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I have an 04 Z06 Le Mans edition. I had an 02 coupe. When I had the coupe, I did some research on here and many seemed to think a great, streetable suspension mod for the stock coupe would be C6 Z06 shocks with C6 Z51 sway bars and metal end links. I was gonna do that but came across my Z06 (7500 original miles, has 10K now a year later) so I sold the coupe and bought this current car.
So this place has more experts than any place I know so I will come to you guys with some questions. I am a guy that struggles to leave well enough alone. Ive been told that the LeMans Z06 has some more suspension tuning done to it over previous Z06's and that combined with the Carbon Fiber hood (allegedly making it the only perfect 50/50 weight dist Corvette ever built). So:
Is that true? Does it have anything different in the suspension over other C5 Z06's?
Do the Z06's have metal end links on the sway bars?
Would the C6 Z06 shocks and C6 Z51 Sway bars with after market metal end links be an upgrade for a C5 Z06 or would it be kinda 6 of 1, half a dozen of the other sort of thing?
Is it true that the valve springs on the 04 LS6 are fixed? I know there were probs with the 02 and 03. Should I worry about this?
What do you guys think about short tube headers with those short cats to keep in legal in CA along with a CAI and a tune?
Thoughts and opinions are appreciated. Thanks all
Coach P
This is the coupe with the Z06 while I had the 2. Had to sell the coupe but needed this pic first, lol. Would have never thought I would have 2 beautiful Vettes at the same time!
1. I believe all 2004 ZO6s have the same suspension. It was refined in 2004 for the Nurburgring.
2. Your car has metal endlinks.
3. Personally, I've replaced my shocks with C6Z because my car has almost 95K miles. Don't see the need for bars currently, I did replace the bushings with poly ones though.
4. The failure rates for 04 LS6 springs is very low. Not unheard of, but they were revised in late 2003 so they're not the more infamous failure prone springs.
5. I don't live in CA, but personally I'd do the Corsa X-pipe with your choice of Corsa exhaust and call it a day.
1. I believe all 2004 ZO6s have the same suspension. It was refined in 2004 for the Nurburgring.
2. Your car has metal endlinks.
3. Personally, I've replaced my shocks with C6Z because my car has almost 95K miles. Don't see the need for bars currently, I did replace the bushings with poly ones though.
4. The failure rates for 04 LS6 springs is very low. Not unheard of, but they were revised in late 2003 so they're not the more infamous failure prone springs.
5. I don't live in CA, but personally I'd do the Corsa X-pipe with your choice of Corsa exhaust and call it a day.
So you wouldn't do headers? Manifolds but change the exhaust from there?
The 04 z06 shocks are pretty much the best ones you can get for a c5 using the stock z06 spring rates. C6 z51 sway bars with polyurethane bushings are a good upgrade. I have this exact setup on my FRC. The handling is unreal and very well balanced.
Bilstein sports are a close second to the 04z shocks. People get the c6z shocks because they are cheap and good for the price, but would be a downgrade from the 04 z06 shocks.
AFAIK the coupe and vert had 51/49, the FRC/Z had 53/47 (the coupe and vert being heavier, I'm guessing apart from the glass and hood of the CE, the bigger reduced glass weight and Ti exhaust are both out back, and probably account for the majority).
The 10# reduced weight on the CE hood would unlikely calculate to a percentage point.
The 04 shocks were better, but aside from the 10# hood loss, the 04Z and CE had identical everything mechanical.
The valve spring failure rate on the 01 and 04 was very low, the 02 and 03 were the main problem years. I bought the gamut for my 04Z years ago... dusty box of goods.
Seeing your pic really confirms my preference for the FRC/Z body.
CAI, sure. Shorty headers... I wouldn't bother.
AFAIK the coupe and vert had 51/49, the FRC/Z had 53/47 (the coupe and vert being heavier, I'm guessing apart from the glass and hood of the CE, the bigger reduced glass weight and Ti exhaust are both out back, and probably account for the majority).
The 10# reduced weight on the CE hood would unlikely calculate to a percentage point.
The 04 shocks were better, but aside from the 10# hood loss, the 04Z and CE had identical everything mechanical.
The valve spring failure rate on the 01 and 04 was very low, the 02 and 03 were the main problem years. I bought the gamut for my 04Z years ago... dusty box of goods.
Seeing your pic really confirms my preference for the FRC/Z body.
CAI, sure. Shorty headers... I wouldn't bother.
Your right, That FRC Body is just sexy and so unique. And your right, I forgot about lighter the glass. When I got mine, I asked someone "what's with the antenna in the back? My couple didn't have an antenna?" and apparently, the reason is, they couldn't put the antenna in the thinner glass. Anyway, Thanks
04 Z06 Suspension
