C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

Stabilizer bar

Old Jun 1, 2012 | 06:32 PM
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Default Stabilizer bar

Got my answers for shocks thanks. Now how about the front stabilizer bar and camber brace will they help? Is it worth it? I do enjoy getting in to it on the way home have a lot of 35 mph curves. Any other suggestion will be greatly accpeted. Thanks
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Old Jun 1, 2012 | 08:47 PM
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If all your doing is some spirited street driving I would not change out the springs or stabilizer bars. Not worth the effort. Camber braces are a waste of money in my opinion, makes it harder to work on the front of the car too.

What kind of alignment are you running? Having a performance street alignment can makes a night and day difference in feel and actual handling.

FYI, adding bigger bars without changing the springs can/will upset the balance/handling of the car.

I am assuming you have a base suspension or FX3 94 couple. Do you have the Z07 suspension package?

If you have a base setup or FX3 and add a bigger front bar, your going to dial in more understeer=bad.
Stiffer rear bar than stock=oversteer.

Adding both a stiffer front and rear bar may balance the car the same as stock. As for size IDK, I'm not an expert in chassis setup on C4's but I have a clue.

Reduce under steer go to 275/40/17's all around. The stock 255/285 on 93-96 cars except ZR1 and Z07 are NOT the setup for handling.

I would get a good alignment then go from there. Probably not worth the effort for street driving to change stuff out.
Auto-x (what I do) and road course use...that is a different story. Driving at the limits is different at 8/10 or even 9/10's driving. What the car does at 10/10's and 11/10's is quite different.

Last edited by 93Rubie; Jun 1, 2012 at 08:55 PM.
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Old Jun 1, 2012 | 10:55 PM
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Get yourself an alignment if you must.
Add a tad bit of negative camber 1/4 to 1/2 degree all the way around.

That will chew up the tires some. Or leave it alone and enjoy the ride.

Never hurts replace the shocks first.
Unless you know how old the ones you have are.

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Old Jun 2, 2012 | 07:06 AM
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Default Thanks!

Thanks guys for the info. This forum is so much help over the years to me. And am sure will have many more questons to come up. Thanks again
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Old Jun 2, 2012 | 10:57 AM
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I'm a hardcore autoxer and what I did was install a stiff rear spring and a larger bar in the back. The front was not touched except for lowering it a bit and it handles awesome. Took away the unwanted oversteer and no more understeer than normal.
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Old Jun 2, 2012 | 06:53 PM
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Originally Posted by kimmer
I'm a hardcore autoxer and what I did was install a stiff rear spring and a larger bar in the back. The front was not touched except for lowering it a bit and it handles awesome. Took away the unwanted oversteer and no more understeer than normal.
Not to hijack, but I would think that would take out most of the under steer, stiffing up the rear of the car. What suspension do you/did you have originally?

Too much stiffness in the back would make the car oversteer at LOT more. The torque these cars have is enough to oversteer plenty, I have drifting mastered. Just ask the guys I auto-x with.
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Old Jun 4, 2012 | 09:02 PM
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I agree that just a good agressive street alignment and good extreme summer tires will make the car handle great for the street. I will add though that a larger front stabilizer is worth the money due to the fact it is what ties the front wheels together and helps maintain alignment and reduces front flex, so no need for the camber brace. Another thing is a larger diameter stabilizer does is increases the overall spring rate, so it is like adding a little bit higher rate spring. One of the first things I noticed when driving the car for the first time after changing the front stabilizer was the car no longer floated over drops in the road. It suctions to the road better.
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Old Jun 4, 2012 | 09:09 PM
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Originally Posted by 93Rubie
Not to hijack, but I would think that would take out most of the under steer, stiffing up the rear of the car. What suspension do you/did you have originally?

Too much stiffness in the back would make the car oversteer at LOT more. The torque these cars have is enough to oversteer plenty, I have drifting mastered. Just ask the guys I auto-x with.
93 Rubie, but I think what happened in Kimmers case is that when he lowered the front, he increased the wheel rate on the front, so when he changed the rear, he just improved the whole system. Now, I bet if he wouldn't have lowered the front, he would be in a very unpleasant oversteer condition.
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Old Jun 5, 2012 | 11:27 PM
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Originally Posted by l98tpi
93 Rubie, but I think what happened in Kimmers case is that when he lowered the front, he increased the wheel rate on the front, so when he changed the rear, he just improved the whole system. Now, I bet if he wouldn't have lowered the front, he would be in a very unpleasant oversteer condition.
Good point.

Your post:
If I understand things correctly, on an other wise stock suspension like my car is. If I put a big stiff front sway bar on it like a 30mm Z51 bar, would that not increase under steer w/o a corresponding increase in rear roll stiffness? This is all in relation to turning ability.
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