CS questions

street kappa · 09-18-2009, 01:40 PM

We have an 09 street edition (it has the Z0K suspension) that we are looking at running in CS next year. I would like to get some double adjustable's for it but all i am seeing are complete coilover kits. What do you all suggest? Also what are most people running for a front bar?

acrace · 09-19-2009, 07:46 PM

There's at least one competitor who had Koni Sports converted to double adjustable (check out dasto's post when he was selling his car). FWIW, I believe that the national championship car this year had stock body Bilsteins on the car. As I did not ask, I don't know if the internals were stock or if they were revalved.

For front bar, either the Z0K front bar or the standard NA front bar are the popular choices.

poSSum · 09-21-2009, 05:02 PM

We're running OTS SA Konis. IMO the car is so good that any more adjustability will just reveal ways to get it wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by acrace

For front bar, either the Z0K front bar or the standard NA front bar are the popular choices.

Ditto that.

285/30 A6's is where the good times are found.

street kappa · 09-23-2009, 10:52 AM

how much are reworked koni's going for? this might be cheaper that what i was thinking it was going to cost by far.

no you really aren't changing the bar on the Z0k cars? i haven't driven it yet (she won't let me yet). as for tires i was going to start running V710's since my current car is running them and i can pull them and remount them. i might just start with the A6's then. I run a ESP car now btw.

just out of curiousity, anyone try R1's and are they any good?

Krazed Kanary · 09-23-2009, 11:26 AM

What level AXer are you now? The Solstice benefits from a lighter bar in the front (FE2 front with FE3 rear, FE3 front with ZOK rear) to reduce understeer. Koni can sell you off the shelf SA Sports, revalved OTS SA Sports, converted SA to DA Sports, or custom built DA mono shocks.
Penske has OTS SA shocks for the Soli I believe, or you can have Penske, Motons, etc top of the line DAs built, depending on how serious you are.
The stock FE3 (ZOK) GXP shocks would be my budget choice for local AX racing, the OTS Koni Sports for experienced regional AXer, converted DA Konis would be the budget choice for Div, National events, and the custom built DA for the trailering National Championship contenders.
Be very careful that whoever you get shocks from (besides GM) has full knowlege of the stock class shock rules if you plan on running at any national events. Coilovers are legal for stock class as long as you are using stock legal springs on them, the lower perches are locked at stock height, and they otherwise meet the stock shock replacement dimensional and mounting criteria. From experience, I would not have anyone besides Lee Grimes and crew at Koni NA work on Konis for me.
Alignment is critical be sure your tech understand that you require zero deviation from AX specs, allows you to sit in the car while setting, and has the proper device and skill to set the rear caster.
AFA tires: The A6's are superior to the Kumhos Can't mount as wide a 710 as an A6 on the stock legal wheel) and R1s. I'd run the 285 18 A6s on a NA car. A properly aligned and not drastically overdriven Soli gets fantastic tire wear, >100 runs typically. You'll want to get some lighter wheels for your race tires.

AlanBDahl · 09-26-2009, 02:19 AM

I think the stock Bilstiens are just fine for all but the absolute top-level racers, especially on asphalt. I've won three NTs with my bone-stock Z0K GXP and only at this year's Nationals on concrete did I really feel that I needed the extra that the aftermarket shocks give you thus I left my car at home and drove Chuck's Penske-equipped Krazed Kanary instead.

If you do decide to go aftermarket I'm not convinced that most shock manufacturers really understand what it takes to make a legal stock-class shock for autox, the dimensions have to be exact and many of them who are used to working with street cars and less-restrictive race series think "close enough" is ok while for autox it's not. The only person I'd trust without double-checking is Guy Ankeny of ProParts, for everyone else I'd watch over their shoulder and measure things three times just to be sure.