Body and suspension offset
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3rd Gear
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 3
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Body and suspension offset
Hello all. My first question on here and my first C5.
Background: I purchased a 2003 Z06 a couple of months ago. The odometer reading was 31k and some change. I checked it out. Looked clean. Engine compartment was super clean. Engine started and ran smooth. Oil pressure was 40 lbs. AC worked. Body looked super clean. Transmission shifted in all gears. I test drove it and all felt fine.
Here's what I noticed after two months of ownership. The rear of the car noticeably sways at high speeds on the highway. (above 80 MPH). Hence the reason I didn't notice it at the time of purchase. At 120 mph the rear of the car will sway back and forth so much it's not safe.
I noticed 1/2 inch of difference on the rear suspension. The rear passenger side wheel is 1/2 inch closer towards the front than the driver's side wheel. (basically the rear cradle is canted to the center line of the body. (So now I assume the body was lifted from the suspension and replaced incorrectly).
The front is about 1/4 inch different. from one side to the other.
The car does drive straight and there's no noticeable pulling when the steering wheel is released.
Can this issue be corrected? How?
Could the frame have been bent in a wreck and the suspension bolted on as straight as possible and the alignment is compensating enough to keep it going straight down the road (mostly)?
What was all the talk about the locator pins making this C5 a breeze to disassemble and reassemble with no issues? (I've seen that comment too).
Any help would be appreciated.
Background: I purchased a 2003 Z06 a couple of months ago. The odometer reading was 31k and some change. I checked it out. Looked clean. Engine compartment was super clean. Engine started and ran smooth. Oil pressure was 40 lbs. AC worked. Body looked super clean. Transmission shifted in all gears. I test drove it and all felt fine.
Here's what I noticed after two months of ownership. The rear of the car noticeably sways at high speeds on the highway. (above 80 MPH). Hence the reason I didn't notice it at the time of purchase. At 120 mph the rear of the car will sway back and forth so much it's not safe.
I noticed 1/2 inch of difference on the rear suspension. The rear passenger side wheel is 1/2 inch closer towards the front than the driver's side wheel. (basically the rear cradle is canted to the center line of the body. (So now I assume the body was lifted from the suspension and replaced incorrectly).
The front is about 1/4 inch different. from one side to the other.
The car does drive straight and there's no noticeable pulling when the steering wheel is released.
Can this issue be corrected? How?
Could the frame have been bent in a wreck and the suspension bolted on as straight as possible and the alignment is compensating enough to keep it going straight down the road (mostly)?
What was all the talk about the locator pins making this C5 a breeze to disassemble and reassemble with no issues? (I've seen that comment too).
Any help would be appreciated.
AMP Racing
Joined: Aug 2006
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2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
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St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12
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There was a similar thread recently about rear wheels not lining up with the fenders: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...done-pics.html
Everyone seems to say it's not a big deal. The tolerances on the bodies of these cars are not all that tight. That's also why the fenders are not a good gauge for ride height--too much variability. I agree the rear suspension should be gone through. You may just need shocks. Even with the low mileage, the seals can go bad over 15 years.
Everyone seems to say it's not a big deal. The tolerances on the bodies of these cars are not all that tight. That's also why the fenders are not a good gauge for ride height--too much variability. I agree the rear suspension should be gone through. You may just need shocks. Even with the low mileage, the seals can go bad over 15 years.
