Lowered car with old shocks a problem??
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 587
Likes: 0
From: Waterloo, IA
Lowered car with old shocks a problem??
Hi everyone, I need some input from my fellow Corvette Forum members!
Last weekend I finally lowered my 2002 C5 Coupe Z51 on stock bolts. I maxed them out, then backed them off a bit so I wasn't maxed - my final result was exactly 3/4" drop at all 4 corners.
Now here's my issue... The ride is definitely more harsh on small town Iowa side roads, and it seems way more bouncy/floaty. It's not scary floaty, but definitely could be in the wrong circumstances!!
My car has 109,000 miles and I have no idea if it has ever had the shocks replaced. Is there any way to tell from the numbers on the shocks when they were made? They don't look bad at all, but that doesn't mean anything I guess.
Would new C6 Z06 shocks help both the harshness and floating feeling? I didn't feel it at all before lowering.
Here's the numbers from one of the front shocks:
10431990
THD
C08/063/2/2/041
Thanks for any and all help
Last weekend I finally lowered my 2002 C5 Coupe Z51 on stock bolts. I maxed them out, then backed them off a bit so I wasn't maxed - my final result was exactly 3/4" drop at all 4 corners.
Now here's my issue... The ride is definitely more harsh on small town Iowa side roads, and it seems way more bouncy/floaty. It's not scary floaty, but definitely could be in the wrong circumstances!!
My car has 109,000 miles and I have no idea if it has ever had the shocks replaced. Is there any way to tell from the numbers on the shocks when they were made? They don't look bad at all, but that doesn't mean anything I guess.
Would new C6 Z06 shocks help both the harshness and floating feeling? I didn't feel it at all before lowering.
Here's the numbers from one of the front shocks:
10431990
THD
C08/063/2/2/041
Thanks for any and all help
Last edited by VETLAG72; Aug 5, 2010 at 12:03 AM. Reason: added that I have a Z51
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,847
Likes: 228
From: Hillsboro OR
Hi everyone, I need some input from my fellow Corvette Forum members!
Last weekend I finally lowered my 2002 C5 Coupe on stock bolts. I maxed them out, then backed them off a bit so I wasn't maxed - my final result was exactly 3/4" drop at all 4 corners.
Now here's my issue... The ride is definitely more harsh on small town Iowa side roads, and it seems way more bouncy/floaty. It's not scary floaty, but definitely could be in the wrong circumstances!!
My car has 109,000 miles and I have no idea if it has ever had the shocks replaced. Is there any way to tell from the numbers on the shocks when they were made? They don't look bad at all, but that doesn't mean anything I guess.
Would new C6 Z06 shocks help both the harshness and floating feeling? I didn't feel it at all before lowering.
Here's the numbers from one of the front shocks:
10431990
THD
C08/063/2/2/041
Thanks for any and all help
Last weekend I finally lowered my 2002 C5 Coupe on stock bolts. I maxed them out, then backed them off a bit so I wasn't maxed - my final result was exactly 3/4" drop at all 4 corners.
Now here's my issue... The ride is definitely more harsh on small town Iowa side roads, and it seems way more bouncy/floaty. It's not scary floaty, but definitely could be in the wrong circumstances!!
My car has 109,000 miles and I have no idea if it has ever had the shocks replaced. Is there any way to tell from the numbers on the shocks when they were made? They don't look bad at all, but that doesn't mean anything I guess.
Would new C6 Z06 shocks help both the harshness and floating feeling? I didn't feel it at all before lowering.
Here's the numbers from one of the front shocks:
10431990
THD
C08/063/2/2/041
Thanks for any and all help
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,037
Likes: 9,801
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
If the ride is a lot harsher you may be bottoming out the shocks. GM doesn't recommend lowering more than 15mm measured at the ride height points on the suspension. Measuring to the fender wells isn't an exact way to determine car height since those dimensions are not controlled during assembly and can vary from car to car.
Your best bet is probably to go with some Bilstein Sports which will not bottom out on a lowered car.
Bill
Your best bet is probably to go with some Bilstein Sports which will not bottom out on a lowered car.
Bill
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,900
Likes: 2
From: Green Cove Springs FL
Chances are they haven't been replaced yet... definitely consider replacing them and your swaybars. I have c6z shocks and c5z sways and it was a huge improvement at around 60k mi. I checked your profile and you have a z51, so your front spring is the same as a c5z. Your rear spring isn't as stiff, but it's not that much of a difference.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 587
Likes: 0
From: Waterloo, IA
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
109,000. on the shocks.
There TOAST!!!.
Pull a FRONT shock out and compress it and extend it. If it shows little or no resistance, there toast. There gas charged and compressing them should require some heavy force. You SHOULD have a tough time commpressing it and you will have a tough time increasing the rebound rate if its good..
Compare what you find to a NEW shock.
Change the shocks and sways out. You will have permagrin!
There TOAST!!!. Pull a FRONT shock out and compress it and extend it. If it shows little or no resistance, there toast. There gas charged and compressing them should require some heavy force. You SHOULD have a tough time commpressing it and you will have a tough time increasing the rebound rate if its good..
Compare what you find to a NEW shock.
Change the shocks and sways out. You will have permagrin!
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 587
Likes: 0
From: Waterloo, IA
109,000. on the shocks. There TOAST!!!.
Pull a FRONT shock out and compress it and extend it. If it shows little or no resistance, there toast. There gas charged and compressing them should require some heavy force. You SHOULD have a tough time commpressing it and you will have a tough time increasing the rebound rate if its good..
Compare what you find to a NEW shock.
Change the shocks and sways out. You will have permagrin!
There TOAST!!!. Pull a FRONT shock out and compress it and extend it. If it shows little or no resistance, there toast. There gas charged and compressing them should require some heavy force. You SHOULD have a tough time commpressing it and you will have a tough time increasing the rebound rate if its good..
Compare what you find to a NEW shock.
Change the shocks and sways out. You will have permagrin!
Thanks!
