hypntyz

I've found a minor discrepancy when researching the Bilstein Z51 shock setup to retrofit onto my base 85. Most sellers are listing the fronts as 24-002288 and the rears as 24-184588. I began to get confused when I started noticing some sellers refer to the 2288 fronts as "B6 heavy duty" and the 4588 rears as "B8 Sport". So I searched bilstein's US site and it confirms that the fronts and rears seem to have different specs:

http://cart.bilsteinus.com/search/mm.../drivetype=RWD

They do not even SHOW a B8 sport shock for the front of an 84/85 corvette.

So, is B6 HD fronts and B8 SP rears the correct setup to purchase if you want the Z51 package shocks?

tunedport85inject

I had my Bilstein here in Italy for my Z51 85',i have the front b6 HD



This is the HD Bilstein,but i deduce that B8 is the real Z51 sport shock.

for the rear i had what i deduce is the wrong part ,the 4600 series,







i found this B8 sport Bilstein front but it is for 89 up...

WVZR-1

I believe that '87 and earlier Bilstein applications for the front were all 36mm shocks and through the years what Bilstein services for the 36mm shock is it. They now only offer the B6 in 36mm. I doubt that there was ever a 46mm shock for the front of the early cars. The specs on the MVMA sheets show 36mm front and 46mm rear.

It would take a very old Bilstein catalog to confirm that there ever was an off the shelf offering from Bilstein for a FE7 front shock. It's very possible that the only FE7 front spec shocks were the OE/GM shocks.

tunedport85inject

i would like to fit one of these 89> Bilsteins B8 sport on my 85, i think it works the same...

hypntyz

So I guess what you are telling me is that the B6 front shock now sold is as close to original equipment Z51 option fronts as can be had now?

QCVette

I don't know how well they would work, but they appear to be close on length. I don't know how damping rates would compare, but I would guess the '89+ B8's would be stiffer.

The number you found for your '85
24-002288
Min / Max Length
9.57" / 13.31"

The number found for '89+
24-011778
Min / Max Length
9.43" / 13.56"

The number I found for my '95 last year
24-184861
Same Min / Max as 24-011778

WVZR-1

I had looked at these shocks dimensionally a long while ago and I didn't find a "STROKE" specification from Bilstein but I've not looked recently. Other brands show potentially different stroke values but should that be of a concern? Maybe NOT.

This may be the restriction that needs checked and I don't have an early car to confirm BUT will the 46mm shock actually fit well into the upper shock tower of the early car? I have no idea.

Shocks also have I believe an internal bump stop and maybe that would restrict the 46mm shocks use on the early fronts. A person would think NOT.

Some of the performance shock vendors don't even have applications for the early C4.

Interestingly also some exclude the '88 from application guides as that was actually a "single year" shock application.

The question I guess would be is it worth the substantial expense to be a person to just try it?