I am looking to get another C5. I would like to get Magnetic Selective Ride Control in it. Can anyone fill me in on which years and models had it to help with my search? Anyone with any comment on problems with it?

 

It became available in 2003, and was also available on the 2004 cars except for the Z06. The only issues that I've ever read were some of the dealers in their haste to get the car delivered neglected to remove the foam doughnuts used as packers around the shocks. It became such a prevalent issue that GM issued a TSB on this matter.

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/...e+Ride+Control

Here's an interesting article about the F55 suspension...
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/...s+the+50th+Car

 

It came in with the 03 model. I have the old F45s on my 02 and it really is useless. I'm told the Mag Ride was agreat improvement but I have no practical experience. I'm sure others will chip in.

 

Expensive option, but I like mine. A definite difference between the settings.

 

An expensive option new, but probably won't cost as much in a used vehicle. It is an effective system. Touring mode is softer than base suspension and sport mode performs better than base, but not quite as good as Z51. The system appears to be reliable enough, but when a shock does eventually go out it is expensive to replace. So much so, that many people delete the system and buy aftermarkets. Something to be aware of is that the programming for the magnetic selective ride is adjusted and improved upon every year. The hardware remains the same, but in an attempt to improve the system GM has tweaked the it a little each year. So in theory the 04 should be more effective than the 03. They have continued to adjust it on into the C6.

All that being said; I've got an 04 with F55 mag ride and love it. I would also recommend it to most people.

 

 

If you can't find a Vet to your liking with the F-55 system. The other option is to get an older one with F-45 (three position adjustable settings). The F-45 set up is not that good, but can be upgraded (GM sells a kit with all the parts, of course it is expensive) to the F-55 mag-ride. I have a 2002 that I upgraded to the mag ride system and think the system is great.

 

Does GM offer an upgrade package for a C-5 without the f45? Add the f55 to standard without?

 

Yes i was thinking the same thing, is it possible to install F55 to a base susp car? I have had Bilsteins and found them to stiff on these northeast roads(w/runflats ) and looking into an alternative also.

 

Hello, My 03 AE vert has the mag ride, which is standard on all 50thAE packages. It is a vast improvement on the handling and comfort over the stock suspension. I would mention the one big drawback, if you get a car with it , make sure that none of the shocks are leaking. I've been told that it costs about 1500 dollars or more to replace a set(2), if they go bad. Below is an excerpt from an auto magazine about the new suspension when it came out in the 03 AE cars.
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Yes, this new Vette is positively magnetic, but more than you realize. All 50th-Anniversary models—of which as many as 10,000 will be built if demanded—along with all 2003 hatches and convertibles optioned with the F55 Magnetic Selective Ride Control suspension, will feature a novel variable-damper-rate technology that puts the "shock" in shock absorber (a similar system went into production on the Cadillac STS a few months ago).

The dampers are filled not with standard oil but with magnetorheological (MR) fluid. This is a synthetic oil with millions of tiny iron ***** suspended in it. These iron ***** have a proprietary coating to make them less abrasive and help them float evenly within the shock fluid.

More important, they react to a magnetic field generated by an electric coil on the shock piston, thereby changing the fluid's viscosity. Imagine changing your shock fluid from 5W to 100W by simply varying the current in the coil.

"It can go from no damping to solid almost instantly," says Tadge Juechter, assistant chief engineer for Corvette. "The only question is, do you have the computational power to keep up?"

A dual-processor computer adjusts the current about 1000 times per second based on wheel travel and speed, vehicle speed, steering-wheel angle, lateral acceleration, brake application, and also temperature. At 60 mph, that's an adjustment with every inch of the Corvette's forward travel. The goal of these adjustments is to keep the Corvette on a smooth, even keel while maximizing the contact of the tires with the pavement.

The current C5 is already quite capable in those departments, but compared with the base setup and the Z51 option, this F55 suspension represents a great leap forward. Perhaps the greatest improvement involves travel over large bumps and dips, where the conventional suspensions hit the bump stops. In contrast, the F55 system senses the magnitude of the bump or dip as it is deflecting the tire and immediately adjusts the appropriate shock to stay within the available wheel travel. As a result, a humpbacked railroad grade crossing over which a Z51 gets airborne at 80 mph becomes nothing but a medium bump with the F55.

Smaller pavement pockmarks, which the conventional suspension absorbs nicely, virtually disappear on the F55. Yet there is no sense of disconnection with the road. If anything, road feel is even purer because it is polluted by fewer extraneous suspension wiggles.

Severe chatter bumps remain vexing, even with the F55 setup. But the new system provides the Corvette with a major improvement in ride comfort, while enhancing its overall stability.

Those who insist on maximum road feel can rotate a console switch from Tour to Sport mode. This shifts the programming so the car's body tries to follow the road surface more closely rather than remain stable and tranquil. Based on our brief drive, this mode will be useful primarily when hot-lapping at a proper racetrack. .
Good Luck

 

When my 98 got stolen, the first thing I noticed when I drive off in my 2004 C5 was the F55 suspension Yes it is expensive, but worth it my opinion

 

Yes, an upgrade kit is available. Search google for F55 shock. I found it listed at a Chevy dealers site while looking for warranty info for another post.

 

Here is another resounding endorsement in favor of Mag Ride. The way in which the car can handle rail road tracks, potholes, and rough road conditions is simply amazing. The kindney jarring expereience is null and void. The handling at high speeds is an awsome road hugging experience. You'll sure notice the difference when driving a C5 with F55. It added $1400 to the sticker price on 03' & '04s. Best of luck on your search.

 

It was $1695 on my 04 sticker.