Good Morning, My car is a 2006 A6 with the F55 magnetic ride suspension. After taking it into the shop I was told all 4 shocks are leaking & need replacement. (car has 74k) While researching and from what I was told to replace them it's about 1k a piece

I don't need the option to select ride, Rather I'd just like to have a set that will provide good handling. What would are my options to convert to standard shocks and what shocks are recommended.

Thank you.

 

I would get a second opinion, It's highly unlikely that all your F55 shocks are bad at 74,000 miles.... You may be getting screwed...You can get F55 shocks for around $500.00 each at "Rock Auto" and put them on yourself, at $500.00 each to install the shocks your definitly getting screwed.....Find another mechanic...WW

 

I don't have F55, but if you replace with non mag shock, I understand you have to program out the function.

 

You can also use a shock simulator to make the computer think that a mag shock is there when there is a $75 Bilstein there instead. Also, a little sweating is normal for any shock...it's unlikely that all four are bad...one maybe, not all four. So my bet is that the shop is looking for a very profitable job at your expense. In the old days an unethical shop would squirt a bit of oil on one shock and show it to you to confirm the whole scam. I'm not saying that this is what is happening but a little sweating can look worse than it really is.

 

Have the shop wipe off the leaking fluid on a clean towel, and put a magnet to the towel. If the magnet does not stick to the towel fluid, then go tell them to go **** up a rope.

Hence the F55 shock fluid has metal partials in it, since the shock works off magnetic fields to change the viscosity of the fluid as it being driven through the piston. The higher the magnetic field in the piston, the slower the fluid will move through it.

Also to point out since the rod end of the piston is upwards, small amounts of fluid may get past the seal on the rod over time, but unless you just happening to be driving the car upside down, no way for the fluid to be gushing out instead. Plus, there is the plastic dust boot cover on the shock rod covering it, so it not like they can get to the rod to actually wipe enough fluid off the rod to show you, without removing the shocks in the first place.

Simply, the shocks may have some fluid on them, but bank that is not the actual shock fluid instead.

 

Bilstein sports and Z51 sway bars and you will not believe it's the same car BEST $500 you can ever spend on a NON Z51 car, with an A6 you can get a Chuck COW tune, tune out the shocks and the shifting will blow you away!

 

It would be really rare that all four are failing at the same time.
Do like Dano said and clean them up, also listen for any clanking/clunking sound when set on the different setting while moderate speeds over small road bumps, not speed bumps mind you. If you isolate any clanking or rattling sound that will be the one to replace. You will not have to replace all four or in pairs.

 

Thanks for the info

When I change it from touring to sport there is no difference, at least none that I can feel

 

Go find some train tracks!!!!!!

Hence it the high speed dampening and rebound that is really tightened up, and you may not notice the difference on leisure drives.

 

I went with Z51 sway and DRM Bilstein shocks. Love them. I also ended up replacing my front spring and going with the FE3/Z51 spring to go with the other upgrades.

 

OP if you interested in keeping the F55 system I can send you links to get the fronts for roughly $460 a piece and the rears for $300 & $360 (left and right rears are different shocks). Granted I assuming the 2006 cars use the same shocks as my 2013 car.

 

I have F55 shocks and at 148k miles mine are fine; dirty but no evidence of any leaking, I think the shop may be trying to drum up business; it's been done before.




I notice the difference right away in two ways; road noise and body roll. Try this:

1) Drive on an interstate that has concrete and listen to the thud sound when you drive over the joints; first use the "Sport" setting and after a couple of miles change to the "Touring" setting. There should be a change in sound as you pass over the joints from a very distinct thud to a softer thud.

2) At about 20 to 25 mph on a deserted road with a center line. With the mode in "Touring", turn the steering wheel left and right five or six times like drivers warming up their tires before a race; take notice of the amount of body roll, then the change to "Sport" and after waiting a few seconds, again turn the steering wheel left and right five or six times and compare the amount of body roll as compared to the "Touring" mode.

F55 shocks from a 2013 will not fit a 2006 since GM changed the type of connectors. I know this personally since I bought a set from a 2012 thinking they would fit my 2005. I checked with my dealer and the 2013 shocks only fit a 2012 and 2013.

 

It's SO unlikely that all four have gone bad.

 

Second time in a week that somebody's been told all 4 mag shocks were bad.
Also second time someone said Bilsteins were better. If Bilsteins were better, then logically Ferrari, ZR1, and Z07 all made a mistake.

 

Better is subjective...I have Bilsteins because I don't want a $2,000 shock absorber option where replacements are $500 each and must be bought from GM. I believe Bilsteins are the best aftermarket shock and provide a great deal of wheel control without just stiffening the suspension. GM has decided to put Bilsteins on the C7, which was a good idea. They have had Bilsteins as OEM on other GM vehicles in the past too. I had a Blazer that had Delco-Bilsteins from the factory and they were doing just fine at 175,000 miles.

 

That's unfortunate. Well I advise looking for the equivalent AC-Delco Part# for the shock that's leaking. For instance my front shock was leaking and the dealer told me the part number was #19302775 and cost $1,051.28. A little Internet searching reported the same part as roughly $700ish I then found the AC-Delco equivalent part# 580-10469 for about $470.

 

Hello USA, UK here...
Can someone help me with a part number for my F55 equipped 2005 C6 I need a front right shock and want to be sure I order the right one.
For what its worth - my view is to stick with the F55 OEM shock and not change to save some money that is a few months I would have forgotten I have spent. :-)
Thanks in advance

 

The front F55 shocks both have the same part number: 19302790

Cultrag parts has them for $723.47

http://www.cultragfactoryparts.com

 

Thank you soo much!

The magnetic ride cars suck. Simple. They only come with the little wimpy "pinkey BAR" out back and smaller front bar.

I have a way of "de programming" the car and totally disabling the electric shocks so you can install C6 ZO6 shocks and sway bars.

Replacing the electric ride stuff sucks because buying only 1 shock costs almost as much as all the parts to convert the whole car to ZO6 stuff.

Come on in and get converted. You will LOVE the new ride...and your TUNE!

Chuck CoW

 

So what did you do?
Kinda hoping you found an honest mechanic who wiped the road oil and grime from the shocks and said you were fine. Try to remember that the mag shocks (due to their electro-magnetism) will naturally attract and hold more crap on their exterior than old-school hydraulic shocks.

BTW, the change from touring to sport is just about the same subtle change as from D to S on the transmission. Unless you understand what happens and know how the change affects the car, you won't "feel" the difference.