I have a 15 z51 m7 non mrc, I am considering switching to coilover shocks and ditching the stock transverse leaf spring to provide better ride/handling/performance along with adjustability and some slight weight savings.
Can anyone provide any insight? Has anyone tried the pfadt or LG coilovers? I'm not looking to spend $5k on Penskes.

 

Both the LG and MTI coilovers are Bilstein coilovers from the Bilstein race shop. They appear to be the Bilstein ASN and not the Bilstein MDS.

Take a look at spring rates:

C6 T1
582/850

C6 Z06
531/782

C6 Z51
526/645

Now take the C6 Z06 spring rates but make the percentage spread the same as C6 Z51 and that's:

650/800
.

 

Since the Z51 already has Bilsteins, I would obviously look for a kit that is equal or better in the damper department, like you suggested with the LG coils. I agree with you on the Penske coils, they are way overpriced. Really good stuff, but overpriced. Motons are great as well, but priced too high.

The typical brands I look at are Ohlins, KW, and Bilstein. I have no experience with LG or Pfadt but the LG look to be pretty good from what I have read but are non adjustable it seems like (so if you want custom spring rates, you want damper adjustability). Pfadt is vague and has too many unanswered questions for me to consider.

Not sure if Ohlins has a kit yet for the C7, but when/if they do it will be right up there with the best of them.

Bilstein is always a go-to favorite that is budget friendly.

KW is a universal favorite among many platforms, also budget friendly with top notch coilover systems. They have kits for the C7. I would look at Variant 3's.

Questions are:

1. Do you want adjustability at all/are you fine with the simple single adjustability on the damper or do you want to adjust rebound and compression separately?

2. Do you mind the required minimum drop that most coils require?

3. Do you want to custom valve or order custom spring rates?

 

Unless you are 100% road racing the car save your money and put it in some other part of the car. Robert

 

I do not have experience with them on my C7 but I did have the LG coilovers on my C6 and absolutely loved them. Then totally changed the dynamics of the car.

However....I think my C7 Z51 with mag ride out performs it handling and overall ride quality wise. I have kicked around the idea of doing coilovers on the C7 just to be able to adjust ride height easier but I just can't get myself to spend the money because the car rides so damn good.

 

We have been doing a ton of development with the C7 Suspension system on the car including our famous G2 coil overs. Our 2014 Stingray has proved quite the test car for these.

Unlike a lot of the others we spent a solid 6 months of on the road and track testing these before they were ever released to the public. For those of you that have seen "bring the log" you know we are not scared to put our parts through the worse case scenarios. Built to perform, and built to last!





A few of you might have even caught our "camera" car during the Optima Shootout on TV rocking our coil overs and sway bars.



If you want to make some adjustment/changes to the car but may not want to jump right into the coil overs to start with, try our new G7 sway bars. That will make a big difference in how the car handles on track without a big investment and we have already tested them with the coil overs so no changes needed if/when you want to add the coil overs to the setup.











Like all of our G2 coil overs, they are all build to order for each customer. That way you know the setup is going to be right for what you are doing with the car.

For those that might want a double adjustable, I can offer these with the MDS line of shocks in it as well. Pricing has a huge change and personally not everyone needs an adjustable shock but for those that do, we do offer it.


Please let me know if you have any questions about any of the products.

 

I don't want to derail the thread (apologies OP) but quick question:

As I understand it your sway bars are hallow front and solid rear, is that right? Also, around what percent rigidity increases can we expect from the sways over stock Z51 (at each bolt hole on the fronts)?

TIA

 

The bars are tubular....larger in diameter and thicker as well. Increase is approx 45% stiffer than the OEM "big" Z51/Z06/Z07 bars.

 

Thanks for all of your advice. As a non mrc z51 it does ride a little harsh and I notice some crosstalk when hitting the bumpy roads. I'm really looking for a better improved ride number 1 and adjustability is number 2 as I wI'll probably only track it a couple times per year.

 

You would be surprised on how well they do ride.

Road racing and street cars share a lot of things in common. They have to stop, go, turn left, turn right. If you have noticed some of the drivers...they also like to hit things like curbing on the track so the car has to remain stable during all of this and not be upset. A good shock/coil over will let you do that and keep the car composed. This translates very nicely to a street car as you have poor roads, pot holes, curbs, speed bumps..

Now it is still a sports car, not '59 Cadillac ride, but nice and no more tossing the car side to side.

If you need anything give me a ring, PM, or email and we can go into detail further.

 

The LG sway bar pay still help you for the G-force in the corners at the track. You may want to look at a aftermarket shock for the car. This stuff is a give and take. You better have deep pockets when you go racing are even starting chging the ride up on the car. Just to try are hope you get it like you are looking for.
LG people have been racing these car for a long time and really put the R&D behind that program. Then the street is a diff place totally.

Anthony, HOPE TO GET THE HEADERS SOON FOR THE CAR.

 

Ok... So both bars hallow and is that 45% at full stiff setting, full soft setting, etc? Or are you generally saying 45% stiffer

And I agree even the Z51 bars are pretty small at 28mm or whatever they are for a performance track option imho

 

For a better ride:

Front, 265/35-18 tire, 18 x 9.5 56mm to 52mm wheel
Rear, 305/30-19 tire, 19 x 11 79mm to 75mm wheel

Really, a wider tire improving the ride is an understated fundamental. And then the sidewall height of these tires is also good enough
.

 

Boost Monkey I know you like pics






Great improvement over the Z51 bars, simple installation - VIR the next day and LG have done their homework A+

 

Thank you, sir.

I will be adding these to the mod purchase list.

 

Those HOLLOW bars are great.

 

Lol, ya thanks man, somehow I kept missing that.

 

Right on brutha.

 

Hi guys all the C7 testing we have done with the Bilstein coil over shocks has resulted in brand-new valving for the C7

I can tell you for sure there's nothing on the market like it
and unless you're shock engineer you don't need adjustable (unless you're going to the drag strip a lot)

We work on calving with Bilstein over the years and everyone of our winning Corvette Race cars had Bilstein

If you're anywhere near Dallas come to the shop and I'll give you a ride in the yellow C7 so we can see how it feels

and just in case you don't know, the big sway bars do not affect any ride quality in a straight line -- only in cornering.

I am very proud of The shack package that we ended up with in conjunction with Bilstein.

Stop over will go for a ride in the car

See you at the races - next race Elkhart Lake Wisconsin June 27th weekend.


Thanks

Lou gigliotti

 

I'm not sure I'm ready to spend $3k on coilovers just yet. Can the stock shock mounts handle the added weight of the vehicle after removing the leaf? Im in the northeast so Dallas is a bit far.

Does anyone make/sell replacement shock that is adjustable?
Has anyone tried the Johnny O'CONNELL shocks?