I traded an '02 for an AE '03 today. I didn't pick it up in test dirve, but on the way home i quickly realized the ride on this thing is WAY too rough. I mean like no suspension rough. A slight dip will send you into orbit. The selector is on tour - I tried both ways. Something is wrong. Anybody seen this or have thoughts? I'll have to take it 60 miles back to dealer tomorrow. Hope he hasn't sold my '02!

thx

 

I seem to remember having read (I don't have an '03) that if they don't take the spacers out of the shocks or something to that effect that the ride really suffers.

Good luck on getting it fixed quickly so you can start enjoying it!

:steering:

 

:iagree:

 

:withstupid: as well already had 2 from another dealer forget to remove the shipping shock stoppers during prep...so you'll only get like an inch or so of travel... look on the inside of the shocks...see if there is a plastic strap hanging between the boot and the shock body.. is so .. there's your problemo!

 

The others are right. I have a friend that picked up a 2003 a couple of weeks ago....same thing. The spacers were not removed. Once they were, the car rode properly. Take it back to have the spacers removed and tell him you want some free oil changes for going through this.
Ed

 

Found this when surfing - cut from GM Techlink June 2002.
Maybe time for a reprint.
/Nimo


For 2003, Magnetic Selective Ride Control
will be available on the Chevrolet Corvette.
Briefly, when the vehicle is being driven,
various sensors pick up data which is
processed by a control module. Using pulsewidth
modulation, the control module varies
an electromagnetic field in each damper,
which affects the thickening of the magnetorheological
fluid, within a millisecond. A
similar Cadillac system was described in the
January 2002 TechLink.
When the ignition is turned off, the
dampers offer very little damping. So, the
cars are shipped from the factory with the
suspension snugged down until the jounce
bumper contacts a temporary plastic stuffer
in each damper.
TIP: The stuffers must be removed during
new vehicle prep. Failure to do so will result
in customer dissatisfaction with the vehicle’s
ride quality.
To remove the stuffers, lift the vehicle,
allowing the wheels to hang free. This will
extend the dampers.
At the front, steer the wheel in the
direction away from the side you’re working
on. Reach up from below, behind the tire.
At the rear, reach up from below, behind
the tire.
At each wheel, compress the rubber dust
boot. Pull the yellow tab to remove the
stuffer, then discard.
TIP: After removing the stuffer, be sure to
pull the dust boot down to cover the upper
end of the damper tube, to avoid damage.
TIP: The stuffers should not be reinserted
for temporary transport, such as on a flatbed
hauler. The stuffer is effective only if the
suspension can be snugged down enough
for the jounce bumper to contact the stuffer.
This is generally not possible on a flatbed
hauler.

 

Thanks a bunch for the guidance - yes, yellow tags are hanging from the boots - the stuffers are still in place. Pissed!

Carl

 

Don't feel too bad. This is a very common problem, unfortunately. The car really does ride very nicely with those removed.

 

So, after reading all these posts earlier today at work :rolleyes: , I came home, put on my "garage" clothes, and proceeded to remove each wheel, starting at the right front. Now, I don't know if they put the spacers at each corner, but I did find the rear ones still in place. They came out easily enough, I just pushed the dust cover up, slid the spacer down against the top of the damper and pushed it out - no need to take it to the dealer for that unless you're going there for something else. However, I am tempted to go to the dealer and place the darn things on the service counter and explain to them where they came from, and perhaps where they should put them..... :mad :mad :banghead: :banghead:
Heck of it is, I noticed the car rode pretty "firm" shall we say, but not having owned a C5 before, I figured it just had a firm suspension! :rolleyes:
Once again, the CF has provided me with invaluable information. I sure enjoy this place!!! :D

 

Good thing you looked!
- Should be a huge improvment.

I first noticed that something was wrong when the rear-suspension would bottom out and create a forward push.

Wonder how many still have the stuffers in?

Enjoy your new ride. :steering:
/Nimo

 

I would say there are quite a few still riding with them on out there, I took mine back to have them removed only to find out a week later that they only removed 2 of them. The dealership admitted not taking them out during prep but thought there were only 2....Sigh...

 

Which ones did they leave in? And what was your experience, while driving?

Thanks,
Nimo

 

On mine, only the rears were left in. The main thing I noticed was that when I hit an uneven expansion joint, or change in level on the road (like when they're paving and not finished) or a pothole I would get quite a jolt, as if the suspension wasn't absorbing the shock very well (duh, it wasn't, hello). Again, not having previous experience with a C5, I attributed this to the Corvette's "sporty" nature. Now, having driven around a bit with them out, there is a world of difference in the everyday ride - it is just more compliant overall.

 

Hi sorry to hear about your AE I had the same thing !! I had too remove
them also........when they where cleaning my AE on the dashbord was a
paper in "red" letters [ATTENTION: CORVETTE VEHICLE PREP TECHNICIAN]
remove 4 stuffers "did they NO.........George... :nopity

 

They left my rear ones in. After telling them there were four their comment was "boy, they must be way up in there". To see them you will probobly need to move the strut cover up to see the yellow strap to pull them out with.

The main symptom that lead me to look was the front shocks handling a small hole or bump in the road with ease and the rear would jar the car as it went over the same bump/hole.