Leaf springs.....EVEN ON THE Z06!!!!!!...................NOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

I hope your incorrect information never becomes fact.

The C6 IS a body on frame. The C6 has a distinct separate frame and a body that attaches to the frame so it is in fact a body on frame. A unibody has no frame, the stamped, welded or glued body panels support the powertrain and suspension and don't require a separate frame.

 

Some coil-overs do not require the removal of the stock springs; but as stated some do.

 

Nope. The leaf spring is removed.

See here:

 

The transverse leaf spring in the Corvette is not quite the 'horse and buggy' technology many people think. The following link offers some interesting insights into why Corvette uses the leaf spring. Read down through the entire page for some great information.

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum...f-springs.html

 

Okay, show me where the bolts are that connect the body to the frame. Better yet, remove the body from the frame on your C5/C6 and take a photo of it. The Frame is an integral part of the body, not a separate entity. The car that GM built before the C5 with the same body construction was the Pontiac Fiero. It too had a steel space frame with bolt on body panels. It was also a uni-body. The only difference was that the Fiero had the space frame made up of 100% steel stampings welded together, whereas the C5/C6 has the tube side rails with various stampings welded(and riveted on the Z06) together and the floorpan bonded with adhesive. Unibody does not mean 100% monocoque construction where the outer body panels are a stressed member.

For example, take a pre WWI airplane with wood framing covered with fabric. It is of a uni-body construction as the frame is the body and the fabric is not a stressed member. The motor, wings, landing gear, etc are attached to the uni-body. Jump forward to the Ford tri-motor, It has a aluminum frame and the aluminum body panels that are partially stressed, in compression. It is also of uni-body construction but is semi-monocoque. Jump forward to the latest jet fighter with carbon body construction where the body panels are the frame and are stressed in both tension and compression. It is an example of a 100% monocoque construction.

 

I can already see what your friend thinks he knows about the C6 by the grammar of his claim: "leaf spring in the rear."

When somebody sneers about "leaf springs," they're usually imagining a big crescent-shaped spring used as a locating device, like the pair of leaves that support live axles on pickup trucks. If that's the limit of your knowledge of leaf springs, then you can't even imagine how one would be used in front. That's why critics of the C6 claim with amazement that it has "rear leaf springs."

The Corvette uses independent suspension front and rear with double a-arms, just like any modern sports car. The only difference is that it uses a single composite transverse leaf (front and rear) as the spring, which has no locating function, instead of coils, which also have no locating function.

A spring is a spring. They could also have used torsion bars and got the same suspension function.

 

Think of it this way - right now you have a leaf spring in the front and a leaf spring in the rear. That spring provides lift to the body and a suspension. You also have shocks - the main purpose of a shock is to dampen the action of the springs. IF you go to a coilover setup you combine the purpose of the spring and the shock into a single unit at each corner of the vehicle - much like a McPherson strut. In that situation you no longer need the leaf spring so it is removed.

 

OK kids in the unibody vs. body on frame discussion - here you go. Is it "traditional" unibody or body on frame - no. It's a hybrid of each - so I declare "stalemate" on the whole discussion!

 

My suggestion is to read up on the suspension of your car before you change it to appease your friends.

 

Yes it is true and heaven forbid, it has a push rod engine. Better mileage, faster and more durable than those fancy overhead cam babies. I have owned those "fancy" Bimmers and Lexui and give me the torque and sound of the LS3.

 

The only reason that people are hung up on leaf springs is because of the name. Its just like when some moron gets on his high horse because the LS3 uses OHV and only has 2 valves per cylinder. Just because a basic technology has been around for a while doesn't mean that its modern incarnation is somehow inferior. Also just because a technology is new doesn't mean it is superior. (The miller cycle engine for instance)

 

Yeah, his statement makes about as much sense as " saying his Carrera has a flat 6, so does a Corvair and a Suburu"

 

I don't understand the problem with acknowledging the fact that Henry Ford used a similar suspension in the Model T. Facts are facts.

 

It was a dig on the Z06. Those type of comments are usually made by people that call their Porsche a "Porsh" instead of "Porsha".

 

Yup - aka "Poseur".

 

Subie has a flat 6?

 

Correction, I believe Clarkson referred to the Corvette spring system as "chariot springs..."

 

Personally i LOVE the design of the corvettes suspention.. its not even compareable to leaf springs that would be used in something like a pickup truck because that are going from side to side and as they travel up and down they are castering and cambering as a mcpherson strut would while the wheels are mounted to the from with upper and lower A arms like a double wishbone suspention. Its like the best of all worlds and read some threads because the coil over kits people are installing have been snapping! not cool

nothing is cooler then composite (like carbon fiber) LEAF springs

lol

 

We have a winner. The car has elements of a unibody construction but it is in fact a spaceframe construction car.