[TRZ06]

Originally Posted by Trak-Toy

They could for sure. But that would really just defeat their purpose in the first place. If the ride harshness isn’t for a particular driver, he/she should really consider the non-1LE ZL1. That is a plush ride in tour mode.

There is a difference between shock damping and spring rates.

You can have stellar shock damping, yet have softer springs that are more street friendly.

The harsh ride on the ZLE isn't the shocks, its the springs.

It would be nice if Multimatic or GM offered some spring rate options for the street.

To me, that is the biggest benefit of the DSSV set-up, the shocks have quicker recovery damping curves than the MRC does, which translates into driver confidence and the chassis staying settled when upset. The MRC does a great job, but they are not at the level of a coil-over like the DSSV's are. You don't HAVE to have super tight spring rates for stellar damping.

[kropscamaro16]

Originally Posted by TRZ06

There is a difference between shock damping and spring rates.

You can have stellar shock damping, yet have softer springs that are more street friendly.

The harsh ride on the ZLE isn't the shocks, its the springs.

It would be nice if Multimatic or GM offered some spring rate options for the street.

To me, that is the biggest benefit of the DSSV set-up, the shocks have quicker recovery damping curves than the MRC does, which translates into driver confidence and the chassis staying settled when upset. The MRC does a great job, but they are not at the level of a coil-over like the DSSV's are. You don't HAVE to have super tight spring rates for stellar damping.

lol or you can buy a zl1 or buy street tires like all the other people that buy a 80k track toy just to never track it

[mlee]

I've never understood claims of street tires making it ride softer. I've had the regular ZL1 both 5th and 6th Gen.

I now have a ZLE with two complete sets of tires that I swap back and forth pretty regular but only so I don't wear out my track tires on the streets as it does NOTHING for ride. When there is no rubber in your suspension and very little play in the DSSV you're not going to overcome that with the exact same size tires.

[kropscamaro16]

Originally Posted by mlee

I've never understood claims of street tires making it ride softer. I've had the regular ZL1 both 5th and 6th Gen.

I now have a ZLE with two complete sets of tires that I swap back and forth pretty regular but only so I don't wear out my track tires on the streets as it does NOTHING for ride. When there is no rubber in your suspension and very little play in the DSSV you're not going to overcome that with the exact same size tires.

lol just bag it mike youll be fine

[mlee]

Originally Posted by kropscamaro16

lol just bag it mike youll be fine

I love the ZLE ride.

[Revalot]

Originally Posted by TRZ06

The harsh ride on the ZLE isn't the shocks, its the springs.

Bingo !
Plus for me it's the drivers age, health/ back ! I test drove 3 ZL1 's all used cars, The magnetic ZL1 feels great on smooth pavement and is very tolerable on bumpy roads, then test drove a ZLE in Dallas 2 years ago, on the hwy/interstate it was great but I only went a mile or two. Then found the car I thought I wanted hyper blue ZLE 2018, I had a headache that day on a 1-10 it was a 5, I asked the salesman allow me to go down a few back roads and my headache went to a 10 ! I could feel everything in the road, Boom here, Boom there ! I thought I will never own a ZLE and I can see why they get traded in, and now people are having problems with there struts leaking . Fast forward I found a ZL1 that someone had who is very wealthy, they put 75% of the OEM ZLE parts on, grill, canards, wing(all OEM) Atak exhaust, front end wrap, 20% ceramic tint. I think I have the best combo, magnetic ride ZLE look, I love road racing, Oak hill in East Texas back in the day Cresson Texas a few times, and one day COTA ! I mostly like sportbikes, but this ZL1 with ZLE looks and magnetic ride is it !
To each there on ! Back roads, road racing, drag or highway enjoy !

[Vtor_ZL1]

Moral of ZLE Story


If pavement is GOOD.. ZLE is candy on said roads


If you have expansion joints, uneven pavement.. it will suck, but for rest of time.. its GREAT.

[JSH]

After a few weeks the stiff ride becomes normal and unnoticeable

[TRZ06]

Originally Posted by JSH

After a few weeks the stiff ride becomes normal and unnoticeable

Which is great if you drive solo all the time and it's a weekend toy.

If you have passengers that aren't used to it, then it becomes an issue and especially if you have a SO, then it becomes an issue even quicker, lol

We can get used to anything if we experience long enough, but we don't HAVE to, it's a choice.

Fun Tidbit... I recently took a horse drawn carriage ride in a Gold mining National Park that gave tours and it was on dirt roads and I honestly don't know how they did it back then, the ride was brutal. It was fun for the 20 ride, but I couldn't imagine doing that on a long journey.

[shogun37]

stiff springs might be a factor (anyone have the ACTUAL rates for ZL1 vs ZLE?) but harshness over short, square bumps is usually traced to gross excess of high-speed compression damping. You can have a fair bit of slow compression damping but at high shaft rates is needs to blow off to absorb the bump. Sounds like it's orifice-restricted and needs another circuit (spring-loaded?) for blow-off.

You can supposedly get different valves from the supplier but since I don't own a ZLE (yet) haven't looked into pricing or cost to swap parts. I traded a number of emails with one of their engineers some time back.

[gtfoxy]

Originally Posted by TRZ06

Which is great if you drive solo all the time and it's a weekend toy.

If you have passengers that aren't used to it, then it becomes an issue and especially if you have a SO, then it becomes an issue even quicker, lol

We can get used to anything if we experience long enough, but we don't HAVE to, it's a choice.

Fun Tidbit... I recently took a horse drawn carriage ride in a Gold mining National Park that gave tours and it was on dirt roads and I honestly don't know how they did it back then, the ride was brutal. It was fun for the 20 ride, but I couldn't imagine doing that on a long journey.

I’m used to my F650, but the air-ride seats help. If you’re in the back seat & I hit some good bumps it’ll bounce your head off the roof.

I don’t want my car to feel that way. Then again, a ZLE would probably be a pretty smooth ride comparatively. Ha!

I know my regular Z feels like a Cadillac after a day in it.

[m3bs]

I haven’t seen the numbers anywhere, but I remember reading a Car and Driver review where they stated that the ZLE spring rates were 3 times the regular ZL1 rates.

Found the link.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...e-test-review/

[TRZ06]

Originally Posted by m3bs

I haven’t seen the numbers anywhere, but I remember reading a Car and Driver review where they stated that the ZLE spring rates were 3 times the regular ZL1 rates.

Found the link.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...e-test-review/

300% increase is crazy.

If they, at least gave you the option, of say a 100% or 150% higher spring rate for street use, it would make the case for a ZLE to be much more street friendly.

Having said that, maybe they did it on purpose to make sure that ZLE's were mostly track used. I know Porsche and Ferrari play those games, not sure GM cares enough to have that attitude.

[m3bs]

They give you a good street option. The 1LE option is called “Extreme Track Package”. Don’t get it unless you are serious about tracking it. Honestly, on most public roads the base ZL1 will handle better, and is 90% (maybe more..) as good on the track.