Suspension
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
From: Kissimmee FL
Suspension
What effect would replacing the stock rear spring with a Sport spring from Vette Brakes have on the handeling and performance of the vehicle with leaving the stock front spring in place? This is a 96 Lt4 with Fe1 suspension.
Last edited by 96vetteLT4; Jan 13, 2006 at 11:19 PM. Reason: additional info
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 15,344
Likes: 4,008
From: Texas
Originally Posted by 96vetteLT4
What effect would replacing the stock rear spring with a Sport spring from Vette Brakes have on the handeling and performance of the vehicle with leaving the stock front spring in place? This is a 96 Lt4 with Fe1 suspension.
Suspension really needs to be setup as a system, not piece-meal.
Large Impressive Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 65,811
Likes: 71
From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
I think you'd get better results upgrading the anti-roll bars. The standard springs are really plenty stiff for a street car. Another improvement that will really wake it up is the advanced street alignment specs. If you don't already have a maximum performance grade of tire, consider them next time. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,170
Likes: 0
From: Littleton CO
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by 96vetteLT4
What effect would replacing the stock rear spring with a Sport spring from Vette Brakes have on the handeling and performance of the vehicle with leaving the stock front spring in place? This is a 96 Lt4 with Fe1 suspension.
Tha car is very neutral with this setup and wicked fast in the corners.
Just adding a rear spring will just make the rear end oversteer and break loose more.
C4 Spring rates
Last edited by qwik96GS; Jan 14, 2006 at 01:02 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,036
Likes: 13
From: Edmonton AB
Edit (2006/01/18): Corrected conversion to 'force divided by distance'
This has changed the values.
** ------------------------------------------------------------ **
VB&P have indicated to me that "the rear C-4 "Sport" springs can
range from 465#/inch to 540#/inch or higher" (81.5145 N/mm to 94.662 N/mm)
They mold their own, apparently.
You don't say whether yours is a coupe or 'vert '96 FE1. According
to the chart 'qwik96GS' refers you to, the front spring rates for the
cpe/vert are 60 N/mm & 73.2 N/mm (342.36 #/in & 417.6792 #/in)
So, if you have a coupe with the 60 N/mm (342 #/in) front spring and you get
a VB&P "Sport" rear spring rated at 540 #/in (94.662 N/mm, then you will need
to consider getting larger rear-view mirrors because IMO, this will result
in some oversteer.
For one of many on-line conversion tools, try this N/mm <-> lbs/in calculator
With this or something like it, you can review the other combinations
in the chart for a sense of what sort of fr/rr ratio the C4 has been built
with in the past.
** ------------------------------------------------------------ **
Original post: Based on Torque units: NM <-> lb-in
VB&P have indicated to me that "the rear C-4 "Sport" springs can
range from 465#/inch to 540#/inch or higher" (52 NM to 61 NM)
They mold their own, apparently.
You don't say whether yours is a coupe or 'vert '96 FE1. According
to the chart 'qwik96GS' refers you to, the front spring rates for the
cpe/vert are 60 NM & 73.2 NM (or 531 & 648 lb-in)
So, if you have a coupe with the 60 NM (531 lb-in) spring and you get
a VB&P "Sport" spring rated at 61 NM (540 lb-in), then you will need
to consider getting larger rear-view mirrors because IMO, this will result
in some oversteer.
For one of many on-line conversion tools, try these links NM > LB-IN
LB-IN > NM
With this or something like it, you can review the other combinations
in the chart for a sense of what sort of fr/rr ratio the C4 has been built
with in the past.
.
This has changed the values.
** ------------------------------------------------------------ **
VB&P have indicated to me that "the rear C-4 "Sport" springs can
range from 465#/inch to 540#/inch or higher" (81.5145 N/mm to 94.662 N/mm)
They mold their own, apparently.
You don't say whether yours is a coupe or 'vert '96 FE1. According
to the chart 'qwik96GS' refers you to, the front spring rates for the
cpe/vert are 60 N/mm & 73.2 N/mm (342.36 #/in & 417.6792 #/in)
So, if you have a coupe with the 60 N/mm (342 #/in) front spring and you get
a VB&P "Sport" rear spring rated at 540 #/in (94.662 N/mm, then you will need
to consider getting larger rear-view mirrors because IMO, this will result
in some oversteer.
For one of many on-line conversion tools, try this N/mm <-> lbs/in calculator
With this or something like it, you can review the other combinations
in the chart for a sense of what sort of fr/rr ratio the C4 has been built
with in the past.
** ------------------------------------------------------------ **
Original post: Based on Torque units: NM <-> lb-in
VB&P have indicated to me that "the rear C-4 "Sport" springs can
range from 465#/inch to 540#/inch or higher" (52 NM to 61 NM)
They mold their own, apparently.
You don't say whether yours is a coupe or 'vert '96 FE1. According
to the chart 'qwik96GS' refers you to, the front spring rates for the
cpe/vert are 60 NM & 73.2 NM (or 531 & 648 lb-in)
So, if you have a coupe with the 60 NM (531 lb-in) spring and you get
a VB&P "Sport" spring rated at 61 NM (540 lb-in), then you will need
to consider getting larger rear-view mirrors because IMO, this will result
in some oversteer.
For one of many on-line conversion tools, try these links NM > LB-IN
LB-IN > NM
With this or something like it, you can review the other combinations
in the chart for a sense of what sort of fr/rr ratio the C4 has been built
with in the past.
.
Last edited by Slalom4me; Jan 19, 2006 at 03:52 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
From: Kissimmee FL
Suspension
The reason I asked is that I am the 2nd owner of this vehicle. The rear suffers from a traction problem and is loose. The sport spring was on the vehicle when I got it and i'm trying to determine what spring is on the front. The rear is clearly marked with the Vette Brakess Sport spring but I can't find any markings on the front spring to tell if it is the stock spring or has been replaced. Anyone have any ideas on where to look for any indicators on the front spring to determine which spring it is? Thanx... 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 7,276
Likes: 3
From: Why are there squished peanut butter cups in my underware?
Originally Posted by 96vetteLT4
Anyone have any ideas on where to look for any indicators on the front spring to determine which spring it is?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,036
Likes: 13
From: Edmonton AB
Originally Posted by Z-07 freak
Look for a two or three digit code (letters) stamped into the spring.
Where is the code likely to be on the spring? Is there a reference
chart that can help decode any markings found?
.
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