kmagvette

Has anyone tried combining these two enhancements to a C5 Z06? I already have the the poly bushings and Phadt Comp Bars installed. What I am wondering is if the combination of the stiff springs and the sway bars would be crazy stiff. I seldom drive the car on the street so that is not a primary consideration.

If you have this setup, did you soften up the bars?

The kit also includes Billstein shocks.

Thanks

John Shiels

what rate are the springs? mine are 1200/900 if they are standard Bilstein Sports the springs are not that heavy I would think.

jsottile

I have this exact setup with 1056 spring rate in front and 750 rear. I also have the Pfadt comp bars. The car is very very stiff. The car is not setup right because I have the factory Bilstein sport shocks. Don't do this combo unless you get the Bilsteins valved for the spring rates you go with. My car is very unstable on the street due to the valving.

kmagvette

The K-values on the springs are 993 Front and 734 Rear.

John Shiels

I run mine with T-1 bars and re-valved shocks.

jsottile

John, how do you like the car with the re-valved shocks and the stiff bars? I am trying to decide if it is worth my time and money to re-valve the shocks or just go to coilovers. Thanks

John Shiels

handles real great as some here have seen. It is worth getting them revalved huge difference.

kmagvette

I do have the standard sport shocks. Are the "Heavy Duty" Billsteins valved better for this application. I understand why you would need to have appropriate valving for a specific spring rate; but I have no clue how to determine the correct valving, where this work can be done, or the cost. Looks like I have some learning to do.

jsottile - you say your car is unstable on the street. Is that because the rebound of the stiff springs isn't damped enough?

John Shiels

Standard sport shocks can be revalved for about 70 ea and rebuilt. Parts are cheap if needed. Mine had 30-40k and parts were 20 bucks or less. Bilstein will know what to give you in valving just give them the spring rates. When I put my springs in with my worn Bilsteins it really was scary. I did two laps and parked it. I had the sports shocks but it doesn't matter if your revalving them.

You need a shock valved properly to control the spring movement. There is about 20% change in spring rates usually possible without changing the shock valving I have been told.

kmagvette

Thanks John, I might just get lucky on this one. My shocks are still in the box, perhaps the best thing to do is just buy them new with the correct valving. Hopefully that is an option.

John Shiels

not an option unfortunately.

jsottile

John is right, don't waste your time putting the shocks on until you have Bilstein properly valve them to the specific spring rates. Here is the link with the number and they will do the rest. I wish VBP would have told me about this to begin with because now I would have to have my car down for 6 weeks with no suspension while the shocks are getting worked on by Bilstein.

http://www.bilstein.com/services.php...9b7b60afae3387

John Shiels

they can do the shocks in 10 days or less unless the are swamped which they may be in racing season. Mine were back in 6 days

kmagvette

Bummer that the shocks are not available new and valved as needed.

Now I guess it is time to pick a course of action. My primary need is to reduce body roll. Aside from the Phatty bars and Poly bushings my suspension is stock, as is the powertrain. Running at stock heights with the T1 wheels and 315's all around, I am wearing out the front fenders in high-G turns; I mostly run at Watkins Glen.

I already have the spring kit, bought it from a buddy who sold his car , and can probably resell it for what I have into it.

The burning question: Do I bite the bullet and get a nice set of coil-overs or continue down the path of getting new shocks re-valved and go with the stiff springs. This would be a nice time to have that book with all the answers in it.

John Shiels

get some used Bilsteins and have them rebuilt re-valved, less costly. The springs you have will still let your car roll some what. I have spacers for my brakes so my wheels stick out. My car is not super low (A-arm parallel with the ground) but I still had to cut the fenders up 3/4" to clear.