05-24-2013, 07:30 PM | #1 |
Conversation w/ Engineer who developed ZL1 Steering
I just got home from the local car show here in Southwest Michigan. It's at Lane Automotive, which if you haven't heard of is a big distributor like Summit Racing. Anyway, I had my ZL1 there and shortly before I was getting ready to leave a guy named Kirby came up and started chatting with me. Apparently he was the engineer who designed the steering system in the ZL1. He had a lot of neat information about testing the car and some features that I, personally didn't know about the steering system in the ZL1. I guess that according to each driving mode the PTM is in the steering is also completely changed. For full-on racing the steering has very little assist compared to touring mode. It makes sense but I never really read anywhere where the steering was actually tuned differently for the different PTM modes.
I asked him what he's working on now and, of course, he couldn't say. So I asked him when I would get to see what he's working on now and he said "2016". So, speculation says it *COULD* be a new Camaro. Heck, if he worked on the steering system for the ZL1, what's the chances he'd work on the 6th Gen? Anyway, Kirby, if you're reading this I really appreciate the conversation and thank you a ton for the info. I really hope anything I said here doesn't get you busted or anything. These are, after all, just my opinions.
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-NerdWerx |
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07-13-2013, 02:15 PM | #2 |
Drives: 20 X3M CP & 19 ZL1 1LE A10 Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Brenham, TX
Posts: 3,517
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Not necessarily a new Camaro. Might be working on improvements on PTM which could show up then.
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07-13-2013, 02:44 PM | #3 |
Drives: C6 Z06 Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Dayton, MD
Posts: 1,645
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Did you ask him why our power steering goes out sometimes?
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07-15-2013, 11:49 AM | #4 |
Drives: 2013 ZL1 M6 SIM AGM mono stripe Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Boston
Posts: 453
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Is there any written info on the steering changes in the various PTM modes? Curious about the changes from mode to mode. I honestly haven't been able to feel a big change mode to mode when I'm driving..
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07-15-2013, 12:44 PM | #5 | |
Drives: 2013 Camaro ZL1 Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 2,155
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Quote:
The big change in steering wheel feeling is when the "nannies" are off completely. The wheel becomes a bit more responsive, quicker if you will. Be careful if you have never driven the car with traction control and stability control switched off. |
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07-15-2013, 12:51 PM | #6 |
Drives: 2013 ZL1 Triple Black, 2015 2LT/RS Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Plymouth, Indiana
Posts: 488
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One in the series of introductory videos for ZL1 owners that GM produced for us does touch upon this, but without a lot of detail, as I recall.
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07-15-2013, 01:02 PM | #7 |
Drives: 2013 ZL1 M6 SIM AGM mono stripe Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Boston
Posts: 453
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I have driven in all modes but #5.. Will have to check that out and see what the steering feels like..
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07-15-2013, 04:56 PM | #8 |
Drives: 20 X3M CP & 19 ZL1 1LE A10 Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Brenham, TX
Posts: 3,517
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I want the heavier PTM 5 steering in PTM 3. Can tuners make this happen?
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