I did a full replacement of my power steering and also installed the front and rear mono spring kits from VB&P. Now I'm waiting to get the allignment done, (hiopefully Wednesday )

Yesterday my kid and I set the ride height, and when wheeling the car around the driveway and garage, I note that I've lost some turning radius. Looking underneath, I can't see anything that is interfering. Has anyone else come across this?

 

I lost a lot of turning radius also. So much so that I called VB&P about it. The nice person on the phone told me that the kit was designed for race cars not street cars so I should just learn to live with it.
A bit of work with a grinder will buy you some, but not all, of your turning radius back. Check your clearances often while grinding. I did mine with the spring disconnected so that I could check full up tand full down travel clearances too.
Count the number of shims on your front upper control arm now and check it again after it has been aligned if you got the lower arms but not the upper arms. I gained almost a half an inch of shims durning the alignment. It makes me think that the lower control arm is much shorter than the factory arm.

 

....but it handled so much better I didn't care!

VBP did NOT tell me it was "race only, not street" - now THAT is a bit alarming.

 

1979toy, I guess I missed where the interference is? Where do I look to see it and also do some grinding?

 

Interesting....

 

I just installed the monospring & a arms this summer. Lost turning radius too. Would like more info on where to grind from a reply on your post...

 

There are two stops on the lower control arms that the tie rods run up against. This is what controls the amount of turning radius you have. Just turn your wheel to either lock position and you'll see where it hits. When I did my conversion I ended up taking about 1/4 inch off the stops with a die grinder and cutting wheel to get the radius back. Take a little off at a time and take the same amount off each side. As you go check to make sure you don't get wheel to frame interference on either right or left lock. It's a simple fix if you're careful.

 

vettfixr, I'll be looking at that first thing in the morning. I PM'd VB&P about this yesterday, with no responce yet.

 

thanx for sharing the steps to correct the shortened turning radius. i'll do this soon

 

I'm thinking about using the same kit on my Corvette.

How much worse is the turn radius?

Is the car still drivable in semi-tight every day areas like parking lots?

 

not a problem. After I change tires and put on the new mega tie rods (assuming my engine magically repairs itself for nearly nothing next week) I will definitely do this fix though.

The handling package from VBP makes your car handle like a dream, although I have mine set very harsh, one notch from max. I can't wait to see what it does with some super rigid sidewall 18" or 17" tires.

My squirrely little windshield mounted accelerometer thing showed 0.68 on a lateral test without the tires even screaching! I'll bet all out adhesion limit - and again, this is with 15" Michelin Pilot - is nearing 0.8. I believe their claims of near or over 1.0 with modern tires.

 

VBP mono spring=handling? Not in my opinion! My 72 LT-1 with some "tweeks" on a F-41 set-up pulls 1.2Gs on my data logger and it is quite conservative. The only Vette I ever drove with this set-up "po-goed" like a clown and rode like CR*P! To each his own I guess but, after spending over $2K I guess you wouldn't be able to tell someone the set-up dosen't work well.

 

this stupid temporary sb for a few years list is now more than my main engine that started the project in the first place and it hasn't run for 5K miles and may cost more to fix than I currently have. A good 1/2 of that cost was blind alleys, unneeded new parts and unneeded maintenance I could have or should have done myself, and nearly always better.

....you don't know me if you think it's hard to convince me I've not spent money wisely! A little bit of a heavy assumption there, dude.

No, not at all, if something works better, I rip it out and change it when I get back around to that.

I never drove a car that handles like mine. Then again, I never heard before of a 72 with a nearly stock optional suspension getting to 1.2 either. The C4's fought with mods by the early '90's from everything I read to get to that range, with all their lightening AND their transverse front - 1.2 is beyond what, I believe, all the stock options on C5's were getting even, but I'm not sure.

I'm glad yours works - might be what I do later - but the improvement over the decent springs and sway bars I had already was amazing with the whole VBP package (and even heavier sway bars), and that's my only reference point. I still feel it needs more - I would like the springs softer and some stiff shocks I believe, but I have not had the opportunity to swap and adjust suspension parts and settings yet.

I certainly am interested in the exact combinations and results all setups have had. I know my next critical area is the tires though, and the suspension, medium, good, excellent or whatever is not the current weak part in the handling department.

 

I won't know until this weekend. The alignment is way out. I won't drive it on the street until Friday morning when it gets aligned.

 

Yes. Good choice in word.

I was about to order this setup... but since it's for racing, I guess I don't need it since I don't race anymore. LOL

Perhaps another one of those "modification needed" specifications that renders a part NOT a "replacement" part which means no royalties to GM. (?) Or.... maybe not. Maybe it's just a bye-product of the design. But it would be nice to see it in print pre-purchase instead of having to discover it on your own. Do they say "For racing applications only" ? Maybe I missed it. My bad. I apologize.

I have offset trailing arms with brakeline mounts that won't accept the stock designed brake hose fitting.... so my lines are just flopping around back there. When I contacted the vendor, they said "What? We don't know what you are talking about." Right.

We just need to read the invisible fine print.

 

I installed the full system on my 70 about 12 years ago. I lost some of my steering performance as well. I have just grown accustomed to it. I have my front spring indexed on the spring adjustment closest to the center. One thing I do not miss with the VB full suspension is the Corvette squat.

 

I'm just happy with the handling I have...stock FE7...I don't need to pull higher "g's" as I don't race autocross anymore.(well,I might sneak in one or two more) ..besides,back when I did race,I just run stiffer shocks and shaved new Goodyears to 1/8th tread depth for more grip...worked for me...2K will be used for engine or more important things...
Rich

 

I will throw in my .02 again

the front mono spring from VPB is for racing/salom ONLY
not good for street use

That was told to me by the COMPANY itself.

I am driving around a 73 BB vert with a little over 450 RWHP,
and steeroids, and a full VBP front rear kit, and it suck's for a
crusier, the front mono has to go

 

Then why doesn't VB&P say so in the catalog or on the website? Lack of correct application information is

 

Its called sales, and they love to sell.
Don't get me wrong, VBP is a bad *** company
with outstanding customer service, and great
people, I have alot of thier items on my 81 to,

But it they told you drawbacks of every item,
you would not buy them

Look at steeroids, you lose some steering radius with that,
they don't tell you!!! but people love it for the wow factor.

To each is his own, I built a bad *** car without all the hype
and so can you!!!!!!!!!!!!