daily driver shark bites or Vansteel suspension systems?

[Don W.]

Has any tried a Vansteel or Shark Bites suspension system on their daily driver and does anyone have positive results or recommendations?

[Michael G.]

Re: daily driver shark bites or Vansteel suspension systems?

For a daily driver, the most positive change you can make is radial tires. Next, I'd say the power rack and pinion is a very positive step. Other than those changes, I'd say the stock system is pretty darn good for every day handling. Now, if you're racing, that's a different story.

[Duke W.]

Re: daily driver shark bites or Vansteel suspension systems?

Don - you really need to state your objectives, and what deficiencies you perceive on the current setup. Guys can spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on these aftermarket "suspension kits" and end up with a buckboard ride. Steering response may improve, but that can make the car more twitchy and harder to drive at the limit. And if the car has the typical S-rated, rock hard compound "van tires" that most guys run, it won't generate much more lateral g that the base suspension.

If you want a setup to attack Mulholland Drive, Angeles Crest and Ortega Highway, and maybe do some "open track" events at Willow Springs there are three things you need to do first.

Tires (Avon CR6ZZ)
Rebound adjustable shocks (Spax or QA-1)
"Sport" alignment settings.

Ride will be about the same as OE, and may even be better with the shocks dialed in for your road conditions and driving style.

Once a baseline is established with these new components, you can decide whether different anti-roll bars are needed to lessen roll or fine tune the understeer/oversteer balance. The LAST thing to consider changing is springs, and it's really only necessary on a serious race car used for serious competition and never road driven.

There are a lot of threads on this subject over on the CF, so you might want to check those out, or give me a call and we can discuss in more detail your objectives and what to do to achieve them.

Duke

[Don W.]

Re: daily driver shark bites or Vansteel suspension systems?

thanks Duke. I was driving on PCH in Newport Beach in the left hand lane doing the speed limit of 50 mph and a MB E350 came out of parking lot on the right side and wanted to make a left term so he veered across 3 lanes and impacted my right rear tire. I took it to shop and they looked at it and found the right rear wheel is no longer in line with the car. They worked with the insurance company and they are replacing the rear axle assembly and rebuilding the differential. They were looking at suspension upgrades while they have the car apart but could not come up with and good ideas. So, I'm going with Bilstein B6 shocks as a start. I also finally decided to get the paint chips and star cracks fixed.

Here's an economy recommendation that I found on CF for a less than $2K suspension enhancement:
78 Corvette
Front:

550 lbs front coil springs/1 inch lower than stock-$100
1 1/8 inch solid front sway bar (OEM Bar size)-$200
poly upper and lower control arm bushings-$50
Bilstein HD shocks-$150
Front Spreader Bar-$100
Custom blueprinted/rebuilt OEM steering box- GTR 1999-Gary Ramadei-$300

Rear:

360 monospring-$300
Bilstein Sport shocks-$150
OEM Style Rear Sway bar (not the aftermarket type bars. I highly discourage NON OEM/GM style rear sway bars)-7/16 or 9/16 or 3/4 inch (I have this one replacing the stock 7/16 inch bar)-$200
Competition adjustable strut rods with heim joint ends-$200

Total Cost $1750

[Duke W.]

Re: daily driver shark bites or Vansteel suspension systems?

Those spring rates are essentially equal to F-41, which are about double the base spring rates, so the wheel rates will double, which I don't recommend on California's rapidly deteriorating roads. I don't know much about the shocks you mention. For years I had Bilstein Sport shocks on my Cosworth Vega, but was never happy with the rebound rates. - too little front and too much rear. I finally replaced them with Spax rebound adjustables and got the rebound rates dialed in perfectly.

There are a couple of guys on the CF who have followed my recommendations for Avon CR6ZZ tires and Spax shocks, and they have nothing but good things to say. You can probably find their comments. I think one is SWC Tim.

Given the damage to the right rear the others guy's insurance should pay for a four wheel alignment, so now is the time to consider "sport" settings and make sure the rear toe-in is spot on.

Gary is a good choice to rebuild the steering gear.