Twin_Turbo

Got these shocks new from Gary Hoffman of Hardbar in March 2014 and got around to installing them instead of the LGs october last year. Here I was thinking I was buying the best out there. Good reviews here. Well I now own a 4000+ (add shipping and hefty taxes) set of NIB worthless shocks...only usable if you want to make your car look like gravedigger

The shocks have several issues. First the rear tie rod ends and axle boots rub badly. The boots are an easy fix with some zip ties. The tie rods can be fixed by sourcing some offset ends possibly from a euro brand. Didn't investigate further but should be doable. Only requiring resetting rear toe.

I put the shocks on and was amazed at how long the shock bodies were... uh oh. Decided to install all 4 and see from there. Sure enough... 4x4 look and not by a bit.

I decided to wind down the adjusters to see where it would get me and with the shocks at full compression it's still very high. Contacted Gary.... all he says is contact penske... he's out of business. Penske does not reply to my emails...so now.....nothing.

Aimed to buy the best...paid for .. and ended up with junk. Expensive paperweights


Heres the gallery. The pics where it sits nice and low is with the LGs.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1106145...CMvh3Ybi-ufwWQ

Sam Handwich

I looked at your pictures after reading your post. Something is a very long way from making sense here. Seems like they sent you the wrong parts. Like WTF?

Twin_Turbo

Well the shock bodies are simply too long by inches. Someone either ordered the wrong stuff from penske or penske assembled it with the wrong shocks. I was told hardbar supplied the mounting hardware and penske assembled the whole lot.

Thus issue with the track rod end... I did some reading and it serms people just let it rub the spring. What kind of solition is that. Such an expensive kit and it physically doesn't even fit maybe some tall trumpets on the end would have fixed it

FASTFATBOY

Put a smaller diameter shorter spring on?

Twin_Turbo

With the spring adjuster turned down off the body and the spring loose the shock goes full conpression on the bunpstop and theres still a 7 inch wheel gap.

I know how to select springs and coiliver lengths depending on travel spring to wheel ratio etc. I have designed and buit several coil over setups for my older vettes from scratch... I'm pretty sure I know what I'm doing.

A shorter spring will not make the collapsed length of the shock any different...and a shock constantly wirking near the end of it's stroke us not beneficual either. Properly selected it should work around mid travel.

FASTFATBOY

Gotcha.

Man you really are in a pickle.

Twin_Turbo

Is there anyone here who has a set and can measure the shock body length?

whowon

Have you tried the AutoX/Roadracing board? Someone there, has had to have used penskes.

Twin_Turbo

Just got this in the mail.... wtf?

Sorry for the delay.

I looked over the photos, the shocks you have are the 8300 model, but they are missing the remote reservoirs. We do not sell them in this configuration for the C5 Corvette because they can’t be built to the correct dimensions without the remote reservoir. In the lengths required for that car, there is not enough room in the shock body for a separate nitrogen chamber and separator piston, which is why the remote reservoir is required. The shocks you have were probably built from parts by someone outside our company, or built here to their specification with the understanding that any fitment issues were the responsibility of the purchaser. Those shocks may have an internal floating separator piston, or they may not- there’s no way for me to tell.



My best recommendation to get them working properly for your C5 would be to have the correct length shock bodies installed, along with remote reservoirs. This would allow you to make them the correct length, with the correct amount of travel.



Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but this is the only real solution to your problem.





Stephen D. Horn

Penske Racing Shocks

apex26

It may be cheaper to start with new LG's than to pay for them to be modded, sorry to say. Besides, they have to have some value to someone for another application.

Twin_Turbo

The real problem is Hardbar says penske assembled these to spec. Gary said I got 7500s but these obviously are not. He is out of business and apparently has been since before the shocks were ordered and paid for.

Now who nade the mistake. I have a hard time believing that penske would assemble the wrong shocks when clearly they knew this will not fit.

Twin_Turbo

What other application. It would have to be someone with c5 suspension in a custom setup where the upper shock mounts can be placed much further inboard. You can probably count the number of people who have that on one hand.

Twin_Turbo

Sure as hell not what I ordered. Invoice says 7500s

JeremyGSU

Man that stinks. I had some issues with Hardbar back in the day myself on a separate issue.

My advice would be to forget these and try to sell them and spend the money on LG's. Proven and you know what you're getting.

Twin_Turbo

Already have LGs on there now.

bb69

I fit that bill, sort of. Do you have more detailed information on the build of these shocks (valving, dyno sheet, spring rates)?

If you decide to sell them, please let me know.

Ken

Twin_Turbo

They are brand new I never got a dyno sheet for them.
They are single bump adjustable 8300s with 700/550 hypercoils. No external nitrogen cans.
I will see uf penske can find out what was built as I'm not sure what I got.
Will let you know

redtopz

Best bet with shocks that are too long would be to install drop spindles. Or sell them to someone with a different car who is willing to change the mounting hardware.

Twin_Turbo

Best solution is for the one who made the f up to take them back and refund the money.

Sam Handwich

x2