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Quick question regarding the Corvette suspension and kits that remove the leaf spring and make the suspension truly independent. Do the suspension kits remove or eliminate the Corvettes tendency to bounce over ripples in the road when cornering.
I think that by removing the leaf spring the suspension would not translate from left to right bumps and road irregularities. Just wondering if anyone has tried this and if it has worked. I drive the car a lot and very rarely on a race course.
You're going to spend a lot of money for every little improvement. If any.
The evidence of cross-talk is all anecdotal. GM will tell you it's not anything even worth thinking about. The people who sell coil over suspensions will tell you its a huge deal.
On a street car it's probably not worth thinking about.
On an '89 I would start looking at all the bushings as a first step. Also check the rear wheel bearings.
If you have Bilstein shocks you can send them out to Bilstein in CA and have them rebuilt for a very reasonable cost.
From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
Originally Posted by jseremba
I own a 1989 6 spd Z51
Quick question regarding the Corvette suspension and kits that remove the leaf spring and make the suspension truly independent. Do the suspension kits remove or eliminate the Corvettes tendency to bounce over ripples in the road when cornering.
I think that by removing the leaf spring the suspension would not translate from left to right bumps and road irregularities. Just wondering if anyone has tried this and if it has worked. I drive the car a lot and very rarely on a race course.
Thank you
One of the best handling cars in the wold in 1989. Why mess with it? Try different shocks and tire pressures
Yes, basic suspension maintenance, good tires and alignment, if you're getting a harsh ride and "shuffle" on un-even surfaces.
Originally Posted by jseremba
Quick question regarding the Corvette suspension and kits that remove the leaf spring and make the suspension truly independent. Do the suspension kits remove or eliminate the Corvettes tendency to bounce over ripples in the road when cornering.
I think that by removing the leaf spring the suspension would not translate from left to right bumps and road irregularities.
The behavior of the suspension is not defined by the spring type...and switching to coil overs will not make it "truly independent". The sway bars eliminate any chances of that happening. If your car is displaying any of the characteristics that you've mentioned:
*Bouncing over ripples
*Harsh hits
*Shuffle on uneven surfaces
...it sounds like the basics to me. Good shocks, proper alignment and good tires (with the right tire pressure).
[QUOTE=rfn026;1593458793]You're going to spend a lot of money for every little improvement. If any.
The evidence of cross-talk is all anecdotal. GM will tell you it's not anything even worth thinking about. The people who sell coil over suspensions will tell you its a huge deal.
On a street car it's probably not worth thinking about.
On an '89 I would start looking at all the bushings as a first step. Also check the rear wheel bearings.
If you have Bilstein shocks you can send them out to Bilstein in CA and have them rebuilt for a very reasonable cost.
I had never heard of this. Will they rebuild the OE Bilstein shocks as well, or just ones that they sell directly? I was going to replace mine this winter, but if possible I may go this route.
Last edited by Patsgarage; Nov 13, 2016 at 06:32 PM.
I've had them rebuild several sets for me. One set I bought from a scarp yard.
Keep in mind that they don't do cosmetic restoration though. They just fix all the internals. You can even request what you would like. I had one set for the street and another set for the track.
Exactly, I just wanted to inform those with aftermarket Bilsteins that they can be reconditioned for free. Of course if someone buys their own replacment Bilsteins, they will know what is warrantied. But some people buy cars and don't know the OE shocks have already been swapped out, and maybe don't know this is a free service for the aftermarket equipment.
suspension
