[C2] Suspension
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 421
Likes: 27
From: Los Angeles
Suspension
When going over irregular bumps on the frwy, my 67 conv with new shocks feels like a bucking bronco. Any suggestions would it be the original rear leaf spring that needs to be changed or the front coils or everything. On smooth roads it feels fine. Ian
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 10,343
Likes: 668
From: Beverly Hills (Pine Ridge) Florida
How many leaves in the rear spring?
Plasticman
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 8,913
Likes: 283
Buy a set of QA-1 adjustable shocks and dial in what you like. Best investment I ever made as far as ride. Dial it soft and it rides like a 70s Buick. Dial them up and it rides like a goat cart! Pick your pleasure or need.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 13,639
Likes: 3,584
From: NorCal
You definitely need to tell us what kind of shocks you put on.
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 12,712
Likes: 2,271
A recent trip from LA to Laughlin NV in a '65 365 HP Coupe with original springs, current OE replacement "Delco" shocks, and 215/70R15 Michelin radials demonstrated a quite decent ride and good handling. The ride was certainly better than some modern "performance" cars I've been in that are WAAAY too stiff and harsh for daily use.
The C2 base wheel rates of about 80 lb/in up front and 140 at the rear are quite mild for a 3200 lb car, which is what gives the car a decent ride, and good tires an alignment make for excellent handling and lots of fun to drive over whoop-de-dos and twisty roads including 80 MPH sweepers through the short mountain ranges that were part of the trip.
The two lane roads in CA were atrocious, and we could tell when we entered Nevada because the road quality suddenly improved dramatically.
The best investment you can make in a base suspension C2 is new rear spring link cushions, good radial tires, precise alignment, especially getting the rear toe equally divided between both sides, and adjustable shocks like Spax and QA-1.
Duke
The C2 base wheel rates of about 80 lb/in up front and 140 at the rear are quite mild for a 3200 lb car, which is what gives the car a decent ride, and good tires an alignment make for excellent handling and lots of fun to drive over whoop-de-dos and twisty roads including 80 MPH sweepers through the short mountain ranges that were part of the trip.
The two lane roads in CA were atrocious, and we could tell when we entered Nevada because the road quality suddenly improved dramatically.
The best investment you can make in a base suspension C2 is new rear spring link cushions, good radial tires, precise alignment, especially getting the rear toe equally divided between both sides, and adjustable shocks like Spax and QA-1.
Duke
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 421
Likes: 27
From: Los Angeles
I installed Ac delco, original style, the tires are radials about 3k miles on them, the alignment was done about 300miles ago. I think I read these cars ride better not having gas shocks, going to climb under the car and check out which rear leaf I have. Ian
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Melting Slicks
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The ride symptoms you describe are consistent with what I would expect from a composite mono-leaf spring with the wrong shocks. A mono-leaf composite spring has no inter-leaf friction, like a multi-leaf steel spring, and requires shocks with a much higher level of damping (rebound and compression). Stock type shocks won’t do the job and you’ll have a “bounce” problem.
Post a pic of your year spring.
Post a pic of your year spring.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 214
From: Iowa
I had a 330lb mono spring and had to go to single adjustable QA-1s...+8 clicks and it took all the bounce out of the rear and planted the front. The front was 460lb springs...every bushing throughout my suspension was new...steering, tie rods, sway bars, control arms, trailing arms...the QA-1s made a huge difference.
Bilstein HDs were awful...
Bilstein HDs were awful...
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 13,639
Likes: 3,584
From: NorCal
I had a 330lb mono spring and had to go to single adjustable QA-1s...+8 clicks and it took all the bounce out of the rear and planted the front. The front was 460lb springs...every bushing throughout my suspension was new...steering, tie rods, sway bars, control arms, trailing arms...the QA-1s made a huge difference.
Bilstein HDs were awful...
Bilstein HDs were awful...
Lou
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 214
From: Iowa
I disagree on the Bilsteins. I've had Heavy Duty Bilsteins on my 67 and they are a wonderful street shock The stiffer Bilsteins are called Sport and they are brutally stiff for street use but great on a track. Their naming is backwards in my book; you definitely want the Heavy Duty ones for the street.
Lou
Lou
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 214
From: Iowa
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 214
From: Iowa
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,884
Likes: 174
From: Melbourne FL
St. Jude Donor '09 & '11
The only QA1 shocks I find for a 65 Corvette are at Jegs. A single adjustable (TS403) or double adjustable (TD403). Has anyone installed these on their C2? I have a 65 roadster. Are you able to keep the stock ride height? Any mods required to install? Advantage of double adjustable over single adjustable?
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 12,712
Likes: 2,271
The only QA1 shocks I find for a 65 Corvette are at Jegs. A single adjustable (TS403) or double adjustable (TD403). Has anyone installed these on their C2? I have a 65 roadster. Are you able to keep the stock ride height? Any mods required to install? Advantage of double adjustable over single adjustable?
Race cars usually have double adjustable shocks, but for road cars rebound adjustment is usually all that is required to dial in the ride/handling.
Suggest you also do a search for Spax shocks, which are rebound adjustable on the car.
Duke