Hotchkis vs Z06 swaybars
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 228
Likes: 3
From: Va Beach VA
doje,
T-1 is not a good bar for AutoX, induces a noticeable understeer, but great for roadracing. Z06 bars and springs will be the BEST bang for the buck, you can get a great deal on the forum or from Fred Bean for the Z06 stuff. Keep the F55 shocks unless you want to go to an adjustable (Koni, HAL), not much to be gained with the Z06 shocks there.
Also, get rid of the runflats. Get yourself a set of beat-up ( but functional) wagon wheels and a set of Kumho MX, 36psi cold front and 38 psi cold rear and it will feel like a different car.
As for your original question, Z06 bars/springs to start. Great base line, and easy to build on if you get more involved in AutoX. ( get poly bushings too!)
T-1 is not a good bar for AutoX, induces a noticeable understeer, but great for roadracing. Z06 bars and springs will be the BEST bang for the buck, you can get a great deal on the forum or from Fred Bean for the Z06 stuff. Keep the F55 shocks unless you want to go to an adjustable (Koni, HAL), not much to be gained with the Z06 shocks there.
Also, get rid of the runflats. Get yourself a set of beat-up ( but functional) wagon wheels and a set of Kumho MX, 36psi cold front and 38 psi cold rear and it will feel like a different car.
As for your original question, Z06 bars/springs to start. Great base line, and easy to build on if you get more involved in AutoX. ( get poly bushings too!)
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Originally Posted by LotusFan
I ended up buying a non-Z51 car. Coming from a Lotus, this car is both very plush and very sloppy. Rolls into corners in a bad way.
Would Z06 bars go a long way to fixing the cornering without hurting the plushness?
I can drive this Vette all day without getting tired. Lotuses are great cars, but they beat the crap outta ya on a long drive.
Would Z06 bars go a long way to fixing the cornering without hurting the plushness?
I can drive this Vette all day without getting tired. Lotuses are great cars, but they beat the crap outta ya on a long drive.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 15,678
Likes: 1,098
From: birmingham Alabama
St. Jude Donor '09 and '13
I have the hotchkis bars on my LPE car and they handle very well. The only thing I don't like about them is that the setup will make cracking noises on really cold mornings!
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
I replaced my Z51 bars with Hotchkis a few months ago for track days at Laguna Seca, Infineon, etc. and really enjoyed them. Combined with the RA1 tires the car is one of the fastest on the track. The T-1 package is good but not good enough to justify the extra cost.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 257
Likes: 0
From: SF Bay Area (Norcal) California
Originally Posted by LotusFan
I ended up buying a non-Z51 car. Coming from a Lotus, this car is both very plush and very sloppy. Rolls into corners in a bad way.
Would Z06 bars go a long way to fixing the cornering without hurting the plushness?
I can drive this Vette all day without getting tired. Lotuses are great cars, but they beat the crap outta ya on a long drive.
Would Z06 bars go a long way to fixing the cornering without hurting the plushness?
I can drive this Vette all day without getting tired. Lotuses are great cars, but they beat the crap outta ya on a long drive.
Do you want to make the car turn in better or sway less? Coming from a Lotus i can imagine that this car understeers way more on turn in. For starters i would only upgrade the rear sway with a Z06 sway bar. It should feel much more nimble. These cars just like any other are mass produced for the public so they HAVE to understeer to be safer.
Personally i would try the rear sway bar first. If it oversteers too much then add the front from a Z51.
Last edited by Var; Dec 1, 2005 at 02:14 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
From: Midland GA
It almost feels like the chassis is flexing...and I have a coupe, not a Vert. Reminded me of my Z28 vert before I added SFCs.
Body roll is so great that I have to back off. I thought RWD cars tended toward oversteer, but I get surprising understeer it's true.
Found myself bracing my knee on the transmission tunnel to fight the roll.
It totally makes sense to me now why the Vette comes standard with Active Handling and Lotuses never will. It NEEDS it to stay on the road.
Just a little buyer's remorse...I'll get over it with some mods.
thanks for the input.
Body roll is so great that I have to back off. I thought RWD cars tended toward oversteer, but I get surprising understeer it's true.
Found myself bracing my knee on the transmission tunnel to fight the roll.
It totally makes sense to me now why the Vette comes standard with Active Handling and Lotuses never will. It NEEDS it to stay on the road.
Just a little buyer's remorse...I'll get over it with some mods.
thanks for the input.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,561
Likes: 448
From: Atlanta metro Ga.
Originally Posted by VetteDrmr
C6this,
For street use only, I absolutely would *not* get T1 bars. You'll find the handling get *worse* whenever you're not on a really nice road.
Fastguy,
Yes, the Z51 and Z06 rear bars are identical, for 99-00 cars. 97 and 98 Z51 bars were a bit smaller, IIRC.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
For street use only, I absolutely would *not* get T1 bars. You'll find the handling get *worse* whenever you're not on a really nice road.
Fastguy,
Yes, the Z51 and Z06 rear bars are identical, for 99-00 cars. 97 and 98 Z51 bars were a bit smaller, IIRC.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
On all points.. I enjoyed my Z06 set-up for a few months, then found a set of used Hotchkis. Had to install locking collars on BOTH front and rear bars, modified the front brackets a bit to make it work, but now that's it's done, I am very happy with them.Wouldn't go with T1 bars, based on research I've done; they are friggin' huge!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 1,884
From: Hot Springs AR
Originally Posted by LotusFan
It almost feels like the chassis is flexing...and I have a coupe, not a Vert. Reminded me of my Z28 vert before I added SFCs.
Body roll is so great that I have to back off.
I thought RWD cars tended toward oversteer, but I get surprising understeer it's true.
Found myself bracing my knee on the transmission tunnel to fight the roll.
It totally makes sense to me now why the Vette comes standard with Active Handling and Lotuses never will. It NEEDS it to stay on the road.
Seriously, Lotus has always been known for taking a pretty minimalist approach to driver goodies.Have a good one,
Mike
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 257
Likes: 0
From: SF Bay Area (Norcal) California
LotusFan
One of my customers brought me a 98 C5 to swap the oil pressure sender in it. I took it for a drive and MAN does it roll like a ****..it does have like over 90K on the shocks..but they dampen very well. I'm sure they're not worn out. It's also lowered which may mess with the roll center..but my Z06 rides like 1.5 inch higher and it has way less roll with even stickier tires.
One of my customers brought me a 98 C5 to swap the oil pressure sender in it. I took it for a drive and MAN does it roll like a ****..it does have like over 90K on the shocks..but they dampen very well. I'm sure they're not worn out. It's also lowered which may mess with the roll center..but my Z06 rides like 1.5 inch higher and it has way less roll with even stickier tires.
