VBP Front transverse spring setup
Racer
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 424
Likes: 2
Originally Posted by flynhi
Hi Jason,
I'm runnin a 1" front and a 5/8" rear sway bar. Both have a spring end link on one end of the sway so that there is some wheel movement allowed before the sway bar kicks in. Both are in greased bushings so they are not binding.
I'd sure like to know what your bumper situation is.
W.
I'm runnin a 1" front and a 5/8" rear sway bar. Both have a spring end link on one end of the sway so that there is some wheel movement allowed before the sway bar kicks in. Both are in greased bushings so they are not binding.
I'd sure like to know what your bumper situation is.
W.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 424
Likes: 2
Originally Posted by flynhi
Seems like heim joints would remove any binding but would immediately engage the sway bar without the compression of rubber or springs in the end links.....
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,273
Likes: 14
From: Austin TX
Hi Jimmy,
Sounds like your sway bar was binding in the bushings causing it to feel like a stiffer bar. This may hae contibuted to your bent end links. The heim joints are so much stronger than other end links that they would not allow the bushings to bind making your side feel softer.
Make sense to you?
Sounds like your sway bar was binding in the bushings causing it to feel like a stiffer bar. This may hae contibuted to your bent end links. The heim joints are so much stronger than other end links that they would not allow the bushings to bind making your side feel softer.
Make sense to you?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,273
Likes: 14
From: Austin TX
Taijutsu,
I have read that the composite springs do have some crosstalk. In other words, what happens on one wheel does affect the other.
I reduced the size of my front sway bar from 1 1/8 to 1" with my transverse front spring and it seems well balanced. I changed bar sizes in an effort to soften the ride, not to offset the effect of any front spring crosstalk.
The base engine, base suspension C3s were designed to drive well with no rear bar. Small block gymkhana suspension and big block had small rear sway bars.
Some on this forum have removed the rear bar when using VBP's dual mount rear composite spring with good results.
I have a single mount TRW rear composite spring and I use a 5'8" rear bar with good results. For docile street driving, I think it would be fine without a rear bar but for more aggressive driving, a small rear bar should be added.
I have read that the composite springs do have some crosstalk. In other words, what happens on one wheel does affect the other.
I reduced the size of my front sway bar from 1 1/8 to 1" with my transverse front spring and it seems well balanced. I changed bar sizes in an effort to soften the ride, not to offset the effect of any front spring crosstalk.
The base engine, base suspension C3s were designed to drive well with no rear bar. Small block gymkhana suspension and big block had small rear sway bars.
Some on this forum have removed the rear bar when using VBP's dual mount rear composite spring with good results.
I have a single mount TRW rear composite spring and I use a 5'8" rear bar with good results. For docile street driving, I think it would be fine without a rear bar but for more aggressive driving, a small rear bar should be added.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,116
Likes: 156
From: Mid West
Cruise-In III Veteran
Looked under the front of mine today to check out the bump stops. I didn't have time to get a clearance measurement, but here's some info. Rubber bumper is stock height and is contacting the frame at times; however, instead of cutting the bump stop down, I drilled a 5/8" hole thru it to soften it up a bit (I totally forgot about this .... old age is creaping up on me 
).
).
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Racer
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 424
Likes: 2
Another interesting thing to note is that the bump stop is not in the stock location. I worked on setting this up all weekend, first I cut the stock bump stops down to 1/2" of rubber like V.I.P. suggests. This is way to short. With my custom nose, the tire comes into contact with the back of my headlights. So I mythodically cut the new one a little at a time and tested travel with the spring removed. finally got to 1-9/16" of rubber, and it was cut to much, I used a rubber body work sqeagee as a spacer. Also I'm going to try the springs on the stiffer settings to limit suspension travel. This combined with a small (1") sway-bar with heim joint end links I hope will work. Remember each wheel moves independently and sway bars effectively increase spring rate when not in a curve.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,736
Likes: 37
From: Stockton Ca
Better Shocks?
I would like to see someone w/QA1s shocks. The entry level shock has 12 adj. That would give some options for the adj spring. I'm thinking that way for myself. If I spend that much money, I want the big bang for the buck!
Rick
Rick
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,689
Likes: 1
From: St Petersburg FL
St. Jude Donor '07,'13
***vbp Now Selling Qa1 Shocks***
Just wanted to let everyone know, we will now be selling the QA1 single and double adjustable shocks. Our first order has been placed and on it's way shortly. We are working out the final pricing so I didn't formally announce it yet.
Give us about a week or so and I will let everyone know. If you have any questions, please shoot me an email or call.
Pattie
VBP
Give us about a week or so and I will let everyone know. If you have any questions, please shoot me an email or call.
Pattie
VBP
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,273
Likes: 14
From: Austin TX
According to Gary at VBP, you should have from 1.5 to 2" of clearance between the top of the rubber bumper on the lower control arm and the frame above. Cut down the bumper if necessary to achieve this.
This will provide enough wheel travel to allow the shock to rebound before the control arm hits the bumper.
I have done this and it improved my ride quality quite a bit......
This will provide enough wheel travel to allow the shock to rebound before the control arm hits the bumper.
I have done this and it improved my ride quality quite a bit......
Racer
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 424
Likes: 2
I checked the travel on both sides of the car with the spring out, turning the wheels and adjusting the stops to where the tire hit inside the inner fender. I wound up with a stock size bumper on the drivers side and very small trim say 1/4" on the passenger side. I then checked suspension travel from ride height to the stop, and I got 2 1/2" of travel. Was at the Auto Show in NY and stopped to talk to Chuck Mallet. He is selling Solsitice's with LS2 's shoe horned in them, claims they out perform/handle the C5/6. Anyway I looked at the tire to inner fender clearance and it was only abot 1 1/2". I asked Chuck about our dillema,He had nothing but good things to say about VBP's set up and said 2 1/2" was plenty, he often has only 1 1/2" from ride height. Probobly depends on the spring setting.
