BFoster

Hey guys and gals, just installed my new Pfadt shocks with the optional delrin mounts. My question is this:

My car is a 2002 Z06. I was pretty sure when looking at the mounts that the car required the black inserts, not the white inserts.

I took the car on a test drive and maybe I'm just picky but thought I heard a little noise from the shocks... Did I put the wrong inserts in?!?!

(I wouldn't be working on a car if I didn't screw something up!)

Racin Time

Here is what's on Phadt's web site.

http://www.pfadtracing.com/blog/wp-c...structions.pdf

Hope that helps.
Frank
63 SS C6Z

BFoster

Hi Frank! I had to buy some parts to try to even the playing field with you... Though I don't think these will be enough!!!

I got the same set of instructions, and I just wasn't sure if my car was considered an "earlier car" or "later car." I think my frame is a single layer, but I want to make sure that I am correct due to the strange noise coming from the rear shock. I can only hear the noise in the right rear, but it could very well be all shocks.

Racin Time

I sent you a pm.

rustyguns

earleir C5 or later C5? I thought all C5's had the same basic frame? Am I wrong?

BFoster

Rusty- I believe you are correct, I am just referring to the Pfadt instructions.

UPDATE: Took the right rear shock back off the car, started over from square one. When I got the shock off the car, I noticed that the rubber bushing on the top was squashed and off center. I had previously torqued to 25ft/lbs, shouldn't have been a problem. Oh well, I started over.

I re-did everything exactly as Pfadt's instructions say, and put the stuff back on the car. Took off down the road, everything sounded fine, no more clunking coming from the rear shocks. Drove 5 or 6 miles down the road, all of the sudden the clunking was back on both sides of the car.... WTF?!

I have an autocross this weekend that I leave for in the morning. I am nervous to say the least with this with this noise. I have checked and re-checked torque on EVERY single bolt attached to the rear suspension. Not sure what the deal is...

If nothing else, I will sit out and work the event. Not what I WANT to do, but better safe than sorry.

voda1

I just installed these also, but have not driven car yet. IIR only the front might use the white bushing.
I'd guess the poly washer(rubber bushing) is deforming further under load.

BFoster

Well against my better judgement, I did take the car to the autocross today. STILL making a heck of a lot of noise all the way there, while there, and on the way home. Being my first event that I have had the opportunity to run this year, and first event in this car, I was still pretty rusty and was not able to tell whether or not the shocks were making more noise or if they felt loose but I was able to make it through the day without breaking stuff so I'd say it was an accomplishment.

I'll be taking the shocks back off the car in the coming days, I'll update further after I do!


I just can't believe I'm the only one who has had these issues with the new spherical mounts!

mousecatcher

Please don't call them spherical mounts; they are not. Well, yes the upper mount is "spherical" but it is not what the term spherical mount refers to.

I also had (still have) issues, on a C6Z06. I don't understand why the rubber/poly bushing is there at all except that the pin doesn't have a hex socket to stop it from rotating (instead, that's where you adjust the shock), and the bushing is required to allow some give so that the retaining nut can be removed.

I thought of replacing the poly with aluminum but I'm afraid what will happen is that over time the retaining nut will end up too tight against the alum. sleeve and I will never be able to remove the shock.

I know my explanation is hard to understand. Sorry about that. You have to spend a lot of time looking at the mounting setup to figure it out.

I also suspect that the poly bushing compromises the shock action.

I'm thinking about replacing my shocks with LG or back to the leafs but with Koni FSDs. I'm pretty much done tracking this car so I don't necessarily need the adjustability that coilovers provide, but I still want the improved handling from aftermarket shocks.

voda1

OP is using the inverted sport shock, not coilovers.

mousecatcher

oops, complete different animal. ignore my post.

AlwaysInBoost

BFoster, Pfadt is pretty active on these forums, why not reach-out to them and see what they say?
FWIW, for the price of those bushings, they should come with detailed instructions read to you by a supermodel wearing her birthday suit.

Racin Time

Your right they are on the forums so I emailed the link to Phadt a couple of days ago. They may have been out of town for the SCCA Run Offs this past week and haven't had time to catch up.

Z06Fix

PFADT shocks seem to make a bit of noise on their own.

voda1

Could you elaborate on that?

BrianCunningham

Z06Fix

PM sent

BFoster

Correct, I think they are either at the SCCA nationals or NASA nationals (can't remember if it's this week or not).

I did attempt to call the tech line several times which lead me to believe they were not in the office. Now that I will be pulling everything back off the car and waiting to re-install in the spring, I figured I will have ample time to speak with any of the guys. This is the second set of shocks I've bought from Pfadt, and the first time I've ever had trouble. I'm sure something will be firgured out!

BFoster

Voda1- I never noticed any noise with the last set of shocks I had on my old car, I even had T1 sway bars on the car and noticed no strange noises.


Frank- Thanks for all of your help! I didn't get a chance to email you after I got done working on the car.... at 0145hrs in the morning. I'll let you know what the story is when I find out!

Thanks for all the replies!

Aaron Pfadt

Yes, I am surprised to hear that. Can you elaborate.

As far as the mounts go, a phone call should be in order. I have not heard of any noise issues with these, but anything can happen. I'm sure that we can figure out what is going wrong and get to the bottom of it.

They are a solid mount, so any noise anywhere in the suspension can be magnified by the mounts. The poly washer you describe is a spring in the system. It makes up for small variations in the frame thickness and keeps tension on the joint. If that is not doing it's job, that could be the problem.

Unfortunately, they changed the front shock mount point at some time. I do not know exactly when, early cars are single thickness, later cars and steel frame C6 cars are double thickness.

BFoster has a noise in the rear, so that should not be a factor. All of the shock mount plates are the same thickness as far as I know.

Again, give us a call and we can help you figure it out.

-Aaron