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St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12'-'13-'14-'15
C5 Coilover conversation
We are picking up a 1998 Vert and I am creating the mod list. One of the first items is coilovers along with C6 GS sway bars.
I am not looking to put big money into modding this vehicle but need to do certain upgrades so that I enjoy driving the car along with our C7Z and soon to be C8Z.
This will be a street car as I know it wont ever run 9s. Just want it to be enjoyable and attractive.
What coil over setup are you running? Impressions good and bad? Approximate cost? I have done some research and am leaning toward BC, Viking or Stance for price point and street only use.
I have Aldan Coil overs on my 99 with C6 Z51 Sway Bars.
Excellent street manners.
Unless your rear tires are 305+ I would suggest the Z51 bars versus
the larger GS, Z06 bars.
Just my .02
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12'-'13-'14-'15
Originally Posted by Navy Blue 210
I have Aldan Coil overs on my 99 with C6 Z51 Sway Bars.
Excellent street manners.
Unless your rear tires are 305+ I would suggest the Z51 bars versus
the larger GS, Z06 bars.
Just my .02
Thank you. Yes will run 20 x 11 rears with 305 tires
I am honestly confused about your goals. Is this 100% a street car? Is it hitting track days? Strip? Autocross? Do you feel you need suspension upgrades to keep up with the C7Z? If so, in what scenarios and use cases?
If it is 100% a street car, I would suggest that it handles more than adequately for the street when in good repair. I can think of relatively few scenarios in which you aren't grossly exceeding safe cornering speeds (given one's general inability to see around tight corners), but still need coilovers. Usually, given the C5's age, if the suspension feels like crap when you're driving on the street, either the street itself is terrible (potholes galore), the tires need to be upgraded, or various parts are just completely worn out. Sometimes that includes the transverse springs and the shocks (especially if the shocks were electronically controlled, not conventional.) So if you're feeling like it doesn't hang because it doesn't drive confidently, the solutions are probably maintenance and tire related.
If you're feeling it doesn't hang because it doesn't do corners fast enough ... well, we've all been out there having fun on public roads so I won't lecture. Start with tires, alignment, ride height, and throttle bravery.
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12'-'13-'14-'15
Originally Posted by gimp
I am honestly confused about your goals. Is this 100% a street car? Is it hitting track days? Strip? Autocross? Do you feel you need suspension upgrades to keep up with the C7Z? If so, in what scenarios and use cases?
If it is 100% a street car, I would suggest that it handles more than adequately for the street when in good repair. I can think of relatively few scenarios in which you aren't grossly exceeding safe cornering speeds (given one's general inability to see around tight corners), but still need coilovers. Usually, given the C5's age, if the suspension feels like crap when you're driving on the street, either the street itself is terrible (potholes galore), the tires need to be upgraded, or various parts are just completely worn out. Sometimes that includes the transverse springs and the shocks (especially if the shocks were electronically controlled, not conventional.) So if you're feeling like it doesn't hang because it doesn't drive confidently, the solutions are probably maintenance and tire related.
If you're feeling it doesn't hang because it doesn't do corners fast enough ... well, we've all been out there having fun on public roads so I won't lecture. Start with tires, alignment, ride height, and throttle bravery.
1c, not quite worth 2c.
Yeah I hear you. It is probably best that I get the car and see how it feels, then slowly add suspension mods to make it enjoyable.
If you want coilovers, I'd gladly recommend Silver's as mentioned above. One of the best/cheapest prices, smooth install, and features that others don't have (such as being able to adjust the ride height without touching the spring preload and being able to adjust the rear dampers from within the car).
With that being said, I'm with gimp. If it's just a street car and you don't plan on slamming it....I'd personally keep the stock leaf setup. The only reason I went with coilovers is because the stock suspension is out of it's comfort zone when you're lowering it beyond what stock bolts allow.
I'd pick up some cheap Z06 take off springs, Bilstein B8 shocks (or C6Z is another popular choice), and probably go with a C6 Z51 swaybar setup unless you want the oversteer biased C6Z setup.
I'm running the Stance coilovers with the C6 GS front bar. I've had the coilovers on the car for about 5 years now with no problems at all. With that said my car is for hillclimbing and Autox only. If I was driving it a lot on the road I would have to go back to the stock leaf springs the coilovers in my opinion are just to harsh for driving it on the street a lot.
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12'-'13-'14-'15
I have decided on the Silvers NEOMAX coilovers. By the time I change out to C5Z leaf springs and shocks I will have spent nearly the same. The CO will also give me less body sway and adjustability. Thanks for the feedback and guidance guys
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12'-'13-'14-'15
I ended up doing the C6Z front bar and C6 Z51 rear. I also did the front and rear lowering bolts.
Body roll is greatly reduced, BUT the car bounces all over the place with the soft ride leaf springs and I guess the shocks are weak on the base suspension as well because I can push the front up and down like 3 inches.
It has been so long since I had a C5 and I got spoiled with C7 Z cars over the past 6 years. Long story short I ordered the Silvers NEOMAX coilovers today. I will update on my impressions of the setup.
I am going to look into those COs, as the C5 I just picked up has the original PFADTs and it is a brick. Please let us know about the Silvers when you get them.
C5 Coilover conversation
