Hey C5-ers! After 6 years I finally decided to get more turning angle out of my vette.

I've found a few angle kits through some Google searches, does anyone have any experience with an angle kit? What would you recommend?

Thanks in advance!

 

Powered By Max is top quality when it comes to angle kits for the Corvette platform.

 

I've found more parts info for this type of thing on the facebook c5 corvette drift group than anywhere. I was surprised how much is out there kinda under the radar.

 

Great ideas! I'm checking these out now, thanks!

 

Does your car have active handling? If so you'll have to disable it every time you drive.

 

It does, I do have to turn it off every time I start. I wonder if there's a way to leave off between starts...

 

you can rig up something that clicks a relay and splice the signal into the circuit the button uses to deactivate the system probably.

 

There was, it was called the "Lap-Trax Active Controller". I have one in my 02 so it starts up in Competition Mode every time I start it. It can be configured to start up fully disabled too. Unfortunately, and to the best of my knowledge, it is no longer made. It was definitely more than just a single relay. Though, that got me thinking. They do sell relays that have a set timer on them....hmnnnn. I use one on my Eagle Talon's radiator fans (keeps the fan on for a minute or two after the car is shut off). I imagine one could figure out a way for it to turn off the traction control. Here is a relay that I'm discribing: https://www.ebay.com/i/362667078535?...r=631815999744

 

Adding an angle kit you'll have to disable the active handling every time you drive it? Even for just street driving? Or did you mean for drifting/tracking conditions?

 

I think it's every time you drive it. AH system expects to see a certain response from the vehicle based on the steering wheel angle. If suddenly the vehicle is turning sharper for a given steering wheel input than the AH system anticipates, then it may respond to "fix" the issue.

If I came up with a way to implement the auto-competition mode feature with a small device, would people buy it? (it might be similar to the Lap-Trax unit but I've never seen that one before)

 

It is every time, yes MetalMan2 has it right at a high level. The response is the car will throw ABS on certain corners to try to pull you out of a crash you aren't having. Another thread came up recently about another member who installed a kit on his car only to get AH coming on every time he steered the car. As soon as I read his story I knew exactly what was happening. The manufacturers of these kits are very careful not to point this out because it wouldn't be very good for sales! Granted, turning it off every time is a simple task and it works.

 

I'm running Parts Shop Max Super Angle Drift Knuckles and cannot believe the difference. After doing tons of research I believe there are three solid options out there. If I had unlimited funds the Mantis Angle kit redefines the entire front geometry. As I recall Vette Nuts had a good middle of the road option (can't remember the brand name). Ultimately though I wanted OEM fitment and function with improved turning radius. You can find pics in my Instagram of both the parts and the after install angle. A few things to keep in mind or whether you plan to retain your stock wheels and tire size. There is no point in going crazy with angle knuckles if your wheels and tires are going to rub the suspension or fenders. So give some thought to what you're willing to cut into you for more radical angles. It all depends on what you plan to do with the car. Another consideration is if you're going to pay for the labor to install the knuckles I would highly recommend replacing the brake lines the brakes and the factory wheel speed sensor which is of course integrated with the front wheel bearings as well as you were steering links while you were tearing apart that part of the car. It just makes sense to put new components while you're taking that entire region of the front suspension apart. I have some rubbing to address with mine where the knuckles give more than my wheels and sways are going to allow with my offsets. . . Real world problems when you start modifying.

 

I'm looking into angle kits right now strictly for a faster ratio response on the road course. I don't plan on doing drift events, but I do feel that the amount of steering wheel movement compared to my other cars is too much for the desired steering angle on my C5. I've already installed a smaller steering wheel but would like still faster steering response/ratio.

How does the steering ratio feel compared to stock if you were going to autocross the car with your angle kit installed?

If these angle kits provide the results that I think they will, I'm surprised the companies making drifting parts aren't targeting these kits to all the C5 and C6 autocross and track cars out there.
I'd appreciate to hear your experience so to make sure I'm going down the right track in considering an angle kit for my C5 track car.

 

You're asking the right questions the plan for your build. The results for my build were very different than I anticipated. So before I answer your question I'll simply clarify a few more details on my setup. I have the stock steering wheel. I have Baer brakes tie rod end and LG links front and rear. I have T1 Sways and urethane prothane bushings front and rear. I have LG Motorsports GT2 coilovers front and rear. Sorry for some of these silly grammatical I'm using voice to text. I upgraded to the C6 ZO6 brakes and I am running 19 9 and 1/2 in the front and 20 by twelves in the rear with 275 on the front and 345 30s on the rear. So, I have made many radical departures from the OEM setup with a mixed source custom suspension. All of it combined has resulted in an extremely quick steering response which I would not Define is oversteer so much as very rapid very nimble. With my OEM C5 suspension I could clock the steering wheel hard from Top Dead Center which is Noon over to 3 o'clock and the only thing that would happen is my rear end with wag pretty hard. Now if I move the steering wheel even quickly from noon to 12:30 or 1 the front end of the car is changing lanes! Full disclosure I'm still adjusting ride height on the coilovers and have not done a four wheel alignment yet. I suspect some of this will be adjusted with those final steps. All in all I don't have enough seat time on the new set up to have an opinion about it except to say in the few miles that I have driven it the changes is an extremely responsive steer.

 

Thanks!
I have the LG Coilovers, AP Racing front calipers and 13" rotors and am running 18x10.5 Speedlines square. I'm also running the LG Drop spindles and looking to modify them for quicker steering. I'm going to contact LG again tomorrow to discuss a couple of things, but to me it looks like their drop spindles can easily be modified to move the tie rod point inward quite a bit. I really don't need "drifting" angles or ratio speeds, but god damn this C5 is nothing like my other track cars that I've had....you really have to saw the well through the esses on the track. I think it will also be much easier to catch a snap oversteer event on the track with a flick of the wrist instead of a giant movement of the wheel.

 

Great folks at LG, and Parts Shop Max too. If you have access to you the equipment and the skills to do it or a shop guy I have no doubt you can make your own drift knuckle just as you described. And you're right the bottom line is the C5 is the biggest Corvette ever made but for whatever reason they did not utilize all of the potential suspension and steering geometry which is really needed for a car that is built for the rear end to always be out running the front. If all you've ever had on a C5 is the OEM setup you don't realize how much potential is there. I used to joke and say I could turn my extended cab long wheel base 4 by 4 dually around in a smaller space than the Vette. So yeah you're right no drift racing required this is just a good Common Sense upgrade if you're doing the suspension build that's worth the investment for a really great car

 

Yeah, this is news to me. I had not heard about that issue for use on a street car but was expecting it for track use. I guess if you're comfortable with manually turning off the AH or daily driving in "competition mode" it's really no big deal...you just have to remember EVERYTIME you fire her up to do that or you'll get a surprise reminder when you're driving down the road running errands.

 

These guys are local to me in Fort Myer. Top notch quality and fab work. Wouldn't go with anyone else.

https://www.drifthq.com/products/cor...32233634168879

 

I've been thinking a lot about what angle kit to choose, shifting through various suggestions and online searches.

The dream is the Mantis kit from FDF Race Shop, but it's very pricey. The other option I was leaning towards was SLR, however I'm not a fan of cutting the steering arm.

BUT I just discovered the Mini Mantis Angle Kit from FDF. It looks like a new product, and exactly what I'm looking for: good angle, low cost, no cutting.

I'm very excited to try it out, I placed and order and will post my experience here. Thanks for all the feedback!

 

I had not seen or heard of this previously. This looks like a pretty interesting option. Very interested in your experience with them.