2008 soft ride suspension question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 433
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From: Aspenden Hertfordshire U.K.
2008 soft ride suspension question
Hi All
Still driving my 2008 convertible in the UK but as I am getting older I am finding the ride a bit to harsh on the UK roads especially with state of potholes at the moment.
The Vette is currently running the Z51 package with HD FE3 springs and HD sway bars, but I now want to change it to soft ride suspension which is becoming a little confusing as spring rating specifications seem a little confusing. The front is fine simply switch to softer FE1 spring but the rear spring the FE1 is listed as harder than the FE3 if that is correct should I just change the front ? as it seems pointless changing the rear if the current FE3 is actually softer than the FE1.
Any help greatly appreciated as always
Mike.
Still driving my 2008 convertible in the UK but as I am getting older I am finding the ride a bit to harsh on the UK roads especially with state of potholes at the moment.
The Vette is currently running the Z51 package with HD FE3 springs and HD sway bars, but I now want to change it to soft ride suspension which is becoming a little confusing as spring rating specifications seem a little confusing. The front is fine simply switch to softer FE1 spring but the rear spring the FE1 is listed as harder than the FE3 if that is correct should I just change the front ? as it seems pointless changing the rear if the current FE3 is actually softer than the FE1.
Any help greatly appreciated as always
Mike.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,502
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FE1 trans springs have two different tensions, with the ones for the auto's stiffer than the ones for the manual trans,
As for softer shocks,and softer springs, is not going to make the night/day difference that you want, just makes the car handle worse instead.
The short version, the Vet suspension geometry was never designed to make the car a soft riding car in the first place,and is always going to ride like a Kart to some degree. Granted that the Z06 suspension can be a back-breaker on rough roads, but the same can be said for a base with MRC shocks set on touring mode (as soft as a ride that your going to get in a C6) for the same stretch of road as well.
Simply, if your looking for handling and plush at the same time in a HP sports car, may be time to just get a Austin Martin DB instead.
As for softer shocks,and softer springs, is not going to make the night/day difference that you want, just makes the car handle worse instead.
The short version, the Vet suspension geometry was never designed to make the car a soft riding car in the first place,and is always going to ride like a Kart to some degree. Granted that the Z06 suspension can be a back-breaker on rough roads, but the same can be said for a base with MRC shocks set on touring mode (as soft as a ride that your going to get in a C6) for the same stretch of road as well.
Simply, if your looking for handling and plush at the same time in a HP sports car, may be time to just get a Austin Martin DB instead.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 433
Likes: 0
From: Aspenden Hertfordshire U.K.
Thanks for your thoughts, but Aston Martin too rich for me and spend more time on the shop than on the road.
I just want to install soft ride suspension to make it better for touring on the UK roads but confused over which springs to use, won't be changing sway bars or shocks. Front and rear springs are FE3 so looking for a FE1 front but the rear FE3 is softer than a FE1 so thinking of leaving that?
Vehicle is a 2008 LS3 Auto Convertible currently with Z51 package
I just want to install soft ride suspension to make it better for touring on the UK roads but confused over which springs to use, won't be changing sway bars or shocks. Front and rear springs are FE3 so looking for a FE1 front but the rear FE3 is softer than a FE1 so thinking of leaving that?
Vehicle is a 2008 LS3 Auto Convertible currently with Z51 package
Last edited by autocolor; Aug 4, 2023 at 03:17 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,502
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Very, and I mean Very slightly difference in comfort of ride between the fixed Base and Z51 set up. The oem softer option over the base fixed shocks, was the F55 option of the MRC shock with them set to Tour mode, and between say a base fixed shock and F55 with shocks set to Tour, you have to jar the car hard enough (driver over rail road tracks) to tell the difference.
I guess you could find some shocks that are even softer then this in dampening, but then you start to run into the car just bottoming out all over the place.
So again, geometry of the suspension, and will always ride like its a kart.
I guess you could find some shocks that are even softer then this in dampening, but then you start to run into the car just bottoming out all over the place.
So again, geometry of the suspension, and will always ride like its a kart.
