Changed my shocks - wow
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 926
Likes: 2
From: chandler az
Changed my shocks - wow
Holy crap it rides like a new car.
Mine is a 2000 coupe with 90000 miles. It had stock shocks. Surprisingly the old shocks still had quite a bit of resistance.
I started by trying to use a coat hanger to keep the shock compressed to remove it - all that did was waste time. I didn't have any good tye wraps so I used some bailing wire - it worked great.
You don't have to remove anything other than the wheels to replace the shocks. There was plenty of room to get them out.
I went with the Z06 shocks and I love the ride.
Mine is a 2000 coupe with 90000 miles. It had stock shocks. Surprisingly the old shocks still had quite a bit of resistance.
I started by trying to use a coat hanger to keep the shock compressed to remove it - all that did was waste time. I didn't have any good tye wraps so I used some bailing wire - it worked great.
You don't have to remove anything other than the wheels to replace the shocks. There was plenty of room to get them out.
I went with the Z06 shocks and I love the ride.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,888
Likes: 2
From: Frederick, Maryland
Glad to hear the improvement! My vette has around 116k so this has got me wondering what Im missing out on!
I was all about coilovers but hearing that they're overkill for the street has got me to thinking of a secondary choice.
My question for you is, Why Z06 shocks? rather than Bilstein or QA1's or just any others?
Thanks
I was all about coilovers but hearing that they're overkill for the street has got me to thinking of a secondary choice.
My question for you is, Why Z06 shocks? rather than Bilstein or QA1's or just any others?
Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 35,874
Likes: 1,600
From: Honolulu HI
Glad to hear the improvement! My vette has around 116k so this has got me wondering what Im missing out on!
I was all about coilovers but hearing that they're overkill for the street has got me to thinking of a secondary choice.
My question for you is, Why Z06 shocks? rather than Bilstein or QA1's or just any others?
Thanks
I was all about coilovers but hearing that they're overkill for the street has got me to thinking of a secondary choice.
My question for you is, Why Z06 shocks? rather than Bilstein or QA1's or just any others?
Thanks
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,888
Likes: 2
From: Frederick, Maryland
Thats honestly my only thought too, is just a matter of price.
Inverted shocks you say?
Care to school me on a lil info on those?
I assume those are relatively the same as adjustable shocks?
Inverted shocks you say?
Care to school me on a lil info on those?
I assume those are relatively the same as adjustable shocks?
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Good choice going with the Z06 shocks - hard to beat the value.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
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From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
Most likely a shorter internal shaft gives it more travel on lowered cars so if you hit a big bump the shock doesn't bottom out
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 35,874
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From: Honolulu HI
http://store.corvetteforum.com/p-187...stable-c5.aspx
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 926
Likes: 2
From: chandler az
The decision was easy -based on the price :-)
$246 shipped for gmpartshouse.com via the forum
I was a little worried when I removed my old ones and they still had so much push back.
Had I started the job with the bailing wire it would be been a 2 hour job.
$246 shipped for gmpartshouse.com via the forum
I was a little worried when I removed my old ones and they still had so much push back.
Had I started the job with the bailing wire it would be been a 2 hour job.
Last edited by brookman; Sep 14, 2010 at 12:06 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,888
Likes: 2
From: Frederick, Maryland
Daaaammnn $800 no thanks lol.
So by Z shocks are you referring to C5Z or C6Z? I just learned my buddy has C6Z shocks in his coupe, his ride feel a lot stiffer and stronger where as my Vert is soft and floats. I know his ride has more rigidity because of it being a coupe.
But I may just do bilsteins
So by Z shocks are you referring to C5Z or C6Z? I just learned my buddy has C6Z shocks in his coupe, his ride feel a lot stiffer and stronger where as my Vert is soft and floats. I know his ride has more rigidity because of it being a coupe.
But I may just do bilsteins
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 9,488
Likes: 1,743
From: Knoxville Tn
I did the c6 Z06 exchange about a month ago. I also did the Z-51 sway bar upgrade. The car is now really flat cornering and there is a distinctive increase in road feel with the shocks. My 2000 has about 80,000 miles on it so a change in shocks is justified (or so I told the wife). The entire package was around $500 when I include a few non essentials.
I highly recommend a shock removal tool you can get at OReilly's autoparts. I forget the neame brand, but it made removing the front shocks a snap. I used the coat hanger method to hold the shocks compressed. To remove, place car on jack stands, remove wheel, place jack under a arm and compress shock using jack, tie off compressed shock using wire or tie wrap and it'll come out fairly easily.
I highly recommend a shock removal tool you can get at OReilly's autoparts. I forget the neame brand, but it made removing the front shocks a snap. I used the coat hanger method to hold the shocks compressed. To remove, place car on jack stands, remove wheel, place jack under a arm and compress shock using jack, tie off compressed shock using wire or tie wrap and it'll come out fairly easily.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 35,874
Likes: 1,600
From: Honolulu HI
Daaaammnn $800 no thanks lol.
So by Z shocks are you referring to C5Z or C6Z? I just learned my buddy has C6Z shocks in his coupe, his ride feel a lot stiffer and stronger where as my Vert is soft and floats. I know his ride has more rigidity because of it being a coupe.
But I may just do bilsteins
So by Z shocks are you referring to C5Z or C6Z? I just learned my buddy has C6Z shocks in his coupe, his ride feel a lot stiffer and stronger where as my Vert is soft and floats. I know his ride has more rigidity because of it being a coupe.
But I may just do bilsteins
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
From: Houston TX
so - what do stock shocks feel like? I bought the car with z06 shocks already in place. I notice that you can really feel the road with them. If you go over a pebble, you know it 
Even in my vert, it feels very stiff. Also, cornering, you don't feel like tipping (not sure if that has anything to do with the shocks or not.)
Even in my vert, it feels very stiff. Also, cornering, you don't feel like tipping (not sure if that has anything to do with the shocks or not.)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 9,488
Likes: 1,743
From: Knoxville Tn
so - what do stock shocks feel like? I bought the car with z06 shocks already in place. I notice that you can really feel the road with them. If you go over a pebble, you know it Even in my vert, it feels very stiff. Also, cornering, you don't feel like tipping (not sure if that has anything to do with the shocks or not.)
Even in my vert, it feels very stiff. Also, cornering, you don't feel like tipping (not sure if that has anything to do with the shocks or not.)The sway bars are what keeps the car level around corners.
The stock bar is about the diameter of your thumb. Z-51's are consideralbly bigger diameter. Early C-5's also have rubber lnks on the sway bars. they look metal, but ain't.