I want to be able to run a higher ride highth w/softer spring on the street. Then I want to lower the car and raise the spring rate for high speed. I would run adj shocks "Koni". I also like the idea of less weight. What is wrong w/my master plan? Anything more expensive "coilovers" is out of the question. This is my semi-pro tourer. TIA

Rick

 

Any time that you change the ride height you need to have a 4 wheel alignment done.

 

Semi-coilovers are only $140 more. Better ride too.

 

It's my understanding (correct me if I am wrong) that the mono transverse springs raise the body on the stiff spring position and lower the car with the light spring position.

Van Steel - Is this the tubular front A-arm coil over setup? What is the maximum spring that runs on the coil over? I would be very interested in something that could be adjusted from 450 - 650.

I presently run 550 inch pound with a 1 1/8th with a front end that is probably 300 pounds lighter than stock.

 

Rick I just got this answer back from someone.

I do not like the traverse front spring. It clutters up the bottom of the crossmember. It is basically a flat spring attached to the lower A arm with hanger bolts just like the back. The spring itself is supported at the pivot points of the inner mounts for the lower A arm. This puts the 2 supporting points for the spring about 18 inches or so apart. You can move this point in or out say down to 16 inches between supports for a softer ride or out toe 20 inches for a harder/firmer ride.
The spring is pretty flat so moving the pivot points out or in doesn't change ride height allot and with a simple tuning of the hanger bolts on either end the ride height is re-established.

 

No my set up is a little different and uses stock a-arms. The VBP tubulars are not structularly sound enough. I will be making my own upper and lower arms soon for true coilovers up front.

 

What are the choices of spring rates?

 

Coilover spring rates can vary from as low as 100 up to 650.

 

What happens to your alignment while you are raising and lowering the car?? Your camber goes through a change and your toe is a big change.
If you raise the car one day, lower it the next your alignment will be off. When you have the car aligned in the shop it is at a specific height.
Ever hear of bump steer?? By changing the ride height bump rears it's ugly head. Toe always changes with ride height.

 

Let me get this:
If I raise or lower the car a new alignment will be needed.
Van steel has semi coilovers "whatever that is" for $140 more than the front transverse spring.
Would the #460 front #330 rear be the best all around?
I'm trying to keep this simple and use proven best bang for the buck tech. Any advice for my semi pro tourer? TIA

Rick

 

Correct, Anytime you raise or lower your suspension, you have to realign your car. Semi coilovers are not like normal spring rates. The ones I have are 265/365 for small block cars and 365/465 for big block cars. Here's a link so you can look at them. The big pic when you open it is a semi-coilover.

http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fu...&SubGroup=1913

 

Can anyone comment on Van Steel's "Semi coilovers"? I'm willing to spend some money IF the results are there.

or
Should I just go #460 front/#360 glass rear and forget about it?

Rick

 

I recently installed the front traverse mono spring on my 71 BB. Compared to the 460 lb coil springs I replaced its a fantastic upgrade. I would highly recommend it.

Cant say much for the semi coil overs because I never tried them. I think either way you cant go wrong.

- Ron

 

It's a little conflicing on this. QA1's are what all street rods go to. I'm thinking that if you went with the BBC heavy ones. Your good to go with spring rate, but if your cranking them up to get higher spring then you also induce lift.

We need to get RedVetteracer input on pure track cars. I have a coworker running a 71 RR car and he uses 720 inch pound on his BBC in a very light car.

I have got wobble that feels uneasy with R compound tires under heavy braking. Your at the extreeme. trying to scrub off 100 mph into an uneven turn on the RR track. Even the Vipers, C-6's, c-5 are the same into that turn at our local Reno-Fernley rr track.

I have always thought that a variable rate spring would be the best of all. Something like a 450 - 650 Then use shocks and variable sway to tune in what your doing. It just get's into to much money.

If all your going to do is a Silver State open highway road race in the 150 mph class where they only allow you to do 175 mph max to get the 150 average. Simple coils like mine work fine. Life is all about comprimise!

 

coilover springs and semi-coilover springs are a little different as you know. You can't have a variable rate spring on a true coilover. You get 1 spring rate and thats it. When you make your adjustments using the **** your just making the shock stiffer/softer for your rebound an compression. The variable rate springs stiffen up as you corner harder and harder.

I have the QA1 semi-coilovers up front and the QA1 rear adjustable shocks. My ride has improved a lot over stock. It's amazing what a couple of clicks on these shock can do. I had the transverse but was unhappy w/it. To much bounce in the front end. I even replaced the spring with a stiffer one.

 

Take a look at this link (down near the botton of the sale items and read the info about the Transverse System.

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/...470#post539470

PS - The same coupon discounts apply to CF members also - coupon code 'CF-7490' gets you 10% off ...

I have had one on our '78 for about 11-12 years now. The spring is very flat and as far as ground clearance goes, the stock oil pan is lower. The spring rate is not changed by the bolts on the ends (that is for ride height). The mounting brackets that hold the spring have bolts you move inboard or outboard - changes the leverage - changes the spring rate but not the ride height. If you do change the ride height, you will of course need to get an alignment. The spring rates can be altered from around 365 to close to 700 - each spring is slightly different. My own (I got to check it in our shop) is 410 on the soft end and about 620 on the stiffest setting.

Finally,
"Originally Posted by Van Steel
No my set up is a little different and uses stock a-arms. The VBP tubulars are not structularly sound enough. I will be making my own upper and lower arms soon for true coilovers up front."

I'm a little coufused about that statement as we would never say anything bad about anothers product. Van Steel and VBP have distributed each others products for many years?!? Lets just say I have never seen one of our arms come back broken and they all have a lifetime warranty - enough said - peace.

Sincerely,
Alan G.
Vette Brakes & Products, Inc.
St. Petersburg, FL
alan@VBandP.com
http://www.VBandP.com

 

After reading how much time/energy/money is being tied up in getting the right spring rate and ride highth, I wonder if the transverse glass springs are the way to go. I realize that once set, I have to leave it that way, unless I want to realign the wheels. I can get the rate and ride highth that I want and leave it. I see people spending money and not getting the ride highth that they want. Am I correct on this? TIA

Rick

 

I couldn't make up my mind between the coilover setups like Van Steel offers and the VBP monoleaf, so I went with weight and ease and went with the latter and like the handling, but I have it set gawdawful harsh. Like one of the other posters I have not compared both so don't know. I still haven't upgraded to real tires so I haven't even seen the far side of 0.7G handling yet.... ("You have to give us TIME! The Bridge is smashed...the computer's inoperative...the engine builder is a moron!" )

But on the adjustable part.... Keep in mind within some limits these adjustments are predictable. You could get it aligned at one height, note the position of the adjustable rods on the rear, length or number of turns on the tie rods ends, the shims on the front and rear, the best setting for the adjustable shocks and so forth, then alter the height to "position 2" and align that - noting the settings of your adjustments on those. Within a reasonable amount of accuracy, you could "blindly" change between the two (or three or however many settings you wished to have "logged".)

While this is hardly a cockpit adjustment, other than the terrible shims on the trailing arms, this could boil down to a 15-30 minute procedure, if you had decent jacking facilities and some experience.

BTW, none of these all out suspension modifications are all that cheap, but any of them are doable for less than $4-5K -which is small compared to the overall project. My Tom's Diff center section installed alone was more than all of the VBP - or Van Steel - suspension options.

 

No I'm NOT replying to myself...really!!

Aside from one of you guys coming up with a drop in all wheel drive setup next month...since you are both on this thread....how about a version of the great magshocks from the C5/C6's?

I seem to recall someone was working on a version for the little pantywaisted C4's - but what about an application for a REAL vette that can handle bigblock power?

Huh? HUH?!?!??!

 

I already have smart struts, all poly ft end, f/r sway bars, hydraboost, engine brace. A 4 pt roll bar is in the future. How far out would 1 adj lower/firmer be? Except for Silver State, I would keep it streetable. I'm still doing my homework on headers shorties vs. full. I can't afford to just keep throwing money at this project. I'm trying to get this right the first time! TIA

Rick