I havent driven any kind of high performance car since my 73 cuda, I just drove my 87 C4 over 2000 miles to get it home from Arizona. Every little bridge expansion joint or small frost heave or pothole jarred my fillings loose. I looked over the work receipts for the last 10 years/60k miles and only saw a receipt for replacement shocks.

Are small bumps in the road suspose to cause such a bumpy ride? The car has over 160k miles on it.

I'm kinda thinking a whole rebuild on the front and rear suspension, new leafs, bushings etc etc....

 

You might look at your option codes under the console lid. If you have the Z51 code that is a stiffer suspension. It also makes the car more desirable to some. With 160K your suspension probably needs new bushings. I would only replace other parts as needed. What KIND of shocks are on the reciept?

Also fill out your profile it helps answer questions.

 

It's a Corvette - if you run over a nickel, you should be able to tell whether it was Heads or Tails.

Want a smooth ride? Buy a Lincoln Town Car - or as I like to call them, a Barcalounger with wheels and seat belts. A guy could fall asleep driving a LTC (I used to own a Limousine Service).
.
.

 

I tend to agree, I have been driving Vettes since 1980. To me, if you cant feel that nickel the ride is way too soft.

 

While cleaning the car I open the hood and noticed tire marks on the top of my wheel wells. Am I taking the corners too fast or do I have a sagging front spring or bad shocks? Maybe just looking for an excuse to upgrade the suspension with a sport pkg. There is about 1.5 inches of clearance between the tire and wheel well/fender. No Z51 code on the console.

 

Given the age and the mileage, it's very likely that the shocks are worn out. What brand of shocks were installed according to the receipt?

The springs are fiberglass and unless they have cracked, they really don't "wear" or "settle" like steel springs. The chances are that all of the busings in both the front and rear suspension components are either dry, cracked, or rotted out.

The base suspension RPO is FE1. In 87 and 88 there was a Z52 Sport Suspension which consisted of slightly stiffer shocks and larger sway bars but had the base springs.

I would start with a new set of shocks; Bilsteins were the factory shocks and you can get them in the base rate, the Z52 Sport rate or the Z51 performance rate. If you are on a budget, look at the KYB Gas-A-Just shocks for about $35 each.

You can get polyurethane bushings for the front and rear sway bars to improve handling but won't affect ride quality. You can replace the rest of the suspension bushings as time and money permits but it is a fair amount of work to do.

Tire marks on the upper wheel well tubs is not a good sign. The tires should not get close to the point of rubbing. The 1.5" gap you see between the top of the tire and the wheel well opening is normal.

You can lower the tire pressure to around 30psi but the car performs best at 35psi along with better tire wear and MPG. C4 coupes are not terribly stiff' "cowl shake" is common especially with the targa top removed and that can enhance a bumpy ride.

 

Someone straighten me out here. Didn't they introduce the Z51 to mellow the harsh ride of the 84?

 

Thanks, I'll inspect the springs and shocks. The shocks were replaced in 2004 at 148k miles so only have about 10k miles on the shocks, cannot find the parts receipt, only the one for "install owner supplied shocks". Went in the garage to check if there was a brand on the shocks and the stamped info at the bottom of the black painted shock was too hard to read with a flashlight. I'll check again when daylight.

BTW the tire marks on the inside wheelwell is only a small mark from the outside edge of the tire. Mark is on both wheel wells. The tire sizes for the front tires is p255-50 R16.......tall sidewalls.

 

I own both. I've owned the Lincoln since 17(2004), and the Corvette since 18. I plan to be a repeat Corvette and repeat Lincoln buyer. Both are nice for very different reasons, as you have stated. The Lincoln has been so cheap to own, and has been spot on reliable. The Corvette is an excellent driving experience, and is just plain beautiful.

To the OP: The ride should be hard. It's a sports car. Take a look at all that c4cruiser stated, it's some good info.

 

If the tires are hitting the wheel wells, it is possible that someone has lowered the suspension. This combined with worn suspension parts would make for a rough ride.

 

I dont think the suspension was lowered, the tires were not rubbing two weeks ago when I bought the car. There were no rub marks in the wheel wells then when I opened the hood.

Its possible the drive from Phoenix to Detroit stressed the front suspension and the front leaf is sagging now.

 

I replaced the front shocks today, found the right shock easy to compress by hand and the left shock completely dead. They were a no-name brand of shocks made in Mexico.

With the two new Bilsteins on the front I gained an inch of clearance. Wheels dont rub in the wells on bumps and on corners.

 

Good deal. What about the rear shocks?

 

I'm glad this wasent a front spring sagging problem, saved me about $400 for the spring.

The rear shocks will be replaced after I do the front bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends and sway bar. The previous owner replaced one upper right ball joint, shouldnt they all be replaced if one is replaced?

I plan on doing the front rebuild in November when I put the car up for the winter. Also found the RR tire worn badly on the inside not sure if this tire has always been on the RR but will look at replacing all the bushing in the back and the shocks after the front is done. Then I'll take it to a shop for alignment and have them check my work.

 

No the Z51 in the 84 has the harshest ride of the early C4s and is considered by many the best handling early C4 that was built. The standard suspension was a bit softer but the steering and handing was not a good as the Z51 car , which sacrificed in ride comfort. None of the early C4s was a bargain for a soft ride but this was the car Car and Driver called "One of the fastest half dozen cars on the planet".The 85s ride was softened up a bit do to the letters that came pouring into GM, from the crowd that wanted more luxury than sport in their Corvette.

 

Does anyone remember seeing the pic of a stretch C4?

 

Don't mean to hi-jack your thread, but why exactly is a rougher suspension better for a sports car? Sorry if this is a stupid question-just something Ive always wondered. (I mean how does feeling every little bump in the road make the car better for racing)?

 

Rougher isn't always better. If the car is to stiff, you can't tell what the car is trying to tell you,.....until it's too late.