Coilover talks
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 39
Likes: 2
Coilover talks
Looking into a rear coilover system for my car and stumbled across vansteels kits. (link below for reference) has anyone installed these on their car? and how do you like em?
https://www.topflightautomotive.com/...ailing-arm-sb/
https://www.topflightautomotive.com/...ailing-arm-sb/
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
For a while VanSteel QA1 had a weld-in rear coilover kit for stock trailing arms. -Weld a mount tab on the trailing arm and use the stock location for the bottom of the coilover.
Anyone have any idea what happened to these and whether anyone offers anything like this still?
Seems like it would DEFINITELY be the cheapest way to get rear coilovers on a C3...
Adam
Anyone have any idea what happened to these and whether anyone offers anything like this still?
Seems like it would DEFINITELY be the cheapest way to get rear coilovers on a C3...
Adam
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
Adam
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,772
Likes: 694
From: Maryland
St. Jude Donor '05, '09, '15
Lat time I talked to the guys at Van Steel, about 2 months ago, they only offered the rear coilovers as a kit with trailing arms. If someone finds the weld on brackets separate please post where and how much.
Thanks
Tom
Thanks
Tom
Racer
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 411
Likes: 232
From: central Florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (track prepared)
I'm no engineer nor am I connected with Van Steel so what I am saying is purely speculation.
On their website, they make an explicit point of letting us know to NOT use the standard arms with coilovers....not even their offset arms that were made for leaf springs. I am assuming that is for a liability reason. Maybe they have seen failures. Maybe they have been sued or are just trying to prevent issueS. I can tell you that the coilover mount on the trailing arm kit is very beefy.
I really don't see those guys as trying to force an upsell to complete arms if they aren't needed. When I ordered mine,, they offered advice on how to save several hundred dollars off what i expected to spend. Give Dan a call. I bet he'll tell you exactly why they don't offer or recommend doing it that way.
On their website, they make an explicit point of letting us know to NOT use the standard arms with coilovers....not even their offset arms that were made for leaf springs. I am assuming that is for a liability reason. Maybe they have seen failures. Maybe they have been sued or are just trying to prevent issueS. I can tell you that the coilover mount on the trailing arm kit is very beefy.
I really don't see those guys as trying to force an upsell to complete arms if they aren't needed. When I ordered mine,, they offered advice on how to save several hundred dollars off what i expected to spend. Give Dan a call. I bet he'll tell you exactly why they don't offer or recommend doing it that way.
Last edited by jimco84x; Jun 22, 2020 at 08:51 PM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,772
Likes: 694
From: Maryland
St. Jude Donor '05, '09, '15
I'm no engineer nor am I connected with Van Steel so what I am saying is purely speculation.
On their website, they make an explicit point of letting us know to NOT use the standard arms with coilovers....not even their offset arms that were made for leaf springs. I am assuming that is for a liability reason. Maybe they have seen failures. Maybe they have been sued or are just trying to prevent issueS. I can tell you that the coilover mount on the trailing arm kit is very beefy.
I really don't see those guys as trying to force an upsell to complete arms if they aren't needed. When I ordered mine,, they offered advice on how to save several hundred dollars off what i expected to spend. Give Dan a call. I bet he'll tell you exactly why they don't offer or recommend doing it that way.
On their website, they make an explicit point of letting us know to NOT use the standard arms with coilovers....not even their offset arms that were made for leaf springs. I am assuming that is for a liability reason. Maybe they have seen failures. Maybe they have been sued or are just trying to prevent issueS. I can tell you that the coilover mount on the trailing arm kit is very beefy.
I really don't see those guys as trying to force an upsell to complete arms if they aren't needed. When I ordered mine,, they offered advice on how to save several hundred dollars off what i expected to spend. Give Dan a call. I bet he'll tell you exactly why they don't offer or recommend doing it that way.
Also I want to use different coilovers than what they sell.
Tom
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,116
Likes: 598
Looking into a rear coilover system for my car and stumbled across vansteels kits. (link below for reference) has anyone installed these on their car? and how do you like em?
https://www.topflightautomotive.com/...ailing-arm-sb/
https://www.topflightautomotive.com/...ailing-arm-sb/
1. using the factory C3 wheel hubs.
https://www.ridetech.com/product/196...ongarm-system/
2. using C7 corvette wheel hubs
https://www.ridetech.com/product/rea...2-c3-corvette/
Things to note on coilover designs for a C3 is where are the spings in relation to the rear axle line. Vansteel its in front of the axle vs ridetech its behind the axle. Some have a angle of the springs very low vs some up right.
Each design has its plus minus. I have the ridetech system with triple (TQ) adjustable shock. No mods required to install. Also allows the rear end to be removed without removing the coilover system.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 411
Likes: 232
From: central Florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (track prepared)
Good luck with the build!!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
Adam
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
I'm no engineer nor am I connected with Van Steel so what I am saying is purely speculation.
On their website, they make an explicit point of letting us know to NOT use the standard arms with coilovers....not even their offset arms that were made for leaf springs. I am assuming that is for a liability reason. Maybe they have seen failures. Maybe they have been sued or are just trying to prevent issueS. I can tell you that the coilover mount on the trailing arm kit is very beefy.
I really don't see those guys as trying to force an upsell to complete arms if they aren't needed. When I ordered mine,, they offered advice on how to save several hundred dollars off what i expected to spend. Give Dan a call. I bet he'll tell you exactly why they don't offer or recommend doing it that way.
On their website, they make an explicit point of letting us know to NOT use the standard arms with coilovers....not even their offset arms that were made for leaf springs. I am assuming that is for a liability reason. Maybe they have seen failures. Maybe they have been sued or are just trying to prevent issueS. I can tell you that the coilover mount on the trailing arm kit is very beefy.
I really don't see those guys as trying to force an upsell to complete arms if they aren't needed. When I ordered mine,, they offered advice on how to save several hundred dollars off what i expected to spend. Give Dan a call. I bet he'll tell you exactly why they don't offer or recommend doing it that way.
The crazy angle and pressures involved in the SharkBit kit seem like a terrible option, IMHO.
A weld-in tab on the frame to mount rear coilovers nice and vertical seems like an ideal cost, performance, longevity trade-off, IMHO. No reason to mandate the extra cost of aftermarket trailing arms if all you’re after is rear coilovers.
Adam
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
You are correct. That is what they told me and I understand. But I already have their heavy duty offset arms arms. I can's see replacing them with the same arms with ones with brackets for what they cost. Maybe they could offer a trade in discount. Also I want to use different coilovers than what they sell.
Tom
Also I want to use different coilovers than what they sell.Tom
QA1 will make custom coilovers available to anyone if you figure out the weld in bracket and placement... I’d be interested in going the same route, honestly if someone figured it out.
I KNOW my VB&P mono spring, new hardware, and in box BILSTEIN B8s would sell in a heartbeat, too. (And make running the rear exhaust way easier.)
Adam
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
Back ground on VanSteel disclaimer statement:
https://www.digitalcorvettes.com/thr...ension.285849/
Adam
https://www.digitalcorvettes.com/thr...ension.285849/
Adam
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
They still sell the weld-on brackets and they’re only $17 each! Trying to figure out if they include a template or instructions for placement and whether they sell the appropriate length QA1 coilover or you are supposed to measure and order direct from QA1...
Adam
Adam
Racer
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 411
Likes: 232
From: central Florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (track prepared)
The u-shaped brackets reinforce the upper shock mount. That is a completely separate issue from the lower shock mount on the trailing arm. That lower mount is an L-shape 'bolt' with a D-cut into the body to keep it from rotating. Hanging the coilover from that stock bolt puts a lot of force on the bolt/mount in a ways that it isn't designed to. If the force from the coil over breaks that mounting bolt on one side at highway speeds or on an autocross, the repair bill would probably be much more money than the trailing arms.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,772
Likes: 694
From: Maryland
St. Jude Donor '05, '09, '15
Yes the weld on mounts available from VS are upper additional support only. They do not sell the lower mounts welded on their trailing arms. And I understand for liability reasons. However if someone happened to have a set of VS coilover trailing arms and made some cardboard templates of the mounts I would have them professionally made and welded to my arms.
I had a friend with a C2 with the Shark Bite coilover kit welded to heavy duty trailing arms and one of them broke on the HRPT. No one was hurt and car was not damaged but the car went home on a rollback. That design looks way more complicated than necessary and applies allot of rotational force to the trailing arms IMO.
Tom
I had a friend with a C2 with the Shark Bite coilover kit welded to heavy duty trailing arms and one of them broke on the HRPT. No one was hurt and car was not damaged but the car went home on a rollback. That design looks way more complicated than necessary and applies allot of rotational force to the trailing arms IMO.
Tom
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
The u-shaped brackets reinforce the upper shock mount. That is a completely separate issue from the lower shock mount on the trailing arm. That lower mount is an L-shape 'bolt' with a D-cut into the body to keep it from rotating. Hanging the coilover from that stock bolt puts a lot of force on the bolt/mount in a ways that it isn't designed to. If the force from the coil over breaks that mounting bolt on one side at highway speeds or on an autocross, the repair bill would probably be much more money than the trailing arms.
I keep forgetting that with a coilover all the weight and force is on the shock body and bottom mount.
Adam
