Save your money until you can afford to get coilovers. I would saved a ton of money if I would have taken my own advice.

 

Give that man a Gold Star.
He sells the product at a reasonable price and doesn't make outlandish claims about his pricing.

 

I know, right?

 

I agree that its not the best, but the stock z shocks are very good compared to the base shocks.

for a the price I paid, $40 for all 4 stock z shocks and $80 for both z51 sway bars, I can not complain. This was the best mod for the price I ever did to my base c6.

Someday, I hope to upgrade to a full coilover system, but in the mean time this will hold me over.

 

That's what we would recommend as well! Our Johnny O'Connell line of shocks are going to be a step up in performance without a significant decrease in comfort compared to C6Z shocks. The car will feel a bit firmer over small bumps and cracks in the road surface, but will actually ride smoother over big hits like expansion joints on the highway which would normally be pretty jarring.

We really love the JOC package for daily drivers and occasional track day cars!

 

THIS IS THE ONLY ANSWER.

Slight performance improvement while maintaining FE1 ride means all of these are out:

Z06 shocks
Z51 shocks
Bilstein sports
Bilstein DRM
JOC
Coilovers...Because of price, these can actually ride nice.

Mind you all of the above can be great shocks, especially the DRMs and JOCs, but more for performace minded driving. If you were more interested in chassis control over ride, I would go with these. Because ride is a concern, I would go with Anthony's suggestions, especially the FSDs...I think you will like those.

Oh yeah, my car is an FE1 so I can relate.

 

I'll throw this out there because alot of people are under the impression that OEM stuff is not quality..
Who do you think makes the shocks for Corvette,Z06, and ZR1's...?
They are a purchased part by GM, but from where? Do you know?..

I dare to say Bilstein.. Prove me wrong.

 

Sachs, Delphi, but I don't think people are saying the quality isn't there, they are just saying that they are not the proper shock for the job.

I've also seen corvette shocks that have Made In USA stickers ..... does Bilstein have a US plant?

And, I've never seen a Bilstein branded shock come in anything but yellow with stripes

 

SPECIFICATIONS. many things are made by a few companies. they are not all the same just because the sign over the plant entrance is BILSTEIN, SACHS or anything else. each co. specifies what to build for them. sometimes it involves cost to produce, materials, longevity, design, paint, etc. usually, it's about use and price.

 

I have run the Bilstein shocks on another car and remember them as being stiff.

I am a happy owner of the FSD's on the non Z51 coupe. The OEM shocks were terrible. The FSD's provide superior ride and yet absorb the bumps well. No more bounce that was present with the OEM junk, yet not has harsh as Z51 set up.

 

For the C6s, the non-F55 shocks are supplied by Sachs, to valving developed by the GM engineer (on the Z06/FE4, originally Mike Neal, then Jim Mero - I believe the same for FE1 and FE3, but not 100% sure). I believe that Delphi is the supplier for the F55. Not sure on how the valving was developed/signed-off for F55. I knew one of the guys who did a lot of early development on the real time damping shocks when he was at Delphi, but he moved on from Delphi many years ago.

 

Bilstein has a plant in Hamilton, Ohio. I believe that's the plant that built the DRM custom valved shocks.

 

Ah-so, thx

 

I guess I stirred the pot, but worth the interesting feedback. I had a Camaro with orange bilsteins on it. It was an 02'.

 

As the gentlemen above me have already mentioned, the factory dampers are manufactured by Sachs. Our Johnny O'Connell shocks are manufactured at the same plant by Sachs, but to our own valving and quality control specifications. The components themselves are certainly high quality, but the valving that they're being built too can definitely use some work. The success we've seen with the Johnny O'Connell Stage 1 package is a direct reflection of that.

 

I'm curious if anyone has done pricing differentials on the units listed just for the sake of knowing. With all the info this thread has to offer, I am now curious as to the cost of quality in terms of levels of performance/satisfaction..

 

The value proposition of performance/satisfaction is highly personal. Some folks think that $1k is way too much to spend for shocks, and I have friends that spend $3k up for a set.

All I can say is that, on my '09 Z06, from the factory, there were a few characteristics that I really didn't like. An unsettled, constant body motion, particularly on corners with undulations, really bothered me. As a secondary issue, I also didn't care for the impact harshness on frost heaves and the like. Going to DRM Bilsteins resolved both issues and I think are a great shock for the street.

But I also seriously autocross my cars. Thus, single adjustable Penskes for autocross duty. I'm too cheap to spend the bigger bucks for double adjustables/remote reservoir, although I know that it limits my results at the upper levels of the sport. Bought the SA Penskes second hand and they're a great improvement over the DRMs for autocross and track. However, with the valving that were on them (custom valved by the previous owner), I didn't like them at all on the street. Too much compression and, on the street, the car felt skittish. I should also add . . . even if you have the super high end, multi-adjustable shocks, unless you're willing to spend the time to dial them in, it's a waste, IMO.

I guess, long winded answer, it's up to you as to what performance you're seeking and what you're willing to spend. Having had, for other cars, multiple sets of Konis and Bilsteins, they're both well-built, long lasting shocks. Although I don't have personal experience, I'm sure that the JOC/Pfadt shocks are similar in durability as Sachs can build a really good shock, given the right allowable cost. Best alternative, if you're a member of a club or have a good network, is to try and ride different shocks. Be mindful of what areas of improvement you're looking for and concentrate on those characteristics when riding other shocks.

Or you can buy used and if you don't like them, you can probably sell them for little or no loss.

 

Not trying to hijack this tread but get further details/infomation/enlightenment on this subject. I'm looking at the Bilsteins for my 06 Z51. At 60K she is ready for new schocks. Would I be better with the HDs or the Sport Bilsteins??

http://cart.bilsteinus.com/search/mm.../drivetype=RWD

 

If you were looking to significantly improve the handling of your Z51 without a major impact to ride quality you could also take a look at our Johnny O'Connell Stage 1 package! Even if you were just upgrading shocks our JO shocks would be a great fit for the daily driver/occasional tracked Corvette!

 

this is the setup I have on my Base 2005 vert.
BEST MOD i've done to the car yet (and I have power mods lol)

Stiff sway bars, stiff shocks on a budget. Cant go wrong with them. YES aftermarket offers a little better shock, but at the end of the day I paid $40 for 4 shocks off a z06.
Food for thought right there