[Z06] Top Speed Stability
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,355
Likes: 113
From: Los Angeles
The easiest thing you can do to reduce lift and drag is to cover the brake vents and engine compartment vents on the front bumper. Painter's tape will work fine, so long as the bumper is cleaned beforehand.
What's your suspension setup? If it's stock, you'll want to lower the front as far as it goes, then lower the rear about the same amount, ensuring that a forward rake is maintained (i.e. the front is a little lower than the rear).
Do you know what your current alignment specs are? You'll want a little bit of toe-in in front, and in the rear you'll want zero toe or a little toe-in.
What's your suspension setup? If it's stock, you'll want to lower the front as far as it goes, then lower the rear about the same amount, ensuring that a forward rake is maintained (i.e. the front is a little lower than the rear).
Do you know what your current alignment specs are? You'll want a little bit of toe-in in front, and in the rear you'll want zero toe or a little toe-in.
Last edited by skyavonee; Dec 16, 2013 at 04:45 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 348
From: My interests are mobile
Biggest contributors to front lift are air forced/trapped in the engine bay, and air going underneath the car and becoming turbulent. Lift can occur due to air entering the fender wells, but this affects road racing cars when they turn generally...not straight line stuff.
Lowering keeps air over the car but compressing the suspension too far can compromise suspension dampening, making the car become unstable at high speed...so that's a line you have to find. Keeping air out of brake ducts and out of the engine bay is a plus, like stated. Lastly, a little hood rake or hood venting goes a long way to relieving that pressure with just a bit of drag penalty depending on how its done.
From there...it's just about test runs more than anything...
Lowering keeps air over the car but compressing the suspension too far can compromise suspension dampening, making the car become unstable at high speed...so that's a line you have to find. Keeping air out of brake ducts and out of the engine bay is a plus, like stated. Lastly, a little hood rake or hood venting goes a long way to relieving that pressure with just a bit of drag penalty depending on how its done.
From there...it's just about test runs more than anything...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 469
Likes: 2
From: Qatif
The easiest thing you can do to reduce lift and drag is to cover the brake vents and engine compartment vents on the front bumper. Painter's tape will work fine, so long as the bumper is cleaned beforehand.
What's your suspension setup? If it's stock, you'll want to lower the front as far as it goes, then lower the rear about the same amount, ensuring that a forward rake is maintained (i.e. the front is a little lower than the rear).
Do you know what your current alignment specs are? You'll want a little bit of toe-in in front, and in the rear you'll want zero toe or a little toe-in.
What's your suspension setup? If it's stock, you'll want to lower the front as far as it goes, then lower the rear about the same amount, ensuring that a forward rake is maintained (i.e. the front is a little lower than the rear).
Do you know what your current alignment specs are? You'll want a little bit of toe-in in front, and in the rear you'll want zero toe or a little toe-in.
Alignment specs are stock.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 9,556
Likes: 288
From: Granbury Texas
The center of your air dam is hinged. It will fold under with high speed air pressure. To ensure it will remain in the down position, you must brace it from the rear in some way, so that it cannot fold under.
Last edited by 63Corvette; Dec 18, 2013 at 08:28 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 348
From: My interests are mobile
The outers of the air dam are even weaker...the whole thing will fold. Removing the dam could be more beneficial just due to the fact when it bends it creates basically a set of flaps like an airplane wing.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 9,556
Likes: 288
From: Granbury Texas
I respectfully disagree! Better to brace the whole thing so that it still works as an air dam!!!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 861
Likes: 94
From: Statesville NC
I've competed in 1/2 mile top speed events with my cobra and been accompanied by a bud with an 03 Z06. only exterior mods he had are L5 rear fenders and CCW wheels. car was just fine at 156mph at the 1/2 mile mark. I wouldn't get too worked up about it if I were you, I know inexperience breeds fear, but what you really need to be paying attention to are your tires (as in age/wear, speed rating), brake's condition, and cooling. that's about it.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 193
Likes: 2
From: San Antonio Texas
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 30
From: WENTZVILLE MO
True. Tires, breaks, vollute and leave your cheap carbon zr hood at home. That is my formula this year. I didn't run the lower spoiler, or my rear z06 break ducts and car was lowered on pfadt coil overs and I was good to 170.
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 30
From: WENTZVILLE MO
Agreed. Tires and brakes. If you are running new brakes make sure you break them in before hand. Glazed over brakes at 150 plus with a small run out area is not good. Leave the cheap carbon zr hood at home (personal experience). I ran without the lower spoiler and the rear z06 brake ducts lowered on pfadt coil overs. Just go thru the car front to rear. Make sure everything is tight and where it's suppose to be.
Drifting
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,623
Likes: 51
From: Gastonia North Carolina
The C5 Z06 are by far the most stable at High speed Corvettes, I've ever driven.
160+ in stock form multiple times (track times) and the damn car was glued to the pavement....no lifting or bouncing around at all period!
Good luck....helmet and seat belt are your best friends!
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 211
Likes: 6
From: Corvette Owner since 1971 - 2004 Z06 Florida
Yep, when I track my Z06 I duct tape the front hood gap and back 2 ft on the sides. On a long straight around 140 mph the slightest tire imbalance will start to vibrate and scare the he** out of you. I recommend new tires and go to a shop that knows how to do high speed balancing.........and have fun!!!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 249
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Lowering the car and increasing the front end rake will. You might want to consider an air dam or splitter to keep the front end down. When my car was stock I could feel the steering get lighter at 140. Lowering and front canards kept it tighter at 160, much more stable. Possibly consider a way to prop the rear edge of the hood up to let out underhood pressure. I have seen the rear edge fluttering at those speeds.
