kevakasper

I have used the search and read all of the old posts. There is so much contradicting info out there I am more confused than when I started. I want to upgrade my base '06 suspension. I have a thread out there in the parts section for z51 swaybars. Several replys have been made and I have z51 and z06 options available to me. I am probably going to use Bilstein HD shocks, my base springs and some sort of bigger sway bar combination. I want to eliminate the wheel hop in the car. I will be getting new Michelin ps2 zp's this spring. Base sizes. What is going to give me the best all around package. I have also considered the Phadt Johnny O'Connell system. Opinions?

AORoads

I think you're on the right path. Get/install the sway bars (Z51), and then the tires. Drive that around for awhile then see if you really want different shocks.

kevakasper

Has anyone put zo6 springs / shocks / sways on a base car before?
How will the smaller tires accept the stiffer rates? I would like to do a wide body conversion but need to pay off the other toy's first. So for now I will have to use my stock sized wheels and stock size tires.
I have had an offer on all of the above.

peter pan

Here is what I did on our base Vette and where it is today. I put on Koni FSD shocks, Z51 bars and kept this for 30k, really a good daily driver combo. So why change? I put 325s on the rear so I put on C6Z sways when I installed a complete ZR1 exhaust, my thoughts on this after 1k of driving are positive. With the wider tires the squat in turns is a tad better, I am talking turns in the .9g+ range, I have hit .98 so far and was not on the edge, the firmness of the ride is so close to what is was before the wife did not notice a difference in a hour drive last week.

If you are staying close to stock size tires go Z51 sways, the shocks of your choice and call it a day

Mach2

I have a 2010 1LT, MN6 base that I have added Z51 front/rear sway bars and polyurethane bushings as well as Z06 front/rear shocks. I made one mistake, I left the stock, base, monoleaf springs in place. I should have added the Z51 front/rear springs.

I love everything about the handling of the car now with these upgrades except, going around corners in a brisk, slightly aggressive manner, the rear end skips out with not much notification. I have asked a few forum members that are familiar with the C6 Corvette suspension and have been told that with the mix of the correct upgrade to Z51 sways and poly bushings and the incorrect upgrade to Z06 shocks, the shocks are overriding the combination of the stock (read weak) front/rear springs and causing this. I've been told to replace the Z06 rear shocks with Z51 rear shocks and the rear end skittishness should/could be calmed down.

If I were to do what you're wanting to do, upgrade the suspension of your base C6, I recommend you get new front/rear monoleaf Z51 springs, Z51 front/rear sway bars and polyurethane bushings and Z51 front/rear shocks. That way you have a known combination package that is engineered to work well together.

el es tu

I run the a z06 front spring and base rear spring
zr1 front sway and z06 rear sway
z06 shocks for the frotn and rear

factory ride height and z06 alignment specs

Peak lateral acceleration has gone up to 1.05g

The car handles backroads very well now. I have gone airborne at speed a few times and landed with total stability. Bumps during turns affect the rear end much less, the front end has less dive from braking and from hitting bumps straight on at speed.

btw This is on the crappy emt tires.

chart with specs of c6 suspension parts:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...-my-setup.html

Wayne O

I'm not a drag racer and with all the permutations of my suspension I've only experienced wheel-hop a couple times. Improving the suspension is a worthwhile pursuit and consideration should be given to how you use the car. Obviously, the setup will be different for a car used for drag racing versus one used for road courses (or a 'happy medium' in-between). A number of factors usually contribute to the oscillations causing wheel-hop. Accordingly, a number of things are necessary to help cure it. Road surface and temperature we don't have much control over. FWIW a forum vendor once posted these recommendations to help cure wheel-hop:

- Coil over shocks with adjustable rebound/compression
- Correct ride height for the application
- Correct dynamically adjusted wheel alignment for the application
- Correct tires for the application
- Correct tire pressure
- Polyurethane suspension bushings

Wheel-hop aside, my other thought is about sway bars. The Z51 sway bars are generally recognized as being best all-around sway bars for the C6. If, however, you're going to use Z06 size rubber I feel the Z06 sway bars are a better choice. Before going to the T1 sway bars I used the Z06 sway bars with Z06 size tires both on the street and the track. The combination worked well for me. Good luck!

el es tu

this issue has caused some confusion in the past so I just want expand on this - wayne is talking about upgrading the sways further due to the grip that the larger tires (z06 size) generate. if you keep the base size tires but run stickier compounds, youll still benefit from upgrading the sways.

fnbrowning

You talk about swaybars and shocks, and you've gotten several posts about improving handling. But handling and wheel hop are two different animals. No-one before Wayne O has addressed your wheel hop issue.
You can be confident of what he wrote.

kevakasper

I think a lot of the wheel hop is contributed to the oem run flats. The car had BFG non run flats when I bought it. It ( as I remember ) didn't hop then, or I just didn't notice it as much as the GY run flats do now. One reason for the tire change up coming. I am not happy with how the car will side step when going around a corner and accelerating, and hitting a bump. That is my reason for the suspension up grade. I have followed z's and z51 cars and they don't do that. It feels like a live axle back there. I don't want to make things worse than they are now.
I like the idea of the total package Z51 springs / shocks / sways. I think I will start with the z 51 sways, tires PS2 ZP and then Bilstein HD shocks.
Thanks guys

CCA Corvette Parts

Kevin,

The Johnny O'Connell sways are a great option for a street car.
http://www.customcorvetteaccessories...yoconnell.html

Also, to kill the wheel hop, add the transmission brace
http://www.customcorvetteaccessories...sionbrace.html

Pfadt has a great set of shocks too
http://www.customcorvetteaccessories...tteshocks.html

But my personal choice and the shocks on the CCA Corvette are the
Koni FSD's.
http://www.customcorvetteaccessories...tteshocks.html

Feel free to PM me with any questions

Peace
Chip

DSOMC6

Honestly, I would skip trying to get the shock/leaf-spring suspension to measure-up and just purchase a set of adjustable coil-overs from LG. A couple vendors will sell you a set for a little over $1600 shipped last time I checked. The performance difference is HUGE.

ssv3

I upgraded to z51 sways with PFADT poly bushings, Bilstein HD's and 325 Michelin PS2s. The best upgrade to my car IMO. I don't track the car or anything but occasional spirited driving in the canyons and such and it's awesome. I don't lose my rear anymore no matter how hard I push it on the twisties and I have pushed it. I say the Bilsteins were huge improvement over stock shocks (obviously) and felt a huge different right away. Go for it. The least you can do to a base suspension. Worth every penny.

Shifter6

I am in the same boat, I have the FE1 suspension and I am looking to mod.

I have pretty much decided to go with Z51 springs and bars with bilstein sport shocks. The JOC package with the Z51 springs looks tempting ( i like the adjustable bar) but its more than I want to spend.

cclive

Wheel hop and road car handling are two different issues. I love the way my Vert handles with Bilsteins and z51 bars, but I have never experienced wheel hop in my driving either before or after these mods.

Mach2

Are you still using the stock monoleaf springs front & rear with your upgrades to the sways, bushings, shocks and tires?

Pfadt Racing

We absolutely love the combination of performance and comfort the Johnny O'Connell kit provides. When we aren't doing development work on our own C6Z we are typically driving on the Johnny O'Connell package. Being specifically engineered as a performance upgrade but not full on race car shock package you will find the car rides a little firmer over small road irregularities, but smoother over large hits and expansion joints in the road.

If you're looking to upgrade the Shocks and sway bars at the same time it's also an extremely economical package. The Johnny O'Connell Stage 1 kit includes Shocks, Sway bars, Heavy Duty Metal Endlinks as well as polyurethane sway bar bushings... so keep in mind that if you're going to piece together some parts from the OEM parts bin that some of those supporting parts may need refreshing as well.

If you have any more questions please feel free to PM us here on Corvette forum, email me at jarrett@pfadtracing.com or give us a call at 1-888-972-2464. Here is a video we took documenting the development of the JOC Stage 1 package. Working closely with a racing legend like Johnny was a pleasure, and the package absolutely meets the goals we set out for the products!

franman69

I've got a 2007 Z51 car with all the stock Z51 suspension components and I have PS2 tires... The car has been very well behaved in hard corners even in the cold winter weather up here. It's a great package IMO.. the Z51 setup. I don't have Bilsteins and I'd be curious to see what increasing the shock rates would do... It is a complicated subject. I've never had any wheel hop at speed.

ssv3

Yes sir

Spinmedic

Lots of good info in this post, but i guess ill add my .02.

I added the hotchkis swaybars, and also the michlin ps2 zp's about 3 months ago. got both for a good deal (about 1200 total), and i even installed the swaybars myself. i still have it on the "medium setting"

one thing i can tell you is that the difference was night and day for me. i have a 26 mile very tight and curvy ride to work every day, and immediatly after adding the swaybars i was able to handle the corners much much better.

i think the tires were the most suprising part of this. they ride quiet, wear great, and handle awsome in all temps. i havent noticed any wheel hop yet. i am also thinking of the bilstiens, if you get them before me please share your observations