C5 KIDD

how many of you have upgraded to the Z06 suspension?? i have already purchased the front Z06 swaybar and it is sitting in the garage waiting to be installed.

i guess what i really want to know... is if anyone noticed a difference in switching out the front swaybar ONLY??? i was going to do the install myself, but i have decided to go with Z06 shocks as well. im going to purchase those next month and have them installed, so i figured i might as well wait and have the shop install the swaybar as well.

but if any of you have done this, and noticed a difference i would appreciate any info and feedback. if there is a noticeble difference with JUST the swaybar then i will go ahead and install it myself!

thanks in advance!!

CAJUNY2KC5

I have a Z51 and went beyond Z06 to a Hotchkis/Bilstein set up.

I've heard of those only installing the front sway bar but I would not suggest it as you will most likely unbalance your car in a hard corner. Mainly, your front end will stay flatter than the rear which may give you an un-equal weight transfer if you also have to brake. I wouldn't like that set up because it seems unstable in hard turns to me.

Just my 2 cents, anyway.

mountainbiker2

By added a larger front bar you will get more understeer. If that is what you want then put in on.

C5 KIDD

thanks for the info. i thought that adding the front sway bar will make the car more "neutral"?? im going to go with the Z06 shocks also, shouldnt that improve handling??

i do not race the car, and the whole suspension upgrading is new to me. im just looking for something that will tighten up the car a little, give a "stiffer" feeling with less body roll. im not going to be diving into high speed turns at the track, i just want a setup that will allow me to feel more comfortable pushing the car harder around the back roads.

i was under the impression that this is the way to go?!?

CAJUNY2KC5

Like all American cars the Corvette has a substantial amount of understeer built into it. Part of this is addressed by the brake bias built into the system that creates more weight transfer to the front end.

Firming up the suspension will affect body roll (the sway bars) and can reduce some nose-dive (the shocks) but unless the bias spring is changed you will still have the brake bias between front and rear.

I believe balancing the car requires that you address both front and rear suspensions as well as the brake bias for those rare cases where you have to brake during rather than just before a turn.

But I would caution that while you can make changes to the suspension, brakes, lowering the car, corner weighting, etc., to improve its handling - you are also changing the characteristics built into the vehicle for a reason - that being the fact that it is built that way for the average driver. It is a safety factor.

Secondly, you can't assume that having made suspension changes will enable you to just fly through any turn at extremely high rates of speed. The vast majority of being able to corner a car both fastly and safely is what is between the driver's ears. GM puts TC/AH and ABS on Vettes for a very good reason.

If you really want to enjoy driving your Corvette at its limits - I'd highly recommend becoming involved the various autocross and performance driver education courses offered and save pushing it for sanctioned track or road course events.

AU N EGL

I have the Z51 on my 03 coupe. Most of my DE instuctors have ZO6s and they cant tell the difference between my car and other ZO6s that they ride in.

Part of this may also be the skill / smoothness that most of my instructors have instilled on me. They have told me to leave the AH/TC on and when I can run road courses. The faster I can drive without the AH/TC comming on the smoother my lines around corners and smoother weight transfer of the car will be. Also the less F Ups I will have.
Now that I drive with the AH/TC truned off my lines are the same, but my speeds are gettting much faster.

I have asked about upgrading my suppension several times and most have said what CAJUNY2KC5 has said about the cars bias, then you have to relearn your cars handling all over again.

redZ06bri

I have a Z51 03 coupe, and have upgraded to a Z06 front swaybar and 04 Z06 shocks. The car definitely improved with these upgrades and has better grip in the corners with less body roll. I'm pretty sure that the Z51 rear swaybar is the same diameter as the Z06 swaybar, so just changing the front bar is what most people do.

mountainbiker2

The 04 Z06 Shocks will let the car go faster in corners with bumps. And a stiffer ride if this is what you want. On smooth corners I did not see any improvements. I do recommend getting the shocks. As far as the front swaybar I don't think you need it. If you are getting alot of oversteer then put it on. But in general these cars understeer. What is wrong with the handling of your Corvette?

C5 KIDD

ok call me stupid.... but isnt it the opposite??? i couldnt imagine a stiffer suspension HELPING with bumps?!? maybe im wrong though. this whole suspension thing is new to me. wouldnt a tighter suspension be WORSE on bumpy corners?? i would think it would make the car jump around a little more. could someone please clear this up for me?

you ask what is wrong with the handling of my car... nothing. im just looking for a little more out of it. i mean yeah the car handles great, but it DOES have body roll, and im sure it can be a little tighter. thats all im looking for. im not trying to spend thousands of $$$ on suspension parts, i just figured spending the 300 on the 04' Z06 shocks would be worth it.

this is the kind of result im looking for!!

thanks guys for all the info.. keep it coming!!

mountainbiker2

Yes the 04 Z06 shocks will handle better over bumps. They have much better control. To soft or to stiff will upset the car. GM did alot of testing on these shocks and came up with something that works for most situations. All shocks are a compromise. The #1 thing to make your car handle is tires. That's where I so the biggest improvement. #2 is where I put all these things into one category. Lowering on stock bolts, 04 Z06 Shocks, and alignment. Small improvement. I do not go by sit of the pants feel. I keep track of highest mph around alot of corners I do. In autocross I keep track of who's ahead and who's behind. That is another way of telling how much improvement your getting. This is just my opinion and I'm sure their many. Hope this helps.
Steve

FixedRoof

I have a Z51 car and am contemplating going the next step with the BMR sways and Bilstein Sports. Seems like a good combo to me.

Steve

C5 KIDD

does sound like a good combo, its just i didnt want to spend the money. im hoping this will give me the little upgrade im looking for without having to spend a fortune!!

thanks guys for all the info and advice