Is the front sway bar a hollow tube?

 

I don't think so.

 

No, but it might as well be (OEM)

Get the Z's sway bars for the front and rear - much better.

For high $$$, Hotkishk (sp????) are the best (IMO), and having them painted to match the body color is perfect!

 

I'm pretty sure they are indeed hollow. That's why the specs list a "wall thickness" along with outer diameter measurements.

 

They're Hollow. Even the T1 bars are hollow.

 

I stand corrected.

 

You have no need to "stand corrected", because you said "I don't THINK so."

 

Thanks

 

Following link shows the wall thinkness for each of the factory suspensions for model years 2003 - 2004:

2003-2004 Corvette Suspension Comparison

 

will I notice a difference if I go with z06 ones?

 

Yeah, you know you are right.

 

Others will have differing opinions, but I installed the Z06 bars, and the handling was greatly improved. However, I also found my ride became harsh. I swapped the front Z06 bar for the late model Z51 front bar (only 1.4mm smaller), which provided a much better ride, yet still gives me great handling over the base bars. Note that the rear bars for late Z51 and Z06 are the same. Seeing as you have a '99 car, make sure you get the later Z51 bars if you decide to go this route, because your year and earlier Z51 bars weren't much bigger than the base bars.

 

I started with Z51, went to Hotchkis, & I ended up with T-1's, but I do drive the track as often as possible.

You can be the judge. Here's the specs for each.

Base Suspension: 23mm-front / 19.1mm-rear
Z51 (97-99): 25.4mm-front / 21.7mm-rear
Z51 (00-04): 28.6mm-front / 23.6mm-rear
Z06: 30.0mm-front / 23.6mm-rear
Hotchkis: 31.75mm-front / 25.4mm-rear
T1 (GM): 38.4mm-front / 27.5mm-rear

You will find numerous complaints regarding 'harshness' depending on the stabilizer bars. When you adjust your suspension, you need to look at all factors. You can easily off-set the additional firmness of stiffer bars by upgrading to adjustable shocks.

 

No flame here, but I disagree.

While you can indeed "tune" a suspension with compatible parts to maximize the efficiency of each part so that your components work together as a SYSTEM, you can't alleviate the stiffness of a swaybar.

If you run a stiffer shock, you may not notice the swaybar stiffness because the shock is stiffer, so you end up with still a stiff ride. You put a softer shock in and the stiffness you feel will be all swaybar stiffness, and you'll have a boatier ride.

I tried all this, including swapping out and cutting springs in previous cars, everything from a 68 Camaro SS to a 69 El Camino to a Formula Firebird to a TransAm to a Volkswagen Karman Ghia, and more, and nothing I've found reduces swaybar stiffness except a smaller bar.

I found that the closest thing to having MY cake and eating it, too, from the options available on the market, was to go with later Z51 swaybars. Of course, if I had Z51 springs and shocks to begin with, then I would probably already prefer a firmer ride, and moving to Z06 bars may have been more palatable to me. But, I drive my car on the street only, and often drive in traffic and down the freeway, and the Z06 bars made me tired. In fact, after only my first 150 mile freeway trip, I never wanted to drive it again with those Z06 bars on there.

Now, you, on the other hand, are a track guy. So, yeah, I'm not surprised you went to the Telephone-pole Ones. Isn't that what "T-1" stands for?