F55 Suspension Leaking - Replacing entire system.
11-15-2010, 04:07 PM
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F55 Suspension Leaking - Replacing entire system.
I have a 2005 F55 and my suspension has been pretty rough lately. I got it up on a lift and noticed there is no travel in the suspension and it's leaking pretty bad. I called chevy and they are saying a little over 5k to replace the shocks. That's a little much to be dropping on a 2005 to replace shocks so I'm looking at aftermarket shocks.
Currently I'm looking at the Pfadt and LG GT2 coilovers or possibly Koni shocks. Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts? and does anyone have any experience with replacing the F55 with an aftermarket system?
I don't do any autocross or racing with the vehicle, however, it's not necessarily out of the picture either. As of now, it's just a daily driver though.
Currently I'm looking at the Pfadt and LG GT2 coilovers or possibly Koni shocks. Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts? and does anyone have any experience with replacing the F55 with an aftermarket system?
I don't do any autocross or racing with the vehicle, however, it's not necessarily out of the picture either. As of now, it's just a daily driver though.
11-15-2010, 04:34 PM
#2
Team Owner
I have a 2005 F55 and my suspension has been pretty rough lately. I got it up on a lift and noticed there is no travel in the suspension and it's leaking pretty bad. I called chevy and they are saying a little over 5k to replace the shocks. That's a little much to be dropping on a 2005 to replace shocks so I'm looking at aftermarket shocks.
Currently I'm looking at the Pfadt and LG GT2 coilovers or possibly Koni shocks. Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts? and does anyone have any experience with replacing the F55 with an aftermarket system?
I don't do any autocross or racing with the vehicle, however, it's not necessarily out of the picture either. As of now, it's just a daily driver though.
Currently I'm looking at the Pfadt and LG GT2 coilovers or possibly Koni shocks. Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts? and does anyone have any experience with replacing the F55 with an aftermarket system?
I don't do any autocross or racing with the vehicle, however, it's not necessarily out of the picture either. As of now, it's just a daily driver though.
How many miles on 2005?
Those shocks are suppose to last the life of the car.
I know you can bypass the F-55 system and switch over to regular shocks to help deaden the cost. Eckler's sells some kind of bypass switch so then you can go over 80 MPH and shut that signal down on DIC.
11-15-2010, 04:34 PM
#3
Life Time NCM #2196
I have experience with PFADT Coil Overs from my C5 and have Koni FSD shocks on our C6 also a daily driver. Coil Overs for a daily driver I do not think you really need. The Koni shocks work great and with KDW tires I have hit .98g on our coupe and like the ride. Coil Overs are really awesome for the track and yes you can adjust them. I like both setups, Coil Overs for really agressive driving and Koni's for daily driving
11-15-2010, 04:37 PM
#4
Team Owner
I have experience with PFADT Coil Overs from my C5 and have Koni FSD shocks on our C6 also a daily driver. Coil Overs for a daily driver I do not think you really need. The Koni shocks work great and with KDW tires I have hit .98g on our coupe and like the ride. Coil Overs are really awesome for the track and yes you can adjust them. I like both setups, Coil Overs for really agressive driving and Koni's for daily driving
11-15-2010, 05:04 PM
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I am the third owner, but I bought it with only 5000 miles. It has 65000 miles on it now. I had my car lowered 3 yrs ago and the guy did a shotty job at it (he slammed it to the ground when I told him not too and I was too busy to get it taken care of) then I don't think they aligned it right either. I've had the car raised a little since.
Also, the parking garage in the high rise i live at have these ridiculous and drastic 4" speed bumps and I have to drive over 9 of them each time i enter and leave the complex. All this, I think, just caused the shocks to wear faster.
I found F55 on gmpartshouseusa for about $600 each. Better than the $1300 each at my local chevy shop they quoted me. Now I'm just gun shy the F55 won't last again.
Also, the parking garage in the high rise i live at have these ridiculous and drastic 4" speed bumps and I have to drive over 9 of them each time i enter and leave the complex. All this, I think, just caused the shocks to wear faster.
I found F55 on gmpartshouseusa for about $600 each. Better than the $1300 each at my local chevy shop they quoted me. Now I'm just gun shy the F55 won't last again.
11-15-2010, 05:20 PM
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
I am the third owner, but I bought it with only 5000 miles. It has 65000 miles on it now. I had my car lowered 3 yrs ago and the guy did a shotty job at it (he slammed it to the ground when I told him not too and I was too busy to get it taken care of) then I don't think they aligned it right either. I've had the car raised a little since.
Also, the parking garage in the high rise i live at have these ridiculous and drastic 4" speed bumps and I have to drive over 9 of them each time i enter and leave the complex. All this, I think, just caused the shocks to wear faster.
I found F55 on gmpartshouseusa for about $600 each. Better than the $1300 each at my local chevy shop they quoted me. Now I'm just gun shy the F55 won't last again.
Also, the parking garage in the high rise i live at have these ridiculous and drastic 4" speed bumps and I have to drive over 9 of them each time i enter and leave the complex. All this, I think, just caused the shocks to wear faster.
I found F55 on gmpartshouseusa for about $600 each. Better than the $1300 each at my local chevy shop they quoted me. Now I'm just gun shy the F55 won't last again.
The saying on here is, if you want to play, you've got to be willing to pay. This seemingly is your price. Not being negative toward your situation, just stating the obvious --- unless GM comes to your rescue which I doubt.
11-15-2010, 05:20 PM
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Driving over nine 4" speed bumps everytime you leave and arrive at your place with a lowered suspension might have more than a little to do with your suspension leaking. I'm surprised it lasted 65,000 miles. Conventional shocks would have probably not have lasted one-third that long.
Last edited by laconiajack; 11-15-2010 at 05:39 PM.
11-15-2010, 06:03 PM
#8
Life Time NCM #2196
My C5 came with the F45 and I also had one of the shocks start leaking and went the Koni route first and that worked until I wanted the track handling. So I saved the Koni's and put them on the C6 (they had 2k on them when put on) along with C6 Z51 Bars and rotors to finish our daily driver.
11-15-2010, 07:33 PM
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Le Mans Master
11-15-2010, 08:34 PM
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I'm still trying to picture 4" speed bumps the car wouldn't smack something on? Sounds like that would eventually create some excessive wear with any shocks....
11-15-2010, 08:43 PM
#13
Team Owner
If all four shocks are leaking, then I would not suggest replacing with more of them. $300 for a set of Bilsteins would be great. But if only one F55 shock is leaking, then it's just a bad one and no big deal...replace it.
11-15-2010, 08:56 PM
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I don't believe the F55 suspension is meant to be lowered without other adjustments which were outlined in another thread at least a year ago. Perhaps someone has a better memory than me.
11-15-2010, 09:03 PM
#15
Burning Brakes
I had magnetic ride on my Cadillac....there were issues and replacement was common and expensive. The point being if you have this technology and have to replace it this will cost some coin, not sure how durable the Vette systems are.
11-15-2010, 09:11 PM
#16
Le Mans Master
Common? Yet somehow we NEVER hear a credible example of these shocks needing to be replaced. What year was your caddy? How many times did you have to replace them since it was "common"?
11-15-2010, 09:12 PM
#17
Race Director
I remember reading that too.
As I recall the window of operation is compromised somewhat and they lose a little effectiveness.
Slamming the car to the ground and then repeated massive speed bumps bottoming the suspension, if that's what's really happening, could conceivably do in a shock.
Since this is the first (or maybe 2nd) report of an F55 failure, it'd be nice to have some more details/pics.
11-15-2010, 09:21 PM
#18
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For all practical purposes in street driving it won't make much of a difference but lowering the car does have an affect on the MR suspension. I know one of the lead engineer's who developed the MR suspension for Corvette. I used to talk with him frequently about how to modify the F55 suspension for better track performance.
First off, when lowering the C6 the position sensors do not have to be repositioned. The position sensors sense position but internal to the MR ECU a calculation (or differentiation) is made to turn that information into velocity...the rate of change of position with respect to time. Velocity is the main signal of interest...many handling, stability, body and wheel control strategies use this basic information in various ways. The dampers (/actuators) are essentially velocity devices. Position is also used but that information is only critical to a few control strategies. There is a strategy for simple position-sensitive damping control but it's not used in the Corvette. Ultimately, regardless where you're at in the suspension travel it's the rate of change of the position signal over time that matters...that's why you don't have to change the position sensor mounting when lowering or raising the car.
For serious track use my friend suggested I cut the bumpstops because free suspension travel is critical (free suspension travel is the amount of travel of the shock absorber between full rebound and jounce bumper engagement). When the car is lowered, compression travel is taken out. The jounce bumper is a secondary spring which will engage even on relatively smooth roads and most importantly during turning events leading to oversteer or possibly understeer. If the jounce bumper is too long in the rear the spring rate goes up and traction goes down.
Lowering the F55 equipped C6 does adversely affect the F55 suspension but the affect should be pretty minimal in 'normal' street driving. Personally, I'd work with the OEM 'lowering' bolts. Once you lower the C6 beyond what the stock bolts can do, the adverse affect to the F55 suspension is more pronounced.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...-problems.html
First off, when lowering the C6 the position sensors do not have to be repositioned. The position sensors sense position but internal to the MR ECU a calculation (or differentiation) is made to turn that information into velocity...the rate of change of position with respect to time. Velocity is the main signal of interest...many handling, stability, body and wheel control strategies use this basic information in various ways. The dampers (/actuators) are essentially velocity devices. Position is also used but that information is only critical to a few control strategies. There is a strategy for simple position-sensitive damping control but it's not used in the Corvette. Ultimately, regardless where you're at in the suspension travel it's the rate of change of the position signal over time that matters...that's why you don't have to change the position sensor mounting when lowering or raising the car.
For serious track use my friend suggested I cut the bumpstops because free suspension travel is critical (free suspension travel is the amount of travel of the shock absorber between full rebound and jounce bumper engagement). When the car is lowered, compression travel is taken out. The jounce bumper is a secondary spring which will engage even on relatively smooth roads and most importantly during turning events leading to oversteer or possibly understeer. If the jounce bumper is too long in the rear the spring rate goes up and traction goes down.
Lowering the F55 equipped C6 does adversely affect the F55 suspension but the affect should be pretty minimal in 'normal' street driving. Personally, I'd work with the OEM 'lowering' bolts. Once you lower the C6 beyond what the stock bolts can do, the adverse affect to the F55 suspension is more pronounced.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...-problems.html
11-15-2010, 09:33 PM
#19
Burning Brakes
I am not being Corvette specific as most of these are relativity new so were not going to see much at this time, nor am I going to debate it since I have dealt with it first hand to the tune of $900 per unit with my Cadillac. I like what the technology does but if it fails you will pay through the nose to repair it.
11-15-2010, 09:40 PM
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I have a 2005 F55 and my suspension has been pretty rough lately. I got it up on a lift and noticed there is no travel in the suspension and it's leaking pretty bad. I called chevy and they are saying a little over 5k to replace the shocks. That's a little much to be dropping on a 2005 to replace shocks so I'm looking at aftermarket shocks.
Currently I'm looking at the Pfadt and LG GT2 coilovers or possibly Koni shocks. Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts? and does anyone have any experience with replacing the F55 with an aftermarket system?
I don't do any autocross or racing with the vehicle, however, it's not necessarily out of the picture either. As of now, it's just a daily driver though.
Currently I'm looking at the Pfadt and LG GT2 coilovers or possibly Koni shocks. Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts? and does anyone have any experience with replacing the F55 with an aftermarket system?
I don't do any autocross or racing with the vehicle, however, it's not necessarily out of the picture either. As of now, it's just a daily driver though.
My take on coil overs is to set them up for the track, very firm and yes you will feel the bumps, I had them on my deceased C5 and with C6Z bars the handling was awesome, I just had them setup for tracking so it did hold and turn great, but you did know you were not in a normal Vette, even a stock C6Z rides over bumps better.
My C5 came with the F45 and I also had one of the shocks start leaking and went the Koni route first and that worked until I wanted the track handling. So I saved the Koni's and put them on the C6 (they had 2k on them when put on) along with C6 Z51 Bars and rotors to finish our daily driver.
My C5 came with the F45 and I also had one of the shocks start leaking and went the Koni route first and that worked until I wanted the track handling. So I saved the Koni's and put them on the C6 (they had 2k on them when put on) along with C6 Z51 Bars and rotors to finish our daily driver.