C6 Tech/Performance LS2, LS3, LS7, LS9 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Tech Topics, Basic Tech, Maintenance, How to Remove & Replace
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

F55 shocks

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-14-2010, 05:59 AM
  #1  
hamster37
Instructor
Thread Starter
 
hamster37's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2009
Posts: 108
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default F55 shocks

Last time I was at the dealership, the mechanic stated that my F55 shocks were leaking and they needed to be replaced eventually.

I'm having trouble finding any place online that sells F55 shocks. Are those available outside the dealership network? How much am I looking at to replace all four?
Old 07-14-2010, 07:29 AM
  #2  
mvcrash
Le Mans Master
Support Corvetteforum!
 
mvcrash's Avatar
 
Member Since: Mar 2006
Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 5,323
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by hamster37
Last time I was at the dealership, the mechanic stated that my F55 shocks were leaking and they needed to be replaced eventually.

I'm having trouble finding any place online that sells F55 shocks. Are those available outside the dealership network? How much am I looking at to replace all four?
I think they are probably a dealer item. They are also NOT under the service contracts. If your car is still under the 3 year warranty they may be covered under the original plan.
Old 07-14-2010, 10:25 AM
  #3  
Wass
Melting Slicks
 
Wass's Avatar
 
Member Since: Nov 2004
Location: Northcentral, Pennsylvania
Posts: 2,382
Received 134 Likes on 80 Posts
St. Jude Donor '09-'11

Default

How many miles do you have on your C6? Is the dealership telling you all 4 are leaking!?

There have been very few reports on this forum about these shocks failing.

They are very expensive to replace new. Perhaps you can find some at a salvage yard for a reasonable price. I have 75,000 miles on mine, and know of another forum member with about 125,000 miles on his without any problems.
Old 07-14-2010, 01:47 PM
  #4  
BEZ06
Race Director
Support Corvetteforum!
 
BEZ06's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2005
Location: Daytona Beach FL
Posts: 10,922
Received 833 Likes on 594 Posts

Default

WOW!!

Yes - they're going to wear out eventually, after a few hundred thousand miles, but I haven't heard of any general problems with leaky F55 shocks. These things are designed to last hundreds of thousands of miles.

What your dealer is telling you sounds like something unscrupulous auto repair shops used to do to try to drum up additional business by getting customers to buy unnecessary parts and repairs.

If your shocks are leaking, your dealer should have been able to show you the evidence before trying to sell you $5,000 worth of repairs.

If you get them from the dealer and pay list price, you're looking at almost $4,000 just for four shocks!!!! I'm sure your dealer would probably be charging quite a bit for the labor.

If you get them from a forum vendor, you can save a lot of money.

I'm not sure of part#s, but a quick search of a couple forum vendor sites indicates that there is one part# for the front shocks (each one lists for $1,020.96, and discount prices are about $615 to $665 depending on vendor).

The rear seems to use a different shock on each side. There's some indication that the 2005-2007 have different part#s than the 2008-2010.

Left Rear lists for around $970 with a discount price of $580 to $630. Right Rear lists for around $860 with a discount price of $520 to $560.

So, even with a good forum discount, you're looking at around $2,400 just for the shocks.

Now, after all that discussion of prices, I call !!!!!!

I sure would get a second opinion, or just keep track of them yourself. If they're leaking you're going to notice it on your garage floor. They're more likely to leak when compressed by suspension dynamics, but if you crawl under the car you can easily check occasionally to see if fluid is dripping down the side of the shock.

I bet you won't find anything!!

I might be looking for another dealer - not just for a second opinion, but for a longer term relationship! If you have a very expensive problem, they need to take you out into the repair bay and show you what's going on.

Bob
Old 07-14-2010, 01:50 PM
  #5  
HOXXOH
Race Director
 
HOXXOH's Avatar
 
Member Since: Sep 2007
Location: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
Posts: 16,555
Received 2,060 Likes on 1,505 Posts
C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019

Default

If one truly is leaking, don't bother replacing any others. It's not like old school shocks that slowly die from the first day of use.

There's a post within the last 10 days, either here or on the general C6 forum, by a member who just replaced his F55 with coil-overs. PM him to possibly buy what you need.

BTW, just for reference, how many miles on your car?
Old 07-14-2010, 06:28 PM
  #6  
Knob Jockey
Race Director
Support Corvetteforum!
 
Knob Jockey's Avatar
 
Member Since: Oct 2007
Location: Edgewood Washington
Posts: 11,371
Received 208 Likes on 172 Posts
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15

Default

If your F55 shocks have actually, really failed then you are the first to report it on the Forum.

As mentioned above, some have changed them out for a competition/track shock and spring setup but no one has ever reported a failure as far as I've seen/heard.

+2 for dealer BS.
Old 07-15-2010, 05:13 AM
  #7  
hamster37
Instructor
Thread Starter
 
hamster37's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2009
Posts: 108
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Interesting. They did not really make it sound urgent, just mentioned it. The inspection sheet states: "Front + rear shocks leaking". Weird. If they are so unlikely to fail, what are the chances of two or more failing at the same time? I should get under the car and see what's going on.

This is an '06 with 45,000 miles (so, out of warranty).

$2,400 after forum discount? Ouch!

Last edited by hamster37; 07-15-2010 at 05:27 AM.
Old 07-15-2010, 07:19 AM
  #8  
cthusker
Le Mans Master
 
cthusker's Avatar
 
Member Since: Dec 2005
Location: North Western Connecticut
Posts: 7,594
Received 91 Likes on 54 Posts

Default

Wouldn't you get a fault code on the DIC if the shock(s) started leaking the Rheonetic fluid? Seems like the sensors would stop working properly!
Old 07-15-2010, 11:19 AM
  #9  
Zoxxo
Safety Car
 
Zoxxo's Avatar
 
Member Since: Nov 2006
Location: San Jose California
Posts: 4,025
Received 266 Likes on 98 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by hamster37
I should get under the car and see what's going on.
For sure. I'd get under there and wipe them clean as a whistle. Then get under there again in a month or two and see for myself.

I might be able to accept ONE shock having a problem but "front and rear"?? I strongly suspect

Z//
Old 07-15-2010, 11:27 AM
  #10  
Zoxxo
Safety Car
 
Zoxxo's Avatar
 
Member Since: Nov 2006
Location: San Jose California
Posts: 4,025
Received 266 Likes on 98 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by cthusker
Wouldn't you get a fault code on the DIC if the shock(s) started leaking the Rheonetic fluid? Seems like the sensors would stop working properly!
A(nother) read through the service manual on this stuff appears to show no way that the system can tell if the basic shock tech is healthy - just whether the electronics (sensors and actuators) are operating within set parameters.

Z//
Old 07-15-2010, 07:49 PM
  #11  
Z11409
Melting Slicks
 
Z11409's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jul 2000
Location: redlands,ca.-usa
Posts: 2,651
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts

Default

F55 shocks are rebuilt by Bilstein in San Diego
Old 07-16-2010, 12:14 AM
  #12  
Wayne O
CF Senior Member
Support Corvetteforum!
 
Wayne O's Avatar
 
Member Since: Feb 2006
Location: Tucson Arizona
Posts: 23,313
Likes: 0
Received 19 Likes on 18 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by BEZ06
WOW!!

Yes - they're going to wear out eventually, after a few hundred thousand miles, but I haven't heard of any general problems with leaky F55 shocks. These things are designed to last hundreds of thousands of miles.

What your dealer is telling you sounds like something unscrupulous auto repair shops used to do to try to drum up additional business by getting customers to buy unnecessary parts and repairs.

If your shocks are leaking, your dealer should have been able to show you the evidence before trying to sell you $5,000 worth of repairs.
If you get them from the dealer and pay list price, you're looking at almost $4,000 just for four shocks!!!! I'm sure your dealer would probably be charging quite a bit for the labor.

If you get them from a forum vendor, you can save a lot of money.

I'm not sure of part#s, but a quick search of a couple forum vendor sites indicates that there is one part# for the front shocks (each one lists for $1,020.96, and discount prices are about $615 to $665 depending on vendor).

The rear seems to use a different shock on each side. There's some indication that the 2005-2007 have different part#s than the 2008-2010.

Left Rear lists for around $970 with a discount price of $580 to $630. Right Rear lists for around $860 with a discount price of $520 to $560.

So, even with a good forum discount, you're looking at around $2,400 just for the shocks.

Now, after all that discussion of prices, I call !!!!!!

I sure would get a second opinion, or just keep track of them yourself. If they're leaking you're going to notice it on your garage floor. They're more likely to leak when compressed by suspension dynamics, but if you crawl under the car you can easily check occasionally to see if fluid is dripping down the side of the shock.

I bet you won't find anything!!

I might be looking for another dealer - not just for a second opinion, but for a longer term relationship! If you have a very expensive problem, they need to take you out into the repair bay and show you what's going on.

Bob
Watch out...an unscrupulous mechanic will squirt fluid on the shock to show you its leaking or actually puncture it. Maybe take a sample with...MR fluid is not like conventional hydraulic fluid or oil. Check it out here on page 5:

http://www.vehicledynamics-expo.com/...y_1/burson.pdf

If you suspect something's isn't right take you car to be checked somewhere else. I've got a set of MR dampers boxed-up in the garage but I'm not sure I want to sell them...sorry.
Old 07-16-2010, 07:30 PM
  #13  
speedlink
Safety Car
 
speedlink's Avatar
 
Member Since: Apr 2007
Location: Southeast, WI
Posts: 4,531
Received 599 Likes on 373 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by Z11409
F55 shocks are rebuilt by Bilstein in San Diego
No they are not! These are not Bilstein's. They are made by Delphi.
Old 07-16-2010, 08:52 PM
  #14  
oldmansan
Safety Car
 
oldmansan's Avatar
 
Member Since: Sep 2007
Location: Los Alamitos California
Posts: 4,359
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes on 6 Posts
St. Jude Donor '09

Default

Originally Posted by speedlink
No they are not! These are not Bilstein's. They are made by Delphi.
I think he's correct.

http://www.nextautos.com/issue-14/te...ic-personality

San

Get notified of new replies

To F55 shocks




Quick Reply: F55 shocks



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:26 PM.