T1 Sway Bars and UK roads...
Discussion
Hey, Chaps,
Anyone fitted these? On the US Corvette forums, they're always harping on about how harsh the ride is - will I, as a "European" think the same? Even though this is my 4th Vette, my previous runaround was a 2005 Honda Civic Type-R which I thought was very stiff, but didn't bother me - if I buy these bars, based on this fact, am I going to regret it?
Cheers, in advance!
Col.
Anyone fitted these? On the US Corvette forums, they're always harping on about how harsh the ride is - will I, as a "European" think the same? Even though this is my 4th Vette, my previous runaround was a 2005 Honda Civic Type-R which I thought was very stiff, but didn't bother me - if I buy these bars, based on this fact, am I going to regret it?
Cheers, in advance!
Col.
Sway bars wont affect ride in that way. Whether the ride is harsh or too soft is down to the spring rate and damping. Sway bars just control body roll and through that you can affect understeer/oversteer with different size bars in proportion to front/rear.
They made a massive improvement to the ZR1 and I know VHR will say the same about the C5
They made a massive improvement to the ZR1 and I know VHR will say the same about the C5
Edited by Gixer on Monday 26th March 18:58
Yeah, I've replaced the shocks on a few cars, so I was a little confused, in all honesty - but check out the US forums - "T1's too stiff" etc...
They all seem to think it makes the car feel like it's got no suspension!
T1 seem to be the stiffest bars they do - I wanna improve the already good cornering of the C5, so that's what I'm after...
They all seem to think it makes the car feel like it's got no suspension!
T1 seem to be the stiffest bars they do - I wanna improve the already good cornering of the C5, so that's what I'm after...
I've seen posts that very large sway bars make the steering heavy but can't see how they can make the ride harder. They've probably had coilovers fitted at the same time and are blaming the bars?
Maybe it has something to do with how the tranverse spring works. They say there is 'cross-talk' from one side of the spring to the other ie when one side is pushed up, the other tends to be pushed down. Maybe a stiffer bar helps stop that. That would result in a stiffer ride. Do you know if those people on the US forums have coilovers or not?
Maybe it has something to do with how the tranverse spring works. They say there is 'cross-talk' from one side of the spring to the other ie when one side is pushed up, the other tends to be pushed down. Maybe a stiffer bar helps stop that. That would result in a stiffer ride. Do you know if those people on the US forums have coilovers or not?
Gixer said:
Sure VHR has
I have the T1 Swaybars and also LG Motorsports coilovers on the yellow Z06 and I can't comment on the T1's with standard springs and dampers as I changed all of mine at the same time.
The swaybars prevent/limit body roll so bigger ones mean the car "sways/rolls" less. I would be interested in hearing the results of fitting the bars to an otherwise standard suspension set up.
If you need to get the bars try Autoway Chevrolet in Tampa and ask for Ash Vyas in parts as he will get them at a good price.
I am going to buy the Pfatty adjustable anti-roll bars from Pfadt Racing in the US: www.pfadtracing.com/
They describe it as being "nearly T1 stiffness" but they are adjustable so you can back it off for bumpy road use.
The way anti-roll bars work, they do link the two wheels on the same axle together and will make the ride harsher on bumpy roads.
The leaf spring has some inherent anti-roll properties, so the Vette actually has thinner anti-roll bars than an equivalent coil sprung car; but if you want to bias it toward handling then fitting a thicker one is a good idea.
They describe it as being "nearly T1 stiffness" but they are adjustable so you can back it off for bumpy road use.
The way anti-roll bars work, they do link the two wheels on the same axle together and will make the ride harsher on bumpy roads.
The leaf spring has some inherent anti-roll properties, so the Vette actually has thinner anti-roll bars than an equivalent coil sprung car; but if you want to bias it toward handling then fitting a thicker one is a good idea.
So a few questions for VHR -
1) Seeing as you have the whole deal on the Yellow Z06, what's the day to day ride like on it? Would it kill me?
2) If I put coil-overs on the car, does that mean the leaf springs can go?
3) By how much (from the standard car) is the handling improved by these kind of mods...?
Cheers!
1) Seeing as you have the whole deal on the Yellow Z06, what's the day to day ride like on it? Would it kill me?
2) If I put coil-overs on the car, does that mean the leaf springs can go?
3) By how much (from the standard car) is the handling improved by these kind of mods...?
Cheers!
Colvette said:
So a few questions for VHR -
1) Seeing as you have the whole deal on the Yellow Z06, what's the day to day ride like on it? Would it kill me?
2) If I put coil-overs on the car, does that mean the leaf springs can go?
3) By how much (from the standard car) is the handling improved by these kind of mods...?
Cheers!
1) Seeing as you have the whole deal on the Yellow Z06, what's the day to day ride like on it? Would it kill me?
2) If I put coil-overs on the car, does that mean the leaf springs can go?
3) By how much (from the standard car) is the handling improved by these kind of mods...?
Cheers!
Answers:
1. I don't drive my Yellow Z06 on a daily basis but when I drive it on normal roads i.e. a mix of Motorways, A roads, twisty B roads etc. the ride is fine as I have my set at the standard ride height.
2. The leaf springs have to go to fit the coilovers. Removing them is a piece of cake.
3. The biggest difference I found was exiting a motorway with a tight 270 degree off ramp which was very bumpy where as the rear of the car felt like it would "hop" sideways mid corner. Once the suspension was changed you could attack the 270 degrees and there was no floating or hopping.
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