Spreader Bar
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,434
Likes: 960
From: Tennessee/Rhode Island
Spreader bars are one of the best value upgrades you can do to any C3 Corvette since the frame in the front between the shock towers flexes greatly due to the lack of reinforcement in that area and front the engine cradle will sack over time in that section as well. Anyone who does not notice a tremendous difference with a speader bar install has either not installed the bar correctly and/OR it has not been tightened up/adjusted correctly. The spreader hear will make the chassis/suspension feel much more solid and connected, will improve handling through the suspension reaction time, and will make the ride less creaky etc to name just a few benefits.....
If you have an OEM fan and pulleys, I would highly recommend the speedirect one for about $125......
If you have an OEM fan and pulleys, I would highly recommend the speedirect one for about $125......
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Spreader bars are one of the best value upgrades you can do to any C3 Corvette since the frame in the front between the shock towers flexes greatly due to the lack of reinforcement in that area and front the engine cradle will sack over time in that section as well. Anyone who does not notice a tremendous difference with a speader bar install has either not installed the bar correctly and/OR it has not been tightened up/adjusted correctly. The spreader hear will make the chassis/suspension feel much more solid and connected, will improve handling through the suspension reaction time, and will make the ride less creaky etc to name just a few benefits.....
If you have an OEM fan and pulleys, I would highly recommend the speedirect one for about $125......
If you have an OEM fan and pulleys, I would highly recommend the speedirect one for about $125......
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 816
Likes: 11
From: lewisburg wv
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 816
Likes: 11
From: lewisburg wv
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
IMO, in order of importance on handling.....wheels/tires is by far #1 I mindful of cost, went with '89 vette wheels 17x9.5 and 275/50/17 in rear 255/50 in front moved the brake cable in back to clear the tires, limited the steering radius in front....next was Rack steering instead of 3.75 r/l lock, 2.75 and better control was the score.....after that, the spreader bar was MOST noticeable......
in the rear I went with a plastic 360 lbs spring for RIDE comfort, the steel springs suck....I also put Billy Stein sport shocks on all 4 corners......
in the rear I went with a plastic 360 lbs spring for RIDE comfort, the steel springs suck....I also put Billy Stein sport shocks on all 4 corners......
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
may be go to a frame shop first and get your towers pulled then put the spreader on them. I can see a spreader stopping some compression and movement, but it sounds like you actually want to push the frame open with it?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,114
Likes: 597
First measure the distance upper arm to upper arm. Then properly support the front frame and lift the car in the front so both wheels are hanging. Then measure the same difference. My 78 only changes by 1/16". My front end is pretty stiff without a spreader bar. Not all cars are the same.
The only change the spreader bar install that I noticed is less car rattle. I use my car for track days and I cannot notice a difference with it connected vs disconnected. Some claim the car turns in quicker handles better, I don't know how you would measure this other than a metal impression. Will you notice a improvement, it depends on how tight the front end is now. But for the cost of the parts its cheap enough that if it doesn't get noticed its not a big loss.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
on one of my sports cars they made offset upper control arms to fix this problem...I am thinking it was the C3...would this fix your problem
https://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corv...1963-1982.html
https://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corv...1963-1982.html
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,444
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
I have Morroso solid steel motor mounts, frame seem welded up, and some frame gusseting like the corvette power book tells you install. I road raced for years like that using 295/30/17 R1 road racing slicks with 700# springs on my QA-1 dual adjust coil over setup. Just for the heck of it I installed the big spreader bar. I didn't notice any difference. I really think that solid motor mounts are how to hold the frame rails stiff.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 9,063
Likes: 2,736
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Wider Tires
Would you define Goodrich Radial TA 255/6/0/R15 as wider tires? I installed the Speed Direct Spreader bar, but wondering if it made a difference. I thought it did, but you sometimes convince yourself that money spent has to make a difference. When I see multiple posts with guys who race cars saying they make no difference, I start to question it. To make matter worse, I recently had a lot of driveline work done at Bairs Corvette, they sent my alignment to a local guy, and for one thing, he grabbed my aluminum spreader bar with channel locks and tore it up.....which really pisses me off. It does not require that, as they can be turned by hand to preload per the instructions....so I need to see how tight it is now. I also need to fix the alignment specs, cause they set me up with positive camber on my front tires, too much toe, too much negative camber on the back......and who knows what the hell they did with my spreader bar.
Last edited by Shovels and Vettes; Jul 30, 2018 at 06:00 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,334
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
Is the frame actually collapsed? The distance from control arm mounting surface to mounting surface is 26 3/8" where the control arm shims touch the frame side to side
As for flex, only you can judge as to if you need it or not, it doesn't hurt anything and it's reversible so...
Here's something I did a couple of years back
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...rame-flex.html
M
As for flex, only you can judge as to if you need it or not, it doesn't hurt anything and it's reversible so...
Here's something I did a couple of years back
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...rame-flex.html
M
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,334
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
Would you define Goodrich Radial TA 255/6/0/R15 as wider tires? I installed the Speed Direct Spreader bar, but wondering if it made a difference. I thought it did, but you sometimes convince yourself that money spent has to make a difference. When I see multiple posts with guys who race cars saying they make no difference, I start to question it. To make matter worse, I recently had a lot of driveline work done at Bairs Corvette, they sent my alignment to a local guy, and for one thing, he grabbed my aluminum spreader bar with channel locks and tore it up.....which really pisses me off. It does not require that, as they can be turned by hand to preload per the instructions....so I need to see how tight it is now. I also need to fix the alignment specs, cause they set me up with positive camber on my front tires, too much toe, too much negative camber on the back......and who knows what the hell they did with my spreader bar.
M
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 9,063
Likes: 2,736
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Good Advice
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,062
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Doesnt cost much to make a stout one.. i think some kind of K brace would help about any full framed car.
Take a peek under any late model Silverado, not hard to make.
Take a peek under any late model Silverado, not hard to make.