Struts going bad??
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 987
Likes: 150
From: California
Struts going bad??
Hi, My 2012 Grand Sport 6MT has 15,000 miles on it. it will soon be 4 years old so that means I've been putting something like 4,000 miles per year. So it sits a fair amount in the garage though I know a lot of folks who drive their C6's even less.
I had it in to my local Chevy dealer today for an oil and filter change. They noted that the struts are "seeping" a little bit, not leaking yet but they suggested that might be on the horizon. And I DO have magnetic ride shocks on the car. I asked if that happens with C6's with fairly low mileage and they said yes. I got the impression that perhaps it's because the car isn't driven often that might be moving the struts toward an early demise. They didn't say that per se. It's just sort of the hint I think I got.
Then of course there was the price tag for replacing them... Ouch. About $2,800 just for parts. My my...
Can anyone share their experience with magnetic ride struts (life, what "seeping" means, etc) on a C6 Corvette???
thanks... bob
I had it in to my local Chevy dealer today for an oil and filter change. They noted that the struts are "seeping" a little bit, not leaking yet but they suggested that might be on the horizon. And I DO have magnetic ride shocks on the car. I asked if that happens with C6's with fairly low mileage and they said yes. I got the impression that perhaps it's because the car isn't driven often that might be moving the struts toward an early demise. They didn't say that per se. It's just sort of the hint I think I got.
Then of course there was the price tag for replacing them... Ouch. About $2,800 just for parts. My my...
Can anyone share their experience with magnetic ride struts (life, what "seeping" means, etc) on a C6 Corvette???
thanks... bob
Last edited by diitto; Feb 3, 2016 at 07:10 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 20,352
Likes: 568
From: Ventura County, Calif
Interesting. There have been several discussions about 2012 GS's with this issue.
Seeping/leaking may be a subjective call but basically the shocks should be dry. My '08 F55 shocks are dry.
Take a read through this discussion and the one I linked in my post:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...gs-normal.html
Good luck.
Edit: Oh, and please don't call them "struts". We get upset at that.
Seeping/leaking may be a subjective call but basically the shocks should be dry. My '08 F55 shocks are dry.
Take a read through this discussion and the one I linked in my post:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...gs-normal.html
Good luck.
Edit: Oh, and please don't call them "struts". We get upset at that.
Last edited by RicK T; Feb 3, 2016 at 06:47 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 30,183
Likes: 313
From: Lake Norman NC
First off...they are not "struts." They are shocks. And mag shocks leaking can be an expensive fix. I have changed out my friends mag shocks for Bilsteins, and it can be somewhat involved to get the car to recognize its not on Mag shocks. So it maybe worth it in the end to just replace with OEM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 987
Likes: 150
From: California
First off...they are not "struts." They are shocks. And mag shocks leaking can be an expensive fix. I have changed out my friends mag shocks for Bilsteins, and it can be somewhat involved to get the car to recognize its not on Mag shocks. So it maybe worth it in the end to just replace with OEM.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,502
Likes: 3,631
Easy way to see if the F55 shocks are leaking, or it just fluid from some where else on the shocks isntead.
Take a piece of paper tissue, dab the fluid off the shocks that supposed be be leaking out of the shocks, then see if you can pick the piece of tissue with fluid up with a magnet.
Take a piece of paper tissue, dab the fluid off the shocks that supposed be be leaking out of the shocks, then see if you can pick the piece of tissue with fluid up with a magnet.
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Pro
Joined: Jan 2016
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From: Lexington Ky
I'll need to check my code. I have not seen anything on the floor of the garage yet.
I have never been under mine. GM covers all my maintenance until the end of this year.
I don't know if they would even say anything if a shock was leaking if they had to fix it.
I have never been under mine. GM covers all my maintenance until the end of this year.
I don't know if they would even say anything if a shock was leaking if they had to fix it.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Bowling Green, Kentucky
If you are lucky, GM will replace them under the 3yr/36,000 mile initial warranty, but they refuse to replace them under any GM extended warranty.
Larry
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
There may be someone on here who knows, but I saw a post or thread some time ago where an owner said he searched and found some sources that were selling new F55s for quite a bit less than 800-1K each. I'd at least start w. the forum vendors and go from there if and when you need new "shocks." 