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I'll get right to the point here: Am I the only Corvette owner who does NOT drive his rig to the grocery store 3 miles away at 150MPH? What is it with the abundance of forum posts and YouTube Videos that insist the best shocks for a Vette are Bilstein's or other 'performance' shocks? I don't get it. After reading countless posts and watching YT's videos, I determined the best shocks for my very harsh riding '84 are stock ACDelco's. The '84 now rides like a freakin' dream as compared to what it was.
If you are searching for info on shocks, and you drive like most of us Vette owners do, then forget about all that "performance" shocks hype. If you take your rig to the track and feel the need for curve hugging at 160MPH, then go for it. Just sayin'...
I'll get right to the point here: Am I the only Corvette owner who does NOT drive his rig to the grocery store 3 miles away at 150MPH? What is it with the abundance of forum posts and YouTube Videos that insist the best shocks for a Vette are Bilstein's or other 'performance' shocks? I don't get it. After reading countless posts and watching YT's videos, I determined the best shocks for my very harsh riding '84 are stock ACDelco's. The '84 now rides like a freakin' dream as compared to what it was.
If you are searching for info on shocks, and you drive like most of us Vette owners do, then forget about all that "performance" shocks hype. If you take your rig to the track and feel the need for curve hugging at 160MPH, then go for it. Just sayin'...
It depends on use. Bilsteins ride great at daily driver speed. The problem I've encountered with cheaper alternatives is that they turn to mush after a bit on the track. So if you don't plan to ever track or extract all the performance out of your car, good for you.
" So if you don't plan to ever track or extract all the performance out of your car, good for you." Does this mean I should drive three miles at 150MPH for a loaf of bread?
84 Z51 drives like a dump truck to me, so yeah, I could see Delco working well for you.
Having driven my 86 with great Bilstein and then going back with them, and then my 88 with **** Delcos and then KYBs, and now I'm going back to Bilsteins, we'll have to agree to disagree.
"Best" always depends on the use case. Whats best for a car used as a grocery getting Sunday cruiser is not the same as whats best for a car used for autoX or more aggressive driving. But when you are talking about performance platforms you can't be surprised that most people's opinion of "best" is the performance option.
i think the term "performance" implies that you may push the car to near or maximum handling which i don't think you need to do on the way to get your grocery order! Sounds like you made the right move on your shocks!
on my car it has the fx3 and when i am in the city i run either in soft or medium mode so i completely understand what you mean. that said, i got into taking my car to the track a few years back and i can't get enough of it now so i do need the cars to be capable of performing!
" So if you don't plan to ever track or extract all the performance out of your car, good for you." Does this mean I should drive three miles at 150MPH for a loaf of bread?
No, but you might consider driving the vette on something more than a 3 mile trip. The North Cascades loop is a pretty nice drive you could even do it over two days if the hmmm 9 hour drive is too much for one day. The 440 mile loop does have quite a bit of 2 lane road where discretion and more moderate speed is the norm while there are indeed other sections where a very brisk ride can be had.
You don't have to drive 3 miles at 150 mph but with better shocks you have the option to and also the added security of not sticking your car in a fence if there are any curves in those 3 miles. Even the cheap bastards at GM elected to put Bilsteins on your car from the factory. As someone alluded to earlier, it's a Corvette, not a Cadillac.
All: I don't drive my Vettes ('84, '98) just for the sake of driving, but I do admit I do that with my motorcycles. My '98 is my daily driver, the alternate is a 2012 Dodge Durango SUV (faux Cadillac?), that is, when I need more than one loaf of bread.
I acquired the '84 in 1997 as a gift to my wife who was dealing with breast cancer. She drove the '84 for two years until she was no longer able to drive. She died in 2001 so the C4 was more or less left unused in the garage from 1999. I tried to get it on the road a few times per year but with the harsh ride, I never enjoyed driving it. I just let it sit idle and used my soft, comfy, quiet, '98. Recently, I decided it was time to get it road ready but with the ride of a "dump truck" I had to do something to soften the suspension. Like I stated above, I noticed the forum postings and YT's on shocks and it was clear to me that 'performance shocks' were not what I needed for the 3-mile trip for a loaf of bread. I drove it yesterday to a local Corvette shop where it got a new Y-pipe and mufflers and indeed it was a much better ride with the...gulp...cheap ACDelco's. Not perfect but I don't need to have my fillings re-done either...win-win.
The yellow bike not clearly visible is a 2001 Kawasaki Vulcan 'Classic' (105 kmi) and the red bike is a 2002 Kawasaki 'Nomad' (77kmi). You guys might be needing 'walkers' at age 78, but I don't.
The first year C4 (1984) was GM's attempt to set a new world standard for performance, and since engines of the day were weak, they focused on the skidpad. The 1984 really does have a race-car hard suspension. Subsequent years softened the springs considerably. This is a nice reference I found: https://www.corvetteactioncenter.com...uspension.html
It shows that the '84 with FE1 (base) suspension came with AC Delco shocks. Also, notice how much the suspension softened in just one year (1985 vs. 1984). You're not the only one complaining about the 1984 ride. It sounds to me like you restored the factory design and new shocks will always give a better ride. Thumbs up.
Probably not...the Corvette shop that did the exhaust upgrade agreed with me that its low torque is off the charts for the '84 but at the high end, that crossfire injection is like a 2-barrel carb. For the record, I never push my cars or bikes into three-digit readings. I cannot afford the fine for going more than '10 over'. Those 3-digit days are long gone. And I know your 'yes' was in jest. Good one!
My '84 was manufactured in 10/83 so it certainly has the original suspension system.
Last edited by Vulcan73; Aug 27, 2022 at 11:24 AM.
No, but you might consider driving the vette on something more than a 3 mile trip. The North Cascades loop is a pretty nice drive you could even do it over two days if the hmmm 9 hour drive is too much for one day. The 440 mile loop does have quite a bit of 2 lane road where discretion and more moderate speed is the norm while there are indeed other sections where a very brisk ride can be had.
Like I said, I have zero interest in driving for the sake of driving, a car that is. Riding one of my motorcycles is a different matter. I've done the "Three Pass Blast" numerous times; Stevens Pass, Blewett Pass and Snoqualmie Pass back to the barn in Maple Valley, 330 miles. It's common for me and my riding buds to hit the bricks for lunch 100 miles from the barn.
This is a link to YT that I posted on one of our scoots to Cle Elum. The first several minutes was recorded with me following my bud on his Harley east bound on I-90 to Cle Elum. At 6:26, it switches to my leading the return ride west bound on I-90, the Harley is behind me. Notice cars passing us. The speed limit on this stretch of I-90 is 70MPH but we have a rule while group riding of no more than "5 over". So, as recorded, we were doing 75. A second rule for riding is to stay in the center lane. This allows the 150MPH Corvette crowd to pass and also gives us more room (two full lanes), as an escape path if needed. Riding in the outside or inside lanes restricts your ability to make quick evasive maneuvers, possibly hitting a divider to the left or an embankment to the right. Of course, this only applies to multiple lane roads. On a two-lane road, the rule is to ride in the car/truck tracks that wear with time. Avoid the center of the road as that's where oil and grease accumulate with time. The center gives you more evasive room but in itself can be hazardous.
Sell the Corvette to someone who will appreciate it and buy yourself a Goldwing.
Goldwing? no thanks, I'm a heavy (metal) cruiser guy. There's something about plastic motorcycle fenders that I can't handle, Corvettes yes, bikes no.
Selling a 1984 Corvette could be a real challenge. The least desirable model out there plus GM made more '84s than any other year model. I couldn't sell it and buy a GW with the cash.
Last edited by Vulcan73; Aug 28, 2022 at 08:00 PM.
I'll get right to the point here: Am I the only Corvette owner who does NOT drive his rig to the grocery store 3 miles away at 150MPH? What is it with the abundance of forum posts and YouTube Videos that insist the best shocks for a Vette are Bilstein's or other 'performance' shocks? I don't get it. After reading countless posts and watching YT's videos, I determined the best shocks for my very harsh riding '84 are stock ACDelco's. The '84 now rides like a freakin' dream as compared to what it was.
If you are searching for info on shocks, and you drive like most of us Vette owners do, then forget about all that "performance" shocks hype. If you take your rig to the track and feel the need for curve hugging at 160MPH, then go for it. Just sayin'...
I completely agree with you. I put AC Delco shocks on my 87 Z52 car and was perfectly happy with the ride. Truthfully, given the way I drive, there's no way that my butt could tell the difference between AC Delco or Bilstein units...my wallet would sure know he difference though. The ride was so stiff on that car I didn't know the original shocks were shot until I took them off and worked them manually by hand.
For me, the extra $$$ for the Bilstein's was not worth it. I still have the original Bilsteins on my 86, and if I ever decide to replace them it will be with the AC Delco units.
I completely agree with you. I put AC Delco shocks on my 87 Z52 car and was perfectly happy with the ride. Truthfully, given the way I drive, there's no way that my butt could tell the difference between AC Delco or Bilstein units...my wallet would sure know he difference though. The ride was so stiff on that car I didn't know the original shocks were shot until I took them off and worked them manually by hand.
For me, the extra $$$ for the Bilstein's was not worth it. I still have the original Bilsteins on my 86, and if I ever decide to replace them it will be with the AC Delco units.
Thanks for that, I needed a hug. I'll be test driving the '84 today not so much to evaluate the shocks but to test the toe in/out adjustment. It was pulling left really bad, so I used the 'string method' of adjusting toe in/out and have it pretty much going straight but it might need a little more tweaking. (This toe in/out statement will no doubt stimulate more replies, so keep an eye on this tread.) BTW, it got the Y-pipe and mufflers replaced and she sounds like a new car. Next up will be the weather-stripping replacement.
"performance" shocks, really??
