I have a 2015 Z51 w/o mag ride. I got a really good deal on it and was wondering if there was anything I can do to make the ride softer. It's not bad the way it is but hoping I can make it better.

 

Drop your tire pressures so that when hot you have ~31 psi. And you'll get more even wear across the tread.

 

Keep it in tour mode and agree with lowering tire press. a bit.

 

Guess I will try that but was hoping maybe different shock setup would help.

 

Without mag ride what would that do?

 

You bought a Z51 so you probably don't want to give up much of its handling ability but a non-runflat tire with MORE sidewall would help. I expect there isn't room but if you could drop down one wheel size and then mount a tire with the same outside diameter as the original (and not a runflat) that will make a difference.

My daily driver is a 2014 Cadillac ATS that I ordered as a RWD with premium trim and that package comes with 18" wheels with low profile summer performance tires in a staggered setup with wider rear tires. For winter I bought a set of wheels/tires from a base trim level ATS and these are 17" regular profile (same rolling diameter as my 18" low profile) non-runflat tires. My ATS also has MSRC like my Z06 and the tires still make a huge difference in ride quality for it and are less likely to suffer pothole damage from those hidden winter potholes.

 

Well, you could always change the springs and shocks, but try first with a little air pressure first, a lot cheaper.

 

Tour mode has no effect on the suspension setting of a non-MSRC car. From Weather to Track, it's all the same suspension setting.

 

I found that switching from Factory PSS Z51 tires to Michelin A/S ZPs of the same size made a notable difference in ride, noise etc. with literally no handling difference perceived by me....30PSI Cold ....LK

 

FWIW, had a C6 Z51 and a C7 Z51 before recently getting a new Grand Sport, both without mag shocks. In our relatively smooth roads in Eastern SC felt the ride was a bit stiff but fine.

The Z51 comes with stiff springs, front and rear sway bars and 45 mm Bilstein shocks. For reference, the base car has softer springs, smaller front and no rear sway bar with 36 mm Bilstein shocks.

GM rates the ride softness as Base car softest, next Z51 with mag shocks set at Touring, followed by a Z51 without mag shocks, then Z51 with mag shocks set at Sport and the stiffest, Z51 with mag shocks set at Track. One poster said when set at Track you could feel if you're going over a dime!

I can validate the mag shocks set at Track modes very stiff ride with my Grand Sport! It has similar stiff springs and front and rear sway bars with the mag shocks. On the relatively smooth 2 mile twisty road from the highway to my house trveling at only ~35 mph it is very stiff. The road has no pot holes etc but some bumps due to tree roots etc. Set at Sport, IMO it is somewhat stiffer than my C7 Z51 with it's non mag shocks. Set at Touring, where I typically drive, it is slightly less stiff than my 2014 C7. However that is on relatively smooth, none washboard roads.

The suggestion of lower tire pressure, which will cause more tire wear and reduce handling performance, is a good one to get a softer ride. Then when you need new tires buy non run flats that have less stiff sidewalls/race car tire construction.

 

Yes, trade it on a Z51 WITH Magnetic Ride.

 

That's what I was thinking of doing. Will changing the shocks help without changing the springs or will I need to do both.

 

GM spends a lot of time matching shocks with springs and sway bars.

Guess you could swap all to the base car "stuff" but messing with just shocks will not dampen the stiff springs properly. If you're not looking for max performance, perhaps OK.

Perhaps just changing to smaller diameter, lower performance shocks you might be able get the car to ride like one with mag shocks set at Touring, but from my experience with a C7 Z51 without mag shocks and my new Grand Sport set at Touring it's NOT that much different on relatively good roads! What is much different is when set at Track the Grand Sport is much stiffer. Your car is not close from the comparisons I have made while my C7 Z51 ride that I had for 3 1/2 years, is still fresh in my mind and pants seat!

 

I feel your paint... or felt it, as I had a non-magride C6Z06, even stiffer!

What about tires? Wouldn't non-ZP tires have a softer sidewall and more compliant ride than the runflats that the car came with?

Maybe a Continental Extreme Contact DWS (not the super sport version) for example, I have those on my S8 and Range Rover, and while maybe not the hot ticket for the road course, they rode a lot softer than the hard rubber Z-rated stuff that came on them.

See also this thread: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...h-quieter.html