C7pimp

I have a non-Z51 and am looking at aftermarket sway bar options.

I'm aware of the ease and price of going to Z51 sway bars, but I'm not interested. I'd like to take it a step further to something that would be an upgrade above the Z51 bars.

The only company I'm aware of that makes any posts do far for the C7 is WCC.

Pfadt died so no option there.

Waiting for the Z07 package sway bars might be a good option if they fit, but I do like the added bonus of lighter weight from a tubular sway bar, which OEM never seems to produce.


Is WCC my only option, or will there be more options in the near future?



Coming from the Mustang world, I'm less aware of suspension offerings on vettes.

I'd love some feedback from vendors on future availability of product.

I'd love to hear from anyone with experience using WCC sway bars how well they perform. (Even if it was on a C5 or C6)

Higgs Boson

there is next to nothing available for the C7 yet. it's a new model but it seems like it's been out long enough to have some options.....no cai (unless you want to spend 800-1400 for a tube), no coilovers, one set of sway bars that no one has installed yet that I have seen, a couple brake systems that no one has installed that I've seen, etc. three supercharger options that people are adopting but that's about it. otherwise just little trinket crap like emblems and trim. pretty frustrating.

Modshack

FWIW, The oem bars ARE hollow.
Front Z51 weighs 7.95 lbs (28mm), Base 7.85 lbs (26.2mm)
Rear Z51 weighs 6.9 lbs (26.5mm) + 2.2 for hardware

Net gain from Base to Z51 is 9.2 lbs.
Z51 Bushings are poly Vs Rubber on the Base, so nice improvement in response.

Just put mine on yesterday and they VERY nicely improved everything all for a mere $300

C7pimp

My mistake, I did mean that aftermarket sway bars are typically lighter. They are both hollow.

The Z51 bars are for sure an attractive option, however I want an even further improved performance gain. If I'm gong to spend the money in a relatively same price point , I want to go to the highest performance available.

The base car handles light years beyond any car I've ever owned, however I do get a noticeable sway when driving aggressively. I'd like to virtually eliminate it.

The specs on the WCC are this for the C6 (C7 specs are not listed and should not be identical to the C6 because of Chassis dynamics and balance) The C7 bars will offer similar thickness of bars though, a massive difference from the Z51 bars:

34.9 Front and 27.4 Rear

This, coupled with lowering on the stock bolts all the way down, I'd be more than satisfied with how well a car of this caliber handles.

I'm also going to replace the rotors with Z51 sized aftermarket upgrades while utilizing the same stock calipers and aftermarket pads. I can do this cheaper than the Z51 package and get higher performance for the $$. Yes, I ditch on the ediff, dry sump, 19/20's and optional mag ride but I didn't really care about that stuff for my purposes of performance driving.

Then I'm getting a blower somewhere down the road.

But for right now, I'm focused on the ride height and sway bars.

C7pimp

Vendors/Suppliers:

Any input on future availability?

Modshack

I understand...However...If this is the BEST handling car you've ever owned, I'd caution you on the "Bigger is better" approach. I've done a ton of car suspensions including Mustangs. Heck, I even puts a Watts link on my 2011 GT. A careful balance of Springs and bars will get you the best results. It's all about balance...Going to the stiffest available, which can be detrimental, may not be the best solution if you put any value on ride quality etc. I've always been a fan of (relatively) softer springs with good bar control. I had the same feeling you have on the base suspension. It wasn't quite there for me coming out of a Cayman S. Adding the Z51 bars eliminated all of that, Flattened cornering substantially (and I'm still at stock ride height), and imposed only a minor penalty on overalll ride quality. Honestly I don't think I'd want them any stiffer given my drive and ride requirements. The Reviews of the Z51 Handling indicate they've got this about perfect. I also doubt you'll find aftermarket replacements for anywhere near the cheap cost of the Z51 parts. regardless, good luck with your choices.

Kracka

Agreed with Modshack. It sounds like you're trying to fix something you don't even know is broken. I've owned a lot of modified sports cars and my C7 Z51 is the only one I plan to leave the suspension alone! The Chevy engineers already did the work, take advantage of it. A properly tuned suspension is all about balance and working together with the other components.

Modshack

Yup!....

Also, when comparing Bar diameters, on hollow bars this information is pretty useless without knowing the wall thickness and actual spring rate.

Nyvetteguy007

Nice

This is most certainly on my list of things to do to my car....

FYREANT

You could always cut the hollow bars in half and fill them with gummy bears to make it more solid and then super glue them back together... Just sayin. Lol. The Z51 bars are plenty fine. Probably the reason its been a while already with no real mention of aftermarket bars coming out. Hard to fix something thats already perfect..

breecher_7

I am going to disagree with the masses here and say that you should wait for LG or GM racing to release somthing. In the past the LG, GM T1, Pfadt (out of business) have always been the best source for good sways.

Although the Z51 units would be a "upgrade", I personally dont feel they are even close to stiff enough, especially if you ever plan to run a sticky wide tire....

Save your money and wait it out.

C7pimp

Exactly.

First thing I said is I don't want the Z51 bars, I want something better. Then everyone proceeds to tell me that the Z51 bars are "good enough". No, they aren't. Not for me.

Whatever the aftermarket comes up with as a considerable improvement over the Z51 bars, that's what I want.

What I wanted to know is if anyone has any experience with the WCC bars, or what companies are planning to produce something in the future.

Kracka

I just find it funny how the Z51 bars are automatically not good enough for you, yet you have no experience with them and have already stated the base Stingray is the best handling car you've ever had. Just because it's aftermarket does not automatically make it better product in all circumstances. You have to look at for what purpose the bar was designed, how it was tested, etc. Throwing on too stiff of a bar without the appropriate tires can actually decrease your overall grip.

Are the Z51 swaybars the OMG greatest bars ever invented in the history or ever? No, not at all. We're just saying to figure out what your end-goal is and go from there rather than just slapping on an aftermarket part with the assumption it will make your car handle better.

On my previous car one of the first mods I did was a stiffer swaybar setup and it felt great; later on down the road I switched to a softer aftermarket bar that was a middle ground between stock and the first bar I tried and the car actually handled better. This just proves you need to match your suspension components to your driving style, usage, and tires. Live and learn; I've had a lot of modified performance cars and I've wasted thousands of dollars on pointless (or worse) modifications over the years.

End of the day though, your car, your money, do what makes you happy and what you feel is best!

breecher_7

Dont get to ruffled, but this post shows how little you really know about suspension. The factory Z51 bars are SMALL..

Compare them to the C6 factory Bars..

C6 Base: ..25.5mm front, 17.5mm rear
C6 Z51: ...31mm front 25.6mm rear
C6Z06 & GS: ...31mm front, 27.9mm rear
C6 ZR1: . .33mm front, 31mm rear

AND


GM Racing C6 T1: .....38.4mm front, 27.5 rear

The C7 weighs more than the C6Z and you want to use a lighter rate sway bar??? I dont think so. Thats fine for a daily driver with 200+ treadwear tires but if you ever plan to race that thing on a sticky tire or actually want the car to handle well you need to go with a stiffer bar like the T1. The Z51 bar is not worth the money in my eyes, not for what it is and what the aftermarket will offer in the close future.

If you care about suspension performance and handling it is worth waiting for some real bars or just putting those on as a band aid in the mean time.

Modshack

I think we're missing some information here Beecher, but thanks for weighing in...

We were talking about C7's. Without that data we're all whistling in the dark.

breecher_7

I will agree there is no "exact" measurment of wall thickness. But lets go based off the C6 bar diameters as a general rule. The thicker the bar, the stiffer the bar... Seeing as the suspension really did not change from C6 to C7 (still transverse leaf with shocks and sways) I cannot imagine the sway bar technology has taken a giant leap..

The C7 Z51 bars are smaller in diameter than the C6Z bars and the C6Z is a lighter car. Based on that alone, the bars in the C7 Z51 will be softer than the C6Z bars and then you add the additional weight into the equation and you have the recipe for a STREET sway bar, not a race or performance sway bar. The C6Z bars were junk to, still to soft.

Modshack

Well, we really don't know that, and, as I recall, we have been talking about street set-ups, not a race bar.
That and the well engineered Z51 set-up which has achieved Rave reviews, flat cornering, 1G+ skid pad numbers seems a perfect street set-up given ride quality and day to day liveability. If you're setting up a race car, your points are valid. 90% of the peeps here are not headed in that direction though..They just want a better performing street set-up without the compromises of harshness etc. The Z51 bars return that in spades on a base car...

Kracka

Unless the bars are identical, comparing bar diameters (even given the same wall thickness) is pointless since the suspension geometry, bends in the bar, mounts, and design of the end-links play a huge role in their effective stiffness. Add in different spring rates, shock valving, and different wheel/tire combos... You see where I'm going with this.

Anyway, I too do look forward to see what the aftermarket comes up with, and what improvements and benefits they're able to find.

Like I said before, you need to look at what the bars were designed to accomplish and figure out which best fit your usage & needs (be realistic with yourself here).

C7pimp

And I find it funny that you're trying to convince me that the Z51 will ultimately be the best choice.

Regardless of all the technicalities that go into a proper sway bar set up, I want one that is designed to be a better set up than the Z51. Period.

Whatever specifications that may entail, I want something that will outperform the Z51. That's what I want.

FYREANT

Your wants are understood, however, just be warned that since the current Z51 sways are considered near perfect for 'MOST' of the market that buys this car, there isnt much demand yet for anything more aggressive. You may be playing the waiting game until many more C7 are on the road before you have a big enough following to justify the R&D of more aggressive sways. Im still following the thread with interest in it, this is just something for you to consider..

Ant