Darkness1988

I know this subject has probably been covered before but everyone is unique to what they want so I'd like to ask this myself.

I'm looking to get max handling out of my c5. What's a good setup? I lowered it and got some nittos, that improved it a little but I want to feel like I'm driving on rails .
Are coil overs alot better than just going to c6z suspension?
Any input would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks

Greywolfe

If you want to feel like you are riding on rails buy a train ticket. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself.)

Darkness1988

Greywolfe

Sorry man. Its just that could you be a little more specific.

What are your goals. Auto-cross, track days or is this for street driving?

There are whole books on how to engineer suspension systems, testing and tuning ,etc.

My point is no-one can just tell you in one post to buy this part slap it on and then you car has 'max handling' as you state.

And there are huge threads that debate on coil overs vs leaf spring.

Darkness1988

I just want it to handle good, and hoping for track days. I'd like to see how other people have their cars setup and how they like it. Basically what's a good setup for mostly street use. Is it worth spending thousands on coil overs or would c6z suspension be better for the buck.

RattlerC5

Going to C6 Z06 shocks and Z06 sways would be quite the improvement, but if your looking for riding on rails.....

Adjustable coilovers, aftermarket swaybars, and bushings will do that for you, but will also result in very firm ride and a very low balance in the checkbook. Like everything else, this much fun costs money!

I must also caution you...this will never stop. It's an illness.

63Corvette

Well, YES! A PROPERLY set up set of coilovers (like LGM or Pfadt) is "better" for track usage because it is engineered specifically for that environment. HOWEVER, a stock C5 Z06 is an excellent track weapon, so you could upgrade your suspension to stock C5 Z06 hardware, BUT, you really need to just DRIVE your car (DRIVER MOD) on track for a while STOCK...just to learn it's limits and advantages. TIRES are the single most important track mod AFTER the driver mod. From there, the sky is the limit.. WARNING: tracking your car is addictive Enjoy

Darkness1988

Haha yes it's is an illness indeed. Great info thanks

Darkness1988

As of right now it's just lowered and very bouncy, annoying. I want to kill that. I know I need new shocks after 117k miles on them. But I do t want to just buy shocks. I'd rather buy the whole packages

froggy47

Upgraded shocks, swaybars, and bushings plus a track/autox alignment will do what you are asking. You may not like it on the street.

Darkness1988

Will that alignment kill my tires daily driven

froggy47

Yep. Especially toe outside the normal settings.

Everything is a trade off.

redtopz

All you need is a set of C5Z springs, shocks and sway bars. Poly bushings are nice, but a pita to install. Stiffer springs are better on a dry track, but not necessary for a primarily street driven car. Next step up from there would be a T1 kit or coilovers. Both handle very well if setup correctly.

Greywolfe

Yeah its the toe that will eat your tires on the street. My car is dual use (for now). Street and track days. I run increased front and rear camber and zero toe all the way around.

No problem with wear but I'm only running -1.3 / -1.0 F/R camber.


Also if you lowered your car too much you may be out of its geometrical sweet spot . I think 1 inch is the most you want to lower it. If you raise the ride height you might get better handling (depending on how much you lowered it).

After seeing how fast Scott, Mark and Jason (NASA SE TTers and now racers) are in TTA Corvettes (practically stock exept swaybars, sticky tires, poly bushings) you know the stock C5Z has alot to offer. They are awesome drivers and can extract max perf our of those cars.

Jason

You'll feel the most bang for the buck from big sway bars and stickier tires. Get your alignment set to factory Z06 setting. Drive.

sothpaw2

When I look around the track & the forum at the various setups, most of the best drivers have not even bothered w/coil overs. I would recommend shocks, bars, C5Z springs, alignment, tires. The alignment can be a compromise street/track setup. I find this ride acceptable on the street even over my pot hole-expansion joint ladden commute.

autoxer6

Judging by your avatar picture, your car may be bouncy because it is bouncing off of the bump stops. It is generally accepted that a C5 fully lowered will not have max grip. When I had stock travel, I ran about 5/8" up from fully lowered.

A stock C5 handles very well from the factory. There are always more things you can buy, but that tends to detract focus from the main factor... the nut behind the wheel.

just my 2 cents worth

Bill Dearborn

The C5 owner's manual says NOT to lower the car more than 15mm. That will get the max handling benefit from lowering the car. Lower than that you start losing the benefit. If you go to coil/overs that number might change but with stock Z51 or C5Z suspension that is supposedly the number.

As somebody said above the best mod is the driver. There are people out there that can make almost any car seem like a super car when they are behind the wheel. Conversely there are people out there that can make any super car look like a dog when they are behind the wheel.


Bill

PushinTheLimit

As a kit, you can sometimes find a good deal on a used T1 setup (shocks, springs and swaybars) for cheap and its a good upgrade.

z06801

You really need to get it to a track to see whats going on first, I can't imagine finding the limits safely on public roads and I drive my cars hard on the street(on ramps, sporting canyon drives, clear freeways ect.) when it is safe for others to do so, but the only the track tells the true story for me. plus its cool to see how the car drives before and after changes. My porsche 911TT feels great on the street but turns into a heap of crap on the track even bone stock on street tires the c5 Z06 was a blast on the track. Pfadt sways and shocks were a huge upgrade for a first mod
here is my reaction to my first lap with the new Pfadt sways with street tires on the car