Z06 Sway Bars installed and...
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 0
From: VA
Z06 Sway Bars installed and...
...What a great performance mod!! :yesnod: I got my kit from Ken, our supporting dealer, and made it my Saturday project. The advice available from Forum members made the job easy (Chaz's web page is especially helpful).
The size difference is amazing over stock. The stock ones looked like bars for toy cars in comparison. Basic tools...did it with Rhino ramps. A little tight under the car at times, but do-able. The retainer nuts on the old plastic links were a little stubborn after 20k miles on the car, but some WD-40 helped free them up. :smash: The new aluminum links have a wrench assist ridge on the rear of the threaded bolt (the plastic stocks did not). This speeds up installation and allowed accurate torque wrench values.
Afterwards I did some runs on I-495...on & exit ramps. Man!! What a difference in cornering. Handling is much tighter, and I could not feel any change is ride confort.
Fantastic mod for the price...really takes the C5 to another level! :cheers:
[Modified by Vetts Forever, 12:19 PM 11/25/2002]
The size difference is amazing over stock. The stock ones looked like bars for toy cars in comparison. Basic tools...did it with Rhino ramps. A little tight under the car at times, but do-able. The retainer nuts on the old plastic links were a little stubborn after 20k miles on the car, but some WD-40 helped free them up. :smash: The new aluminum links have a wrench assist ridge on the rear of the threaded bolt (the plastic stocks did not). This speeds up installation and allowed accurate torque wrench values.
Afterwards I did some runs on I-495...on & exit ramps. Man!! What a difference in cornering. Handling is much tighter, and I could not feel any change is ride confort.
Fantastic mod for the price...really takes the C5 to another level! :cheers:
[Modified by Vetts Forever, 12:19 PM 11/25/2002]
Safety Car
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,408
Likes: 61
From: Centerville OH "If we weren't all crazy we would go insane"
CI 3-4-5-6-7 & 9 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08
Re: Z06 Sway Bars installed and... (RobSan)
Sounds like a good price & project, but who is "Ken" our supporting dealer?
And I love mine as well. Got them from Ken too.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 20,054
Likes: 44
From: Swansea IL
Re: Z06 Sway Bars installed and... (Vetts Forever)
I replaced my bars last March with the Z06 set. Best compromise between all out cornering and supple ride. Yes some of us actually enjoy a less bone jarring ride when going in a straight line. But on twisty roads the car is much flatter and taught.
Get bang for the buck.
Tom
USAF Retired
Get bang for the buck.
Tom
USAF Retired
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,818
Likes: 3
From: SoCal
Re: Z06 Sway Bars installed and... (AFVETTE)
Guys, the car feels better, but that doesn't mean it handles better. The bars/springs should be done at the same time IMO.
Next time you go diving into a really hard turn you'll see your car will understeer and you'll have to fight to make it through the tight corner. It handles worse if you actually push it to the limits. Just because it feels more "taught" doesn't mean it is better handling.
Next time you go diving into a really hard turn you'll see your car will understeer and you'll have to fight to make it through the tight corner. It handles worse if you actually push it to the limits. Just because it feels more "taught" doesn't mean it is better handling.
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: san jose ca
Re: Z06 Sway Bars installed and... (jmX)
Maybe you're right, but there is a $ factor to it :cry , as well as a confort factor (springs will make the ride rough).
You say it's worse for tight turns, what about higher speed curves?
I'm globally interested to follow this route, could someone post links to Chaz and Ken web pages :confused:
Thanks
You say it's worse for tight turns, what about higher speed curves?
I'm globally interested to follow this route, could someone post links to Chaz and Ken web pages :confused:
Thanks
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,878
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From: EP Texas
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Z06 Sway Bars installed and... (pasender)
What spring? :rolleyes: I would consider upgrading the shocks depending on what your Vette came with, and that with GM developed z06 sways, metal end links, and non run flat tires WILL make your car handle better.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,874
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From: Fishing Somewhere Cold
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '15
Re: Z06 Sway Bars installed and... (TexCorvette)
I don't know about the "spring" unless he is talking about the transverse one?
I do know that I also enjoy the flatter tighter cornering feel of the Z06 bars. And I do know that my favorite tight left changing elevation sweeper (down) on ramp can be taken faster and flatter with the new bars on. :smash:
I do know that I also enjoy the flatter tighter cornering feel of the Z06 bars. And I do know that my favorite tight left changing elevation sweeper (down) on ramp can be taken faster and flatter with the new bars on. :smash:
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,818
Likes: 3
From: SoCal
Re: Z06 Sway Bars installed and... (TexCorvette)
What spring? :rolleyes: I would consider upgrading the shocks depending on what your Vette came with, and that with GM developed z06 sways, metal end links, and non run flat tires WILL make your car handle better.
I have bilsteins and Potenza S-03 tires, and while my car feels better because its flatter in broad turns, once I dive into a hard corner the car wants to push a LOT sooner than it did before. I'm not happy with this setup at all.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 0
From: VA
Re: Z06 Sway Bars installed and... (pasender)
...I'm globally interested to follow this route, could someone post links to Chaz and Ken web pages :confused:
Thanks
Thanks
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=439318
Also, here is the link to Chaz's page. My original post talks about some ot the improvements to the metal links that allow them to be torqued in:
http://www.chazcone.com/corvette/z51/
:cheers:
[Modified by Vetts Forever, 9:05 PM 11/25/2002]
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 869
Likes: 0
From: Nashville TN
Re: Z06 Sway Bars installed and... (jmX)
Within certain parameters stiff bars can be used with either stiff or soft springs -- what is important is that the bars themselves be matched, and that the springs also be matched ( by matched I do not mean the same, of-course ).
In the late 60's and early 70's there was discussion in the car mags about what seemed to be a philosophical difference between Pontiac and Chevrolet about how best to achieve performance street handling. Performance Camaros tended to be sprung more stiffly while having thinner and less stiff bars, and Trans-Ams tended to have softer springs and much thicker and stiffer bars. Most car mag road tests praised the power of the Camaros, but gave the handling nod to the Trans-Ams.
So yes, you can have softer springs and stiff bars and have excellent handling. Hotchkiss bars are stiffer than Z06 bars and have been tested and shown to work great with the base springs. This is my setup and I love it! Of-course you can and need to tune over/understeer with tire pressures. :yesnod: :cheers:
[Modified by 1g1yy, 2:15 AM 11/26/2002]
In the late 60's and early 70's there was discussion in the car mags about what seemed to be a philosophical difference between Pontiac and Chevrolet about how best to achieve performance street handling. Performance Camaros tended to be sprung more stiffly while having thinner and less stiff bars, and Trans-Ams tended to have softer springs and much thicker and stiffer bars. Most car mag road tests praised the power of the Camaros, but gave the handling nod to the Trans-Ams.
So yes, you can have softer springs and stiff bars and have excellent handling. Hotchkiss bars are stiffer than Z06 bars and have been tested and shown to work great with the base springs. This is my setup and I love it! Of-course you can and need to tune over/understeer with tire pressures. :yesnod: :cheers:
[Modified by 1g1yy, 2:15 AM 11/26/2002]
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,878
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From: EP Texas
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Z06 Sway Bars installed and... (jmX)
What Spring? Uh, the front and rear ones? The Z06 bars should go with the Z06 springs IMO.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,818
Likes: 3
From: SoCal
Re: Z06 Sway Bars installed and... (TexCorvette)
What Spring? Uh, the front and rear ones? The Z06 bars should go with the Z06 springs IMO.
Wow, you are the one to talk about handling on a C5 :D Someone please show me where these z06 springs, especially the front ones can be bought! A picture of one would help! :jester So funny almost hurts. Back to the topic, the z06 sways will improve handling over base sways, period, its not just feel.
Wow, you are the one to talk about handling on a C5 :D Someone please show me where these z06 springs, especially the front ones can be bought! A picture of one would help! :jester So funny almost hurts. Back to the topic, the z06 sways will improve handling over base sways, period, its not just feel.
Anyway, you guys can go off enjoying your car however you want. The corners I push my car through got MUCH worse with the new swaybars, and I've played with tire pressure more than most people would. It could be the S-03 tires just suck too, I'm very unimpressed with them after driving around on Kuhmo V700 and Nitto 555R race tires for 2 years...if only they made those in stock C5 sizes.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,878
Likes: 0
From: EP Texas
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Z06 Sway Bars installed and... (jmX)
Guess we should all get lowering springs while we are at it also :jester
On a serious note, maybe it is your tires, I’ve heard a lot of good results with these sways, and pilot sports.
On a serious note, maybe it is your tires, I’ve heard a lot of good results with these sways, and pilot sports.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Hockessin DE
Re: Z06 Sway Bars installed and... (TexCorvette)
2 points and a question:
No one can expect S-03's to compare to V700s, from experience I know they are night and day different in handling character and ultimate grip. They also require different suspension settings to work well at the limit.
I understand the Z06 bars are balanced for a car having less weight in the rear than a coupe, so to get Z06 F/R handling balance for a coupe would require a slightly heavier bar for the rear. You might be right the ultimate F/R balance might be worse. But, transient response will be improved, which is what most people feel in daily spirited driving.
Another thing to consider is if you lowered the car at the same time you added the new bars. Is the corner weighting significantly shifted? Lowering the car can affect the weight seen at one wheel relative to the others. Hence the load it feels and will affect the handling at the limit.
I think the F/R could be rebalanced with slightly wider tires in the front as a last resort.
[Modified by CSDMagRed01, 11:57 PM 11/25/2002]
No one can expect S-03's to compare to V700s, from experience I know they are night and day different in handling character and ultimate grip. They also require different suspension settings to work well at the limit.
I understand the Z06 bars are balanced for a car having less weight in the rear than a coupe, so to get Z06 F/R handling balance for a coupe would require a slightly heavier bar for the rear. You might be right the ultimate F/R balance might be worse. But, transient response will be improved, which is what most people feel in daily spirited driving.
Another thing to consider is if you lowered the car at the same time you added the new bars. Is the corner weighting significantly shifted? Lowering the car can affect the weight seen at one wheel relative to the others. Hence the load it feels and will affect the handling at the limit.
I think the F/R could be rebalanced with slightly wider tires in the front as a last resort.
[Modified by CSDMagRed01, 11:57 PM 11/25/2002]
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,818
Likes: 3
From: SoCal
Re: Z06 Sway Bars installed and... (CSDMagRed01)
I actually have the V700's for a while, then switched to the nitto drag radials on all four wheels (YES, you read that right) and the nittos had as much grip as the V700's but floppier sidewalls.
Then, I got the C5. I had the stock runflats, stock swaybars, and the car was slammed. It handled great, perfectly balanced. Then I got the S03s, reading about how awesome they were, hoping they'd at least get close to what the 555R tires did for my Camaro, and no...they aren't even close :(. So in an effort to improve handling, I put the Z06 bars on like so many suggested, and now it just pushes more through corners than I want. Before it felt so balanced...like 50/50, now it feels like 46/54 as far as front/rear grip goes in tight hard corners, the front just gives way sooo much sooner than the front. Tire pressure didnt seem to be enough to adjust to correct this. :sad:
Then, I got the C5. I had the stock runflats, stock swaybars, and the car was slammed. It handled great, perfectly balanced. Then I got the S03s, reading about how awesome they were, hoping they'd at least get close to what the 555R tires did for my Camaro, and no...they aren't even close :(. So in an effort to improve handling, I put the Z06 bars on like so many suggested, and now it just pushes more through corners than I want. Before it felt so balanced...like 50/50, now it feels like 46/54 as far as front/rear grip goes in tight hard corners, the front just gives way sooo much sooner than the front. Tire pressure didnt seem to be enough to adjust to correct this. :sad:
