Shocks XLR

[Jeff 08 Roadster]

I have replaced the shocks on my 2008 and had to replace one wiring harness. I looked everywhere for the harness forever and finally got one though thr forum.
The new shocks are as aweful as the originals and bumpy ride is not what I expected on new shocks. Do Bilstien shocks or other non magnetic shocks give a better ride? I am
so dissapointed. I know you need a part to fake out the ride control message. Thoughts please.

 

[luxuryrules]

You mind sharing what part numbers you used for your replacements? I'm curious if they're from performance package or something, which may have a harsher ride than expected?

 

[mickeytee]

Did you get new ac delco shocks? New shocks should provide a very good cadillac style ride. Hot harsh but also not sports car firm. There is most likely another issue in the system. What year car?

 

[Jeff 08 Roadster]

Shocks were after market as seen on the internet. Look for XLR shocks and you will see offerings

 

[Jeff 08 Roadster]

Did you get new ac delco shocks? New shocks should provide a very good cadillac style ride. Hot harsh but also not sports car firm. There is most likely another issue in the system. What year car?

 

[Jeff 08 Roadster]

Shocks were after market as seen on the internet. Look for XLR shocks and you will see offerings

 

[Jeff 08 Roadster]

2008 XLR. ride in my mind is very rough. So were the old ones. Maybe that's how they ride. In my mind, new shocks should give a better ride because that' what shocks are supposed to do. Trying to find out if anyone has had better ride with convential shocks?

 

[mickeytee]

The convetional non mag shocks give the car a very good ride. Ive replaced several and no one ever complained about the ride. I use the z06 upgrade . not the aftermarket ones but the ac delco. Ive also used the bilstein b6 . do not use b8 they are for cars with lowered springs. I replaced a set of b6 with z06 because the customer did not like the yellow shocks showing. He said he could not tell any difference in the ride between the two. Bothnof course where new shocks. I have not tried the 400 set of china shocks that you have. However ive read at least three or four people all claim that they performed fine and they liked them. I would assume that they would give a much better ride than a worn set of factory. Ifvanything i would think they would be softer ride than stock due to only one shock for both corvette and xlr. The xlr being heavier should ride softer

 

[lextoy]

i used the b8 bilsteins, its stiffer than stock, depends on your local roads, if you like it or not.
i think the b6 would have been too soft. maybe the zo6 is the best. i was setup with the b8 by a local corvette specialist shop. thats what they do all the vettes that arent setup for racing with.
i would have liked the luxury ride of the mag ride system, not sure zo6 will get you that either.
there is tons of info on c6 vettes regarding b6 b8 etc, and the suspension is nearly identical on our cars. bilsteins are an improvement over the worn out original mag ride shocks.

Bilstein B8 on C6 - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion

C6 Tech/Performance - Bilstein B8 on C6 - Hello, Bilstein B8 Plus states that they are for lowered cars, has anyone used them on the stock height C6? Is there any difference in performance between B6 and B8 shocks to justify the price difference? Thanks for any and all input.

www.corvetteforum.com

 

[mickeytee]

I would not recommend the b8. Glad they worked for you . bilstein says they are designed for lowered cars so unless you lower the suspension it puts the valving for the shocks in the wrong pLace for every day driving. they are really not that much firmer just valved to be firm in the center ride area as they are intended for track use where the surface is smooth. This is not what you want on a stock normal car that drives over bumps and potholes.They also are shorter overall so they can bottom out. The z06 stock ride is supposed to be almost identical to the xlr. The corvette guys that replace their mag shocks with z06 say they did not get any difference in ride or track time. So gm came out with the z06 upgrade that is a little stiiffer. thats ac delco Shocks not ebay upgrade listings that are nit upgrades. On the xlr being 3-400 pounds heavier it gives an almost identical ride as stock new mag shocks. Ive seen paper work on them and the mag shocks can adjust for conditions much faster and depending on the roads most likely would give a better ride. I certainly would not call the ride on my car with harsh or soft. I dont run run flats so that makes it a little softer but i also run lower profile tires which firms it up. It rides and handles like a luxury sports car. if you enjoy driving the car a little hard then do install a rear sway bar.

 

[luxuryrules]

I see some listings for the OEM shocks note “without jumper harness” for the rear shocks. What is this and does it matter?

 

[mickeytee]

You can use your old one.

 

[scott8060]

I have replaced the shocks on my 2008 and had to replace one wiring harness. I looked everywhere for the harness forever and finally got one though thr forum.
The new shocks are as aweful as the originals and bumpy ride is not what I expected on new shocks. Do Bilstien shocks or other non magnetic shocks give a better ride? I am
so dissapointed. I know you need a part to fake out the ride control message. Thoughts please.

Hey - theses are the exact coil overs now on my 2008 XRLV...they also sell the little inserts to fool the system and not throwing a suspension code. These are worth every penny. Along with Hodgskis swaybars...transformed the car.

aFe Control PFADT Series Featherlight Single Adjustable Street/Track Coilover System

aFe Control is proud to release the PFADT Series, Featherlight Adjustable Coilover System for the 1997-2013 C5/C6 Corvette. Designed as a complete solution the Featherlight Coilovers will allow you to remove the transverse leaf springs and OE shocks on your Corvette yielding a true independent...

afepower.com

HOTCHKIS SPORT SUSPENSION SYSTEMS, PARTS, AND COMPLETE BOLT-IN PACKAGES » Blog Archive » 2005-2013 Corvette C6/ZO6 Sport Sway Bar Set from Hotchkis Sport Suspension

www.hotchkis.net

 

[mickeytee]

Thats a lot of money just to change over to coil overs. I really dont feel they are needed unless you are going to track the car. In fact they say they are not recommended for dailey driver. Not sure but there must be a problem with Jeffs car other than shocks. I find both the non mag new and the mag with a few miles on them both ride very good. Not harsh on bumps and also not floaty on the interstate. I was reading about a way to do a trim height calibration. Because the springs do wear and the ride height adjuster wear the car will lower itself over time. That gets the ride height controls on the control arms a bit out of sink. They need to be set so when the car is sitting its reading the lowest voltage. A tech two can read the voltage at each corner. You can lift and compress each corner to see that voltage is the lowest while sitting. You can also check that the system is operating properly

 

[luxuryrules]

Thats a lot of money just to change over to coil overs. I really dont feel they are needed unless you are going to track the car. In fact they say they are not recommended for daikey driver. Not sure but there must be a problem with Jeffs car other than shocks. I find both the non mag new and the mag with a few miles on them both ride very good. Not harsh on bumps andvalso not floaty on the interstate. I was reading about a way to do a trim height calibration. Because the springs do wear and the ride height adjuster wesr the car will lower iitself over time. That vets the ride height controls on the control arms a cit out of sink. They need to be set so when the car is sitting its reafing the lowest voltage. A tech two can read the voltage at each corner. You can lift and compress each corner to see that voltage is the lowest while sitting. You can also check that the system is operating properly

This info sent me down a fun rabbit hole, of how to make sure everything is as correct as can be, thank you! Sharing some details I found for future searchability if anybody else wants to do this.

The Tech2 can read each corner’s voltage level under ESC Data List. Voltage should increase when vehicle is pushed down, and decrease when released.

Trim height can be checked with some specific measurements at rest. Z height is front, measured from “lowest point of the ball joint and center of the front side of the LCA mounting bolt.” Should be 50mm (v) or 44mm (non-v), + or - 6.4mm.
D height is rear, measured from the “lowest point of the ball joint and the center of the front side of the lower control arm mounting bolt.” Should be 129mm (v) or 120mm (non-v), + or - 6.4mm.

GM advises use of tool J42854.

 

[mickeytee]

Thanks for shareing. Did you happen to run across the area in the tech two to recalibrate the settings for the car at rest?

 

[luxuryrules]

Thanks for shareing. Did you happen to run across the area in the tech two to recalibrate the settings for the car at rest?

I can’t find any doco for that. Only to read, but not to recalibrate.

My [completely untested] hypothesis is that correcting the car’s trim height to remain within specification should bring the suspension calibration settings in line, provided the height sensors are functioning correctly. It makes me wonder how many of our cars have some spring sag so the Magneride shocks are functioning correctly but being fed the wrong inputs due to the trim height being out of spec, giving us a stiffer ride than expected.

 

[mickeytee]

I agree especially if tire sizes have been changed or the car lowered or been raised as some do. For sure the adjuster wear and ompress changing the height

 

[luxuryrules]

So my car is definitely out of spec. Down 26mm front and 23mm rear. I assume either a previous owner intentionally lowered it somehow or that’s a ton of spring sag.

Tomorrow I’ll have a helper who can bounce the car with the tech2 with me, interested to see what I find.

 

[mickeytee]

Fiberglass springs really dont sag. They can break but look at the adjuster bolts and pads how much of the stud is thru the spring? Thats a lot of lowereing.