I have an '02 Z51 Coupe with factory shocks & I'm considering the same upgrade. Will the ride height be affected?
Shock upgrade
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 294
Likes: 11
From: Charlotte NC
Shock upgrade
Just picked up a 2002 coupe non Z51 so stock base suspension. Car was lowered all the way and my wife commented how rough the ride was so I raised it up its now about 1/2" from stock ride height and it rides smoother and wife is happier. In any case was driving yesterday and was on some back roads that were a little rough. Rear seemed a little bouncy like the shocks may be spent and hit a big bump and car almost felt like it bottomed out. In any case was looking around and the Gene Culley upgrade of 2012 Z06 shocks and the C6 Z51 sway bars look to be a very good deal. Not looking to spend a couple of grand on a race suspension just some improving over what it there. Anyone do this mod looks like a great bang for your buck mod.
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
Shocks NORMALLY have ABSOLUTY NOTHING TO DO WITH RIDE HEIGHT,,,, BUT,,,,,,,,,,,, If you install high pressure gas shocks (which corvette shocks are) in place of a shock that didn’t have gas pressure , it will!
Your OEM BASE , FE1 shocks are shot! TRUST ME on that one. The gas pressure inside is minimum to zero and the dampening is minimum also.
If you install the new C6 ZO6 shocks, they are fully charged with enough gas (nitrogen) that you will have a difficult time compressing them to install them. I had to turn the shocks UP SIDE DOWN an apply body weight to compress them. Use wire to keep them compressed and cut the wire once they are in place ready to expand.
That gas pressure inside the shocks will apply UPWARD force on ALL FOUR corners of the car. Thus lifting the body some amount. (Same as four people lifting up on the car on all four fenders.
So,, YES,, the new high pressure gas shocks will raise the car somewhat. Just re-adjust the spring bolts to compensate for the extra height caused by the force of the gas shocks.
Your OEM BASE , FE1 shocks are shot! TRUST ME on that one. The gas pressure inside is minimum to zero and the dampening is minimum also.
If you install the new C6 ZO6 shocks, they are fully charged with enough gas (nitrogen) that you will have a difficult time compressing them to install them. I had to turn the shocks UP SIDE DOWN an apply body weight to compress them. Use wire to keep them compressed and cut the wire once they are in place ready to expand.
That gas pressure inside the shocks will apply UPWARD force on ALL FOUR corners of the car. Thus lifting the body some amount. (Same as four people lifting up on the car on all four fenders.
So,, YES,, the new high pressure gas shocks will raise the car somewhat. Just re-adjust the spring bolts to compensate for the extra height caused by the force of the gas shocks.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 22,682
Likes: 798
From: Hillsborough NC
NC Events Coordinator
I have the C6Z shocks and C6 Z51 sways. The car now rides somewhere between a third to a half an inch higher than before. The ride didn't improve, but the handling definitely did.
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
Installing C6 ZO6 shocks in my 02 ZO6 was not very noticable on normal driving smooth roads. I noticed small imprefections in the road a little more than normal but emergent high speed maneuvering and high speed turns were FAR MORE RESPONSIVE!
Replacing your worn out Base FE1 shocks with new C6 ZO6 shocks,,, your going to notice a more firm ride than you are use to.
BC
Replacing your worn out Base FE1 shocks with new C6 ZO6 shocks,,, your going to notice a more firm ride than you are use to.
BC
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 294
Likes: 11
From: Charlotte NC
I had a 07 Z06 last year was just too much money for a toy so I sold that and picked up this base coupe a few weeks back. I like the ride in my Z06 it was firm and tracked nice especially after I put new Bridgestones on it. I figured the FE1 shocks were probably shot a lot of bouncing out back. So for the money the Z06 and Z51 sways are a good investment to increase the handling?
Also looks like ill have to adjust ride height after the install. So its a yea on the Stock C6 Z06 shocks?
Also looks like ill have to adjust ride height after the install. So its a yea on the Stock C6 Z06 shocks?
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,707
Likes: 1
From: Lynnfield MA
Cruise-In II Veteran
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
I changed mine out with Bilstein Sport shocks and I absolutely can feel a better ride all around. It was certainly worth the upgrade from the stock shocks...
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 959
Likes: 50
From: Peters Colony Republic of Texas
I have both the C6 Z06 shocks and C6 Z51 sway bars - I like them
Like you, I have a non-Z51 C5 coupe (a 2002). I upgraded the shocks and sway bars in two stages: C6 Z51 sway bars first, followed 6 months later by the C6 Z06 shocks. Each change created noticeable improvement. In combination, the ride is both firmer (thanks to the shocks) and experiences less body lean in tight corners (thanks to the sway bars).
The C6 Z06 shocks are somewhat longer than C5 stock shocks (one inch I am told). So if you go with the C6 Z06 shocks, you'll have to lower the car to retain the stance you presently have, or else leave the post-install heighth alone and live with a larger gap between the top of the tires and the fender edges. I chose door #1 and lowered my car after installing the Z06 shocks - purely as a personal preference. I didn't drive the car after installing the shocks BUT before lowering the car, so I cannot comment whether the firmer ride I now have is a result solely of the new shocks or, alternatively, is a result of the combination of new shocks AND lower ride heighth.
However, I can state without hesitation that I am glad I made this change. Many other C5 owners have made exactly these same changes and are, likewise, happy with the results. Search the C5 posts and you can see for yourself what others have said.
Some responders to your post may suggest the use of aftermarket shocks rather than the C6 Z06 shocks. I don't track my car, so any incremental handling improvement derived from aftermarket shocks wasn't of great value to me. Frankly the incremental cost of aftermarket shocks over the C6 Z06 shocks (particularly when the incremental benefit was not going to be important to me) led me to the Z06 decision.
One of the Forum vendors, Gene Culley at GM Parts House, gives good "package deals" on the C6 sways and shocks. So if you are going to go that route, be sure to check out his pricing.
Finally, depending on the model year of your car you may (or may not) have plastic end links for your sway bars. (As I recall, 2000 and older models have the plastic ones; 2001 and newer models have metal - aluminum I think - end links.) If you have the plastic end links, most on this Forum will encourage you to change them for the aluminum ones. They cost around $80 - $90 for a set of 4.
Hope my answers were responsive to your questions. Good luck whatever you do.
The Lizzard.
The C6 Z06 shocks are somewhat longer than C5 stock shocks (one inch I am told). So if you go with the C6 Z06 shocks, you'll have to lower the car to retain the stance you presently have, or else leave the post-install heighth alone and live with a larger gap between the top of the tires and the fender edges. I chose door #1 and lowered my car after installing the Z06 shocks - purely as a personal preference. I didn't drive the car after installing the shocks BUT before lowering the car, so I cannot comment whether the firmer ride I now have is a result solely of the new shocks or, alternatively, is a result of the combination of new shocks AND lower ride heighth.
However, I can state without hesitation that I am glad I made this change. Many other C5 owners have made exactly these same changes and are, likewise, happy with the results. Search the C5 posts and you can see for yourself what others have said.
Some responders to your post may suggest the use of aftermarket shocks rather than the C6 Z06 shocks. I don't track my car, so any incremental handling improvement derived from aftermarket shocks wasn't of great value to me. Frankly the incremental cost of aftermarket shocks over the C6 Z06 shocks (particularly when the incremental benefit was not going to be important to me) led me to the Z06 decision.
One of the Forum vendors, Gene Culley at GM Parts House, gives good "package deals" on the C6 sways and shocks. So if you are going to go that route, be sure to check out his pricing.
Finally, depending on the model year of your car you may (or may not) have plastic end links for your sway bars. (As I recall, 2000 and older models have the plastic ones; 2001 and newer models have metal - aluminum I think - end links.) If you have the plastic end links, most on this Forum will encourage you to change them for the aluminum ones. They cost around $80 - $90 for a set of 4.
Hope my answers were responsive to your questions. Good luck whatever you do.
The Lizzard.
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
Like you, I have a non-Z51 C5 coupe (a 2002). I upgraded the shocks and sway bars in two stages: C6 Z51 sway bars first, followed 6 months later by the C6 Z06 shocks. Each change created noticeable improvement. In combination, the ride is both firmer (thanks to the shocks) and experiences less body lean in tight corners (thanks to the sway bars).
The C6 Z06 shocks are somewhat longer than C5 stock shocks (one inch I am told). So if you go with the C6 Z06 shocks, you'll have to lower the car to retain the stance you presently have, or else leave the post-install heighth alone and live with a larger gap between the top of the tires and the fender edges. I chose door #1 and lowered my car after installing the Z06 shocks - purely as a personal preference. I didn't drive the car after installing the shocks BUT before lowering the car, so I cannot comment whether the firmer ride I now have is a result solely of the new shocks or, alternatively, is a result of the combination of new shocks AND lower ride heighth.
However, I can state without hesitation that I am glad I made this change. Many other C5 owners have made exactly these same changes and are, likewise, happy with the results. Search the C5 posts and you can see for yourself what others have said.
Some responders to your post may suggest the use of aftermarket shocks rather than the C6 Z06 shocks. I don't track my car, so any incremental handling improvement derived from aftermarket shocks wasn't of great value to me. Frankly the incremental cost of aftermarket shocks over the C6 Z06 shocks (particularly when the incremental benefit was not going to be important to me) led me to the Z06 decision.
One of the Forum vendors, Gene Culley at GM Parts House, gives good "package deals" on the C6 sways and shocks. So if you are going to go that route, be sure to check out his pricing.
Finally, depending on the model year of your car you may (or may not) have plastic end links for your sway bars. (As I recall, 2000 and older models have the plastic ones; 2001 and newer models have metal - aluminum I think - end links.) If you have the plastic end links, most on this Forum will encourage you to change them for the aluminum ones. They cost around $80 - $90 for a set of 4.
Hope my answers were responsive to your questions. Good luck whatever you do.
The Lizzard.
The C6 Z06 shocks are somewhat longer than C5 stock shocks (one inch I am told). So if you go with the C6 Z06 shocks, you'll have to lower the car to retain the stance you presently have, or else leave the post-install heighth alone and live with a larger gap between the top of the tires and the fender edges. I chose door #1 and lowered my car after installing the Z06 shocks - purely as a personal preference. I didn't drive the car after installing the shocks BUT before lowering the car, so I cannot comment whether the firmer ride I now have is a result solely of the new shocks or, alternatively, is a result of the combination of new shocks AND lower ride heighth.
However, I can state without hesitation that I am glad I made this change. Many other C5 owners have made exactly these same changes and are, likewise, happy with the results. Search the C5 posts and you can see for yourself what others have said.
Some responders to your post may suggest the use of aftermarket shocks rather than the C6 Z06 shocks. I don't track my car, so any incremental handling improvement derived from aftermarket shocks wasn't of great value to me. Frankly the incremental cost of aftermarket shocks over the C6 Z06 shocks (particularly when the incremental benefit was not going to be important to me) led me to the Z06 decision.
One of the Forum vendors, Gene Culley at GM Parts House, gives good "package deals" on the C6 sways and shocks. So if you are going to go that route, be sure to check out his pricing.
Finally, depending on the model year of your car you may (or may not) have plastic end links for your sway bars. (As I recall, 2000 and older models have the plastic ones; 2001 and newer models have metal - aluminum I think - end links.) If you have the plastic end links, most on this Forum will encourage you to change them for the aluminum ones. They cost around $80 - $90 for a set of 4.
Hope my answers were responsive to your questions. Good luck whatever you do.
The Lizzard.
WELL STATED FACTUAL POST!!!
Bill
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,565
Likes: 2
From: Chicagoland Illinois
Like you, I have a non-Z51 C5 coupe (a 2002). I upgraded the shocks and sway bars in two stages: C6 Z51 sway bars first, followed 6 months later by the C6 Z06 shocks. Each change created noticeable improvement. In combination, the ride is both firmer (thanks to the shocks) and experiences less body lean in tight corners (thanks to the sway bars).
The C6 Z06 shocks are somewhat longer than C5 stock shocks (one inch I am told). So if you go with the C6 Z06 shocks, you'll have to lower the car to retain the stance you presently have, or else leave the post-install heighth alone and live with a larger gap between the top of the tires and the fender edges. I chose door #1 and lowered my car after installing the Z06 shocks - purely as a personal preference. I didn't drive the car after installing the shocks BUT before lowering the car, so I cannot comment whether the firmer ride I now have is a result solely of the new shocks or, alternatively, is a result of the combination of new shocks AND lower ride heighth.
However, I can state without hesitation that I am glad I made this change. Many other C5 owners have made exactly these same changes and are, likewise, happy with the results. Search the C5 posts and you can see for yourself what others have said.
Some responders to your post may suggest the use of aftermarket shocks rather than the C6 Z06 shocks. I don't track my car, so any incremental handling improvement derived from aftermarket shocks wasn't of great value to me. Frankly the incremental cost of aftermarket shocks over the C6 Z06 shocks (particularly when the incremental benefit was not going to be important to me) led me to the Z06 decision.
One of the Forum vendors, Gene Culley at GM Parts House, gives good "package deals" on the C6 sways and shocks. So if you are going to go that route, be sure to check out his pricing.
Finally, depending on the model year of your car you may (or may not) have plastic end links for your sway bars. (As I recall, 2000 and older models have the plastic ones; 2001 and newer models have metal - aluminum I think - end links.) If you have the plastic end links, most on this Forum will encourage you to change them for the aluminum ones. They cost around $80 - $90 for a set of 4.
Hope my answers were responsive to your questions. Good luck whatever you do.
The Lizzard.
The C6 Z06 shocks are somewhat longer than C5 stock shocks (one inch I am told). So if you go with the C6 Z06 shocks, you'll have to lower the car to retain the stance you presently have, or else leave the post-install heighth alone and live with a larger gap between the top of the tires and the fender edges. I chose door #1 and lowered my car after installing the Z06 shocks - purely as a personal preference. I didn't drive the car after installing the shocks BUT before lowering the car, so I cannot comment whether the firmer ride I now have is a result solely of the new shocks or, alternatively, is a result of the combination of new shocks AND lower ride heighth.
However, I can state without hesitation that I am glad I made this change. Many other C5 owners have made exactly these same changes and are, likewise, happy with the results. Search the C5 posts and you can see for yourself what others have said.
Some responders to your post may suggest the use of aftermarket shocks rather than the C6 Z06 shocks. I don't track my car, so any incremental handling improvement derived from aftermarket shocks wasn't of great value to me. Frankly the incremental cost of aftermarket shocks over the C6 Z06 shocks (particularly when the incremental benefit was not going to be important to me) led me to the Z06 decision.
One of the Forum vendors, Gene Culley at GM Parts House, gives good "package deals" on the C6 sways and shocks. So if you are going to go that route, be sure to check out his pricing.
Finally, depending on the model year of your car you may (or may not) have plastic end links for your sway bars. (As I recall, 2000 and older models have the plastic ones; 2001 and newer models have metal - aluminum I think - end links.) If you have the plastic end links, most on this Forum will encourage you to change them for the aluminum ones. They cost around $80 - $90 for a set of 4.
Hope my answers were responsive to your questions. Good luck whatever you do.
The Lizzard.
Bill
Instructor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 146
Likes: 13
From: San Jose CA
For the OP, something struck me in your original post: "my wife commented how rough the ride was..." With a base suspension and shocks that probably need to be replaced, I would not have expected the description to be "rough."
I have a 2001 convertible that I purchased new with the base suspension. Within a few years, I discovered track days, and moved to C5 Z06 shocks, sways and metal end-links. The base shocks were not worn out, but I was looking for better handling. Well, I got it, but it was at the expense of a smooth ride on concrete freeways with expansion joints. I described the new set-up as "firm, without being harsh." My wife would disagree. She thought I made the ride worse.
I have since replaced the C5 Z06 shocks with Bilstein Sports. I would describe them as marginally stiffer than the C5 Z06's. Great for the track, but not so great with my wife sitting next to me.
I have no experience with C6 shocks, so can't comment from experience. However, know that with the Z06 set-up you'll get a much firmer ride than the base C5 suspension. Be sure that's what you (and you wife) want...
I have a 2001 convertible that I purchased new with the base suspension. Within a few years, I discovered track days, and moved to C5 Z06 shocks, sways and metal end-links. The base shocks were not worn out, but I was looking for better handling. Well, I got it, but it was at the expense of a smooth ride on concrete freeways with expansion joints. I described the new set-up as "firm, without being harsh." My wife would disagree. She thought I made the ride worse.
I have since replaced the C5 Z06 shocks with Bilstein Sports. I would describe them as marginally stiffer than the C5 Z06's. Great for the track, but not so great with my wife sitting next to me.
I have no experience with C6 shocks, so can't comment from experience. However, know that with the Z06 set-up you'll get a much firmer ride than the base C5 suspension. Be sure that's what you (and you wife) want...
Racer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
From: woodville ohio
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 294
Likes: 11
From: Charlotte NC
So when I said rough what I meant was it felt like there was no travel and we bottomed out on the rubber bumpers a few times and I attributed that to the fact the car was lowered all the way on stock bolts. By raising the car I got the travel back and a somewhat smoother ride however on very bumpy roads it feels like the back is bouncing around. I have had cars with bad shocks so that was my take on what I felt. I just had a 07 Z06 and she was fine with the ride in that. If my shocks are truly shot after 85K miles then new shocks should give me a better ride and I can probably lower the car again.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,233
Likes: 5
From: Hyde Park New York
I just got my car back yesterday after getting this upgrade done (2013 Z06 Shocks, 2013 Z51 Sways and metal end links). All I can say is WOW! Car handles like it is on Rails and now rides and drives like a REAL sports car!
Last edited by andrec10; Apr 4, 2013 at 07:04 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,003
Likes: 89
From: Indy IN
So when I said rough what I meant was it felt like there was no travel and we bottomed out on the rubber bumpers a few times and I attributed that to the fact the car was lowered all the way on stock bolts. By raising the car I got the travel back and a somewhat smoother ride however on very bumpy roads it feels like the back is bouncing around. I have had cars with bad shocks so that was my take on what I felt. I just had a 07 Z06 and she was fine with the ride in that. If my shocks are truly shot after 85K miles then new shocks should give me a better ride and I can probably lower the car again.