69cvette

Alright I'd like to update/upgrade the shocks on my '02 Z06. At 33k miles I feel like I could get a better performing shock underneath the car. I'm lowered half an inch on the stock bolts. Just enough to get rid of some wheel gap. I've heard the '04 Z06 shocks are much better, but can you even buy a new equivalent or do I just have to buy used from eBay? Is there a comparable shock out there that will help make my car handle better at speed and be more balanced in corners without sacrificing a lot of ride quality? I don't want them to be super stiff. It's not a track car but I'd like to to carve the corners better!

CalF

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...or-c6-z06.html

0amanda@ridetech

Ridetech makes a great bolt on single adjustable shock that has a 1,000,001 mile warranty, you will never have to buy shocks again. I have been running these on my C5 for about 3 years now. With 24 adjustments, I soften them for very smooth comfortable street driving and just stiffen them when I want to autocross, do a track day, or just go for a spirited drive. Ridetech really did their homework for the Corvette market.

http://www.ridetech.com/store/c5-c6-corvette-hq-shock-system.html

Solofast

The 04 Z06 shocks are very good and are actually a bit more comfortable than the 02Z shocks that you had on your car.

The Bilstein Sport shocks have damping that is very close to that of the 04Z, the front damping is identical, the rear is slightly different, but it would take a ride and handling engineer to discern the differences.

Single adjustable Koni's can be set to full soft and you can turn up the ***** if you want to go canyon carving. The ride with the Koni's is very acceptable when in full soft, but can be set to kidney belt stiffness if you want to go there.

The Ridetech's are supposed to be good although I don't have specific experience with them. Since I haven't seen a set of damping curves for them I reserve judgment, but I am hearing good things about them.

Some level of adjustability is good if you know how to tune them. If you don't know what you're doing you should for sure stay away from double adjustable shocks. Single adjustable shocks are much harder to screw up and if you're still not a suspension engineer you can go that way and not be too far out of whack. Many folks who don't do a lot of shock tuning tend to adjust shocks to a much higher level of stiffness than is appropriate, thinking that stiffer is better. There are tuning guides on the web but if the car seems to be "pulling down" on rough roads you've gone too stiff on rebound.

Lastly, shocks are like women... The good one's aren't cheap... This is one area where you generally get what you pay for so long as you aren't buying something from the far east or some "no-name" brand. Also a guarantee (like Koni or Ridetech) is a good thing.

Also remember when installing the shocks don't go gorilla on tightening the shock into the top mounts. If you overtighten them the shafts will wear and they'll start to leak, no matter how good the shock is. Snug them up but don't try to really compress the rubber top in the top mounts.

0amanda@ridetech

Great info!!! ^^^^

Moto One

What Solo said.

15 years ago I went big time with JRZ DAs, 100+k and they are still like new, and that's what the tech said when I had them serviced for the first time this year.

Mark

Z06 Zephyr

I LOVE my Pfadt coilovers! I lowered the car 3-ish inches with them(what ugly wheel gap lol) and it still rides better then the factory stuff. Cant say enough good things about them.

racebum

like they went bankrupt and scammed quite a few customers? that's pretty good