Stepping around corners, shocks or sway bar or ??
#1
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Stepping around corners, shocks or sway bar or ??
Stepping around corners, shocks or sway bar or ??
2003 50th coupe w/A4, mag shocks, C6 Z51 sway bars front and rear, 40k miles
I have owned just two C5s over the last few years a 1999 and now a 2003. Both were pretty closely optioned except for the mag shocks on the 03. Has a C6 Z51 rear sway bar.
The issue is that when the 03 is driven around even mild corners the rear feels like it is stepping around the corner......my 99 cornered much more smoothly.
I have checked the mag shocks for visible leaks and see no evidence of leaks.
I did check for shock stuffers as soon as I bought it and they were still n place and I removed them.
This was over two years ago and many miles driven since.
The mag shocks are functioning as I can tell a clear difference between the two available settings. I am using C6 Z51 sway bars front and rear.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Jim
2003 50th coupe w/A4, mag shocks, C6 Z51 sway bars front and rear, 40k miles
I have owned just two C5s over the last few years a 1999 and now a 2003. Both were pretty closely optioned except for the mag shocks on the 03. Has a C6 Z51 rear sway bar.
The issue is that when the 03 is driven around even mild corners the rear feels like it is stepping around the corner......my 99 cornered much more smoothly.
I have checked the mag shocks for visible leaks and see no evidence of leaks.
I did check for shock stuffers as soon as I bought it and they were still n place and I removed them.
This was over two years ago and many miles driven since.
The mag shocks are functioning as I can tell a clear difference between the two available settings. I am using C6 Z51 sway bars front and rear.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Jim
#2
Zen Vet Master Level VII
If money is no object get shocks and sway bars, but IMHO, just swap the shocks.
The Z51 has only 40k on allready stout sway bars. You shocks could use a refresh.
The Z51 has only 40k on allready stout sway bars. You shocks could use a refresh.
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jrprich (08-25-2018)
#3
Drifting
Alignment? depending how far out of spec can cause over or understeer, what you are describing is oversteer.
Maybe nothing, but not sure if steering position sensor has any bearing on normal cornering or just for active handling only, maybe check for codes.
Maybe nothing, but not sure if steering position sensor has any bearing on normal cornering or just for active handling only, maybe check for codes.
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jrprich (08-25-2018)
#4
Advanced
my '03 is doing the same thing, tires are losing contact with road on small bumps while cornering and the car jumps a little so at 84,000 miles I'm betting on shocks
so I'm trying to decide on the C6 Z06 shocks or the Bilsteins, mine is all stock
so I'm trying to decide on the C6 Z06 shocks or the Bilsteins, mine is all stock
Last edited by monteholic; 08-25-2018 at 07:44 PM.
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jrprich (08-25-2018)
#6
Racer
I had this issue on my 04, running gt2 coils and sways, turns out the clutches in my diff were shot at 50k. Rick rebuilt my diff and its now perfect. Id still check the obvious suspension and alignment stuff first, but I thought I had suspension issues and was really down on the car till it was figured out, this thing is like a train in corners now...
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jrprich (08-25-2018)
#7
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
I had this issue on my 04, running gt2 coils and sways, turns out the clutches in my diff were shot at 50k. Rick rebuilt my diff and its now perfect. Id still check the obvious suspension and alignment stuff first, but I thought I had suspension issues and was really down on the car till it was figured out, this thing is like a train in corners now...
How did you discover it was your Diff that was the issue?
Jim
#8
Racer
Honestly, for fear of sounding like a bad car guy, not till after the diff was rebuilt, it was a surprising "side effect" after I broke the diff in and gave her hell. I was floored and felt like an idiot for a minute. I was considering switching coils and have been messing with rebound settings like crazy, and even though maybe the tires were the cause, but I run re-71rs, can't get much better street tire...go do some tight figure 8s in a parking lot, if it is not smooth and is jerky, you may have something going on.
Last edited by Joepro95; 08-25-2018 at 11:38 PM.
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jrprich (08-25-2018)
#9
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Honestly, for fear of sounding like a bad car guy, not till after the diff was rebuilt, it was a surprising "side effect" after I broke the diff in a gave her hell. I was floored an felt like an idiot for a minute. I was considering switching coils and been messing with rebound settings like crazy, and even though maybe the tires were the cause, but I run re-71rs, can't get much better street tire...go do some tight figure 8s in a parking lot, if it is not smooth and jerky, you may have something going on.
Will do some 8s and see what turns out. Sure hope I don't have a messed up diff Sounds like an expensive job.
#10
Racer
Performance cars are not cheap, unfortunately...if you have ANY drivetrain questions reach out to Rick at RKT performance, he is the master of these drivetrains, my car feels brand new after his diff and trans rebuild.
#11
Team Owner
Mine did that until I removed the run flats. Not sure what you are running for tires, but if you still have run flats I might look to them first.
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jrprich (08-26-2018)
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jrprich (08-30-2018)
#14
Drifting
What tire pressure are you running?
One last question - what is the ride height? How do I know if it has been lowered? The specifications and where to measure are in the GM shop manual. If its stock then disregard the following.
On a lowered car, the rear shocks run out of compression travel fairly quickly and the car will step out if it encounters a bump or dip mid corner because the shocks "bottom out". The only fix it is to raise the ride height (or on non F45/F55 selective ride suspension cars) run a shorter rear shock like the Bilstein B8 models.
One last question - what is the ride height? How do I know if it has been lowered? The specifications and where to measure are in the GM shop manual. If its stock then disregard the following.
On a lowered car, the rear shocks run out of compression travel fairly quickly and the car will step out if it encounters a bump or dip mid corner because the shocks "bottom out". The only fix it is to raise the ride height (or on non F45/F55 selective ride suspension cars) run a shorter rear shock like the Bilstein B8 models.
Last edited by JHrinsin; 08-30-2018 at 10:56 AM.
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jrprich (08-30-2018)
#15
Drifting
Pictures are, stock ride height, 1" drop, 2" drop, fronts only, I did not shoot any pictures of the rear, the bump stop is 1-1/8" thick, gives you an idea how much shock travel you lose on a drop.
Last edited by 6speedsteve; 08-30-2018 at 11:54 AM.
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jrprich (08-30-2018)
#17
Instructor
My 2001 was “stepping out” on Rt hand curve and turns. The rear right tie rod end had play. After replacement and alignment It was like a new car.
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jrprich (08-30-2018)
#19
Be sure your shocks are actually getting their full travel. My car started getting very twitchy around corners, and it turned out that my driver's rear shock had semi-seized up. It would only travel about 1.5" and then stop hard.
Oh and here's the thread I made about it
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...seized-up.html
Oh and here's the thread I made about it
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...seized-up.html
Last edited by wcsinx; 08-31-2018 at 12:23 AM.
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jrprich (08-31-2018)
#20
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Be sure your shocks are actually getting their full travel. My car started getting very twitchy around corners, and it turned out that my driver's rear shock had semi-seized up. It would only travel about 1.5" and then stop hard.
Oh and here's the thread I made about it
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...seized-up.html
Oh and here's the thread I made about it
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...seized-up.html
Thanks,
Will look into this as well.