My suspension set up :-)

[ZR8ED]

All this talk about suspension the last day or two in the posts below made me think of my unusual setup.

 

Granted part of my suspension is not really wierd, but considering the mid engine configuration.....

 

I have stock 78 280 front springs with 4 coils properly chopped (maybe a bit more...) Tokico shocks. 1.25" sway bar. lots of urethane, and an official NHL hockey puck as a steering coupler.. yea I said hockey puck.. finally replaced it with a new one after almost 9 years with my last puck.

 

The chopped springs were a bit soft on the front with my L28 sitting on them, and I was going to change them...but after the VG30ET swap.. it was not neccessary (after some road tests)

 

The back are 78 Chevette HD front springs with 1.5 coils cut out (approx) Tokico shocks, urethane, and a 1" sway bar.

 

Car was near neutral (still understeered) After the swap, the car is VERY NEUTRAL feeling now.. may want to oversteer slightly now (haven't been able to get enough track time to test yet). Very little squat/lean (less than 1" of lean in turns on the track) yet soft enough to not skip my CD player during normal driving.

 

I had stock cut springs on back before and they were great.. till the new engine put out so much torque I was almost bottoming out the suspension on launch!

 

The only slight problem now is on the highway, I've had a couple of pro race drivers drive it, and they say my rear shocks are not quite stiff enough when I'm on the highway going over "wows" in the road. It reacts too soon after the front. (hard to describe) I will upgrade the shocks in the back this summer I hope.

 

Now my same mechanic does this same chevette spring swap on many of his customers Z's I have driven several of them on the track (with l28's) and solidly believe that this set up is not a fluke. Now these other cars have chevette springs upfront as well (I'm the only one that doesn't.. but then I'm the only one with a mid engine placement. )

 

The added hp/weight changes, just make the car even more fun to drive. It feels very stable, and easy to steer, and has eaten up every mistake I made on the track this year while testing the setup... ever drive a 4 wheel steering car?.. same kinda feel.. feels like it piviots around corners.

 

Not saying this is the ultimate setup.. just one that works for me, and is very easy to do... the only better setup for me is coilovers..

[Synlubes]

Sure would be nice to see some pics of a mid-mount Z car!!!

 

Please post some!

[ZROSSA]

Doug,

 

He has a v6 in it. I think he means the engine is behind the front centerline. Front-mid engine.

 

Douglas

[Guest Anonymous]

"and an official NHL hockey puck as a steering coupler.. yea I said hockey puck"

 

Another MacGyver fan I see

[ZR8ED]

Sorry about that. Yes it is a V6 and is still in the z engine bay. It is a mid engine by technical definition.. engine "between" front and rear axle centre lines. It is totally behind the front crossmember.

 

McGyver? naw..learned about the trick from a budget racer friend... back when I was a poor college student. Works great!

[WHP]

ZR8ED,

What shocks are the successful setups using?

Thanks.

Will

[ZR8ED]

I hear nothing but good things about tokico's. That is why I use them. I'm mearly going to upgrade my rear Tokico's to the adjustable ones.. I hear they are stiffer.

 

On another note on my rear suspension. I also slotted my shock towers and brought out my rear struts more outboard... (less camber) To help with the lowered suspension, and now that my rear track is much wider. 3" wider.