5 spoke Grand Sport wheels. F 17x9.5, R 17x11 that I have been using on my 02 Z06. They can be used staggered or with the 17x11's all around.The 17x11's have Hoosier R6's mounted on them that you might get a day or two out of. $75 per wheel, $100 w/ R6's ( 315x35x17).
I also have two Kuhmo V710, 315x35x17 that are used and one that's new. $50 each for the used, $125 for the new.
Also have two GM 17x9.5 Z06 wheels, one silver, one black. $100 each

geerookie

You do have a competitive mode....while parked hold the button for more than 5 seconds and it will go to competitive mode.
AH/TH still works with a square setup.
The AH algorithms in the '99's were not near as good as the newer C5's & C6's. I always disabled it because it was too intrusive while cornering.

Greywolfe

So how much better are the 04 shocks vs. say 03 shocks on a Z06? Is it that much better?

drivinhard

ask sperkins

they are a huge difference from 01.

and use hardbar's delrin bushings

sperkins

Yeah at CMP there was a really big difference in the way my '03Z ran with the '03 vs '04 shocks everything else being the same. With the stock 03's, I couldn't push it through the kink as hard and trail braking was a joke - lockup at nearly every entry (especially T4 and T11). I was really suprised and kicking myself for not swapping them before the race. Probably left at least a second on the table.

Shocks are huge in terms of performance. More so than I ever thought. In March at Rd. Atl, I ran a set of brand new T1 shocks with stock Z51 springs and 275 C91's. It was not a good combination and the times reflected that. I'll stick with the 04Z shock until my budget allows for a custom valved set to match whatever springs I go with.
ST2/TTS...

beerkat

If you are near NC David Farmer can help you with your track alignment and other suspension tuning.

mikemiller68gs

I'm right outside of Pittsburgh. The Konis I have on my 93 worked great. I'd tighten 3/4 of the way. The rears were a pain as you had to unbolt them to adjust

Mike

yakisoba

I ran stock 02 z06 shocks, followed by Bilstein Sports followed by 04 z06 shocks. The 04 are the ones I'm sticking with, considering the stock springs I run. The car handles predictably and well.

mikemiller68gs

Looks like I have a line on a very, very reasonable set of OEM Z06 wheels. What would the optimal tire size be? Thanks again for all the help

Mike

sperkins

OE sizes of 17/18?
If so, you can run a number of combinations. Just to name a few and not necessarily matched this way:
front rear
255 275
275 285
285 305
295 315

Wider is better in the rear for someone without a lot of experience.
I ran 275/40/17 & 305/30/18 Nittos for a while and was very pleased.

mikemiller68gs

Perfect. Thats what I needed to know. What is your opinion of the Nitto nto5 as an "arrive and drive" tire? Thanks for the help

Mike

vms4evr

The 04 Z06 shock reacts quicker, is a bit more firm, but mainly does better in quick transitions. It was said that the previous 01-03 shocks would hover through quick transitions. The 04 they got it fixed. I noticed the difference on an AX course and places like VIR through the climbing esses.

sperkins

Very good. I rode with a fellow member at Rd Atl who had a set and was very impressed with that tire both in cornering and braking.