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I agree with you 100% on the rear end. The engine/trans/driveshaft are all pretty good from the factory lol. Add a sticky tire and goodbye rear! I'm going to try and make this one last, but what's the fun in that??? Next step is going to be adding Midwest Chassis front/rear bumper supports to offset the added weight of the SFC/LCARB's, and maybe even come in lighter than it was without them. We will have to see!! I'll be doing that and seeing what it makes on an chassis dyno. Stay tuned!!!!! It's coming sooner than later.
Ya know I've heard a lot of bad about the 7.5 in the 4th gen and also that the C5 rear diff isn't all that. I've even had issues myself in a half ton with the 8.5, but I'll be damned if people just aren't blowing them up in my race class, myself included. We run 275/40/17 Toyo RR tires, regularly do standing starts, and they seem to do just fine. There is a catch, we only run 260-267 whp and 310-317 wtq, but we run the cars WOT for ~25-40 minutes straight and all T56s.
Nice work on the bumper supports and great info - I may look into this for weight savings in the future!
Originally Posted by Supercharged111
Ya know I've heard a lot of bad about the 7.5 in the 4th gen and also that the C5 rear diff isn't all that. I've even had issues myself in a half ton with the 8.5, but I'll be damned if people just aren't blowing them up in my race class, myself included. We run 275/40/17 Toyo RR tires, regularly do standing starts, and they seem to do just fine. There is a catch, we only run 260-267 whp and 310-317 wtq, but we run the cars WOT for ~25-40 minutes straight and all T56s.
The rear diff's aren't bad on street or road course tires - it's when they get shock loaded with a slick when launching that the axle tubes on the 7.5 flex and take out the ring gear. The auto guys have better success drag racing since the shock load is less severe than the manual trans.
That is exactly the school of thought I have on the 7.5" rear end^^^. I'm very nervous to take it drag racing as things are currently setup. The car has a lot more power, a more aggressive clutch and a serious tire (315 MT Drag Radial) on it right now. In my head it is begging to explode it's guts out and leave me stranded 2.5hrs from home. Bear in mind I don't have a great truck, and a car trailer to get it there so I'm left to driving it there and home after haha. It sucks, but it is what it is.
Personally, I've done the 1/4 mile thing many times and it's fun and all. However, it's nothing like road racing/autocross... I'm hooked on that, so that's the direction I'd like to steer this "ship" lol.
My Camaro has Wilwood brakes and a host of UMI suspension parts. It's made to handle - though nowhere near the level my GS is at, lol! I like my cars to have a good balance of power, handling and acceleration. If I do get more into drag racing, it will be with a dedicated chassis, not a hacked up street car.
Man, you're one long time owner of that SS... Very rarely do you hear of someone owning one for more than a few years haha. I think the WS6 is going to stick around... They are pretty special cars, and I don't think they will ever really go "down" in value.
I'll have to look into the Kooks TD setup. Does it exit out of the back of the car? I had a Texas Speed and Performance TD setup on my last 98' Z28 and it was deafening in the car. I wouldn't like it now that I'm a few years older lol.
I saw that Speed engineering offers a really affordable TD setup, but everything I've read over on LS1tech makes it sound like it's obnoxiously loud. Same thing with the new TSP TD setup that goes out the back of the car.
Just finished installing my SE dumped setup and it really isn’t that much louder that the SLP loudmouth I had before. Clearance on the other hand 😳
when I get the chance I need to work on mine-pulled into a gas station and the fill ports in the ground ripped mine off.
Stock rear calipers have plenty of stopping power even for road racing. We either upgrade to Corvette twin piston sliders with 13" rotors, Wilwood 4 pots, or a Stoptech 4 pot kit specially designed for our class that fits in with the cost restraints with floating 2 piece rotors up front. Some folks run stock style pads out back with upgraded front brakes. The back is not a good place to increase braking power, it'll only lead to axle hop.
Don't see rotor dimensions, looks like lipstick on a pig IMO. Ceramic pads too, those aren't performance oriented. What do you really want from the brakes? You can buy brackets that will let you run 13" rotors. I also know you can get caliper brackets to allow you to run CTSV brakes. I'd go that route long before the package you posted.
As you may pick up on from my handle, I'm a former Trans Am guy as well. Here's my last one that went down the road earlier this year to make room for the Vette. 2000 WS6 6-spd. Sold it with 56k miles. After owning it for 8 years and 25k miles of my own, sold it for $3k less than I bought it for. Seems like a fair deal.
As to the OP's car, you're lucky to have a clean sail panel - almost everyone I've seen on the 4th gens had the bubbling. My car looked pretty good for 20 year old paint, but the sail panel had bubbles everywhere. I wasn't willing to rip it off and replace it myself, and it was pricey to pay to have it done. I also had some spiderwebbing in the paint on the front nose, but you had to look close to see it. Like you, I had to replace my water pump, but that was after years....not a few days. Generally speaking, a low problem car. I hope you're as lucky.
Stock rear calipers have plenty of stopping power even for road racing. We either upgrade to Corvette twin piston sliders with 13" rotors, Wilwood 4 pots, or a Stoptech 4 pot kit specially designed for our class that fits in with the cost restraints with floating 2 piece rotors up front. Some folks run stock style pads out back with upgraded front brakes. The back is not a good place to increase braking power, it'll only lead to axle hop.
Is this with OEM ABS?
I deleted my ABS and have Wilwood's proportioning valve to setup front/rear bias (Wilwood SL-6 fronts, 4 pot rears).
ABS is not allowed in our class, this is with an adjustable prop valve. I run Raybestos ST43 pads front and rear and have the prop valve turned all the way down out back.
ABS is not allowed in our class, this is with an adjustable prop valve. I run Raybestos ST43 pads front and rear and have the prop valve turned all the way down out back.
Thanks for the info - interesting that you can get axle hop even with the valve fully biased frontwards!
1999 with 55k miles. I picked it up last summer from the original owner. Every piece of documentation from the time he ordered the car. Only thing he ever did was put in a K&N filter. lol
He ordered it Navy Metallic with neutral interior, T-Tps, 6-speed, Auburn diff, Chrome 5 spokes, SLP Dual Dual exhaust, dash emblem and key chains.
After having it for a month I had the suspension swapped for the Koni level 3 from BMR including sways, SFC, strut tower bar, adjustable panhard bar, and adjustable LCA's. Then I had headers ORY, and an electric cutout put in place but kept the SLP Dual Dual as it helps keep things quiet. I decided to ditch the 7.5" and went with the Dana S60 with 3.73 gears. Upon teardown of the 7.5 the bolt in the center pin was broken. It is quite common and the bolt won't come out unless drilled/tapped. Oh, and a 1k HP aluminum driveshaft.
Got it home and the new exhaust cooked the clutch fluid. So....a T56 Magnum (TR6060 internals) is on order with a new Monser Twin Disc. Keeping with the 2.66 first gear. And since the tranny is coming out why not upgrade the motor? lol Working with Tony Mamo on a build. Goal is 600+ rwhp, which I think we will get, but driveability is key.
I will attach some photos.
Last edited by TLS_Addict; 03-25-2019 at 03:02 PM.
This is after the new lower suspension. One hazy eye that needs a little attention. Clean.....with a big ole rear in her. lol Barely any red. I went with black suspension and aftermarket stuff where I could.
Thanks! It's a fun little toy. still have a soft spot for the Rain Air T/A and WS6 Formulas. If I had more room one would parked over or under this car.
I almost went with the 9", great units. What direction are you thinking of with the motor?
11-26-2018, 09:12 AM
Generally speaking, a low problem car. I hope you're as lucky. 
