007Duc

Is anyone here running LG's coilover suspention. What are your opinions, about performance ride quality and such when compaired to a good set of shocks with the stock Z06 leaf springs. I'm not as concerned with ride quality but I've been told it's actually better. Please anyone with experience chime in here.

elh0102

What are you trying to achieve? IMO, coilovers are way overrated in a Corvette. If you end up getting everything properly tuned, with the right shocks, sway bars, etc., you end up with an adjustable suspension that might allow better corner balancing. And what does that get you? Unless you are racing in some class that allows it, it seems like a lot of money to spend replacing a pretty good suspension.

007Duc

Well I've been told that they really do make the car handle better out of the box. Of course that is by the people that want to sell them. And I have heard of people that are running the Penske coilovers claiming a world of difference. I find it hard to believe that having the abillity to adjust the shock to make a "World" of difference. Difference yes but not mind boggelingly different. And that would only come from hours of testing and adjusting, not just installing and it would be different at every track if the difference only came from adjustabiliity. So I wanted to get the skinny from someone who has experenced this particular set up.

96CollectorSport

There are two Z06's running the LG coilover set-up on there C5's and I recently rode in one of them then went out for a ride in astock 04 Z06 and the differance was amazing. Now the coil-over car also had T-1 sway bars where the 04 was stock but you could feel what the car was doing much better with the coil overs. I also noticed a differance in the tread wear on the coil-over cars they seemed to be wearing out the last 2 inches of tread on the tires as opposed to only the outside 1/2 to 3/4 inches on the 04. That would tend to make me think that the coil over car was using it's tires more effectively. I also went to lunch in the coil-over car and was amazed how well it handled bumps on the road, it was stiffer but not terribly stiff. My C4 is stiffer than that car. So the coil overs are not that bad for the street.

One other thing to compair the price of the T1 suspension kit with shocks is $3100 where as the coilovers are $2300. Most people think that coil-overs are more expensive and that's just not true, I think coil-overs are definatly the way to go. I know I'll be getting a set once I go to a C5. FYI Doug Rippie also sells coil-overs and is about $200 cheaper than LG, and they both use Bilstiens. So it may be which is closer but I'm sure you'd be happy either way.

John Shiels

and the price of T-1 bars tothe coil overs so 2300 +700 or 800

elh0102

I may be wrong, but I believe the T1 kit includes everything, bars and all the solid bushings, end links, etc. So if you compare the two complete packages, I expect the package with coilovers costs a bit more. While it would not have the adjustability, my guess is, the T1 package would result in a more solid and precise suspension, because of all the other pieces. The adjustability of coilovers would be a nice feature for those with the time and expertise to set up a suspension for a specific track. Since I have neither in sufficient quantity, I believe the stock ZO6 parts will cover me for quite a while.

VetteDrmr

IMO coilover's advantage is in the adjustability. Also, the main problem with coilovers is the adjustability! Heck, I have enough problems just learning how to drive, all I'd do with COs is screw stuff up. You'd need a set of scales available to adjust the ride height as well.

No doubt about it, COs are way , but to actually *use* them to best advantage is something else entirely.

Have a good one,
Mike

96CollectorSport

I purposely didn't put the sway bars in the price because the sway bars work well with the coil-overs as well. But here is the pricing for the T1 kit, and shocks.

T1 Kit
http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/results...umber=12480062

T1 Front Shock
http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/results...umber=12480094

T1 Rear Shock
http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/results...umber=12480095

I don't believe that T1 bars are avalible anymore but here is the listing for them
http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/results...er=PKT1STABKIT

So if you add up the T1 Kit, 4 shocks and the sway bars it totals $3740
LG Coil-overs with T1 bars total $2950
Now I know GM Parts Direct charges a premium for shipping and handling so you may as well add almost $250 for s&h.

None the less, a coil-over is a less expensive way to go, and with the LG package there is nothing to really adjust except for ride height. The shocks are not adjustable so you pretty much figure out your ride height and forget it. If you add it up the LG or DRM coil-overs are a deal compaired to the T1 package, both are well sorted out by top race teams but the coil-overs are a bit cheaper.

I don't want to argue which is better coil-overs or leafs, both have potential to be fast, I just wanted to set the record strait as far as price, and give my opinion on the ride alongs that I got in a coil-over car. All I know is that after saftey and brake upgrades the next thing I will install in my C5 is a set of coil-overs and some T1 bars. I was that impressed by the cars feel. My $.02 take it for what it's worth.

elh0102

Here is what is included in the T1 Package:

12480062 T1 Suspension Package 1999/2000
This package inlcudes the following items:
12480063 Spring - Front 1999/2000
12480064 Spring - Rear 1999/2000
12480065 Bar - Anti-Roll Front 1999/2000
12480066 Bar - Anti-Roll Rear 1999/2000
12480067 Link - Anti-Roll Bar 1999/2000
12480068 Isolator - Front Anti-Roll Bar 1999/2000
12480069 Isolator - Rear Anti-Roll Bar 1999/2000
12480072 Arm - Front Upper LH 1999/2000
12480073 Arm - Front Upper RH 1999/2000
12480077 Arm - Front Lower LH 1999/2000
12480078 Arm - Front Lower RH 1999/2000

Specially tuned SACHS Shocks for the T1 Suspension Kit
12480094 Shock - TI Front 1999/2000
12480095 Shock - TI Rear 1999/2000
12480093 C5 Camber Spacer Kit Parts
12480071 Plate - Camber Large 1999/2000
12480076 Plate - Camber Small 1999/2000
15688265 Bolt - Lower Control Arm 1999/2000
11516382 Nut - Lower Control Arm 1999/2000


This is available from Fred Beans for $3,327 plus shipping. For serious track use, the control arms with poly bushings and the camber plates would be necessary with either suspension, and this adds considerable cost. Of course, some of this also has noise and ride quality issues that could be objectionable for street use. I'm not sure the C/O v. T1 setup is really a valid comparison without getting very detailed in the specific parts, and the intended purpose. I don't intend to do either with my car. But, from similar experiences with other cars, I can testify to the value of considering a complete package, with a lot of R&D testing behind it.

0Randy@DRM

Joel,
Your C5? Did you buy one?

Randy
Coilover supporter

96CollectorSport

Randy,
No I didn't get one yet but when I do I see coil-overs in it's future. The car I rode in at the F-body event had the LG coil-overs but I know that your set-up is similar (both Bilstien) but with your own pattened valving. I know LG's coils are 700 front and 600 rear, what rates do you guys use?

One added point to the C/O vs T1 is install time, if your paying for installation the coil overs go in quicker than the T1 stuff. Maybe as much as 3-5 hours less.

0Randy@DRM

Joel,
We run a 450 in the front and 600 in the rear. There is two ways of skinning a cat so they say.

Randy

danswofford

I've got LG coilovers with T1 anti-sway bars and poly bushings and the cars handles very well at the track. On the street the cars is harsh, loud, and rough. Hit a row reflector thingies on the street and it sounds like a machine gun fire. I'm lovin' it.

0C5stein

One of the advantages to coil overs that no one has mentioned is that the springs are relatively easy to change and relatively cheap compaired to the mono leaf set up.

Think about it, LG uses 700"# up front and 600 in the rear, DRM uses 450 up front and 600 on the rear.

Our set up uses adjustable valveing shocks and typically come with 450 springs up front and 550 springs on the rear for good track performance and great street ride, and 550 front and 600 or 650 rear for a more track oriented use. The fact that the rear shocks operate at nearly 45 degrees or close to a 50% correction angle, in my opinion it makes more sense to run more rear spring on th rear than the front of a C5. BUT, that is determined more by driver preference and driving style than any hard fast rules of engineering. Our coil over package is designed around the QA1 double adjustable (either single **** fo dual ****) shock employing our own mount designs or Double adjustable Penskes.

It isn't uncommon for my customers to swap springs back and forth from a track set up to a street/touring spring package and then back to track springs for HPDEs or AutoX. One thing to keep in mind is that the Springs need to be matched to shock valving, so if you swap spring rates, you need to adjust the shock valveing. This is why our coil over packages are always built on adjustable shocks as opposed to the other guys, where spring change would often require a shock rebuild/revalve to match the shock to the spring rate. Adjustable shocks do offer easy "at track" handling adjustments that the other shocks simply can not provide.

HeyFred

Installed Penske coilovers from ATI on my 2003 Z06 and the ride quality was improved.

(Stock ZO6 swaybars are still on the car)

* Car absorbs the bumps in the road better.
* Road noise inside the car was greatly reduced.
* Ajustability of the shocks.

After putting the shocks on and having them set on the softess setting, to much front body roll for my liking, I increased the the compression on the front shocks to the 3 position. The car corners flat and sticks with confidence.

This upgrade was money well spent.

Keith

AU N EGL

Too confusing for me.

I run a full T1 suppension. Some tracks I would like the suppeneions to be about 15% softer do to the bumps.


ok need to add a suppension engineer to my pit crew,
along with aerdynamics expert, LSx engine builder tuner ( Ok that guy I have)

A couple of gohfers - easy to get, put the car into the drive way and they just stop buy. mostly mousetwang guys.

Thank John Heinrcy ( Hienrocket) Director of GM Performance Parts ( and Multiple National T1 Champion) for the T1 suppension

varkwso

Until you can beat TimZO6 or Falcon's (and other's) lap times in their basically stock cars you do not need coilovers .....

Having said that coilovers are infinitely tunable - but you need to know what the heck you are doing....but the stock suspension is also tunable with a lot more effort (and you still need to know what you are doing)

GM provided a pretty darn good platform right out of the box...