I just picked up a set of the above and have numerous questions before I can install. I realize a call to Pfadt may well be necessary but I wanted to pick the brains of everyone here.

First, Pfadt's installation instructions say that the shocks come preset so that there is no need to adjust the spring perches or spring preload. Well one of the front shocks as I received them has no preload on the spring at all and I have no way of knowing if the other front shock is correct or not. Anyone know how to setshaft the correct preload for a C5?

Each of the shocks front and rear has a rubber "bumper" under the top spring perch. I assume they are there as a protection in the case of a complete compression of the shock might allow the top of the shock body to hit the top spring perch. One of the front shock "bumpers" has a metal insert that index's on the shoulder of the shock shaft and doesn't allow the "bumper to slide down the shock shaft. The other 3 are missing the metal insert??? Wondering if both front and rear should have these inserts and if they are available from Pfadt?? Also think I ma y need new poly collar and poly base bushings for the top mounts of the shocks. Any of you ever ordered replacements for your shocks.

I bought these coilovers from a C5 owner who recently bought his car and the coilovers were already on the car. Supposedly these shocks were only on the car for about 4k miles. He got the car with the original springs and wanted to put it back to stock. He did get the original installation instructions, spanner wrenches, and allen wrench which I now have. The shocks look good and seals seem to be good.

The instructions seem to indicate that a hole needs to be drilled in the floor to provide access to the damping adjustment for the rear shocks. Is this correct or am I misreading something?

I will probably have more questions, thanks for any help you can provide.

 

The as shipped preset was way too high for my needs and required a lot of wrenching to bring the car down 1"lower than stock. It would have been faster to set them at the lowest position before they were mounted. Pfadt had several versions of attachments for the early coil overs, contact them for what you might need. You do have to drill some holes in the back to adjust the shock valves with an allen wrench. I used aluminum tape to cover the holes and keep water out of the car. The top locking retaining nuts kept coming loose so I used double nuts and that worked well. Make sure to use locktite on the upper rear mounting bolts, if they loosen you will hear a loud banging sound when going over bumps.

 

Guess all the Pfadt experts are busy! I have been in touch with their tech department and they requested I send pictures of what I have so that they can tell me what is available in parts. He also told me that they made upgrades to some of the various parts during the 5 year production run of the early generation. Here's what I have,



This shock was missing a washer and a poly spacer



This is the rubber bumper that is missing a metal insert



This shows the attaching hardware for a front shock. I'm missing the big washer and the bushing that is around that short section of tubing,



Rob seemed confident he could provide me enough help to get the shocks set-up and on my car.

 

sorry to bump an old thread, but I bought a lightly used set of these to throw in my car for the season. hoping to install this evening as I broke them down and cleaned them up last night. just curious on what the proper installation should be. as far as front bushings in the upper shock area. what goes above and what goes below the mount plate? is it nut, washer, round bushing and metal sleeve, the shock mount, then below flat bushing, and plastic mounts?


also, what did you set the preload at on the springs as no one lists this anywhere. thank you for your help sir

 

I could give you some dimensions and an idea of what is bolted at the top but not until the weekend. They had about three different types of mounts for the tops. The shock settings done with a small allen wrench are about in the middle of the range, when the fronts were too loose the car would porpoise like a boat.

 

i meant as far as which bushings go on top of the shock tower and which go below....i currently have it going...nut, washer, roundish bushing, flat bushing. then the shock tower itself and delrin cup below the shock tower. issue is it has approx. 1/4" gap at full dropp between the delrin cup and the shock tower. am i supposed to have one of the two bushings below the tower and one above? trying to finish this tonight. anyones help on this is much appreciated.

 

i found the preload and height base settings already btw. so that questions been answered. going out to try a different bushing setup and see what results that shows. thanks gents!

 

I can't be of any help as I sold mine before ever installing and got a set of LG coilovers.

 

Hello fellow First Generation Pfadt coil-over owners..I had a set of coil overs and front and rear sway bars installed in my 2004 C5 Z06, but I've lost the instructions for it. Can anyone please scan a copy or provide me a link? I'll try aFe as well but wanted to ask here as well. Here are pics of my 15 year old Pfadts that are getting cleaned up now ..I am now only tending to my car after a long absence due to personal reasons. Photos are not for the squeamish

 

I'm also bringing this post back from the dead, haha. Hopefully, someone can answer. Does anyone know what the adjust **** is for? Is It for stiffness/softness?

 

It is for the stiffness/ softness adjustment. I had the fronts adjusted too soft and the car would porpoise like a boat at 35 mph until they were stiffened up.

 

Here are the Pfadt instructions

 

thanks a bunch