Question about turning circle radius.

[Carol]

Dear Corvette Tech:
I have never driven a corvette but will be as soon as my C6 order gets processed.
My husband had me look up comparative turning circle radii of cars and trucks.
I saw that the corvette's radius is approx. 40 feet. Our Ford F150 pick-up truck's radius is approx. 34 feet.
How different will this feel?
I've been playing around with drawings on paper, and it seems to me that manoevering a corvette in a tight parking lot or even just turning a 90 degree turn onto a narrow road will be difficult.
My drawings suggest that one would have to turn into the opposite lane to negotiate a right-angled turn, or worse, an acute-angled turn, onto a narrow road.
Is this true?
Please comment.
Thanks,
Carol

 

[ßill]

Hi Carol
Thanks for asking this question. I don't have much more experience than you do, I have had my first Vette, a 90, for less than a year. It's turning radius is greater than anything else I have driven. The only time this causes me any trouble is when making a "U" turn. That being said, The only way you'll get my Vette away from me is to pry it out of my cold dead fingers!
Remember the wave!

 

[Mr.Cool]

A 40' turning radius does not sound right. I have not measured mine but I would guess it is close to half that distance. You won't have any problems manuevering this car.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Yes it's true! 39 Ft. turning radius curb to curb.
You will get used to it, but just remember that you can't make short turns. The C5 is a long turner too. It adds to the total steering stability, but see-sawing into mall parking slots is kind of embarassing I will admit.

 

[78SilvAnniv]

Just turn the wheel and punch it. That should swing the rear end out enough for you to make your turn. I'd recommend practicing the maneuver in an empty parking lot until you know just how much to 'punch-and-turn'.
Heidi

ps...that was a joke! I'm NOT serious!

 

[78SilvAnniv]

Something to keep in mind...
I don't know how relevant this is with the newer vettes, but I recall I had to sort of re-learn driving habits for the 78. Because I sit just in front of the rear wheels it was a huge adjustment when making turns. I had a mile of hood in front of me and being in front of the back wheels made me feel like I was driving from the 'back seat' because the front had to turn much earlier than I was used to in other cars.

Do first time C5 and C6 drivers get this same feeling?
Heidi

 

[froggy47]

You remember in driver's ed. The 3 point turn? Start practicing

 

[78SilvAnniv]

You remember in driver's ed. The 3 point turn? Start practicing

Ah.... Yup... Yup, the good ole days of High School, Driver's Education and the 3-point turn! *sigh* My sister fondly remembers the 3-point turn as the 17-point turn. Well, maybe she doesn't remember it fondly...she never seems to appreciate it when I bring it up. :confused
Heidi

 

[Smittybilt]

I don't know what you're all talking about. Compared to my crew cab Silverado diesel my C6 feels like it turns on a dime. LoL. Smitty

 

[Tuna]

The front wheel width is the main limiting factor in the Vette's turning radius.
You want a small turning radius, you increase the front wheel turning angle. The wide front wheel limits the maximum angle of steering because the wheel/tire combination starts rubbing part of the suspension.

Given the same steering angle, a shorter wheel base results in a smaller turning radius. The Vette has a short wheel base compared to most cars and trucks but the steering angle is limited = larger turning radius.

Generally, I never notice this since my Vette is my daily driver and I'm just used to the way it feels and drives. It doesn't cause me any problems. The few times I've really wanted to whip it around, I've dumped the clutch and popped it again with the revs up - comes right around. Caution: this takes lots of practice and should be used in controlled circumstances unless you want to look stupid and/or get the attention of law enforcement officials.

 

[DRTH VTR]

Just a point of clarification: If the room nneded to turn around curb to curb is 39 ft, that is the diameter. The radius of the turn is one half the diameter.My C5 does not turn sharply when turning around, but it will carve up real world turns with just about anything. I just don't need to do u-turns very often.

 

[Carol]

Great to hear from all of you!

My husband and I own a lot in our town which we are landscaping at present with the plan to live on someday. The entrance to this property is from a cul-de-sac. I just looked up the radius of the pavement of this cul-de-sac and it is 41 feet. Therefore, it sounds like I will be able to make a turn around the circle with just a little bit to spare. That gives me a perspective on how my corvette will behave. (It has a larger turning circle radius than any vehicle we have owned)

I'm sure it will take some getting used to, but "Silver" will drive like a dream!

Carol

 

[*89x2*]

Just turn the wheel and punch it. That should swing the rear end out enough for you to make your turn. I'd recommend practicing the maneuver in an empty parking lot until you know just how much to 'punch-and-turn'.
Heidi

ps...that was a joke! I'm NOT serious!

That's what I was thinking - and I AM SERIOUS!!!!!

 

[Elmer Fudd]

Smoke em

If you use the "Right Brake" it reduces your turning radius dramatically!! You wont have any problems, the C6 is alot easier to manuever than a C4 and you can see alot better too. Enjoy your gonna love that car !!

 

[LT4man]

Heidi,

I am with you!!! All it takes is a little bit of practice and you can put your car anywhere you want!

Carol,

Welcome to the CAC! :L

You are gonna have some fun with that new C6.

BTW, my Vette is named "Silver" also.

Gregory

 

[Carol]

Dear Gregory:

Thank you very much for your welcome.

I think "Silver" is a really cool name! :cool Good choice! Your "Silver" looks gorgeous and very well cared for!

I got word earlier this week that mine was built last week and shipped on April 22nd. I have the VIN #. I figure that she is somewhere around Chicago right now, your neck of the woods, eh? They send new Vettes to Canada by rail to the border, and then by truck the rest of the way. My dealer figures he'll have her by the 2nd week of May. Apparently, cars sometimes sit for long periods of time on their way north until there are enough travelling together to make the trip worthwhile. All I care is that she arrives in good condition.

I can hardly wait!!!! I've even got my Zaino kit already!!

Carol

 

[yellow_2002_germany]

I just looked up the radius of the pavement of this cul-de-sac and it is 41 feet.

Diameter = 2xRadius

With a radius of 41 feet the circle = 82 feet in diameter. Well within the 39 foot diameter of the Vette's turning circle.

But yes, the large turning circle in small areas does make for some multi-point turns from time to time!

 

[LT4man]

Dear Carol,

That is an awesome car you are waiting for! I drove one last September and what impressed me the most was the attention to detail that Chevy was able to attain. Everything on that car was perfect, just perfect!

Thanks for the compliment about my car. I certainly have worked hard on the Vette. Mid America Motorworks featured my car on the cover of three of their latest C4 catalogs. If you travel to the Off Road Lounge and find my thread you can see more pictures of "Silver". Check it out!

Save The Wave!

Gregory

 

[Carol]

Dear yellow_2002_germany:

Thank you for your reply.

Yes, diameter does equal 2x radius but the turning circle given by car manufacturers is given in terms of the radius. Therefore, the 39 feet they are talking about describes a 78 ft. diameter circle. May I refer you to the following excerpt:

**********************************************************

By Chris Cavette

Apr 1, 2004 12:00 PM



Many years ago, the Willis Brothers sang about a trucker who ended up in Boston going the wrong way on a one-way street. When he was finally flagged down by the police and told to go back, the driver replied, “Give me 40 acres and I'll turn this rig around.” If you've ever felt a kinship with that trucker when driving one of your department's apparatus, you may want to consider several ways to improve your next rig's maneuverability.



Start with the basics



For most people, maneuverability simply equates to turning radius — the tighter a vehicle's turning radius, the more maneuverable it is. Although that view overlooks such factors as overall vehicle length, steering ratio, visibility and others, turning radius still is the most common measure of a vehicle's ability to negotiate around tight corners and position itself in crowded spaces.

Curb-to-curb turning radius is the smallest radius the vehicle can turn without having the front wheels go over the curbs on either side of a street. Remember that it's the radius, not the diameter. Thus, a vehicle with a 25-foot curb-to-curb turning radius can turn around in a 50-foot-wide street without the front wheels going over the curbs.


© 2005, PRIMEDIA Business Magazines & Media Inc
*********************************************************

While I will be able to drive around my cul-de-sac, it won"t be with much room to spare.

With respect,

Carol

 

[motorman]

Dear Corvette Tech:
I have never driven a corvette but will be as soon as my C6 order gets processed.
My husband had me look up comparative turning circle radii of cars and trucks.
I saw that the corvette's radius is approx. 40 feet. Our Ford F150 pick-up truck's radius is approx. 34 feet.
How different will this feel?
I've been playing around with drawings on paper, and it seems to me that manoevering a corvette in a tight parking lot or even just turning a 90 degree turn onto a narrow road will be difficult.
My drawings suggest that one would have to turn into the opposite lane to negotiate a right-angled turn, or worse, an acute-angled turn, onto a narrow road.
Is this true?
Please comment.
Thanks,
Carol

just turn off the traction control,hit the gas and the C-6 will turn in it own length.