Bondojohn

Just out of curiosity and this is strictly hypothetical. What would it take to convert a grand sport to a base suspension Vehicle. I'm thinking new springs, new shocks, removal of one swaybar and replacement of the other and probably keep same wheels so as not to change ratios and speedometer. Now.... before someone says "Why in the world would anyone want to change the suspension on a Grand Sport and there aught of be a law against it"? The answer is... someone who prefers the GS design, lives in a urban area with bad streets and looking for a more comfortable ride than the GS provides. Now remember this is hypothetical ...But anyone have any idea what this would cost and even if the dealer would do it and would it void any warranties??? 🙂

Gearbox22

If Eco Mode is still too harsh for you, you might want to see if a DCS module would soften the Magride even more. I have to believe going to softer springs and shocks will require you to raise the car to avoid bottoming out and all of the handling and braking characteristics of the car will be changed. Might as well buy a Tahoe at that point. Just saying.

Foosh

There are only 3 MSRC settings, Tour, Sport and Track. Weather and Eco are the same as Tour mode.

However, yes, a $1200 DSC MSRC controller is capable of providing a much softer ride, if set-up that way, than the OEM MSRC controller, and it's a simple plug and play. In light of that, it would be nuts to do what OP was "hypothetically" thinking about.

The beauty of the DSC controller is that can be soft on crumbling pavement and track ready when you want it to be. I installed one on my car because I commute to and from DC on some of the worst streets you'll ever see. The difference was night and day between DSC and OEM MSRC controller.

OP should call DSC Sport, order the controller, ask them to program it with the "Tour Plush" settings, and leave Sport and Track with the recommended settings, and you're done for a fraction of the cost.

Bondojohn

I don't own a GS. Remember this is hypothetical. But no matter how plush any controller can be nothing can overcome completely...shocks,springs and stiff sway bars.

Foosh

You clearly don't have any clue how wrong you are in this case.

With regard to the programmable MSRC shocks, it can make a HUGE difference. Do you want to spend many more thousands re-engineering everything and very possibly screwing things up, or do you want a tried and true solution that makes an enormous difference? Tour plush is plush, too much so for some.

Moreover, you'd still have a GS capable of both soft ride and track-ready performance. The whole idea of MSRC shocks is that they can be either very soft or very stiff, but the factory controller isn't capable of the tuning the DSC controller allows.

Cliff8928

Is it even that huge of a difference? I probably drive in some of the same urban areas and have no complaints about my GS with the harshest (FE7) suspension.

Bondojohn

We previously discussed this at length and even if it did provide a soft ride, witch I doubt (my opinion) it would void the suspension warranty on the vihicle because it is a non factory add on. Now if you don't believe me call your local dealer because I have discussed this with them.

\Boost Monkey/

What's the deltas in the spring rates between the Base and the MSRC suspensions?


Also, what's the percentage increase in stiffness of the MSRC front bar to the base bar?

Patman

If this is all hypothetical, why are you discussing it with your dealer and posting it on here? Seems to me like it's not hypothetical at all but it's something you're seriously considering....

If it is something you are considering (or someone else) then I think that if you're not going to go with Foosh's suggestion (which seems like the easiest way to go) then the best way to do it and still have a warranty is to start out with a base model car and add the GS bodywork and wheels to it.

Racingswh

Stupid thread. Buy something else.

Bill Dearborn

Just what part of the suspension warranty do you think the DSC controller would void? If the controller fails you send it back to DSC, if a shock fails within the 3/36 B2B warranty you let the dealer worry about it and the same goes for sway bars, springs, sway bar and control arm bushings. If a shock fails all you have to do is reinstall the stock controller so the dealer can make sure the new shock works correctly with the controller. When you get home reinstall the DSC controller and the shock will work with it.

Bill

Dif

YES, it is a HUGE difference.
I have it in my C7with the Z51 option and the DSC Controller Tour Plush setting is like night and day compared to the OEM Tour setting.
And,,, the car handles even better with DSC Controller which is what the DSC was designed for in the first place.
All 3 driving modes Ride better and Handle better.
It's Plug n Play, but can be programed for individual needs, Auto X,Track, or the Drag strip.
I did some minor changes to my Tour Plush setting because it was actually too soft and bouncy.
Take if for what it's worth, but it's not Snake Oil

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ervations.html

mountainears

The DSC is nothing like flashing the ECU where the dealer could tell that it had been done. If you ever were to have a problem, unplug it, remove any visible evidence of it if you have to. If problem still exists, take it to the dealer and let them sort through it. There would be nothing for them to see / show that it was even ever there where they could warranty block you. And even if it was there, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act dictates that they would have to prove it caused the issue.

Flashing the ECU, different story altogether.

Based on what you're saying though, before I even considered going down the DSC I would try to get a ride in one to see if it achieves what you're looking for. I have to imagine that it would be WAAAY cheaper than swapping all those parts out.

And honestly, I'd probably take a different approach. Buy a Stingray and put a wide body kit on it. Then you're not touching the driveline in any way, even with "factory" parts. Might even be cheaper.

Dif

It's not about overcoming the springs and sway bars.
The shocks control the springs and sway bars.
Unlike static shocks that only do one thing, the Controller, Controls the MSRC Shocks and in turn control how the Springs and sway bars act.
The MSRC Shocks can be set to any softness or stiffness imaginable.
Without shocks, a car will bounce around regardless of the stiffness of the springs and sway bars.
The GS comes with MSRC shocks and the OEM controller setting of the shocks determines how stiff the car rides.
The car cannot have 3 different ride settings without MSRC.
The OEM Controller only scratches the surface with the OEM settings and also does not use all the Available sensors the car has.
Unlike the OEM Controller, the DSC controller uses all the Available sensors.
And the shocks can be programmed to a softness beyond what would even be usable.

But, to answer your question.
With the GS, you could remove and replace the springs and sway bars, and the MSRC shocks.
Replace the shocks with Base shocks and then replace "only" the Front sway bar, because the Base suspension does not come with a rear sway bar.
Then trick the Controller into not throwing codes when the MSRC shocks are disconnected and replaced with Base shocks.

The fact though, is you will still be able to get a softer ride, with even Better Handling, with all the OEM GS parts, by installing a DSC Controller

Bondojohn

I would have the same questions.

budgreen3564

Crossed Flags Fan

OP asks "theoretical" question and disputes advice offered by those who have DSC that it will soften ride. Huh - am I missing something?

DAFFYDRUNK

Dunno. Sounds to me like the DSC controller is full of win. Why tear the car apart?

\Boost Monkey/

My point is, I figured you didn't know the answers to my questions, thus what basis do you have for wanting to swap suspensions to a base setup when you know nothing about what you are switching to or from.

Further, what knowledge do you have that tells you mag ride dampers can't possibly be as soft of a ride as the base bilstein suspension?

Take Foosh's advice and get the DSC controller, or get a Lexus ES350.

Foosh

LMAO, you're worried about suspension warranty and you think changing out all the OEM suspension components to parts not specified by GM on the GS will keep your suspension warranty intact? Wow . . . There's no more warranty jeopardy associated with the DSC controller than there is changing to a different brand of tire or to a cat back exhaust system.

The DSC controller sends the same signals to the shocks in the same way that the OEM controller does. It just does it better using more data and a far more sophisticated algorithm. And, it just plugs in and unplugs about the same way your smart phone does.

I should have known better than to respond to this thread in the first place. You have zero experience with either the GS or the DSC controller, and you're arguing with people who have installed it and seen the difference first hand, who are telling you there is a huge difference. Wow, again.

If you did actually talk to someone at your local dealership about this, which I doubt, whomever you talked with doesn't know squat, and it sounds like the type of incorrect information one often gets from a salesperson or a service advisor, who generally knows nothing about the product. Alternatively, given the way you communicate, you probably implied it was some sort of ECU tune/reflash, which it is not.