Shocks
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,206
Likes: 21
From: Roswell GA
My set up
I am lowered on stock bolts and i have the Z06 sway bars and metal end links. The bars give the "flat cornering".
Feeling the cracks in the road - that is mostly springs and shocks. I have stock springs and i have had the Bilsteins, C5 Z06, C6 Z06, and one other after market brand I forget. All were too much of a sharp jolt for me, before settling on the C6 Z51's.
As for the C5 shocks being discontinued - the fitment is identical between the C5 & C6 shocks. If you want stock - go with C6 stock - but again I would go look in the C6 section for some "takeoffs". They are the deals.
Feeling the cracks in the road - that is mostly springs and shocks. I have stock springs and i have had the Bilsteins, C5 Z06, C6 Z06, and one other after market brand I forget. All were too much of a sharp jolt for me, before settling on the C6 Z51's.
As for the C5 shocks being discontinued - the fitment is identical between the C5 & C6 shocks. If you want stock - go with C6 stock - but again I would go look in the C6 section for some "takeoffs". They are the deals.
Last edited by KingTut; May 14, 2018 at 09:03 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,461
Likes: 460
From: East Windsor NJ
I've made a few turns after installing a set of "lightly used" Bilstein B8's that I bought from a forum member - I can feel the improvement in the ride (slightly less harsh). I am at factory height but plan on going a but lower in the future.
One thing I was "shocked" over was the amount of gas charge in the original FE3/Z51 units (this is model year '00) - I was unable to push them down at all - but I was able to compress the Bilsteins so I could zip-tie them in-place for installation on the front...
One thing I was "shocked" over was the amount of gas charge in the original FE3/Z51 units (this is model year '00) - I was unable to push them down at all - but I was able to compress the Bilsteins so I could zip-tie them in-place for installation on the front...
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
I am lowered on stock bolts and i have the Z06 sway bars and metal end links. The bars give the "flat cornering".
Feeling the cracks in the road - that is mostly springs and shocks. I have stock springs and i have had the Bilsteins, C5 Z06, C6 Z06, and one other after market brand I forget. All were too much of a sharp jolt for me, before settling on the C6 Z51's......
.
Feeling the cracks in the road - that is mostly springs and shocks. I have stock springs and i have had the Bilsteins, C5 Z06, C6 Z06, and one other after market brand I forget. All were too much of a sharp jolt for me, before settling on the C6 Z51's......
.
maybe my order of operations will be
1. z06 shocks...done 2. z06 sway bars and end links....3. z06 springs
and I can stop when ever the ride is perfect for me.....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
I shop around. Many times I can get the same part for a better price and free shipping from places like Amazon. Sometimes shipping ruins the deal from Rock Auto for some stuff.
Last edited by JR-01; May 14, 2018 at 09:59 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
I have had such good luck with them I usually validate the prices locally and with a quick amazon search then almost always buy from rock auto. certainly the trick is to buy all that you need at once for the consolidated shipping.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 7,412
Likes: 962
From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
I have the C6Z06 sway bars. No effect on ride and much better cornering. I went thru lots of angst and low budget surveys (read drove everyone crazy) until I decided, and it was a great decision. Now you guys have me agonizing over shocks. Mine have 57k on them and are fine, but maybe there's something 'better"? 
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Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
I have the C6Z06 sway bars. No effect on ride and much better cornering. I went thru lots of angst and low budget surveys (read drove everyone crazy) until I decided, and it was a great decision. Now you guys have me agonizing over shocks. Mine have 57k on them and are fine, but maybe there's something 'better"?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,206
Likes: 21
From: Roswell GA
thanks, so your thoughts are the c5 z06 shocks are tighter then then the c6 z51. interesting idea on leaving stock springs and using the z06 sway bars.
maybe my order of operations will be
1. z06 shocks...done 2. z06 sway bars and end links....3. z06 springs
and I can stop when ever the ride is perfect for me.....
maybe my order of operations will be
1. z06 shocks...done 2. z06 sway bars and end links....3. z06 springs
and I can stop when ever the ride is perfect for me.....
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
well perhaps...i bought a set of used z06 off an 04 with 16 k miles on them from a forum member,
you can immediately see with shocks their resistance so you kind of know if they are good or bad.
would new z06 shocks be better sure but now you are throwing in some real $$$
alot of us sell used good parts and move to something else, its our reputation so we dont sell junk. its not for everyone but for alot of us its a kind of a secondary market place
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Thats also my answer.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,206
Likes: 21
From: Roswell GA
What are Take Offs
If you just bought a "cherry" C5 with only 8,000 miles on it - would the first thing you would think of is "I need to rip out those used shocks, sway bars, brake pads, etc" Of course not. So what is wrong with putting on a set of shocks that were removed at 8,000 miles because someone wanted a different feel to their ride.
Shocks can be good for 100K miles, I have 46K and drive 3K per year - my current set will last at least 10 years and then I will put on my other set of 8K "used" shocks and go another 20 years, except I will not last that long. So I will take my $600 I saved on shocks and get a new Double Din head unit put in.
Just some other perspective on what and where to allocate assets to improve the C5 experience.
Shocks can be good for 100K miles, I have 46K and drive 3K per year - my current set will last at least 10 years and then I will put on my other set of 8K "used" shocks and go another 20 years, except I will not last that long. So I will take my $600 I saved on shocks and get a new Double Din head unit put in.
Just some other perspective on what and where to allocate assets to improve the C5 experience.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
i just installed used 04 zo6 shocks with 16k on them taken off the zo6 car years ago.....today was my first ride on my $100 used shocks, they were freaking awesome. i cant wait to install the used springs, and used sway bar, and used end links.....not everything has to be new in this hobby. this is just for fun and it doesn't have to be new stuff all the time
I have no regrets on my decsion
I have no regrets on my decsion
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 7,412
Likes: 962
From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
I’m also aware that our shocks are good, and last a very long time.
Tut, I agree, shipping prices are becoming a problem when trying to sell something.
