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My wonderful wife bought a 50th AE Corvette for me for Christmas. My daughter and I took it for a ride and thought the ride was very stiff and their didn't seem to be any difference between tour and sport settings on the shocks. I drove it back and forth to work a few times and this car had the worst ride of the eleven Corvettes we have owned.
I got on the Corvette Forum to see what replacement shocks most people were using on C5's, and I stumbled across some threads where the shock blocks were never removed from the F55 shocks. So today I crawled under the car and sure enough there were the yellow tabs sticking out from under the shock boots.
I couldn't see the yellow tab on the right front shock block. It had apparently taken some abuse as can be seen in the picture. It is the shock block on the far right.
Removing the shock blocks made the car ride like a dream, and I am now very happy with my Chrismas present.
Unbelievable....I can just imagine what the previous owners had to say about the C5 selective ride! LOL. I have a '03 with selective ride and I must say I dread the day they go south. But in the meantime my GF and myself truly enjoy the ride. Enjoy and thankyou for sharing your amazing experience. Happy New Year. Greetings Rob
The dealership that prepped this car should be shot. That is absolutely unacceptable....not to mention the original owner for putting up with a harsh ride for so long.....no wonder they sold it.
Bought an 03 vert with only 5,200 miles, but 17 years old... Still had the Shock Stuffers... Same story as everyone else... Harsh ride. Already replacing leaking front shocks with stuffers still attached!
Shock stuffers removed after 17 years!
Last edited by ByrdVette; Sep 11, 2020 at 12:33 PM.
Reason: add photo
Amazing. 64500 miles and 2004, now 2022, still there
Bought my c5 coupe in sept 2021. Ride seems rough over road bumps and potholes. Talked to a couple of mechanics. No one seemed to know why. No difference between touring and sport modes w suspension. Did a search tonight again about this and found this post. 10:30 pm, 24 degrees in my garage. Decided to inspect for the shock stoppers. OMG AT LEAST FRONTS STILL THERE. Not certain about rears. Unable to see. Did not feel them but who knows. Could not pull out w tires in place. Tomorrow we get these out and hope to feel the difference. Thank you in advance. Hope I can sleep, I'm so excited to take them out. Will report back tomorrow.
D
Last edited by DaveOstrow; Jan 15, 2022 at 06:38 AM.
The rears were already removed along the way before my time with my C5. The fronts, however, still had the blasted gizmos still in place. The jack I had was too tall to get under the car, so off to harbour tools and purchased a low profile jack.
Turned wheels all the way left to make room. Lifted the front left. Realized I had to push the shock boot all the way up then pull the nylon rip cord to expose the device. Took about 10 seconds to juggle off the rod. Repeat on the right w wheels turned all the way right.
Mind you 14 degrees this morning. Time for a test drive.
OMG. what a dreamboat. Still feel the road, as one should but the hard jarring of bumps and potholes was 100% gone.
What a game changer.
My only question is what dingbat mechanic thought to take off the rear devices but never removed the fronts. Perhaps shiny ball syndrome...perhaps just in attentive. Whatever!!!
PROBLEM SOLVED. Now my Silver Surfer C5 is a dreamboat. That was my ONLY complaint about the car. I am floored.
My wonderful wife bought a 50th AE Corvette for me for Christmas. My daughter and I took it for a ride and thought the ride was very stiff and their didn't seem to be any difference between tour and sport settings on the shocks. I drove it back and forth to work a few times and this car had the worst ride of the eleven Corvettes we have owned.
I got on the Corvette Forum to see what replacement shocks most people were using on C5's, and I stumbled across some threads where the shock blocks were never removed from the F55 shocks. So today I crawled under the car and sure enough there were the yellow tabs sticking out from under the shock boots.
I couldn't see the yellow tab on the right front shock block. It had apparently taken some abuse as can be seen in the picture. It is the shock block on the far right.
Removing the shock blocks made the car ride like a dream, and I am now very happy with my Chrismas present.
I wonder how many complaints over the years about the magnetic ride system may have been attributed to the same or a similar problem!! Wouldn't you think that removal of the blocks should have been a part of the dealer preparation items to have been accomplished? Seems as if too many times we are relegated to finding out information through the forums or similar sites rather than through what should be available at the dealerships. My opinion only . . . . ..
I've been looking for a C7 convertible off and on, have never owned a vehicle with active suspension of any type except for the G80 Genesis I presently have, but I'm limiting my horizons to a C7 convertible with magnetic ride and a performance data recorder. And, gonna have to be in the 2017-2019 year range I believe, absolutely want the front curb view cameras which became standard on the 2016 or so I believe. No need for correction on this year, I'm not certain of the year first available, but I do want a later year model. Grand Sport has mag ride standard, but not necessarily the performance data recorder as I remember offhand.
Last edited by Ron Miller; Jan 16, 2022 at 11:34 AM.
Thanks for your comment. So i am astounded by how many posts there are on this issue in 2003 and 2004. I read somewhere that there was a paper on the front seat of the cars when delivered to dealers that outline the need to remove the stuffers. If 2 are out of mine, either the rears are replacement or the mechanic removed the rear stuffers, them got a call from his sugar mamma and forgot to go back and remove the front stuffers.
As far as your C7 yearning, I can understand. C5 is my first. In the 18 months I've owned it, I put in heated seats, remote keyless start, 500 watt amp and 12 inch sub, went back to oem radio, fixed the 12 disk changer, upgraded the speakers to infinity front leaving the bose subs, the infinite rears too. Added hands free for blue tooth connection and a power phone holder that has wireless charging. Also added back up sensors and cameras for birdview, and changed out the rearview mirror to a mirror w built in video. Now with the ride improvements I might want to be buried in this car when I pass.🤣🤣🤣
Hard to believe but still finding these shockstuffers!
We bought a 2002 anniversary edition c5 with 2300 miles at an estate sale last year. Rode like crap and we just thought that was why it had so few miles. It’s like out of the showroom it’s so clean. Then I found this forum and yup, all 4 shocks still had the stuffers. 23 years later! Unreal! So happy finding this thread!
The dealership is suppose to remove those during new car delivery prep.Those spacers prevent damage to the shocks when they strap the vehicle down for transport from assembly plant to dealer.
New Magnetic Selective Ride Control Record
