Handling & rear end behavior
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Gothenburg
Handling & rear end behavior
Hi,
My '98 C5 has stock suspension except for Bilstein HD's & 19" non runflats.
Now, when weight shifts like for example if the road "dips" in a tighter high speed corner, there is a movement in the rear end I would like to get rid of. It moves too much before it settles, and I'm just waiting for the day when grip is bad and I end up going rear end first.
I don't know if anyone knows what I'm talking about but if this is a know vette behavior, would a better sway bar or new/harder bushings somewhere be a remedy?
Regards,
Dan
My '98 C5 has stock suspension except for Bilstein HD's & 19" non runflats.
Now, when weight shifts like for example if the road "dips" in a tighter high speed corner, there is a movement in the rear end I would like to get rid of. It moves too much before it settles, and I'm just waiting for the day when grip is bad and I end up going rear end first.
I don't know if anyone knows what I'm talking about but if this is a know vette behavior, would a better sway bar or new/harder bushings somewhere be a remedy?
Regards,
Dan
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Hi,
My '98 C5 has stock suspension except for Bilstein HD's & 19" non runflats.
Now, when weight shifts like for example if the road "dips" in a tighter high speed corner, there is a movement in the rear end I would like to get rid of. It moves too much before it settles, and I'm just waiting for the day when grip is bad and I end up going rear end first.
I don't know if anyone knows what I'm talking about but if this is a know vette behavior, would a better sway bar or new/harder bushings somewhere be a remedy?
Regards,
Dan
My '98 C5 has stock suspension except for Bilstein HD's & 19" non runflats.
Now, when weight shifts like for example if the road "dips" in a tighter high speed corner, there is a movement in the rear end I would like to get rid of. It moves too much before it settles, and I'm just waiting for the day when grip is bad and I end up going rear end first.
I don't know if anyone knows what I'm talking about but if this is a know vette behavior, would a better sway bar or new/harder bushings somewhere be a remedy?
Regards,
Dan
Know exactly what your talking about but
a few questions:
Age of tires not miles:
Alignment numbers please:
Lets start there.
Tom
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Gothenburg
Just to clarify, the movement I'm talking of is in the chassis, the rear tires doesn't actually let go (at least hasn't yet). It does kind of make sense that it got worse with new stickier tires, the energy has to go somewhere and if the tires are not slipping I guess the suspension has to take the full force.
I have not had it aligned because the tire wear is even (and the Bilsteins were on when I bought it), might that be where the problem is?
Thanks,
Dan
Last edited by Hamlet; Aug 28, 2012 at 04:37 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
Not only check the alignment, get it properly set. Everything should be equal side to side except for a little more caster in the front passenger side wheel to compensate for road crown. The specs give a wide range of acceptable values but simply putting both sides within the spec is wrong. For example, the "within spec" toe on the rear can be both toe in and toe out. Setting one side to toe in and the other to toe out will do bad things even though both sides are within the spec range.
Both sides should both be equal and within spec.
Both sides should both be equal and within spec.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 508
Likes: 0
From: La Habra CA
I agree with Lionel my rear end was tow out on left side and towed in on right during any corner with a bump or dip bad things happened, like drifting two lanes on the 101 through LA where the large esses are going through down town.... it sucked.
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Instructor
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 128
Likes: 21
From: Meridian ID
Alignment Alignment Alignment
It's got to be PERFECT.
There is a lot of adjustment built into the suspensions on these cars and it is EASY to set camber, caster and toe EXACTLY where it needs to be.
There are so many different misalignment combinations that can make these cars super twitchy. And yet, there are so many different possible alignment combinations that, if set properly, can yield a multitude of different handling characteristics.
Not only check the alignment, get it properly set. Everything should be equal side to side except for a little more caster in the front passenger side wheel to compensate for road crown. The specs give a wide range of acceptable values but simply putting both sides within the spec is wrong. For example, the "within spec" toe on the rear can be both toe in and toe out. Setting one side to toe in and the other to toe out will do bad things even though both sides are within the spec range.
Both sides should both be equal and within spec.
Both sides should both be equal and within spec.
It's got to be PERFECT.
There is a lot of adjustment built into the suspensions on these cars and it is EASY to set camber, caster and toe EXACTLY where it needs to be.
There are so many different misalignment combinations that can make these cars super twitchy. And yet, there are so many different possible alignment combinations that, if set properly, can yield a multitude of different handling characteristics.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 128
Likes: 21
From: Meridian ID
Here is the Pfadt page for alignment specs ...
http://www.pfadtracing.com/blog/wp-c...-9.12.2011.pdf
http://www.pfadtracing.com/blog/wp-c...-9.12.2011.pdf
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,375
Likes: 1,593
From: Western NY
Not only check the alignment, get it properly set. Everything should be equal side to side except for a little more caster in the front passenger side wheel to compensate for road crown. The specs give a wide range of acceptable values but simply putting both sides within the spec is wrong. For example, the "within spec" toe on the rear can be both toe in and toe out. Setting one side to toe in and the other to toe out will do bad things even though both sides are within the spec range.
Both sides should both be equal and within spec.
Both sides should both be equal and within spec.
It's not easy to find a shop that will take the time to do this, but if you can get to the guy who's working on your car, a 20 dollar bill discreetly placed in his hand will usually get you what you need...
Racer
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 349
Likes: 7
From: San Diego CA
Mine had a weird tail wag going over heaves, and it was the rear (inner) tie rod end. I could wiggle the RH wheel a tiny bit by hand, and feel the movement in the joint. Quite hard to diagnose if you don't know exactly what you're looking for. The inner joint is spring loaded and it can feel fine but still have play.
