Suspension setup on C6?
Thread Starter
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Tampa FL
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12'-'13-'14-'15
Suspension setup on C6?
I need to know if this adjustment on a LS3 C6 Z51 will cause any issues with everyday handling, tire wear, or stability?
The car has polyuerathane offset control arm bushings allowing the car to have 2.5 degrees less caster than stock.
It also has a Hypercoil HD rear spring with about 15% more rate. A Z06 has 10% more spring rate. The left front tire has about 2 degrees negative camber.
The car has polyuerathane offset control arm bushings allowing the car to have 2.5 degrees less caster than stock.
It also has a Hypercoil HD rear spring with about 15% more rate. A Z06 has 10% more spring rate. The left front tire has about 2 degrees negative camber.
_Sloth Whisperer_
Joined: Jul 2008
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From: Malaysia Air Flight 370
What are you asking?
If you can set your car up in the same manner as the car being referenced in the bolded quote? If so, there are always repercussions with going more aggressive with camber/caster/toe settings.
Track performance and handling typically come at the expense of longevity and wear of components, when utilizing stock suspension pieces that don't compensate for the adjustments. It's a give-take question that depends on your willingness to compromise.
If you can set your car up in the same manner as the car being referenced in the bolded quote? If so, there are always repercussions with going more aggressive with camber/caster/toe settings.
Track performance and handling typically come at the expense of longevity and wear of components, when utilizing stock suspension pieces that don't compensate for the adjustments. It's a give-take question that depends on your willingness to compromise.
Thread Starter
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 18,666
Likes: 395
From: Tampa FL
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12'-'13-'14-'15
What are you asking?
If you can set your car up in the same manner as the car being referenced in the bolded quote? If so, there are always repercussions with going more aggressive with camber/caster/toe settings.
Track performance and handling typically come at the expense of longevity and wear of components, when utilizing stock suspension pieces that don't compensate for the adjustments. It's a give-take question that depends on your willingness to compromise.
If you can set your car up in the same manner as the car being referenced in the bolded quote? If so, there are always repercussions with going more aggressive with camber/caster/toe settings.
Track performance and handling typically come at the expense of longevity and wear of components, when utilizing stock suspension pieces that don't compensate for the adjustments. It's a give-take question that depends on your willingness to compromise.
I was also told that the bushings were installed backwards to soften the steering effort. Will this make the car less responsive? affect handling? etc?
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10,399
Likes: 25
From: Austin Texas
Yes, the current settings will affect handling, tire wear and stability.
Why are you buying a dedicated track car if you are going to street drive it? Track cars usually have much higher wear than a street car.
Why are you buying a dedicated track car if you are going to street drive it? Track cars usually have much higher wear than a street car.
Thread Starter
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Tampa FL
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12'-'13-'14-'15
Cajun
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10,399
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From: Austin Texas
The owner set it up for TRACK use as evidenced by the settings. Have it put back to stock settings at the current owners expense before you buy it. I wouldn't buy a car that has been tracked enough that it had specific alignment settings that appear to be for track use only.
Thread Starter
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Tampa FL
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12'-'13-'14-'15
The owner set it up for TRACK use as evidenced by the settings. Have it put back to stock settings at the current owners expense before you buy it. I wouldn't buy a car that has been tracked enough that it had specific alignment settings that appear to be for track use only.
Good input. The car only has 6500 miles on it and looks like new. I think the guy just liked it to handle well. I thought that it might make sense to have it put back to stock. I will ask the seller to do that.
Do the poly bushings installed backwards have any negative effects? Thanks
Cajun
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10,399
Likes: 25
From: Austin Texas
I have no idea on the bushings.
It wouldn't "handle well" with the alignment settings you listed. Less caster will cause a vague on center feel. 2° negative camber is a track setting for cornering. Stiffer rear springs are for track use and will cause the rear wheels to bounce around with loss of traction on uneven streets. Must be fun to drive on the street, the extreme negative camber and the caster setting causing understeer on left turns and the high rate rear springs causing oversteer on rough roads.
It wouldn't "handle well" with the alignment settings you listed. Less caster will cause a vague on center feel. 2° negative camber is a track setting for cornering. Stiffer rear springs are for track use and will cause the rear wheels to bounce around with loss of traction on uneven streets. Must be fun to drive on the street, the extreme negative camber and the caster setting causing understeer on left turns and the high rate rear springs causing oversteer on rough roads.
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Thread Starter
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 18,666
Likes: 395
From: Tampa FL
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12'-'13-'14-'15
I have no idea on the bushings.
It wouldn't "handle well" with the alignment settings you listed. Less caster will cause a vague on center feel. 2° negative camber is a track setting for cornering. Stiffer rear springs are for track use and will cause the rear wheels to bounce around with loss of traction on uneven streets. Must be fun to drive on the street, the extreme negative camber and the caster setting causing understeer on left turns and the high rate rear springs causing oversteer on rough roads.
It wouldn't "handle well" with the alignment settings you listed. Less caster will cause a vague on center feel. 2° negative camber is a track setting for cornering. Stiffer rear springs are for track use and will cause the rear wheels to bounce around with loss of traction on uneven streets. Must be fun to drive on the street, the extreme negative camber and the caster setting causing understeer on left turns and the high rate rear springs causing oversteer on rough roads.
Thank you. I guess maybe I need to speak to the tech that installed these bushings and did the alignment adjustments. Thanks for the input.
Cajun
Last edited by Cajun @ Edgyvette; Oct 27, 2009 at 10:40 PM.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Suspension setup on C6?
Stock Z51s come from the factory made to understeer and have inferior handling to a Z06 a stiffer rear spring rate would help fix this problem.
So a stiffer rear spring will make the have less understeer than stock & put power down better than stock.
How well the car turns left has 90% to do with the alignment on the right side.
Drag racers typically install stiffer rear springs to help the car put power down.
So a stiffer rear spring will make the have less understeer than stock & put power down better than stock.
How well the car turns left has 90% to do with the alignment on the right side.
Drag racers typically install stiffer rear springs to help the car put power down.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,017
Likes: 2
Stock Z51s come from the factory made to understeer and have inferior handling to a Z06 a stiffer rear spring rate would help fix this problem.
So a stiffer rear spring will make the have less understeer than stock & put power down better than stock.
How well the car turns left has 90% to do with the alignment on the right side.
Drag racers typically install stiffer rear springs to help the car put power down.
So a stiffer rear spring will make the have less understeer than stock & put power down better than stock.
How well the car turns left has 90% to do with the alignment on the right side.
Drag racers typically install stiffer rear springs to help the car put power down.
I would be leery of buying a car that had a track specific setup in the suspension. Given the LS motors are having oiling issues at the track with 1.0 G loads you may just be buying an engine soon..
Advanced
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 94
Likes: 1
From: Omaha NE
Good input. The car only has 6500 miles on it and looks like new. I think the guy just liked it to handle well. I thought that it might make sense to have it put back to stock. I will ask the seller to do that.
Do the poly bushings installed backwards have any negative effects? Thanks
Cajun
Do the poly bushings installed backwards have any negative effects? Thanks
Cajun
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
It depends on how & where u drive ur car on camber set up for the street.
The Z51 pushes with stock camber on the front, so adding more especially on the right front (since most freeway ramps are right hand) could make the tires last longer, it depends on how it is driven.
The car in this thread may have a lot of neg. camber on the left front but it does not say what it has anywhere else.
The Z51 pushes with stock camber on the front, so adding more especially on the right front (since most freeway ramps are right hand) could make the tires last longer, it depends on how it is driven.
The car in this thread may have a lot of neg. camber on the left front but it does not say what it has anywhere else.
CF Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,313
Likes: 25
From: Tucson Arizona
Stock Z51s come from the factory made to understeer and have inferior handling to a Z06 a stiffer rear spring rate would help fix this problem.
So a stiffer rear spring will make the have less understeer than stock & put power down better than stock.
How well the car turns left has 90% to do with the alignment on the right side.
Drag racers typically install stiffer rear springs to help the car put power down.
So a stiffer rear spring will make the have less understeer than stock & put power down better than stock.
How well the car turns left has 90% to do with the alignment on the right side.
Drag racers typically install stiffer rear springs to help the car put power down.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,508
Likes: 71
From: round rock tx
I need to know if this adjustment on a LS3 C6 Z51 will cause any issues with everyday handling, tire wear, or stability?
The car has polyuerathane offset control arm bushings allowing the car to have 2.5 degrees less caster than stock.
It also has a Hypercoil HD rear spring with about 15% more rate. A Z06 has 10% more spring rate. The left front tire has about 2 degrees negative camber.
The car has polyuerathane offset control arm bushings allowing the car to have 2.5 degrees less caster than stock.
It also has a Hypercoil HD rear spring with about 15% more rate. A Z06 has 10% more spring rate. The left front tire has about 2 degrees negative camber.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
I'm not a drag racer (I could be wrong) but I thought drag racers typically want a 'softer' rear suspension setup to encourage squat and minimize wheel-hop. The rebound stiffness could be stiffer but the 'softer' rear setup helps a drag racer at launch keep the rubber on the road. Similar to why drag racers often reduce rear tire pressures.
I am not a drag racer either. Less tire PSI puts more rubber on the road for acceleration
And I have had cars in the past that could break the tires lose just smashing the gas pedal to the floor & after putting just a stiffer rear spring (keeping the front stock), the car was no longer able to break the rear tires loose. On axle hop, you got me on spring rates but I have done shock adjustments that have reduced it. I don't ever pop my clutch so I have not had many problems with hop.
I am not a drag racer either. Less tire PSI puts more rubber on the road for acceleration
And I have had cars in the past that could break the tires lose just smashing the gas pedal to the floor & after putting just a stiffer rear spring (keeping the front stock), the car was no longer able to break the rear tires loose. On axle hop, you got me on spring rates but I have done shock adjustments that have reduced it. I don't ever pop my clutch so I have not had many problems with hop.
