Rough Ride
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Rough Ride
I just bought a 95 C4 coupe my first vette. It's a beautiful but when you hit the slightest bump it's horrendous it's like hitting a curb with no tires sometimes i think something has fell off. Is this normal .Or are my shocks shot. Iv;e heard it's because they have a tight suspension.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,017
Likes: 492
From: Poughkeepsie New York
Check your tire pressure. If they are over inflated that can cause what you're experiencing. Take a look at your shocks and see if they are leaking. See if your suspension bushings are dry rotted. Also take a look at your mono springs for obvious damage.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,172
Likes: 672
From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
Replace the tires and shocks. (Bad shocks do not necessarily leak)
Check the roof panel bolts for torque.
Sounds like someone just cleared a spot in the garage waiting for the value to go up.
Now you own a car that has been sitting quite some time?
Enjoy
Check the roof panel bolts for torque.
Sounds like someone just cleared a spot in the garage waiting for the value to go up.
Now you own a car that has been sitting quite some time?
Enjoy
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,469
Likes: 275
From: Naples FL
This will sound silly unless it's happened to you.
Check the rear sway bar to see if it's mounted correctly. It's very easy to install the bar upside down.
Look for marks where the bar is hitting the frame.
Another way to do this is to simply remove the rear bar and see if the ride is different.
You just never know with these old cars.
Richard Newton
An Adjustable Rear Sway Bar
Check the rear sway bar to see if it's mounted correctly. It's very easy to install the bar upside down.
Look for marks where the bar is hitting the frame.
Another way to do this is to simply remove the rear bar and see if the ride is different.
You just never know with these old cars.
Richard Newton
An Adjustable Rear Sway Bar
Racer
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 292
Likes: 39
From: San Anselmo California
We just got a 1992 C4 and the ride was horrible. I checked the tire pressure and the previous owner had the tire pressures between 45 - 48 psi. After I lowered them to the under 150 mph recommended 30 psi, the car felt a lot better. You may have other issues, but running the correct tire pressure can really make a huge difference. 
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 30
Likes: 2
From: Homer Glen IL
Tires and shocks are the way to go.
I just bought a 95 C4 coupe my first vette. It's a beautiful but when you hit the slightest bump it's horrendous it's like hitting a curb with no tires sometimes i think something has fell off. Is this normal .Or are my shocks shot. Iv;e heard it's because they have a tight suspension.
I was really off-put by the tough ride. The tires looked good, even though they were 16 years old, and the shocks showed no sign of leakage.
The new tires kept the car from bouncing off the pavement when hitting bumps. And the new shocks softened the ride as well as kept it on the road.
The shocks cost less than $200.00, and they went from box to car in less than two hours. And I'm no mechanic by any means.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 451
Likes: 14
From: Okehampton Devon
Same issue here.
I was really off-put by the tough ride. The tires looked good, even though they were 16 years old, and the shocks showed no sign of leakage.
The new tires kept the car from bouncing off the pavement when hitting bumps. And the new shocks softened the ride as well as kept it on the road.
The shocks cost less than $200.00, and they went from box to car in less than two hours. And I'm no mechanic by any means.
I was really off-put by the tough ride. The tires looked good, even though they were 16 years old, and the shocks showed no sign of leakage.
The new tires kept the car from bouncing off the pavement when hitting bumps. And the new shocks softened the ride as well as kept it on the road.
The shocks cost less than $200.00, and they went from box to car in less than two hours. And I'm no mechanic by any means.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 6,314
Likes: 508
From: South-central Missouri
For point of reference, I had a 95 that was in prime condition. I believe by the time C4s developed to the point of the 95+ cars, the ride issues (hard/harshness) was pretty well sorted out: lower spring rates, different shocks, etc; i.e., firm, but NOT harsh at all!
If your ride is as hard as "Clang! I just ran over a dime, and it was on HEADS!!", then for sure you have issues to address!
FWIW...
If your ride is as hard as "Clang! I just ran over a dime, and it was on HEADS!!", then for sure you have issues to address!
FWIW...
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Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,745
Likes: 275
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
I just bought a 95 C4 coupe my first vette. It's a beautiful but when you hit the slightest bump it's horrendous it's like hitting a curb with no tires sometimes i think something has fell off. Is this normal .Or are my shocks shot. Iv;e heard it's because they have a tight suspension.
Remember it is a sports car "not a Volvo"
you cannot expect a smooth comfortable ride in a C4.... especially with a Z51 suspension package.
You should try an early 1984 C4, race car Z51 suspension to impress the media with 1G lateral acceleration capability.
Have one of those Z51 options and have a chiropractor on speed dial.
..........
Horses for courses as the old saying goes....
Last edited by gerardvg; Aug 8, 2016 at 06:34 PM.