SS Z06 Braking

[Mako Koiwai]

I added back the front neg. camber I had dialed out for the 710's. Car was still pushy on Saturday. Made the front end softer, per Jon Lugold's suggestion and the car was much better on Sunday. Enough that I was finally able to match Tom D and Steve A.

But with all of that negative camber, the car doesn't brake as well. I can't be as aggressive with the brakes as I'd like ... Isley/Berry style.

We're running Hawk HP Plus pads in front and Ferraro pads in back (from Brian Peters).

http://www.polepositionusa.com/ferodo-b ... -s/536.htm

Suggestions?

[Jonathan Lugod]

I added back the front neg. camber I had dialed out for the 710's. Car was still pushy on Saturday. Made the front end softer, per Jon Lugold's suggestion and the car was much better on Sunday. Enough that I was finally able to match Tom D and Steve A.

But with all of that negative camber, the car doesn't brake as well. I can't be as aggressive with the brakes as I'd like ... Isley/Berry style.

We're running Hawk HP Plus pads in front and Ferraro pads in back (from Brian Peters).

http://www.polepositionusa.com/ferodo-b ... -s/536.htm

Suggestions?

What were the tire temps at that camber? Are the tires wearing out quickly on the inside?
I'd be more interested in maxing cornering grip potential than braking performance while autocrossing. Does the car react well to trailbraking?

[Aaron Goldsmith]

I'd be more interested in maxing cornering grip potential than braking performance while autocrossing.

I'd agree with Jonathan here. Never driven a corvette though, so I don't know how they like to be driven, but you can always switch over to the brake early turn early get on the gas early style..

[Mako Koiwai]

brake early turn early get on the gas early style..

How about brake late (but not too late) and still get on the gas early. }:)

[Michael Wood]

How much front camber are we talking about? The Z06 has a good camber curve and doesn't need enormous amounts of static in the front to work well. When I had my Z, I stayed right at -2.0 to -2.2 front camber. Also, how far down are you on the lowering bolts? You do NOT want to max out lowering on the front end and the car's are also very sensitive to rake...if you are on the bumpstops, braking will (obviously) suffer...

One other thing: it is possible to get "ice mode" on the Z06, although not super common (not, like, Elise common!)...usually under turn in/trail brake in conjunction with a transient, side to side weight transfer kind of situation.

btw, in most all situations, I never felt that trail braking the Z was fast, as the agreed on "secret" (according to the guys running Z06's in SS at the time, like Thomason, Strelnieks, Salerno etc) was to keep the car as settled as possible. So, really smooth inputs and keeping big slip angles to a minimum seemed to be the ticket. Thinking may have changed since then (2005-2006), but I kinda doubt it.

[Leslie Cohen]

Stock pads. Anything else and unless you are exceptional, you will scrub off too much speed. I speak from experience here. And do not brake late in that car. Early gentle braking (no I do not mean wussy braking), just enough to scrub off some speed, then trust the car and start rolling back on the gas. Monsieur Wood is on target - the car is happier when not upset

Signed - the worlds longest continuous C5 Z06 driver (racer and daily driver for hmmm, let's see, 9 years?). OR... I might not be a mechanic but maybe I do have a clue. (From the hidden blonde in me!)

[Mako Koiwai]

Thanks ... I respect your inputs Mike and Leslie!

I DID shave off a bunch of time on my last lap, to close up to Steve by smoothing it out. After my 2nd lap I thought to myself what can I do to take off time. I'm ragged pretty much everywhere, so I must be limiting what the car can do.

I should have remembered that TTD ride with Gary T and his Vette a few years ago ... what impressed me the most was how smooth (and patient!) he was.

After taking out too much camber when we went to the 710's, I added back too much camber ... which I left in because we wanted to use up the Hoosiers. I then ran out of time to dial back the camber again when we decided to go back to the 710's for Sunday. I'll finalize the camber now that we'll stay with 710's for the rest of the year. As you know, it's correcting the toe after changing the camber that takes up so much time.

On Brian's advice we did raise the car a bit for CA Speedway ... it WAS jacking down because of a couple of big bumps that have developed in that lot. We also, on his advice, increased the front single adjustable Penske nitrogen shock pressure. But when we went a bit too high the car started to get pushy.

Thanks again ... Mako, freezing in London