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[Z06] DRM shocks backordered, should I try Johnny O'Connell instead?
C6 Corvette ZR1 & Z06General info about GM’s Corvette Supercar, LS9 Corvette Technical Info, Performance Upgrades, Suspension Setup for Street or Track
DRM lists the shocks as backordered and I left messages for them but no response. Could be due to the fact that they are in NC with the storm. Just wondering if anyone else has been through the backorder process with DRM as previous threads on those shocks show multiple times that they are backordered as I believe DRM waits till they have enough interested parties before building them. If the wait is going to be a long time I was thinking about just going with Johnny O'Connell shocks or even considered coils but then I would have to upgrade the swaybars for the coils.
I also wanted to get the DRM's. I e-mailed and called but never got a response. Sorry, I don't care how good they are, if the seller can't give me the time of day then they don't need my money. So I went ahead and bought the JOC shocks...only to be contacted by AFE and told they were on back order for 2-3 months. Nevertheless, now I went with the standard Bilstein shocks. They are a tad shorter which works well since my car is lowered on bolts.
Also, shocks will NEVER lower your car on there own. It is impossible. A shock is a valve or orifice that allows oil to flow through which slows down or dampens the travel. So, for example, if the oil was twice as thick, or the orifice half the size, it would change the rate of travel, but it would all eventually settle at the height where the spring is at equilibrium with the vehicle weight.
Last edited by k.miller959; 09-28-2018 at 04:46 PM.
Also, shocks will NEVER lower your car on there own. It is impossible. A shock is a valve or orifice that allows oil to flow through which slows down or dampens the travel.
Does that apply to Nitrogen charged shocks as well? If the OEMs are N2 charged at 200 PSI and the standard Bilsteins are charged to only 100 PSI (made up numbers), wouldn't the OEM shock provide more support for the springs than a lower pressured shock, kind of like air suspension supplements I know the oil passages part would not make a difference?
I am certain from the before/after measurements I took with the tires/suspension settled, that my car was 1/4" or a little bit more lower than with the OEM shocks. It is conceivable that my garage floor is not absoluteley level, but I did get those measurements.
Does that apply to Nitrogen charged shocks as well? If the OEMs are N2 charged at 200 PSI and the standard Bilsteins are charged to only 100 PSI (made up numbers), wouldn't the OEM shock provide more support for the springs than a lower pressured shock, kind of like air suspension supplements I know the oil passages part would not make a difference?
I am certain from the before/after measurements I took with the tires/suspension settled, that my car was 1/4" or a little bit more lower than with the OEM shocks. It is conceivable that my garage floor is not absoluteley level, but I did get those measurements.
I should have stated that no "standard" shock like what comes on the Vette should change the ride height. Of course, if you have an air shock or a shock that uses air as a replacement for the spring then it would/could change the height. However, from my understanding, the nitrogen charge in a shock does 2 things: 1: it minimizes aeration of the oil in the shock, 2: it allows a higher resistance to the rate of fluid flow. It should not change the ride height, but it will have an effect on fluid flow and thus the dampening. I will say that on my desert race car with coilovers, ride height is not changed by the nitrogen charge.
As you can see from this picture, the gas chamber is separate. Since a fluid cannot be compressed, really the purpose of the gas is to keep the fluid under pressure. The piston will move through the fluid with the bleed holes and the spring disc stack affecting the dampening.
FYI, I am totally up for someone smarter than me to change my mind lol. But this is the understanding I have had over the years.
I'm of the same mindset as you K.Miller, that the shocks should have absolutely no bearing on ride height. That's been my experience on multiple vehicles for years. But with my own two eyes and hands, I measured before and after (allowing a few weeks for car to completely settle in)...my front and rear ride height was exactly 1/8" lower. My only rationale for this was that since my car was low mileage (8,000) at the time of install, the new DRM's allowed for more suspension/spring articulation than the very stiff OEM shocks did, which then allowed the springs to actually "break in" or get settled further. I feel my springs would've eventually done this with the OEM's....just not until the OE shocks began to wear out a bit. Aside from that, I don't understand why I witnessed what I did.
Last week, I was able to reach Randy at DRM and got on the waiting list. He said they are about 10 weeks out.
Lucky you! I have been calling Randy at the number given for him for several days with no answer. But I digress. I have been using DRM Bilstein shocks on my 2008 Z06 almost since new, as it did not take me long to determine that the OEM shocks were not acceptable. Here I am, almost 10 years later and the upper bump stops, part number B36-5556A-10, fell out of my shocks! When I bought the shocks, my understanding was that Bilstein had manufactured these shocks to the damping curves provided by DRM. Further, these shocks were drop-shipped by Bilstein directly to the CF member. Since Bilstein advertises their shocks have a limited lifetime guarantee, I contacted Bilstein for my new bumpers.
Bilstein replies and says that I have no limited lifetime warranty with them as these shocks were shipped from Bilstein to DRM, modified by DRM, and them shipped to me. I guess you can see my dilemma. Bilstein will not provide the parts and Randy Rippie will not answer his phone.
By the way, I consider the DRM shocks on my Z06 as the best modification I have made to the car. The OEM shocks were so poor, that I cannot believe they were ever tested at the Nurburgring. All I want is to be able to replace the upper bump stops so I do not damage the shock absorbers at the track. Is this too much to ask?
Take the shock off the car, the resting ride height will be unaffected.
A good read, think I'll give the B8's a whirl - Bilstein sure knows how to make a shock.
I tried calling last week as well as email.
I’ll try again in a few weeks but if there’s no firm delivery before April, I’ll just get the regular Bilsteins
Why wouldnt people just wait? I dont understand...
If you have a track event in April or May and don't know if you can get the DRM shocks, why would you run a road course with the OEM shocks that are unstable when you could run the generic Bilsteins and avoid that issue? I'd prefer the better DRM-spec Bilsteins, but didn't want to put up with the OEM rear shock issue on my 09Z.
I tried calling last week as well as email.
I’ll try again in a few weeks but if there’s no firm delivery before April, I’ll just get the regular Bilsteins
I inquired a long time ago and never heard back or followed up. A 15% off ebay coupon pop'd up and decided to pull the trigger on the B8s. Haven't installed yet but am sure I'll like and will be an improvement over oem. I imagine the DRMs are better for performance, but wonder (hope?) if maybe the B8s are some sort of improvement over the original sports, hence the name change? Searched (haven't called Bilstein...yet) and never found any info either way.
It’s looking like the DRM’s were a great shock that unfortunately are not going to be made again in the near future. The last time I talked to Randy (couple of weeks ago) he said it was on Bilstein and not on DRM in regards to the wait but would not exactly specify the reason Bilstein was the hold up. I’m guessing either Bilstein wants more money or their required order volume has changed and Randy worries about not being able to recoup the initial large order buy. I also have been leaning towards getting the standard Bilstein but I autoX and plan to do HPDE and from what I’ve heard the standard B8’s are a bit softer than the OEM. Granted this may help with the back end dancing around but I feel that the rear end of our Z’s already feels just a bit too soft when compared to the front. I wish there was another great shock built specifically for our car :-(
It’s looking like the DRM’s were a great shock that unfortunately are not going to be made again in the near future. The last time I talked to Randy (couple of weeks ago) he said it was on Bilstein and not on DRM in regards to the wait but would not exactly specify the reason Bilstein was the hold up. I’m guessing either Bilstein wants more money or their required order volume has changed and Randy worries about not being able to recoup the initial large order buy. I also have been leaning towards getting the standard Bilstein but I autoX and plan to do HPDE and from what I’ve heard the standard B8’s are a bit softer than the OEM. Granted this may help with the back end dancing around but I feel that the rear end of our Z’s already feels just a bit too soft when compared to the front. I wish there was another great shock built specifically for our car :-(
I can only speak to my '03 C5Z experience with the B8's ("sports" at the time); but they made the car ride smoother/softer on normal street/highway driving, which is when you want it to be softer/smoother. Having said that, when you get more aggressive and start driving the car closer to the limits, the car is definitely more compliant and the shocks would stiffen up when you needed them to be stiff. No more jittery rear end on hard cornering, no more feeling every crack or pebble in the road; but the car didn't exhibit any more body roll, and no more thudding or bottoming out over large dips, etc. I went with the DRM's on my C6Z simply because they were developed specifically for the the C6Z; but if they didn't exist, I'd have gone with the B8's without hesitation. I really don't think the B8's are a bad compromise versus the DRM's, and they are still a huge step up from the OE shocks. My '09 C6Z had the revised OEM shocks, which I think came into play some time in 2008 IIRC...and those still were a horrible shock IMO. Only other non-adjustable shock I would consider would be the Koni FSD's, but those are a step up in price compared to the B8's.
I can only speak to my '03 C5Z experience with the B8's ("sports" at the time); but they made the car ride smoother/softer on normal street/highway driving, which is when you want it to be softer/smoother. Having said that, when you get more aggressive and start driving the car closer to the limits, the car is definitely more compliant and the shocks would stiffen up when you needed them to be stiff. No more jittery rear end on hard cornering, no more feeling every crack or pebble in the road; but the car didn't exhibit any more body roll, and no more thudding or bottoming out over large dips, etc. I went with the DRM's on my C6Z simply because they were developed specifically for the the C6Z; but if they didn't exist, I'd have gone with the B8's without hesitation. I really don't think the B8's are a bad compromise versus the DRM's, and they are still a huge step up from the OE shocks. My '09 C6Z had the revised OEM shocks, which I think came into play some time in 2008 IIRC...and those still were a horrible shock IMO. Only other non-adjustable shock I would consider would be the Koni FSD's, but those are a step up in price compared to the B8's.
Was your C5 Z06 with the B8 sports and now your C6 Z06 DRM shocks, lowered? Thanks!
I just wish DRM would return calls/emails... or post here...not leaving potential customers chasing after them for so long.
Especially if its not gonna happen. I find that a bit maddening. Just keep people updated. Oh well...
Having vented that, has anyone actually tried the Koni FSDs? Or the adjustable Koni Sports? And how do you reach the adjusters in the rear after installed?
I just wish DRM would return calls/emails... or post here...not leaving potential customers chasing after them for so long.
Especially if its not gonna happen. I find that a bit maddening. Just keep people updated. Oh well...
Having vented that, has anyone actually tried the Koni FSDs? Or the adjustable Koni Sports? And how do you reach the adjusters in the rear after installed?
09-28-2018, 04:05 PM
