C6 leaf spring upgrade?
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: NJ
C6 leaf spring upgrade?
I'm thinking of lowering the c6 and wanted to get feedback in regards to how a new set of leaf springs would assist with this process. The car has bilstein shocks and front and rear sways (zr1, z06 respectively). Don't want to do coilovers. This will be for street performance no track. Any suggestions/ recommendations on various setups/ vendors is appreciated.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,359
Likes: 6
From: Los Alamitos California
St. Jude Donor '09
I'm thinking of lowering the c6 and wanted to get feedback in regards to how a new set of leaf springs would assist with this process. The car has bilstein shocks and front and rear sways (zr1, z06 respectively). Don't want to do coilovers. This will be for street performance no track. Any suggestions/ recommendations on various setups/ vendors is appreciated.
San
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: NJ
Yes I realise this, should have been more specific. Wanted to know it it will assist in minimizing road scraping and at the same time how it would assist with the suspension overall handling etc.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 562
Likes: 2
From: Jacksonville FL
I have the same setup as yours (bilstein DRM shocks and oversize sway bars) and I went with the Z06 front leaf spring only. I am 1.5 turns from bottom as I was destroying my front spoiler on the track at certain turns with it lowered all the way. I left the soft stock spring in the rear. I like the setup
Safety Car
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 3,582
Likes: 46
From: va
Im running the Zr1/Z06 sways and z06 shocks.
I kept the stock rear spring and added in a z06 front spring. The car doesnt want to oversteer as much as with the softer base front spring, but it handles better. Less brake dive, and less bouncing. Although the setup is stiffer, I can go over rough sections at higher speeds than with the base suspension, and not get the rear end wanting to come around on me.
If you check out the spring rate chart, using a z06 front spring along with a base rear is supposed to yield a spring rate similar to the Z51, except a bit stiffer.
At first I wasnt happy with the z06 spring because it wasnt as fun (after all, who doesnt like getting sideways?), but it really helped the car.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 3,582
Likes: 46
From: va
The ones I keep seeing here are:
420/657 FE1/2
526/645 FE3
531/782 FE4
???/??? FE5
I wish GM would just post a list with the damn things up for us...
Pro
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 562
Likes: 2
From: Jacksonville FL
I did some research about a year ago on this and sway bars. I don't remember what the source was, sorry.
These were the sway numbers I found at the same time:
Model Front Rear
FE1/Base 1.005” 0.689”
FE2/F55 1.005” 0.689”
FE3/Z51 1.222” 1.008”
FE4/Z06 1.222” 1.100”
These were the sway numbers I found at the same time:
Model Front Rear
FE1/Base 1.005” 0.689”
FE2/F55 1.005” 0.689”
FE3/Z51 1.222” 1.008”
FE4/Z06 1.222” 1.100”
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