Bilstein Sport or HD on base Susp.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,052
Likes: 1
From: traveling nowhere fast, FL
Bilstein Sport or HD on base Susp.
Hey guys, whats your opinion of putting sport shocks on a base suspension. I know some of you have done it. What's the pro's and con's.
Or should I stick with the HD?
Or should I stick with the HD?
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Bilstein Sport or HD on base Susp. (HiRiser)
The spring acts as a force to allow the wheel to rise and fall with the road surface while the chassis follows a smooth line. If undampened the wheel would bounce and then oscillate over bumps.
The purpose of the shock is to dampen out these oscillations. A perfect match between spring rate and shock damping rate is called critical damping. Here the wheel most nearly follows the road surface. If the shock is too weak, the wheel will oscillate some. If the shock is too strong, the wheel will not deflect fully and the chassis will tend to follow the road surface.
Bottom line is don't put Z51 shocks on a Vette with standard springs. You will make the ride harsher and it won't track well over bumps though it may lay a little flatter in sharp turns on smooth roadway.
Install std Bilsteins and use poly bushings on the sway bars to improve handling and retain best ride.
The purpose of the shock is to dampen out these oscillations. A perfect match between spring rate and shock damping rate is called critical damping. Here the wheel most nearly follows the road surface. If the shock is too weak, the wheel will oscillate some. If the shock is too strong, the wheel will not deflect fully and the chassis will tend to follow the road surface.
Bottom line is don't put Z51 shocks on a Vette with standard springs. You will make the ride harsher and it won't track well over bumps though it may lay a little flatter in sharp turns on smooth roadway.
Install std Bilsteins and use poly bushings on the sway bars to improve handling and retain best ride.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 212
Likes: 12
From: Collierville TN
Re: Bilstein Sport or HD on base Susp. (HiRiser)
I just put the Z51's on my base suspension and it made a world of difference. I was so dissappointed when I first got the car at how the front wheels bounced when going around a corner and hitting a small bump. It rode good, but going around corners was not fun. The Z51's totally eliminated the bounce and it's now fun to go sliding around corners! :yesnod: It also still rides pretty good. The only thing a don't like is that they seem to have raised the car about 1/2 - 1 inch. Oh well, it was definately worth it!
Racer
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 395
Likes: 0
Re: Bilstein Sport or HD on base Susp. (HiRiser)
I put the Z51 spec Bilsteins on a base susp at the same time I did the poly upgrade. I really like the overall ride. The guys at Austin Corvette recommended that set up over the standard because it would give a little extra edge to the handling. The ride is not harsh, it just seems that the suspension works quicker. My car has 210K, and is not a rattle trap. Good shocks make a difference.
