jenablist

Simple what are the best upgrades for the bux in a c6 if you want go improve handling?

thank you

rfn026

Improve the driver.

Richard Newton

bdanyluk

stickier non-runflat tires, sway bars, Z06 leaf springs, driver mod

BierGut

jenablist -

I didn't read your question as the best way to lower your lap times or best way to handle emergency maneuvers on the street, but rather an inexpensive, cost effective way to improve the car so I'll try to answer your question without getting preachy.

Given we don't know the condition of your dampers and tires. I think the biggest change for the fewest dollars would be sway bars unless you are on really crappy tires. Don't rule out your alignment as well -- this can make a big difference to how the car feels and doesn't break the bank to verify.

There are a ton of opinions on sways so you've got some research to do.

Good luck and enjoy making changes to your car. Have fun!

BG

mikeCsix

Improve handling for what? Planning on hpde? drag racing? street driving? You haven't given much to go on.

Richard is correct, Driving school, unless you are driving a base model, a good driving school will help you discover what deficiencies your car has and you will have some tools the school will give you to be able to figure out what changes need to be made to get to the next level. Otherwise you'll just be shooting in the dark.

As for the base model, all I can offer is to upgrade to the Z-51 suspension components - springs, dampers, sway bars. Tires and wheel alignment is also important, with so many variables, including driving style, its nearly impossible to tell you what your biggest bang for the buck is. Just start with a good foundation (Z-51 if you have a base model) and learn how to drive it, then move upward from there.

Just remember, a good driver can drive a crappy car faster than a crappy driver can drive a good car.

63Corvette

#1 would be the "driver mod"...get all the seat time that you can
#2 might be a track suspension alignment...worth every penny

spdislife

A good seat and harness if you haven't yet. You'll be quicker and safer.

SunnydayDILYSI

If you are tracking... seat, harness and track time are the biggest improvements. After that stickier tires. The rest of the mods have far less effect, but include poly bushings with a camber kit and track alignment, coil overs, and sway bars (in that order). Don't bother getting the track alignment without the bushings and camber kit (the alignment won't hold in the corners). And don't forget cooling as you get fast (bigger radiator, oil cooler, diff cooler, trans cooler).

If you are just driving on street, go with some good summer tires. Nothing else required.

strano@stranoparts.com

I'll actually address the question.

Best way to make the car itself handle better? Better shocks, and depending on model a change to the front, or front and rear sway bars.

That said "handling" is one of those things that isn't defined by one thing, and I deal with that every single day. At least 10 calls a day are "I want my car to handle better". But few can define what that means. And that's a problem for me to help those folks because it's like telling a Doctor "I want to feel better" without telling them anything else symptom wise.

So. Here's what I want to know. What do you think now? What do you want to improve?

For me the shocks help because (and depending on model) shocks from GM lack enough rebound damping, and tend to ride kind of on the brittle side and the car isn't as planted as it is with say a set of better dampers.

Bars, because it's a big boon to response and cutting roll without a big penalty (really very little with the right kind of bars) to ride quality. Stock bars are definitely on the small side in general.

Happy to help, if you want.

dbs1vette

So on that note, Brutha Sam, what shocks and bars to change to on a stock 04 Z06 for hpde that will still have decent ride for the street? (and I'm due for new pads, same as the last ones you sold me).

strano@stranoparts.com

I run Koni's and my 8472 bar. Also what happened to win SSR (.004 ahead of me), A-Street, and was on the quickest Corvettes in B-Street. The other shock option that's a bit less but still offers some tuning through damping adjustment are the Ridetech HQ's. I've run and had those as well and they cost quite a bit less than Koni's now that Koni's are not on sale. Koni's ride a touch better but both are very streetable.

Now onto the HPDE stuff. I run the same setup when I track too. Balance is balance, response is response, etc. So long as you are running something not really odd. Hell I ran my FRC with the the bar at the track on 540 treadwear Conti DWS's a few times. In fact here is a little clip of a trackcross on those tires. That's a standing start @ PittRace, but once into the twisty stuff it's run at speed same as a normal track day.
There are other video's on there of me on track. Some are of my old A-Sedan car (track only). But the Camaro and FR-S clips, those are autocross cars, and the setups you see being run there are the same both ways. Sooooo, what works for one, works for the other.

Additionally because you have no class rules, I'd also consider the 8675 3 way adjustable rear bar as well, just to give you more control over the feel, response and to trim the balance of the car. Between the 2 adjustments on the front bar, the 3 on the rear, and adjustable dampers that work (not all do very well, like QA1's are not good), tire pressures and alignment you have a lot of options you can play with to dial your street car in. Also helps adjust for track conditions, different tires which change the feel, response and balance themselves, and so on.

0Anthony @ LGMotorsports

--Basics--

Tires are going to increase grip by far more than anything else you can do to the car. They are a consumable so not something that is always going to be there and they are really not going to improve handling so much as they are grip. Typically not the most budget friendly if you are going through them often.

Sway bars are generally one of the first things done because you can do these without really digging into springs and shocks....which in my opinion should be done as a set (unless you are building shocks around the stock springs). Sways are going to help keep the car planted and stop a lot of the body roll so it doesn't fall all over itself. These typically do not impact ride quality that much. Good bang for the buck


Shocks...as was stated above, the factory valving on their shocks has a bit of work to be done for a performance upgrade. There are a number of shocks to choose from on the market today that would work well with your leaf springs if you choose to go that route. Bilstein shocks, Koni, Sachs....and each is going to typically have different models to pick from again depending on the use of the car. Shocks are going to help better plant the car and keep the wheels/tires under control and planted. They can do wonders for the ride of a car...either making it softer or stiffer, but a good shock set that is done right should have a very confident feel without upsetting the car or the driver. Best bang for the buck

Springs..now you could choose a factory upgrade. Say Z51 if you have a base car or Z06 or you could go aftermarket like a HyperCo if you are wanting to stay leaf spring. Springs are going to effect ride, but not typically as much as the shocks (so long as the shock is valved for the springs you have). Better bang for the buck than tires

Of course there is always coil overs as well and you can match a spring/shock package and give yourself a number of adjustments on the car.

jenablist

Thank you all for the reply
Yes better handling .. My vet sucks in handling compared to the Porsche I own, I need it Stiffer (but not uncomfortable) more planted more nimble and more predictable on the limit.. need it to slide more on the limit instead of snap... hmm maybe i just need a 911 gt3 .. anyway something prepped that way.. that just feels right!

a bit of the background my car, its a 2008 6m z51 indy 500 replica, i got a GT2 wide body with lightweight forged wheels and michelin Sport cup 2's all round, performance alignment done at At speed motorsport in MD.


Anyway Poly bushings and Camber kit.. any suggestions for those? should i go metal bushing instead?

maybe i need LG to speak to me more and spec me some upgrades

0Anthony @ LGMotorsports

Give me a shout anytime!

SunnydayDILYSI

I would definitely give Anthony a call. Based on my experience, the Hardbar camber kit works well and made a significant improvement (allows more negative camber than the stock hardware and locks it in much better). However, the poly bushings make the car almost undriveable on the street (harsh ride and squeak loudly - mine are from Vette Brake Products). T1 anti roll bars and Bilstein shocks also helped to add a more surefooted feel and reduce roll. The Porsche Cup cars still get by me, but very few cars without aero keep the same pace.

mikeCsix

I run camber locks on mine too. A camber adjuster broke loose on my car exiting a high speed sweeper - on my very first track day. When I picked up my GS, it's the first thing I installed, well that and a catch can.

LateBreak

Don't forget poly bushings, the stock bushings work okay, but they're really soft so your alignment settings go all over the place when they flex under load

Reggie Dunlop

A good fitting athletic supporter is a plus in my book

l98tpi

Seat time, Balance, Alignment, and Tires. Learn to read the tires and make upgrades from there.

Solofast

The first thing you have to do is decide what you are going to do with the car. Is it a street only car, an autocross car or a track car or some combination of the above.

The second thing actually costs very little, and that is a proper setup, meaning lowering the car less than an inch, corner weighting it and putting on an appropriate alignment. It is amazing how much different a well set up car feels than one that has just been beating around the street for a long time. A proper setup really wakes these cars up.

This is really just maintenance, but even before you go out and get seat time, make sure the car is properly prepared so that it doesn't handle funny and you don't reinforce any bad habits.

After that, tires are number one and then shocks, bars and fine tuning, or if you have decent tires, go to Sam for some shock and bars, but the basic setup comes first and you go from there. If you don't do the setup you are just changing a screwed up car and you have no baseline to start with.