never would i ever have gone 165 .. nope.
Best mod for stability at high speed?
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,275
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver WA
The corvette is designed to run at high speed and be stable. If you are feeling loseness in the front end, then something is wrong. If the car is stock and you just put on new tires, then shocks & alignment more than likely needs attention. I would check both and not chance anything if you are wanting to drive fast. If you have done any mods that can affect handling, then I would look at that Mods first. The 17 and 18 inch rims are the correct size. From what I have read, you want to always run 1 inch bigger dia. rims on the back. I think it more has to do with the active handling control.
I could just be the road you drive on too! Did it have ruts from winter tires? My old GY EMT's would road wander bad on rutted roads. The new Michelin Pilot Sports ZP doesn't do that anymore.
I could just be the road you drive on too! Did it have ruts from winter tires? My old GY EMT's would road wander bad on rutted roads. The new Michelin Pilot Sports ZP doesn't do that anymore.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,055
Likes: 9,817
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Originally Posted by RED99
The corvette is designed to run at high speed and be stable. If you are feeling loseness in the front end, then something is wrong. If the car is stock and you just put on new tires, then shocks & alignment more than likely needs attention. I would check both and not chance anything if you are wanting to drive fast. If you have done any mods that can affect handling, then I would look at that Mods first. The 17 and 18 inch rims are the correct size.
I could just be the road you drive on too! Did it have ruts from winter tires? My old GY EMT's would road wander bad on rutted roads. The
I could just be the road you drive on too! Did it have ruts from winter tires? My old GY EMT's would road wander bad on rutted roads. The
Bill
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,837
Likes: 0
From: . Kona, HI. Orem, UT. PSL, FL
mine is very stable at 171mph. make sure your on a good road surface because at 150 you will know your hit a dip or bump. may i suggest you dont just hop in the vette and do a 165 plus mph pull. 
build yourself up and at least have alot of 120+mph pulls. imo the faster a car can get to 150 the safer it feels because when you start thinking about all the bad things that can happen you loose focus on what you should be doing (driving). 
build yourself up and at least have alot of 120+mph pulls. imo the faster a car can get to 150 the safer it feels because when you start thinking about all the bad things that can happen you loose focus on what you should be doing (driving).
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 796
Likes: 0
From: Crapachusetts MA
Ive had lots of 140-150 pulls with my old SL500 (rock solid) so am no stranger to the high speed.
Vette is going into a specialty speed shop today to get high speed balanced and aligned and have the front end checked out.
Vette is going into a specialty speed shop today to get high speed balanced and aligned and have the front end checked out.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 50,808
Likes: 10
From: Buy USA products! Check the label! Employ Americans
Originally Posted by sailohio
OK. A fellow I work with races his modified 1999 C5. 160 to 200 mph. He told me the BSM (body side moldings) are functional at high speed. On a C5 the airflow comes over the hood, down the side of the car in the door area and under the car. The air under the car creates lift and the instability you feel. BSMs deflect the airflow away from the car. There is also a slight downforce created by the 160 mph airflow on the moldings. Does your car have BSMs?
That is why you see rocker panels on cars similar to mine. Wind and body gives you downforce but you loose top speed from drag. You do get faster lap times.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 796
Likes: 0
From: Crapachusetts MA
Well got it back from the speed shop, 4 wheel alignment and high speed balancing, but did not get a chance to test it out since now I have another problem, it is bogging down erratically. Sigh seems like these are in the shop a lot.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 94
Likes: 9
From: Larkspur Colorado
I just came back from the MKM Pony Express 130 www.openroadracing.com I had the oppurtunity to drive 129.9 miles of beautiful NV route 305 at an average of 130 mph (these are more like rallies than races, the idea is to AVERAGE a target speed over the course). This is all legal and supported by the Nevada Highway Patrol. Anyway, my 1999 C5 coupe (with 41,000 miles) has 2004 Z06 springs, shocks, sway bars, lowered 3/4 inch, and Z06 suspension settings riding on BFG KD's (fronts 265/35 18s, rears 295/35 18's on Mallett 18x9.5 fronts and 18x11 rears) ....the car was ABSOLUTELY STABLE at all speeds. I was clocked at 161 (speedo read a bit higher), which I saw about half a dozen times during the run, and averaged 129.974 over the 129.9 miles.......so I was cruising much of the hour at speeds over 140, including sweeping turns. Oh, and I don't have BSM's 
So IMHO you don't need alot of add-ons, just good basic C5 set up.
And if you want to have more fun than you should legally be allowed to ...... check out the open road racing scene in Nevada, that'll get your heart rate up.
So IMHO you don't need alot of add-ons, just good basic C5 set up. And if you want to have more fun than you should legally be allowed to ...... check out the open road racing scene in Nevada, that'll get your heart rate up.
