Over the years I have read many threads on the subject which always include comments from Forum members who replaced stock components with A & B or C & D and then say that it is a great set-up. Any improvement over the stock suspension will feel better; however, there are many options, so I have put together a list of Stabilizer Bars along with their respective stiffness for comparative purposes. I have also included my experience with various stabilizer bar & shock combinations. Hope this helps:

• Base Suspension: 23 mm-front / 19.1 mm-rear
• Z51 (97-99): 25.4 mm-front / 21.7 mm-rear
• Z51 (00-04): 28.6 mm-front / 23.6 mm-rear
• Z06: 30.0 mm-front / 23.6 mm-rear
• Hotchkis: 31.75 mm-front / 25.4 mm-rear
• Addco: 32 mm-front / 25.4 mm-rear
• Addco: 35 mm-front / 25.4 mm-rear
• Pfadt (Adjustables): 32 mm-front / 26 mm-rear http://www.pfadtracing.com/
• Pfadt (Adjustables): 35 mm-front / 29 mm-rear (Pfatty)
• T1 (GM Racing): 38.4 mm-front / 27.5 mm-rear

Relative Stiffness (Provided by Pfadt http://www.pfadtracing.com/)
C5 base: 0.4
C5Z06 : 1
C6Z: 1.2
Pfadt Standard: 1.5
Pfadt Pfatty: 2.5
GM T1: 3

Here is the sequence of my suspension mods. Keep in mind that I race (road course.)

Starting Point... Z51
Then...
1. Lowered 1.5"
2. Hotchkis + Bilstein HD (not good for a lowered-car on the street [bottomed-out]; not much improvement at the track)
3. Hotchkis + Bilstein Sport (less bottoming out; still not that great at the track)
4. Change tires to Nitto RII (huge improvement at the track, but still not adequate)
5. Hotchkis + QA1 Adjustable Shocks (adjustability provided better streetability, better rear drop for off-the-line, much better handling at the track)
6. T1 Bars + QA1 Shocks (fantastic set-up; car can out-handle Ferrari & Porsche in the curves)

Personally I like adjustable shocks so that you can optimize the setting for a specific need. Whether QA1, Koni, Mallet-Penske...all adjustable shocks provide better performance for trying to combine a street-car with a track-car. As far as Stabilizer Bars, no doubt in my mind...T1's offer fantastic stability! Even if I did not run at the track, I would keep the T1’s!

 

good info.

 

Good to get feedback from somebody who's actually tried it. I have read in a number of sources that T1 bars were great for the track but too stiff for autocross and caused a lot of understeer.

 

I have never run Auto-X, so I can't comment; however, knowing how my car handles at various shock settings, I would assume that an adjustable shock could reduce that effect. Adjustable shocks provided good flexibility for a variety of performance objectives.

 

Good info Paul

Chuck