I have an '02 SS that just has the standard SS suspension. After every time I drive my dad's Corvette I wish that my car handeled better. Yes the Vette has a lower center of gravity with 300 less pounds but it sure handles better. When I first bought the car I thought I would get used to the heavy front end but I still haven't. I honestly think that my highschool '85 IROC handled better then my current FBod.

What would you suggest? The biggest thing that I hate is when I take a free way off ramp and it feels like car tilts 10 degrees while the body warps away from the turn. Should I drop the car an inch and get higher rate springs/shocks? Or should I get thicker sway bars? I have G-Force TA's that have really thick sidewalls so I don't think it's the tires. The Car has 9.5" wheels so I don't think wider wheels would help.

I'm just like everybody else that wants a good ride with great handeling. I would love to tighten up the unibody with some subframe connectors and a shock tower brace but I don't want to add 200 pounds to the car either.

What was the suspension piece that you installed that made the biggest difference for the buck? And for the people that believe their car handles as well as a C5 what have you installed and spent?

Thanks a lot guys!

 

I would say some Sub Frame Connectors.

 

I don't think you'll ever be able to make your F-body feel as nimble as a C5, but you can try these things (in this order, I'd say) to get it handling a lot better than it does stock:

Subframe connectors
front and rear sway bars
slightly lowered shocks/springs kit
panhard rod
shock tower brace

For better straight line handling, I'd also add a set of LCAs and an aftermarket torque arm.

 

Subframe connectors aren't going to make the car handle better in comparison to shocks, swaybars and springs.

Those are the top three to start with.

 

No way i agree with TranzorZ28, subframes are an essential starting point for any suspension mods, if you drag race or auto x start with subframes. plus less rattles.

 

1) Subframe connectors are a horrible first mod for autocross because they throw you up several classes, like it or not.

2) If you want the "#1 thing to help with cornering," it's still not subframe connectors. Don't construe that to mean they aren't valuable, but they are not nearly as effective as changing shocks/swaybars/springs.

 

I guess it all depends on what he wants to do... if he wants to autocross, then yes, you're right the SFCs would be a poor first mod. However, if he's like most of us and just wants his car to handle better on the street, the SFCs are a good place to start... shoring up the platform first, then moving into the actual "corner carving" mods after.

 

Springs and Shocks should be the first thing to do.

Then a set of sway bars tuned to the spring and shock combo.

Subframes are a good thing to minimize long term problems associated with high G turns. But they do NOTHING for handling. A roll cage does more for stiffening the chassis than sub frames.

 

Ditto on what Mitch said

 

I guess I'm confused on how you diferentiate between a good handling as it pertains to AX and on the street.

Handling is handling, isn't it?

 

Maybe an autocrosser would accept higher levels
of discomfort (on a purpose-tuned car)? AutoX
is level pavement and real world you might want
to leave a little ride height for speed bumps and
have a little less harshness for your tailbone. Which
would "leave some handling on the table".

 

Obviously you've never AXed at Mineral Wells, TX ....

 

Great responses guys, to let you know: The SS is mainly my every day driver and not a weekend motor cross car. I plan on having this car for a good 150,000 miles and yes I don't want the car so stiff that after 5 years of driving on the freeway it sounds like it's falling apart.
When I drove to work this cold morning the t-tops were rattling all over the place, I think sub frame connectors seem like a good idea to start with and they're really cheap. I drive the car through snow and if I can I would like to preserve some ground clearence just to be practical.

Wasn't there someone on the net that sold a complete package of SFC's, springs, panhard rod, and sway bars for a reasonable price? I think the drop was only about an inch? If I remember, the whole package was powder coated red.

Thank you!

 

Yeah, I was going to say, he hasn't autocrossed on some of our lots either! We may as well have speed bumps in our lots after seeing some of the pavement breaks we drive over.

 

Subframes are neccesary for keeping your car past 2-3 years of spirited driving. They don't make your car corner better except at 80 mph+ speeds where I think the chassis bends a little.

I have BMR's panhard bar, and BMR's torque arm mounted to a Kenny Brown Double Diamond subframe connectors. Whatever subframe connector that you buy, look for one that welds in to the little ears in the back that hold the rear control arms to the chassis.

Best cornering parts to date are LG's (G2) lower front control arms, and the Torsen T2R positraction from Sam Strano. These are not cheap but are the best "bang for the buck" parts in my experience. I have a 1LE with 80,000 miles and I had a '89 Firbird that had a better posi in it than the stock '98 Camaro posi. The LG front lower control arms really help with the cornering and with the Torsen posi it is like an extra 10 mph in normal 40 mph corner, to try to be specific. That is a huge -- really huge -- difference, and with street tires on GM's 17 x 9 2001 SS wheels.

I have also replaced the trans mount and sway bar bushings with poly, and put the battery in the back. These are small improvments with 17" tires but fairly significant to those with 16" tires like mine when stock. I have the stock GM sway bars and but the new 35mm hollow bars from Addco on order.

My '98 1LE has Koni 2x shocks. Stock SS shocks are supposed to be junk even when new so you should consider some improvment there. The 2X Koni's aren't necessary and the cost is high, because the bump adjustment on most 2X Koni's is set full soft anyway. Consider buying the 1X Koni's with the compression adjustment at the top. Or Bilstein which others say are good too.

 

mitch,... so would ya bolt that cage in on the install? J/K

 

I'd do springs, shocks, and a decent performance oriented alignment. Then I'd do rod ended PHB and LCA's with brackets.

 

Of course ... it's just as good.

 

I think you answered your own question. Lower center of gravity (lowering springs). This was the only change to my suspension which improved cornering substantially. It also got rid of nose dive. If you plan on headers go with the least amount of drop you can. Im having issues with my headers scraping.

 

I was AMAZED at the level of control that a shock tower brace gave me - like on those gradual on-ramps to the interstate, I can push the car faster before I start to feel the tires complain, and on curvy and hilly backroads, it's amazing - same road feel, but with an apparent increase in feedback to the car, and a definate improvement in squirrely feeling on some of the decending, unbanked "s" curves - ya know, the ones that say "25mph" and you are looking at 40or so.... A economical addition to tightening the geometry of the steering!