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I clicked, saw it was 10 minutes long, and immediately lost all interest.
Kind of tired of this trend where everyone who buys a car thinks they should be a YouTube star.
Sorry not trying to be anybody really just trying to get honest answers for this build. Wondering if coilovers on these cars are worth it or just sticking to better sway bars & shocks will be enough to start. Figured the video would help explain my situation. Yeah it’s kind of long but it’s easier then writing about it. Thanks for the reply
Welcome to the forum. Congrats on the new to you Corvette. They are really great cars. You would likely be fine with upgraded shocks and sway bars. However, coil overs are better if your primary purpose for the car is racing. Good luck with your build.
Don't forget to save the wave!
I think if you are just getting started I would simply refresh the sway bar links, good tires, change the fluids and get a baseline before you start changing anything. Otherwise you will have no idea if you are improving the car or just changing things.
I think if you are just getting started I would simply refresh the sway bar links, good tires, change the fluids and get a baseline before you start changing anything. Otherwise you will have no idea if you are improving the car or just changing things.
thats true you make good points there. I’ll definitely do the brakes & tires before anything else. Appreciate it.
I'm not gonna watch the video either because it's a video. I will assume you have a bone stock C5 and zero track days. Here's my order of operations:
0. Shakedown cruise. Any issues? Drive it hard, preferably in hills or whatever. Any issues? Anything that pops up here you need to resolve first.
1. Make sure your car can last at the track as a beginner. This means two things: pads and fluid. You need pads that will stand up to a 20 minute session as a beginner, and you need fluid that won't boil. There are a ton of pad options. Something like Hawk HPS 5.0 should be bare-minimum-acceptable and allow you to do street/track without changing pads nor sounding like a school bus. These are NOT track pads but they will let you do a track day or two on them without disappointing you too much, especially if it's not like 100F outside. You also want acceptable tires. Don't get good tires, just get acceptable tires, because good tires can allow you to be far more of a hero than you should be at your first track day. Summer tires, not all-seasons, not run flats, something affordable, there are a number of options. This is also a good time to install a catch can (elite engineering).
2. Go do a beginner track day. Remember you are there to have fun and to learn, not to win. Learn the line, learn to be smooth, learn how to brake and turn, make sure you do it safely, make sure you understand the flags and etiquette, get in a rhythm. Then see if you even enjoy it, and if so figure out what issues you have with the car. Don't worry too much about shifting and don't be afraid to stay in a higher gear longer to avoid heat issues and oil issues; you don't need to be fast.
3. Fix any issues seen during 2. Then do a second track day. Do basically the same thing, just better.
4. Once you get a couple track days out you will probably find that you have two issues that plague stock C5 corvettes: unacceptably mediocre brakes and cooling for track days. Figure out your budget and fix those issues. C6 Z06 brakes are pretty crap, but far better than stock C5 brakes. Highly recommend aftermarket rotors because C6 Z06 rotors are stupid - one side is backwards from the factory and thus way hotter. To start cooling, a good aftermarket radiator and fans do an amazing job. If you want to spend money up front, do whatever RichieRich on this forum does, but just slotting the upgrade into the stock location is fine.
5. Go to more track days. At this point you'll start figuring out what's causing issues. You are gonna probably want an oil cooler (Improved Racing). You may want to change up your wheels and tires. You may find your shocks suck (many options.) If you get good tires, expect your steering pump to fail (get a Turn One pump and tell them it's for a track car.) Etc etc. Get a data logger if you keep at it so you can analyze issues at much better resolutions than the occasional glance at gauges will give you.
I'm not gonna watch the video either because it's a video. I will assume you have a bone stock C5 and zero track days. Here's my order of operations:
0. Shakedown cruise. Any issues? Drive it hard, preferably in hills or whatever. Any issues? Anything that pops up here you need to resolve first.
1. Make sure your car can last at the track as a beginner. This means two things: pads and fluid. You need pads that will stand up to a 20 minute session as a beginner, and you need fluid that won't boil. There are a ton of pad options. Something like Hawk HPS 5.0 should be bare-minimum-acceptable and allow you to do street/track without changing pads nor sounding like a school bus. These are NOT track pads but they will let you do a track day or two on them without disappointing you too much, especially if it's not like 100F outside. You also want acceptable tires. Don't get good tires, just get acceptable tires, because good tires can allow you to be far more of a hero than you should be at your first track day. Summer tires, not all-seasons, not run flats, something affordable, there are a number of options. This is also a good time to install a catch can (elite engineering).
2. Go do a beginner track day. Remember you are there to have fun and to learn, not to win. Learn the line, learn to be smooth, learn how to brake and turn, make sure you do it safely, make sure you understand the flags and etiquette, get in a rhythm. Then see if you even enjoy it, and if so figure out what issues you have with the car. Don't worry too much about shifting and don't be afraid to stay in a higher gear longer to avoid heat issues and oil issues; you don't need to be fast.
3. Fix any issues seen during 2. Then do a second track day. Do basically the same thing, just better.
4. Once you get a couple track days out you will probably find that you have two issues that plague stock C5 corvettes: unacceptably mediocre brakes and cooling for track days. Figure out your budget and fix those issues. C6 Z06 brakes are pretty crap, but far better than stock C5 brakes. Highly recommend aftermarket rotors because C6 Z06 rotors are stupid - one side is backwards from the factory and thus way hotter. To start cooling, a good aftermarket radiator and fans do an amazing job. If you want to spend money up front, do whatever RichieRich on this forum does, but just slotting the upgrade into the stock location is fine.
5. Go to more track days. At this point you'll start figuring out what's causing issues. You are gonna probably want an oil cooler (Improved Racing). You may want to change up your wheels and tires. You may find your shocks suck (many options.) If you get good tires, expect your steering pump to fail (get a Turn One pump and tell them it's for a track car.) Etc etc. Get a data logger if you keep at it so you can analyze issues at much better resolutions than the occasional glance at gauges will give you.
Wow this was some really great info! Thanks so much for all this feedback. Definitely came to the right place for some answers.
Glad to help. These are fun and capable cars, with an extremely strong aftermarket and a lot of people out there track them. Because you have so many choices you might be drawn to doing things in strange orders (often not anything wrong with it, just a bit strange) but also to spending more money than you need to. Truthfully as long as you put in high-temp fluid and pads that won't fade instantly, you should be able to have a good beginner day and learn a lot about what you need (which is mostly seat time, but these cars factory stock aren't really adequate after a session or two, you do need a few changes for regularly doing HPDEs.) Welcome to the club.
Assuming you want to road course track the car, several things to add:
- Brake fluid should be flushed completely and replaced with a high wet boiling point fluid such as ATE Typ 200. First change your brake bleeder screws to the speed bleeder type, this makes all future flushing much easier and faster: http://www.speedbleeder.com/feature.htm
High wet boiling point fluid helps prevent loss of brakes caused by boiling moisture in the fluid as a result of heat from HOT rotors
- From my perspective. stock brake rotors are fine, but to have adequate braking authority when the rotors are hot, you need at least the equivalent of Hawk HP Plus pads.
- NEVER let track car brake pads wear more than half the original pad thickness before changing them for new. The brake pad is an insulator between the hot rotor and the brake piston and brake fluid.
I have measured front rotor temperature of 550 deg F AFTER a cool down lap and parking in the paddock
Consider insulating the lower ball joints and tie rod ends to protect the sealing rubber in these parts:
- After a session and parking in the paddock, open the hood wide open and leave it open until the next session, this will reduce drive train temperatures dramatically:
- On the DIC, monitor the temperature of the critical fluid while on track. For a six speed that will likely be engine oil temp; on an A5 it WILL be transmission temp, I come off track after transmission temp hits 250.
I have tracked my A4 Z51 for 12 years, you may see something else in my log:
August 26, 2009- purchased from Pam; Pam, thanks for the car.
September '09- New HVAC Controller
October - New Brass Headlight Gears
- Auxilliary Satellite Radio Receiver
December - Replace Park Brake Lever, Adjust. park brakes
- Iridium Spark Plugs, wires
- Screen under cowl to permanently keep mice OUT
January '10- Four Wheel Alignment *
February - Water Pump
March - Clean and dielectric grease all grounds
May - Auxiliary emergency hood release cables
- Pulley and tensioner bearings, two belts
July - Redline Lube in differential
- Insulate interior floors
August - Ignition Switch *
September - Blower Motor *
October - Water Pump #2
March '11- Flush Brakes
- TRACK DAY 1, No. 66 at Buttonwillow Raceway
May - Brake Pads *
July - B&M transmission Pan, Redline Fluid
August - TRACK DAY 2, No. 66 at Buttonwillow Raceway
October - Sway bar links, clean and grease sway bar bushings
January '12- Oil Pressure Sender Unit
March - Rear tires, Michelin Pilot Sport, non runflat, two TPM senders*
- TRACK DAY 3 No. 67 at Buttonwillow Raceway
- Front tires. Michelin Pilot sport, two TPM senders*
- TRACK DAY 4, No. 67 at Buttonwillow Raceway
May - Secondary Air Check Valves *
- Last significant rattle, creak, squeak FIXED!
June - Tow Hook Receiver, Tow Hook
July- Dec -Cancer diagnosis, Doctors, Hospital, Operation and Recovery
March '13- Flush Brakes
- TRACK DAY 5, No. 68 at Laguna Seca
May - Ignition Switch #2*
- TRACK DAY 6, No. 68 at Buttonwillow Raceway
June - Friction Master Ceramic Brake Pads (MISTEAK!)
August - Check front alignment, add smidgeon of toe in*
- Flush Brakes, Ate Super Blue racing brake fluid
September - DeWitts racing radiator, hoses and Surge tank installed
- Change transmission fluid and filter
October - TRACK DAY 7, No. 69 at Laguna Seca
December - Hawk HP Plus brake pads
January '14 - TRACK DAY 8, No. 69 at Laguna Seca
April - Rebuild Front Calipers, flush brakes, install speed bleeders
May - Replace four slightly bent wheels with exact same used good wheels*
July - TRACK DAY 9, No. 69 at Laguna Seca
December - Auxiliary transmission cooler and fluid thermostat
- New front Michelin Super Sport tires*
- TRACK DAY 10, No. 70 at Laguna Seca
April '15 - Flush Brakes, Ate Typ 200
May - Hook up engine oil cooler
- Insulate tie rod ends and lower ball joints
June - TRACK DAY 11, No. 70 at Laguna Seca
- New Michelin Pilot Super sport tires on rear
- Corvette turns 100,000 miles, 800 miles on the track
September - TRACK DAY 12, No. 71 at Buttonwillow Raceway
April '16 - New 3.73 (RPM Transmissions) rear drive with Wavetrac differential, new shift cable*
- Doug Rippie Motorsports Bilstein Shock Absorbers all four corners
- Reprogram Power Control Module*
- Flush Brakes, Ate Typ 200, 500 mile lube change on rear drive
May - Change transmission fluid and filter
- TRACK DAY 13, No. 71 at Laguna Seca
October - Hawk HP+ brake pads on front
- TRACK DAY 14- Rained out
January '17- Replace accessory belt, AC belt
August - Insulate under intake manifold, relocate oil pressure sender unit, add rear head coolant air bleed lines
- Change coolant, thermostat
- TRACK DAY 14 at Laguna Seca No. 72
December - TRACK DAY 15 at Laguna Seca, No. 73
January '18- Rotator Cuff surgery, four- six month recovery
May - New front tires, Michelin Pilot Super Sport, check alignment*
June - Flush brakes, Ate Typ 200, check pads
- Four wheel alignment*
July - Track Day 16 at Laguna Seca, No. 73
January '19- New Stop Tech slotted cryo treated rotors, HP Plus pads on front
February - TRACK DAY 17 at Laguna Seca No. 74
March - Carpal Tunnel Surgery
July - TRACK DAY 18 at Laguna Seca
December - TRACK DAY 19 at Laguna Seca in the RAIN, No. 75
May '20- TRACK DAY 20 at Laguna Seca- CANCELED- Corona Virus
June - Flush brakes Wilwood EXP 600 Plus, DBP 594 degrees, WBP 383 degrees
July - Sold Ranch! all hell breaks loose.
August - Three cars and 11 tons go from Arroyo Grande to Prescott Arizona. August 9, escrow on Prescott home closes, we arrive on the 13th.
October - TRACK DAY 20 at Arizona Motorsports Park, No. 76
February '21- TRACK DAY 21 at Arizona Motorsports Park, No. 76
March - HP Plus Pads on the rear
April - TRACK DAY 22 at Arizona Motorsports Park, No 76
Next- October 16 2021 at AMP, Check out other race tracks around Phoenix, Johnny O'Connell Sway bar set, Install Halltech cold air intake, check tune.
