Does anyone have any advice on the best shocks for an '02 C5? How about the coil over shocks? Do they eliminate the "bump steer" problem?

 

The best recommendation for non adjustable shocks ar Bilstein Sports. Nice ride and good performance.

If you go to coil-overs, then you are more serious about racing. As far as I know there are alot of companies offering adjustable ride height, but only one that I know of that has Adjustable ride height and adjustable shock valving. IMHO If you are going to go coil over, you would want the advantage to change the shock valving too! If you IM or email me, I can tell you the company in California that has the totally adjustable system. This month he has a special price going. I'm getting some for my C5 for sure.

Mark

 

As far as bump steer - Baer Brakes makes a bump steer kit for the front end of C5s. They sell for about $150. I do alignments on C5 and they don't bump steer too bad. Just make sure you get a good 4 wheel alignment every time you change ride height. By the way, the rear end bump steers on a C5 too. That is why I recommend a 4 wheel alignment.

 

C5STEIN,

Not meant as a flame, but just curious. I heard somewhere that if any alignment shop even offers just a front wheel alignment, you should turn tail and run. The program I saw said that a vehicle can not be properly aligned unless front and back are done. In your experience, is this true? Thanks in advance for your input...

 

Well, since you can't change anything on most FWD or solid axle RWD cars, how could you do a 4 wheel alignment? Most shops that claim to do 4 wheel alignments are just using the rear wheels for reference, just like we did decades ago (did I just say that? :bb ) when everything was referred to as a "front wheel alignment".

My C5 is the first car I've owned that actually could have changes made to the rear wheels.

Have a good one,
Mike

 

So, are the coil over shocks a good way to go? Do they get rid of bump steer?

 

Thenaked1
First off - I love the picture on the signature. There is nothing better than taking my C5 to the track!!!

In an answer to your question - "I heard somewhere that if any alignment shop even offers just a front wheel alignment, you should turn tail and run. The program I saw said that a vehicle can not be properly aligned unless front and back are done. In your experience, is this true?"
It depends on the car. Solid rear axle cars usually don't have any adjustment, so an alignment guy can measure the thrust angle, but can't do anything with it. In reference to your corvette, IMHO you should always do a 4 wheel alignment. All 4 corners are adjustable independently and nearly all of the vettes that I have checked have been off. The factory specs are too broad for my likeing. A C5 can have alignment within factory spec and still track like crap and wear out tires prematurely. I've been accused of going overboard as I usually set the corner weights of the C5 first, and then do a 4 wheel alignment. I guess it is the racer in me, but I think that it is the only way to really do the job correctly.

 

Ganson,
I believe that Coil overs are the way to go for tune-ability. Especially if they allow you to adjust ride height as well as shock valving.

Having said that, you need to understand that bumpsteer is not a function of the shocks so the specific answer is - no - coil overs will not get rid of bump steer.
As you probably know, bump steer is a toe change as a suspension moves through it range of travel. The C5s have little bump steer, like .25 degrees over 3 inches of suspension travel. By comparison a Datsun 240Z bump steers over 3 degrees over the same travel (& a Z has over 6" of travel). Now I'm not compairing a C5 to a Z, but you get my drift. In other words, I wouldn't sweat the bump steer if you get the car aligned after the ride height is set. If the BS (bump steer) is your concern, shoot me an email and I'll hook you up with a Baer bump steer kit, there about $130-150. They're a breeze to install.


[Modified by C5stein, 11:27 AM 10/31/2002]

 

C5stein, thanks for answering my question. Maybe I'm confused: I saw the coil over shocks in the Mid America catalog, and it says that they cure the bump steer problem on the C5. I am assuming - perhaps incorrectly - that bump steer is that wonderful sensation you feel as the front wheels break loose at 70 MPH as you hit a bump in a turn. Can you please screw my head on straight regarding this? :crazy:

 

Ganson - you are probably referring to understeer, when the front breaks loose (pushing) through a turn, bump or no bump.

Well, I've never tried to explain this without a visual aid but here goes...

"Bump" in the term "Bump Steer" refers to the suspension compressing (or extending) and the steer has to do with steering angle change. The easiest way to think of this is with respect to relative toe. Lets start off with the car at rest with front wheels aligned with zero toe. Because the pivot points of the steering rack and steering knuckle (at the spindle) are not parrallel with the lower control arm pivot points (inner mount and lower ball joint), as the suspension travels up (compresses) the steering rack assembly causes the front tires to toe out. Conversly, from rest, when the suspension droops (extends) and that suspension travels through it's arc the steering system traveling in a different arc causes the front tires to toe in. That toeing in and out IS bump steer. To eliminate bump steer, you need to get the steering system linkage to be parrallel to the control arms pivot arm.

OUCH - This is a gross over simplification, and I welcome some one else to join in on the explaination.

I've been setting up suspensions on race cars and street cars for over half of my life, but I'm better at talking with my hands (it is the latin in me) :lol: .

Let me know if you understand what I'm saying.

Ps. IMHO The MA Catalogue explaination is a bit misleading.

 

C5stein: again, thanks for your explanation; it makes sense to me. But what I'm referring to is when you hit a bump while going through a turn, and the front wheels break loose. It feels to me like when you hit the bump with one wheel, the shock is transmitted to the other front wheel, perhaps through the leaf spring(?). I was thinking that by removing that leaf spring and using the coil over shocks instead, the problem would go away. Maybe this isn't bump steer, but it's certainly a problem. I almost hit the side of a bridge wall on a mountain highway after hitting the seam where the pavement meets the concrete bridge deck. Do you think the coil over shocks would help with that?

 

Okay I think I know what you mean now. It isnt bump steer, but I have heard others make an argument that the leaf spring will transmeit energy absorbed by one side of the car to the other. I havent seen anything to prove or disprove this theory, so I will give you nothing more than my educated opinion. If the C5 springs were tied to the car like early corvettes and even 30s drop axle front suspensions then I would say absolutly, when you hit a bump with one wheel you will transmit energy to the other side of the car. These less complex suspensions mounted the spring in the middle and created a pivot point. The C5 spring mounts are over 1 foot apart and should greatly reduce and possibly eliminate transmission of this energy. That said I still feel that the coil over shock will improve the handling of your car, because my gut tells me that there is some transmission of energy from side to side. Plus you can tune in your ride height, corner weights and shock valving much easier.

What sway bar are you running. As this will transmit energy from one side to the other as well, and if your shocks are not up to the taskof controlling your total spring package (including the sway bar) then this energy will over come the shock.


[Modified by C5stein, 6:38 PM 11/1/2002]