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03 50th anniv. - shocks please help

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Old Mar 28, 2011 | 11:09 PM
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Default 03 50th anniv. - shocks please help

Hi all,

so here comes the time I have to get new rear shocks for my car.
It's a 03 50th anniv., I believe it's the F55 suspension and it's equipped with the selective magnetic ride control and this causes my problem.
Now my question is, can I get any shocks or does it have to be one made specifically for this system /selective magnetic ride control/. Also if you know of any, which shocks would you suggest?
Thanks for your help guys, without you I'd be lost!!!
you can e-mail me at: vickbreit@yahoo.com
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Old Mar 28, 2011 | 11:39 PM
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Two options. Replace stock $1300 or so each or find someone with a tech 2 and deselect, disable the F55 option and go aftermarket. C6 Z06shocks for $2-300 a set.
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Old Mar 28, 2011 | 11:41 PM
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Also, what makes you believe you have bad shocks now?
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Old Mar 28, 2011 | 11:44 PM
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Originally Posted by Jnape
Also, what makes you believe you have bad shocks now?
My question too. Remember that for the shocks to work they must get a signal from the CPU. This is exactly why when shipped new, AE's had stuffers at the top of the shock to keep the car from bouncing on the transporter.

All in all it is a great system. Almost unchanged, this system is used by Mercedes Benz and Ferrari.
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Old Mar 29, 2011 | 12:45 AM
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Originally Posted by ALLEGRO
My question too. Remember that for the shocks to work they must get a signal from the CPU. This is exactly why when shipped new, AE's had stuffers at the top of the shock to keep the car from bouncing on the transporter.

All in all it is a great system. Almost unchanged, this system is used by Mercedes Benz and Ferrari.

Thanks for all ur responses. the car has 50K miles and my mechanic drove the car and after looked at the shocks. he said the front ones are okay but the rear ones do nothing at all. also another mechanic 2 mnths ago told me the same that suspension is very very hard and shouldn't be that way.
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Old Mar 29, 2011 | 01:59 AM
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Default 50th Ann. shocks

If the fronts are OK and the rears are very hard and don't move much... I think that you still have the "packers" in place.

Take it to someone who knows Corvettes and have them take a look.

You should notice a change in the ride when you change the setting on the center console.

If it's "hard" in both settings, I suspect the packers. Normally when shocks "go", they get all soft and mushy, not hard.

Ken Edney
Chandler, AZ
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Old Mar 29, 2011 | 01:15 PM
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Originally Posted by lowflyer1
If the fronts are OK and the rears are very hard and don't move much... I think that you still have the "packers" in place.

Take it to someone who knows Corvettes and have them take a look.

You should notice a change in the ride when you change the setting on the center console.

If it's "hard" in both settings, I suspect the packers. Normally when shocks "go", they get all soft and mushy, not hard.

Ken Edney
Chandler, AZ
Make sure there aren't any yellow tabs sticking out of the boots.
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Old Mar 29, 2011 | 02:36 PM
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vickvette, please post back after examination and let us know what you find. Hope it is just the blocks in place--if so you've just saved a bunch of $/aggravation.

But hard to believe anyone could drive the car 50K miles with the kind of ride those blocks cause. Been done, 'tho.
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Old Mar 29, 2011 | 05:34 PM
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Originally Posted by rboineau
vickvette, please post back after examination and let us know what you find. Hope it is just the blocks in place--if so you've just saved a bunch of $/aggravation.

But hard to believe anyone could drive the car 50K miles with the kind of ride those blocks cause. Been done, 'tho.
Thanks,

I'll keep u posted guys. I'm taking it for the diagnostics Saturday morning, we'll see ;-) wish me luck
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Old Mar 30, 2011 | 09:24 AM
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Originally Posted by vickvette
Thanks,

I'll keep u posted guys. I'm taking it for the diagnostics Saturday morning, we'll see ;-) wish me luck
You don't need to take it in for diagnostics. You should be able to see the stuffers if they are there and you can save yourself $$$ and remove them yourself.
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Old Mar 30, 2011 | 02:27 PM
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I have a "ten spot" that the snuffers are still in there........takers?
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Old Apr 4, 2011 | 03:00 AM
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so, I took the car for diagnostics to chevy here in Cali. The guy from the service drove my car and also another z06 also just to compare the shocks. He was also surprised how stiff it is. The service was unable to find the problem since everything works, no leaks, codes are okay, selective magnetic ride control works so I didn't get charged for the diagnostics. but the ride is very very stiff. I was told that that was the first year an maybe the liquid in the shocks has changed. All I know is that the car wasn't this stiff. Since 1 shock is around 900 I decided to go with aftermarket. than I looked at ebay and found 2 new shocks for 800. Well, makes sense since I'm not lowering the market value of the car with aftermarket. I let u guys know how it works out. I have my mechanic that will switch them for $100 so for $900 I got a great deal. It's still a lot but only few hundred more than aftermarket.

Vick
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