Coilover concerns.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 782
Likes: 45
From: Toronto Ontario
Coilover concerns.
Anyone use coilovers and have the shock absorber bracket bust off because it was not really meant to support the whole car.
Also because the welds are so crappy...two beads on one of my brackets missed completely
Also because the welds are so crappy...two beads on one of my brackets missed completely
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,150
Likes: 889
From: South Western Ontario
Have you been reading the C6 Z06 failure thread?
It could happen. Anything is possible. If it looks like the welding is questionable then maybe some welding is in order before you install the coilovers.
Peter
It could happen. Anything is possible. If it looks like the welding is questionable then maybe some welding is in order before you install the coilovers.
Peter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,549
Likes: 1
From: Roanoke Virginia
Coilovers, or even independent springs, by design give the enjoyment of a superior ride and performance compared to single axle leaf springs. However, this should be viewed as a NORMAL configuration for a 1975+ sports car. In reexamining the suspension, it appears the modern corvette was clearly not designed for leaf springs. Yet it is remarkable how consumers have simply accepted it. A leaf spring system is economical to produce, and for decades has been a value to the consumer. Decide for yourself.
The Z06/Pfadt coilover accident: Regardless of design, traumatic conditions generally result in breakage, period. I saw the movie by LG and by Pfadt. Anyone who claims there is no damage following driving over a 6 x 6 log is discrediting themselves.
The bad/missing weld condition you relate should be fixed immediately, as it presents a safety hazard in its being a shock mount. This should not have gone unnoticed.
The Z06/Pfadt coilover accident: Regardless of design, traumatic conditions generally result in breakage, period. I saw the movie by LG and by Pfadt. Anyone who claims there is no damage following driving over a 6 x 6 log is discrediting themselves.
The bad/missing weld condition you relate should be fixed immediately, as it presents a safety hazard in its being a shock mount. This should not have gone unnoticed.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,201
Likes: 0
From: DP(oh you know where) IL
St. Jude Donor '06
Coilovers, or even independent springs, by design give the enjoyment of a superior ride and performance compared to single axle leaf springs. However, this should be viewed as a NORMAL configuration for a 1975+ sports car. In reexamining the suspension, it appears the modern corvette was clearly not designed for leaf springs. Yet it is remarkable how consumers have simply accepted it. A leaf spring system is economical to produce, and for decades has been a value to the consumer. Decide for yourself.
The Z06/Pfadt coilover accident: Regardless of design, traumatic conditions generally result in breakage, period. I saw the movie by LG and by Pfadt. Anyone who claims there is no damage following driving over a 6 x 6 log is discrediting themselves.
The bad/missing weld condition you relate should be fixed immediately, as it presents a safety hazard in its being a shock mount. This should not have gone unnoticed.
The Z06/Pfadt coilover accident: Regardless of design, traumatic conditions generally result in breakage, period. I saw the movie by LG and by Pfadt. Anyone who claims there is no damage following driving over a 6 x 6 log is discrediting themselves.
The bad/missing weld condition you relate should be fixed immediately, as it presents a safety hazard in its being a shock mount. This should not have gone unnoticed.
i got tired of that pissing match over at the c6z06 side, so i stopped following it. LG may be trying to take advantage of a situation to benefit themselves and put a competitor down, can you blame them. they see an opportunity and are trying to take it. I just stopped following after that. $20 says that their coilovers would have gone through the mount if not something else too. I know the guy that it happened to as we came down to cruise in together and we both broke down at cruise in and talk on a regular basis. First off, his frame is aluminum, so you can take that for what its worth. we have steel frames. 2nd, i don't care what you say about shock height and what not. but if you run over a 6x6 piece of anything, something has to give. Running over something that large will make any suspension run outta travel real quick. who knows, he could of ripped the control arm off the frame instead of the shock mount. its just what happened. I wouldn't let that deter you from a coil over system.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 27,897
Likes: 9
From: I have no tolerence for liberals and fools, but sometimes i repeat myself
CI 3-5-7-8-9 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08
i got tired of that pissing match over at the c6z06 side, so i stopped following it. LG may be trying to take advantage of a situation to benefit themselves and put a competitor down, can you blame them. they see an opportunity and are trying to take it. I just stopped following after that. $20 says that their coilovers would have gone through the mount if not something else too. I know the guy that it happened to as we came down to cruise in together and we both broke down at cruise in and talk on a regular basis. First off, his frame is aluminum, so you can take that for what its worth. we have steel frames. 2nd, i don't care what you say about shock height and what not. but if you run over a 6x6 piece of anything, something has to give. Running over something that large will make any suspension run outta travel real quick. who knows, he could of ripped the control arm off the frame instead of the shock mount. its just what happened. I wouldn't let that deter you from a coil over system. however I would look into some more engineering before trying it on an aluminum frame
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,201
Likes: 0
From: DP(oh you know where) IL
St. Jude Donor '06
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,314
Likes: 0
From: Tallahassee Florida
It looks as if no one has answered your question yet, as far as I know, the only reported shock tower failure with coilovers seems to be the one they mentioned from the C6Z06 section. God only knows how many sets of coilovers are in use on C5's. I can only tell you about my luck with them. Me and a buddy of mine have a 02 Z06 that we made into a race car, coilovers were the done before our first race, no problems after many run over rumble strips, bumps on the tracks, and evasive maneuvers. We just bought another car to race and coilovers are gonna be one of the first changes made.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 837
Likes: 2
From: Derry NH
LG using this forum to benefit themselves? NEVER! 
If this was a serious problem I would think that it would have become apparent many years ago. The C5 has been around for awhile, after all.
I will, wihtout hesitation, install coil overs on a future Corvette. However, the 'weld' issue does interested me and I think I will have a professional do this mod and have them analyze my mounts first (something i hadn't previously considered!)
If this was a serious problem I would think that it would have become apparent many years ago. The C5 has been around for awhile, after all.
I will, wihtout hesitation, install coil overs on a future Corvette. However, the 'weld' issue does interested me and I think I will have a professional do this mod and have them analyze my mounts first (something i hadn't previously considered!)
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