Steven Haffley

So I've been told spring is coming on the East coast, though I've seen no signs of it yet. I get my Corvette out of it's winter hibernation and take it to get it inspected, the inspection garage calls me and tells me that all 4 of my original Bilstein non z51 shocks are bad, all 4 at the same time, they are the originals that came with the car and have about 75,000 miles on them.

I'm kind of surprised by this news, as I just hard the car aligned, and I'd think the place performing the alignment would notice if all 4 of the shocks were bad. I also didn't notice anything off while driving the car. I go online only to find out that there is a 4 month wait on shocks for the non z51 Corvettes that came with Bilsteins. 4 months!?!??!?!?!?

I come on here and browse through forum post after forum post and have not seen where anyone has recommended KYB's over Bilsteins, because that's all you can get. I found a shock on Summit called a QA1, ordered 4 of them, and find out Summit doesn't know what cars their parts fit on, as after the garage took the rear shocks off they realized the shocks Summit says fit on the rear aren't even close.

So now my C4 sits in a garage, I have to have them put the original suspected bad shocks on it, and have it towed back to my house.

I'm just wondering...

Wouldn't a place aligning the car tell you if the shocks were bad?
Is there any way to get the Bilsteins without waiting 4 months?

I really don't want the KYB's after reading people's advice on KYB's vs the original OEM Bilsteins, but i'm really wondering if I have no choice since the Bilsteins have a 4 month wait currently...

Hot Rod Roy

That is SOOOO hard to believe that your Bilsteins are bad! How did they determine that? Do you have any recourse to their questionable decision? I'd ask your alignment shop for their opinion! You need to tow your car from the shop that tried to install the QA1's? Yikes, what a mess!

blackozvet

should have asked here first, the QA1's are mostly a generic shock, but they do have shocks that fit the c4,
what shocks did you get, and what have you done with them ?

Krusty84

I put KYB's on my 84. I think they are a lot better than the completely shot shocks that were on the car when I bought it. Maybe the Bilsteins are 5 times as good but I could really care less because I wasn't going to spend that kind of money on shocks for a street car. I got all four corners for $120 on Amazon and installed them all in about an hour.

hcbph

The oem's were long gone from my 86 when I bought it. I did change the shocks using KYB's last year. Mine is a driver and I love to hit those windy roads and they've worked well for me.

Just a comment.

Cruisinfanatic

I don't follow.
Why are the shocks off the car and how did they determine they were bad?
Why does your car need to be towed?
Can you just take it someplace else?
If all fails you could just install cheap shocks for inspection and use until you get the ones you want. Nothing special about 85 vette shocks

Steven Haffley

Ok to answer what people asked

The QA1's I got at the Non adjustable stocker shocks that summit sells, but I had the garage put them back in the box and I'm returning them to Summit. When I get home I'll post the exact link to them, the fronts were right, but the rears were wrong.

I believe the garage determined they were bad because something about the bushings or rubber seals being shot, I'll know more details when I pick it up.

As for why I would have to have it towed, I live in a small town where they will pull you over even if you have 1 license plate bulb out. I almost had them impound a car that was legally registered because they didn't understand what an out of state registration was.

I think as per what is being said here I should probably first get a public opinion, maybe try to sneak my car down at night to the alignment shop and ask the person to verify if they are indeed bad.

Perhaps I can put the KYB's on temporarily and have the bilsteins sent out for a rebuild at Bilstein? I've heard they still do this?

Cruisinfanatic

The only reason that they could fail shocks is if they were leaking. Bushings can be replaced if they were that fussy. I'd see if the alignment shop will pass the car

WVZR-1

There will be no rebuild of the Bilstein. The Summit choice was maybe a poor one. If they said 'will fit' maybe they'll credit all 4 with a nudge. You certainly intended well and it's not a DIY failure so I'd say you have a good argument.

If your car is rejected for a 'SAFETY INSPECTION' they either put a REJECTION on it or you have a receipt for it's failure and you should be able to 'DRIVE HOME' I'd think. I don't live in PA but I can't imagine you not being able to drive it home. You might even have days to drive it to return for a re-inspection I'd think.

73n95

KYB's are fine for a daily driver. I put them on my 95 replacing the OEM shocks, which I think were GM Bilsteins. With 100k miles on them they were pretty harsh. The ride is much improved. I don't race so I can't comment on the handling. It handles like a Corvette. What more can I say.

DRM500RUBYZR-1

Bilstein..... all 4 ............... bad..........?

Odd, not impossible, but highly unlikely.

Now the rubber mount bushings, why yes, those likely look like a mess at this age, so replace them, the bushings that is.

If your shop however insists that all 4 shocks must be replaced, it's your call, but again, highly unusual.

KYB's will work as others have said, so that would be an alternative if you follow the shop's directive.
Let us know how you make out.
Nice place that "Jersey Shore" in Pa.
I am close to the other Jersey Shore, the long one with the ocean!
Good luck!

Marty

aklim

Shocks are 35 years old and you are surprised that they are bad? I wouldn't be. http://eshocks.com/Shocks_Vehicles.a...&Manf=All&MF=N

I didn't ask but eshocks and shox might have then. Bilstein says you need 24-002288 and 24-192927

MyOtherCar

I concur to most posts, all four shocks would be nigh near impossible to fail at once, and when they do fail, they leak. It sounds as though the shop that is doing your inspection is looking for a way to make some money off you. If it were me, I'd tell them to put the car back together and then I would find another shop, nevermore to return.

Anyway, if your place is that strict (are they really?) then can you get a temp tag to afford you the ability to drive it to another repair station, and then home? They allow that here, but then this is Alabama.

I would think KYB shocks would serve you well. Have them on my '92 since I replaced the Bilsteins because of mileage. None were leaking but it was time. Verified that when driving with the new shocks installed. I did lose the nice yellow shocks look upon opening the clamshell, and had to give up the FX3 option ability, but I didn't track the car anyway, so loss was minimal.

Good luck, let us know how it turns out. Oh, and there is this. If you have access to a pickup truck, you can rent a U-Haul car hauler for round $30 a day. They are easy to use and will solve this sneaky driving around/big fat ticket problem you seem to have up there.

kael

How do the bushings at the shock mounts look?

I had a set that worked fine until I noted the mounts were squirting rubber all over, especially the front lower.

Steven Haffley

I wanted to post an update as to what happened.

First, as to why I wouldn't drive the car. They do not put a rejected sticker on it, but I live in a small town, if you are caught driving the car without an inspection they can impound it, so I don't do it, at least during the day

So I drove the car back to my house at night, took it to a different garage, had it inspected, and then drove it back to the place that did the alignment. They raised it up and looked at the shocks and couldn't find anything wrong with them.

I think some garages just look for oil stains on the shocks and if they see it they fail the car for bad shocks. In my case I had leaky valve cover gaskets on both sides which is probably where those stains would have come from.

Thank you everyone who posted on this, you guys give the best advice!

Cruisinfanatic

Not in a million years. They would do that for no insurance but no way for a non moving violation for inspection

Steven Haffley

10 years ago when I bought a 300zx turbo out of state and legally registered it at the border, they pulled me over in this town and called a tow truck to impound it because they never saw an out of state to instate vin trace/vehicle registration.

So yes, they absolutely do impound cars in this town if they aren't legally registered/inspected and if you'd like I'll bring a few people on here that can confirm it from personal experience....

aklim

https://www.pe.com/2014/06/29/on-the...cement-agency/

I wouldn't be too sure.

aklim

From the article, it seems like some places have leeway and other places don't. Of course, if you decide to lip off to the officer, well..... I'm still not understanding why people can't just keep to "Yes, Sir. No, Sir. I don't know, Sir." and be done with it. It's hilarious how often I hear the judge comment that the accused was belligerent to the officer. Then he/she tried to get some reduction at court. I'm pretty sure it didn't win him/her any points.

Cruisinfanatic

What do expired tags/ registration have to do with an expired inspection? Nothing