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I have a c6 base convertible. I don’t intend to track it.. it’s more of a gt car for my wife and me to enjoy in retirement. I’ve had it for a year and it’s time to replace the shocks, sway bar links and tires. Any suggestions? Comfort takes priority over performance. This is my fifth corvette and now my fun car. I’m looking at Bilsteins but want the most compliant ride.
I have a c6 base convertible. I don’t intend to track it.. it’s more of a gt car for my wife and me to enjoy in retirement. I’ve had it for a year and it’s time to replace the shocks, sway bar links and tires. Any suggestions? Comfort takes priority over performance. This is my fifth corvette and now my fun car. I’m looking at Bilsteins but want the most compliant ride.
You want the Bilstien B6 shocks. Much better than OEM all the way around, including great ride for touring.
As for tires the first big question is do you want to stick with run flats?
Swaybar links probably OEM.
One other item you might consider is Z51 swaybars. They really should have come standard on all Corvettes. They will really improve the feel of the car on twisty mountain roads without sacrificing any ride harshness.
I've played around with a bunch of different suspension combinations. For touring my preferred setup is base suspension, Bilstein B6 shock and Z51 swaybars. I also prefer non run flats as the ride is just a lot better. That's how I would setup a C6 for touring, your mileage may vary....
I put bilstein B6(HD) shocks on my base model a couple years ago and really like them. The ride didn't get any harsher, but the car feels more planted. To me they're the shocks the car should have came with. I'm continually amazed by how comfortable the drive is compared to how well it handles. Of course my previous toy car was a 1985 Camaro Z28, so I made a pretty big jump
If your interested in new tires, I have a set never installed for sale on the for sale parts forum and tire date code was late in 2021. Let me know if your interested. 9137064711
I find ride quality to be highly overrated. My focus is more on handling.
This sign means get ready to have some Corvette fun.
That being said, I am amazed at the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. The ride quality is impressive. They are compliant like no other tires I have driven and have better control than the Super Sports they replaced.
I have a vert, M6, Z51 package and it had new run flats on it when I purchased it. It is a toy for me and my wife but when it comes time to replace suspension components I won’t be going for a smoother ride. I plan on going with the B8 shocks and poly bushings on end links. So it will tighten things up but give a better sports car feel. Not sure what I will do about tires but have quite a few years to ponder that but will likely go with run flats for piece of mind.
Thanks, Iceaxe! Your suggestions are very helpful. I will be going with Bilstein B6's as that seems to be the consensus. I'm looking for Z51 sway bars and will probably go with the OEM Z51 end links.
I will definitely NOT be buying run-flats. They ride like bricks. I've seen a lot of positive comments about Michelin Pilot Sports and will probably go with them as well.
I really appreciate your help. Be safe and have fun!
I'm looking for Z51 sway bars and will probably go with the OEM Z51 end links.
The end links for the base and Z51 swaybars are the same part. Although there is an old version and a new version. One has a Torq head and one has a wrench head, I can't remember which was old style and which was new style.
I'm looking at doing the same thing. Blilstien B6 shocks and Z51 sway bars, but I cannot find the Z51 sway bars anywhere. Everybody is out of stock or back ordered. Anyone know where to find them?
I found a rear Z51 (Fe3) sway bar at: https://www.gmpartsstore.com/. They don't have the front, the bushings or end links, as far as I could tell. When I looked for the front, they listed the FE3 bar as discontinued. Hope this helps.
The B6 Bilsteins are easy to find, as are the end links.
Tom, the car has 51K miles. The shocks may be okay (I haven't looked up close), but I want to improve the handling without sacrificing ride quality.
As for the tires, the run-flats are awful; hard riding and noisy. Several Corvette guys I know have Pilot sports and Bilsteins, and they pretty much agree that it improves the ride, not to mention the handling. But there is plenty of tread left on the tires, so they may be a next-year project.
Also, I have to replace my broken HUD, if I can find someone local to do it. That will be expensive. I don't trust myself to disassemble the whole dash.
I found a rear Z51 (Fe3) sway bar at: https://www.gmpartsstore.com/. They don't have the front, the bushings or end links, as far as I could tell. When I looked for the front, they listed the FE3 bar as discontinued. Hope this helps.
The B6 Bilsteins are easy to find, as are the end links.
I already have the B6s ordered. The rear Z51 is what I'm looking for. Apparently, the front sway bar is the same as the Z06 sway bar. The only difference between the two sets is the rear Z06 is designed for wider tires than the Z51s.
I cannot find the Z51 sway bars anywhere. Everybody is out of stock or back ordered. Anyone know where to find them?
I believe Hotchkis and Steinjager both sell a Z51 comparable swaybar set for under $300. I know several members of this forum went with Steinjager when the OEM swaybars became hard to find, maybe one of them will chime in.
You don't want to run the Z06 rear bar on a narrow body C6 as it can lead to oversteer when nearing the cars limits, which is unwelcome. Or at least that's my experience/opinion. YMMV
Suspension question.
My focus is more on handling.
