[Z06] Stupid suspension question
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 26
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From: Northrbook IL
Stupid suspension question
I was reading a review on the Z06 and I thought I read that they use leaf springs for suspensions. Why would they do that, when, assuming I remember correctly, coil-over springs provide better response and handling? :eek: 
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 13,292
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From: Hockessin Delaware
Re: Stupid suspension question (New Guy)
2 guesses:
1) costs- aftermarket coil over systems are expensive - so it may be cost prohitive even for mass produced stock GM vehicles
2) ride - they may make ride quality unliveable for a potential daily driver.
:confused: :seeya
1) costs- aftermarket coil over systems are expensive - so it may be cost prohitive even for mass produced stock GM vehicles
2) ride - they may make ride quality unliveable for a potential daily driver.
:confused: :seeya
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 5,529
Likes: 1,943
From: Austin Texas
Re: Stupid suspension question (New Guy)
Leaf springs -- like the kind found on live axel cars and trucks -- are composed of multiple leaves held together with u-bolts, THese leaves have to be greased occasionally to minimize the friction of the leaves moving with respect to each other.
In comparison to these kinds of leaf springs, coil overs have lower resistance, and thereby, greater sensitivity.
However, the Vette transverse leaf spring is a monolithic spring; nothing moves, nothing causes excess friction. Therefore, this kind of leaf spring does not loose the sensitivity that the conventional leaf spring looses.
In comparison to the standard suspension setup, coil overs only have the advantage of ease of corner weighting and multiplicity of spring rate choices (dozens versus ~3).
In comparison to these kinds of leaf springs, coil overs have lower resistance, and thereby, greater sensitivity.
However, the Vette transverse leaf spring is a monolithic spring; nothing moves, nothing causes excess friction. Therefore, this kind of leaf spring does not loose the sensitivity that the conventional leaf spring looses.
In comparison to the standard suspension setup, coil overs only have the advantage of ease of corner weighting and multiplicity of spring rate choices (dozens versus ~3).
