Kenny H

I've got just about all the bolt-ons covered now, so I'm turning my attention to suspension. I want excellent handling with a tolerable ride for longer trips.

I will be going to 17" wheels all around.

The basics will be Strano lowering springs w/ Koni shocks, subframes etc.

I'm very seriously considering Nitto 555 R2 which is very close to a road race tire. I believe its the same compound as the drag radial just with a stiffer sidewall. I know wear will be poor, probably 10,000 miles but thats fine. Will these tires ride VERY stiffly? Any major increase in road noise?

As far as brakes, last week I posted a couple links to some specials going on right now:

https://ls1tech.com/forums/sponsor-sales-specials/821978-coming-soon-cryogenically-engineered-drilled-slotted-rotors-hawk-hps-special-299-00-a.html

https://ls1tech.com/forums/sponsor-sales-specials/880145-new-pbt-special-cryotech-rotors-hawk-hps-pads-299-00-plus-shipping.html


I got this PM from the WS6store as I asked them about a budget set-up. Keep in mind the above combos will be about $370 shipped to my door so their will be ~$100 different in the WS6store compared to the links above.

Is the different noticeable? I know nothing about brakes, I just want a decent set-up. Right now my rotors are warped. I won't be autocrossing etc.

Anyways this is the feedback I got from Ws6store:

The cheapest decent pads: EBC Ultimax.

Are they decent??

dailydriver

Kenny;

I drove around on the street with 17x9 ZR1s with 275/40 17 555r2s in the front, and 555R drag radials in the back.
They are definitely the softest sidewalled/riding of all of the 100 treadwear, 'semi R compound' tires. Mine still had some tread left at 12K miles.

One thing though, they are HORRID in the cold. I'm talking even DRY cold, like in anything <45-50*F. I know it is not that cold very much of the year where you are now, but I would have something else to put on IF you plan on taking it out the times it does get that cold (or colder) there.
MOST IMPORTANTLY; DO NOT LET THOSE (or any R compound type tires) FREEZE!! (constant <30* temps)
IF you do, you can actually ruin the compound to the point that they will not even grip as well as a hard, high treadwear all season in the warm weather.

As far as road noise, they were quieter than the BFG KDs I had on there previously. But that's not saying much since that is know to be a LOUD highway tire.

2MCHPWR

iTrader: (10)

nitto R2 is a very good dual purpose tire but if you are not road racing or autocrossing, why get them? get a falken azenis 615 instead, or the bridgestone Potenza RE-01R.

The cheapest decent pads: hawk HPS. love it.

$300 for rotors? look into the ... damn i forgot what its called...but its the corvette front rotor upgrade. replacement vette rotors are $25 from autozone or napa. that is all i used on my formula. they are 13 inch rotors versus your stock 12's. You don't need to get vette calipers either. here are some pics:

http://209.177.55.37/c5brakes.htm

dailydriver

Kenny;

I fully agree with Scott on the 615s, and they may even last 2x longer than the Nittos, while giving only slightly less grip and NOT picking up EVERY nail, screw and piece of shrapnel on the road (with the resultant flats).

I just thought you were dead set on the R2s, and was answering with that in mind.

x2 on the HPSes as well.
Although Strano's PBRs/metalmasters/Axxis/whatever they are, are also very good, low cost, better than stock street pads.

Kenny H

Ok so I'll get the hawk HPS.

If I get the 13" Vette rotors, do I need anything else?

The HPS pads together will be ~ $150. So if I just get the 13" vette rotors, thats all I will need? If I can really get this done for less than $300 iI'd be thrilled. Will this be an improvement over stock??

Kenny H

The nitto drag radials are aweful in colder weather so thats a great point you make. It does get plenty cold around here in the winter.

Kenny H

The 615s are pretty cheap also, I can get 4 for about $600. Does running 315s out back really do anything for handling or is that more about looks?

2MCHPWR

iTrader: (10)

yeah you would need the "bob bishop" type brackets that move the caliper outwards so they fit over the larger rotor. i think a few other places sell it although i don't have links handy. and yes its a great upgrade. being a bigger rotor, the caliper has more "leverage" on the rotor (is it easier to open a door closer to the hinge, or furthest away from the hinge?). although of course it will soak up more heat than smaller rotor so that is good for repeated HARD usage.

dailydriver

Most autocrossers/open trackers with dual purpose (street/track) cars will run 315s on 17x11s at ALL four corners (IF the rules for their class allow it) in competition.
When those same people go back on the street it is usually with 17x9/9.5s with 275s on ALL four corners, or the base 16x8s with 245s all around.
It takes A LOT of suspension tweaking to balance out the imbalance in handling 275 fronts with 315 rears cause (IF one really cares about handling and NOT just looks/launch).
Also consider the BFH/pounding/mods it takes to fit rear 315s on a lowered car.
Last time I checked Falken did not make the 615s in 315/35 17.
Did they just release this size??

Kenny H

I didn't check for the 315s in the faulkens, I was just asking.

First off, I want to thank you guys for this great info!! I browses the brakes/suspension forum but I'm always a touch skeptical because the sponsors frequent that forum so much so I worry some of the info may be biased. I was in Scott's car once several years ago at the Meadowlands and was amazed at how well it handled. At the time I just wasn't into that sort of thing, but now with this car I want to set mine up like that.

As far as the brakes go the brackets to goto the C5 set-up are $150 or so. So I would need those $150 brackets, $100 for Vette rotors, and figure about $150 for hawk pads. Thats $400. Will that make a very noticeable difference? Besides those parts, would I need anything else? As much as thats a little more than I wanted to spend on brakes, I do like the look of the larger rotors. Is their anything else I need to ge to make that combo work? Again, keep in mind I'm a total break newbie!!

Back to the tires, Alex mentioned he has the Nitto 555R2 on his car. He said they made a huge difference over his old Firehawk SZ50s. Would the Faulkens you guys suggested be a huge advantage over a 'normal' tire like a SZ50 as well? Thanks!!

dailydriver

Yes, they are a big step up in handling over any other street, non R compound, >140 treadwear rated tire, in the dry at least (the GY GS-D3 {IF it is still available} is better in the wet).
They remain the 'go to' tire for f bodies competing in the SCCA's Street Mod class of autocross, since the B-stone RE-01Rs Scott mentioned are not made in OEM f body sizes.