Marksman

I keep getting **** about how the Fbods can't handle around corners, what can I do to change this? What do I need to change to make the Fbod a street handling beast? I know most guys have good luck with SFCs and LCAs, but the root of the problem seems to be struts. I highly doubt I'll be lowering my car anytime in the near future, unless 17-inch rims look like crap on a stock height car...

What things do I need to focus on for some awesome street handling?

Brianss1

Sticky tires,big sway bars,better shocks,SFCs and LCAs with poly bushings.That would be a good start.If I lowered my car down from stock height I would be handling even better..

01 ws6,silver,auto with a yank pt4000 stall,B&M trans cooler,DTS 12 bolt ,3:73,DTS support cover,complete BMR chrome moly suspension including panhard bar,adjustable torque arm,tubular control arms,driveshaft loop,strut bar,optima red top battery,k&n,slp lid,bg ram air mod,Mac headers,off road y pipe,magnflow catback,MSD wires,NGK plugs,smooth bellows,slp mass air flow,throttle body coolant by pass,160 stat,
2.02 1.575 manly racemaster valves with fully polished and ported heads Trend Fully hardend pushrods, COMP TI retainers, Dual Valve spring's
custom comp 228 236 588 578 114 ,ARP hardware,New Z06 gaskets.Around 400 RWHP and 360 torque on a

WhiteSSP

Tell him to meet you on a road course. F bodys handle surprisingly well from the factory.

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

Depending on model you may have smaller or larger
sway bars, I like the matched hollow set I got from
Strano. The factory shocks, unless you got a 1LE
optioned car, are too soft and go downhill from
there. These I think are the biggest improvements
up front; static and dynamic body roll control.

Lowering will help some, but cost you in other ways
(launch, ground clearance). If I knew now, etc., I
think I'd have left the stock springs alone.

Don't forget tires, that's the bottom line for grip.
Suspension just makes sure you use all (or more
at least) of the rubber you've got.

Then you just have to be on top of the situation,
not depend on factory AWD to pull you straight
despite mad-drifter-yo clownery. From what I
gather the F-body can handle better than most
people can drive.

BillS

iTrader: (13)

as above, but dont use poly bushings in the LCA's as they will bind and screw up handleing.
Shocks
swaybars
tires
thats a good place to start
Also SFC's dont really change the handleing of the car, they just keep it from going downhill with age. And before the flames come, yes I have them, and yes I have tested it both with and without, look at how well an ESP prepped fbody can handle and they cant have SFC's.
As to the WRX they are not all that tough to beat, the STI is a bit tougher. I own a WRX and they feel much faster, but on a track where the timers tell no lies, they arent. Now A modded STI, like Joel Furmans STI is a tough car to beat.

DONAIMIAN

iTrader: (18)

It depends on how much money you have, but first off id suggest Koni's and swaybars.

Ace$nyper

iTrader: (8)

From just starting to really spend time in my F-body *non 1le* I've been happier then I was expecting with handling

Sways and shocks with some other mods would really help slower hard turns I feel and I'll get them someday soon but I've come to find on a situation like a Road Course they do quite well.

Tell him this isn't 1972 they handle fine

SS4Matt

iTrader: (4)

I've done alot to my suspension....sway bars (rear anyways stock 35mm front is great from SLP) BMR.... LCAs, Torque Arm, rear sway, panhard rod. bilsteins with slp/eibach springs, SFC. like others have said my car handles better than i can drive! but when it comes to the twisties, i can beat a WRX to the corner, and turn in better than him, then leave the turn with him far behind me still! i heard WRX's were "fast" until i beat one with my parents stock WS6. Now with my 98 ss heads/cam/bolt ons/400rwhp...they are nothing but a waste of my time! i just laugh

silverTA2002

iTrader: (1)

I hate to mag race, but stock to stock, Fbody pulls better slalom #s and G force.

Anyone who's bragging about the WRX compared to fbody is an ignorant idiot.

WRX is more "tossable" and probably more fun in corners. Fbody can go faster through the corners. FACT.

STi is a different story.

studentdriver

Hey, Marksman, do you post on the tintmasters forum? A shock replacement is a good idea. The adjustable Koni's would be nice, but the revalved Bilsteins are a decent lower priced alternative.

rob c

DITTO! I suspect a lot has to do with the driver also; if youre an average driver, and the WRX guy competes in autocross every weekend, then youre in trouble any way you look at it! But these cars (f bodys) are mid .8G rides on the factory rubber/set up. Apparently theres alot of misinformation/ignorance and downright disrespect from some in the tuner set; know your car, or even better, learn its capablities and how to exploit them, then you'll feel alot better about defending your purchase.

dailydriver

At least part of that different story (us vs. STI) is in the stock for stock tire rubber compounds. The rest is in the adjustable center diff. and other suspension goodies, but give us the same/equivalent tire compound and the gap is closer.

Marksman

This is all true, when I actually sat down to think about it, I dont' handle all that bad. I'd love to get ride of some of that body roll, but it's not horrible either.

studentdriver, yes that's me on the tintmaster's forums. I take it you're the one I've been hearing about with the STS from Fargo in the red T/A? Shoot me a PM...

todd4168

you can beat him already. Easily