C4 Shock Replacement Recommendation

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Mar 11, 2020 | 04:55 PM

#41

VikingTrad3r

Oil Producer

Joined: Apr 2014

Posts: 9,371

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are you z51? what is your intended driving style?

Mar 12, 2020 | 12:17 PM

#42

MrBigDee

Racer

Joined: Nov 2015

Posts: 379

Likes: 103

Yes, I think I have Z51.
Generally cruising but I do not want too soft, a track might be a right word. I have a stiffer VBP spring at the back and I lowered the car's rear slightly

Mar 12, 2020 | 03:06 PM

#43

DGXR

Melting Slicks

Joined: May 2013

Posts: 2,692

Likes: 349

From: Sacramento California

I got the stock B8 Bilsteins for my base coupe, they are too soft for me. Wish I'd gone with the B6 which I believe is standard shock for the Z51 package.

Mar 12, 2020 | 03:24 PM

#44

Krusty84

Drifting

Joined: Mar 2018

Posts: 1,362

Likes: 400

From: DFW TX

I put the KYBs on my '84 two years ago. $100 total from Amazon then and... just checking now.... $102.96 total to the door with Prime if you ordered today.

Mar 13, 2020 | 04:42 PM

#45

MrBigDee

Racer

Joined: Nov 2015

Posts: 379

Likes: 103

So is B6 Bilsteins stiffer than B8?

Apr 25, 2020 | 01:52 PM

#46

Colby Colter

Cruising

Joined: Feb 2020

Posts: 11

Likes: 3

need help finding correct part

Hey everyone, need help with part number for my 1996 C4 corvette.

Ordered the Bilsteins off amazon and they dont fit. Car is jacked up right now and I discovered all 4 OEM shocks have a hydraulic line to a hydraulic reservoir. Anybody know where in the hell to find these parts? Im guessing it is part of the electronic suspension.

Dealership says they are discontinued. Oreilly and Advanced Auto only had the shocks without the hydraulic line. This is such a dumb problem to have.

Thanks.

Colby

Last edited by Colby Colter; Apr 25, 2020 at 02:18 PM.

Apr 25, 2020 | 02:33 PM

#47

VikingTrad3r

Oil Producer

Joined: Apr 2014

Posts: 9,371

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hydraulic lines from your shocks?

please look on your rpo sticker for fx3. thnx.

Apr 25, 2020 | 10:29 PM

#48

Vetteguy42

Instructor

Joined: Aug 2019

Posts: 108

Likes: 33

From: West Virginia

Just to add to this, rockauto has Bilstein’s on sale. I had a discount code (5%)that was able to apply, but with tax, and freight, total $358. Hope this helps some people

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Apr 26, 2020 | 01:26 AM

#49

Nomake Wan

Drifting

Joined: Apr 2020

Posts: 1,925

Likes: 610

From: Orange, CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colby Colter

Correct; you have the horrible 1996-only "Selective Real-time Damping" system. A clip of this system can be found in the owner's manual here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-B1Pa33z90#t=20m52s

Parts for this system are no longer available new, and are prohibitively expensive NOS and almost certainly useless used. Your only option if you have this system, from what I've researched, is to disable the sensors via bypass plugs (search for "CORVETTE F45 SUSPENSION SIMULATOR KIT") and then install "normal" suspension, like the shocks that you already found.

Apr 26, 2020 | 01:51 AM

#50

VikingTrad3r

Oil Producer

Joined: Apr 2014

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wow. i learned something! thnx. had no idea about f45

Apr 26, 2020 | 11:50 PM

#51

Colby Colter

Cruising

Joined: Feb 2020

Posts: 11

Likes: 3

Thanks Nomake Wan. That's exactly what I ended up doing Saturday, after I posted here. I left the lines in case I ever found the correct shocks, but plugged them and zip tied them out of the way. And went ahead and installed the Bilstein shocks that I had.

Car drives great.

Apr 26, 2020 | 11:52 PM

#52

Colby Colter

Cruising

Joined: Feb 2020

Posts: 11

Likes: 3

Yes, can you believe it?!

May 12, 2020 | 10:56 AM

#53

JD620

Heel & Toe

Joined: Jan 2016

Posts: 18

Likes: 1

From: Grand Rapids, MI

Quote:

Originally Posted by DGXR

I got the stock B8 Bilsteins for my base coupe, they are too soft for me. Wish I'd gone with the B6 which I believe is standard shock for the Z51 package.

I believe that B6 Bilsteins are base (HD) and B8 are Z51 equivalents. I have base with new B6 and still a bit soft on rebound resulting in quite a bit of porpoising (front to back float) but likely more to do with soft base springs. Had Monroe that were decidedly not sporty - Go with Bilsteins or Konis (had on my Alfa GTV years ago).

Looking to know of anyone's experience with the newer Ridetech Streetgrip kit