Coilover - Vansteel vs Sharkbite ?
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 12,399
Likes: 247
From: San Jose CA
Thank you all for your inputs, I've ordered the front and back kit from corvetteamerica.com (its the vansteel) together with new strut rods for the rear end.
I'm just a bit confused... the offset trailing arms will insert my wheels deeper into the body, right?
I'm just a bit confused... the offset trailing arms will insert my wheels deeper into the body, right?
Basically, it's like a "notch" gets the trailing arm tucked behind the frame. You can see how the spindle hub ends up in basically the same spot. I should have taken a picture of the two arms next to each other to demonstrate.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 19,445
Likes: 353
From: Athens GA
St. Jude Donor '12-'13, '15- '16-'17-'18-'19, '21
What size coil springs and weight do you use with the rear setup?
I have a set of QA1 but need to buy the springs for it.
Did you go 9" or 10"
Weights that I see advertised are 250, 300, 500, 600, etc
Thanks for any info.
Love your setup
Txs
Dennis (Bman)
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
I have been trying to understand for years the advantage of these systems for a street driven C3, not racing, using stock front control arms and stock rear trailing arms, especially in front, which is a coil spring/shock set up to start? I do understand the difference in the rear with the camber/toe issue but not for the street. Clearly the transverse leaf spring has now been used by GM for 4 Generations of cars so they must know something about that setup that works really well. Help me understand why these suspension changes are a big upgrade over maximizing the stock suspension configuration? I would think that a steering upgrade would be more cost effective than one of these suspensions on the front in particular. Just curious.
We've alway opted to stay with Corvette front spindles b/c it does not change the king pin inclination over of ther spindles out on the market. Factory brakes and Corvette aftermarket brakes bolt right up. If anything ever fails, a local auto parts store should have qhat you need. If the next guy that owns the car does not know you replaced it with suspension components off of X brand of car, it'll be a nightmare for him to try and find the right parts.
We are working on a new rear suspension set up which we will be testing at Sebring in the next few months and will address the rear toe.
We also opted to keep our design the way it is b/c when you angle a coilover you loose certain amount of effective spring rate for every degree off of 90* (vertical). Angled coilovers also putting more side loading on the trailing arm. There are other benefits of have the shock closer to the axle than behind it but I don't want to get to long winded more than I already have.
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
Our rear kit uses a 9" 2.25" ID 500 # spring for SB cars. BB cars use a 600# spring.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 54
Likes: 2
Radial tires need 6-8* of caster. Max you can get on factory upper control arm is 3*. So by pulling the upper ball joint back, it helps the car track better at speed and also gives you better inital turn in.
We've alway opted to stay with Corvette front spindles b/c it does not change the king pin inclination over of ther spindles out on the market. Factory brakes and Corvette aftermarket brakes bolt right up. If anything ever fails, a local auto parts store should have qhat you need. If the next guy that owns the car does not know you replaced it with suspension components off of X brand of car, it'll be a nightmare for him to try and find the right parts.
We are working on a new rear suspension set up which we will be testing at Sebring in the next few months and will address the rear toe.
We also opted to keep our design the way it is b/c when you angle a coilover you loose certain amount of effective spring rate for every degree off of 90* (vertical). Angled coilovers also putting more side loading on the trailing arm. There are other benefits of have the shock closer to the axle than behind it but I don't want to get to long winded more than I already have.
We've alway opted to stay with Corvette front spindles b/c it does not change the king pin inclination over of ther spindles out on the market. Factory brakes and Corvette aftermarket brakes bolt right up. If anything ever fails, a local auto parts store should have qhat you need. If the next guy that owns the car does not know you replaced it with suspension components off of X brand of car, it'll be a nightmare for him to try and find the right parts.
We are working on a new rear suspension set up which we will be testing at Sebring in the next few months and will address the rear toe.
We also opted to keep our design the way it is b/c when you angle a coilover you loose certain amount of effective spring rate for every degree off of 90* (vertical). Angled coilovers also putting more side loading on the trailing arm. There are other benefits of have the shock closer to the axle than behind it but I don't want to get to long winded more than I already have.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 19,445
Likes: 353
From: Athens GA
St. Jude Donor '12-'13, '15- '16-'17-'18-'19, '21
Got a local friend going with the Ridetech on the rear.
I just ordered the Van Steel coilover arms for mine. Comes with johnny joint on the front.
Will be interesting when we get these together to see how they compare.
BTW - Dan at Van Steel was/is great to work with.
Bman (Dennis )
I just ordered the Van Steel coilover arms for mine. Comes with johnny joint on the front.
Will be interesting when we get these together to see how they compare.
BTW - Dan at Van Steel was/is great to work with.
Bman (Dennis )
