Im looking to get some better shocks for my C5Z im lowered on zip bolts. Im wanting something that might ride a little better. I heard bilsten makes a good shock that's shorter? I don't know if this is true or not. I also see Pfadt is back in business, I assume they might have something that would work. All input is welcome. Thanks

 

You need to do a couple of things before you purchase shocks. When you lower the car, you also remove some of the useful suspension travel. How much suspension travel do you have?

If the suspension bottoms out, NO SHOCK in the world will help you. YES, Bilsten makes a very good shock.

Have you taken into account your alignment after lowering? It will need to be realigned!

Bill

 

I recently helped a friend of mine replace his OEM shocks on his C6Z to a set of DRM valved Bilsteins. When we had them side x side the Bilstein was slightly shorter, maybe a half inch or so. He went from stock height and stock shocks to lowered on the factory bolts and Bilsteins and said the ride was greatly improved as well as handling.

I know that's not much info, but it's what I have.

 

I have had it lowered for almost a year now, and yes I have had it aligned after I lowered it, It has always been in spec when I have had it aligned twice this year. I have never bottomed out, but then again the roads I drive on are smooth and only drive it about 6k miles a year. Im just wanting new shocks for a better ride and that there almost 13 years old.

 

You only think you aren't bottoming out... With stock bolts lowering it all the way leaves you with only about one inch of travel. If you are lowered all the way on zip bolts you likely don't have any more than a half an inch of travel before you start hitting the bump stops. The bump stops on these cars are progressive, when you start to hit them the suspension just gets firmer. It isn't like the old days where you felt is slam when you hit the bump stops.

You are complaining about the ride quality and that is the first hint that you are already hitting the bump stops.... frequently. While these cars are firm, they aren't that bad, and if you have a rough riding car you're into the bump stops big time.

A half an inch of travel may help some, but really, to improve the ride you need to get rid of the Zip bolts, get some rear suspension travel and then any decent shock should ride pretty well.

As far as rear shocks go the C5Z shocks give the best ride due to their valving, but the Bilsteins aren't far behind and their slightly shorter length may make them work a bit better in your situation.

As Bill noted, if you're into the bump stops, it doesn't matter what shocks are on the car since they are just providing a place to mount the bump stops.

I'd get the ride height back up to within 1 inch of stock and then evaluate the ride quality with that setup first. You probably haven't worn out the OE shocks since they haven't been used much before this.

 

Not really complaining about the ride quality. And yes I can tell when I hit the bump stops, and it don't it all the time. Im also not all the way down on the zip bolts, its close but not all the way down, I would say I have about 3/4 to a inch of travel. Just want a little better ride since im running 30 profile tires in the rear and lowered. Just wanted opinions on shocks and not get flamed about lowering bolts. I don't have $2k plus to blow on coil overs right now. Plus I cant see a factory shock lasting 13 years.

 

Frankly, with an inch of up travel, there are no shocks that will work well in your configuration. You could go to a higher profile tire to absorb some of the road. Or drop your tire pressure.

Fact is slamming any car is going to ruin the performance handling. Your best bet is to start saving for coil-overs.

 

If you go around a brisk corner the body roll is going to use up that inch of travel, and you are basically on the stops. Any bump after that results in nasty oversteer.

Bill Curlee has suggested a simple test, go around a on-ramp a bit briskly and if the rear of the car "steps out" you're on the bump stops.

Just because you can easily put in a set of bolts that will drop the car doesn't mean it's a good idea. The suspension geometry was designed to work the best when the car is lowered a little bit (3/4 of an inch to an inch) but after that handling deteriorates because the camber gain just isn't there, and of course bottoming upsets the car even more.

If you really want the car slammed, get a set of LG dropped spindles (best solution) or set of coilovers (second best solution) and you can have your handling and that slammed look that you like. Unfortunately, short of spending the big bucks you aren't going to get a decent ride with the car that low.

 

With my car lowered on stock bolts I doubt it had 1" of travel left. I cut the bump stops in half and got the travel over 1". I then raised it up until it started to ride smoother.

The Bilsteins don't seem to be any shorter but they have a complete POS bump stop that will just collapse and allow metal to metal contact. That is what gives those shocks more travel compared to using the stock bump stop.