Shocks/Springs
TECH Addict
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 2,103
Likes: 21
I honestly don't know who offers STOCK height aftermarket springs. I assume you will notice a ride difference due to better shocks. I have never replaced JUST shocks before.
I went with the Strano/Koni SA setup on my 66K mi car from factory suspension. It is noticeably "firmer" ride but not harsh. it finally feels sporty without being too jarring for a DD.
The "firm" ride will mostly come from sway bars and higher spring rates. If you keep stock springs rates then the ride should "feel" the same and maybe less "floaty" due to better shocks.
I went with the Strano/Koni SA setup on my 66K mi car from factory suspension. It is noticeably "firmer" ride but not harsh. it finally feels sporty without being too jarring for a DD.
The "firm" ride will mostly come from sway bars and higher spring rates. If you keep stock springs rates then the ride should "feel" the same and maybe less "floaty" due to better shocks.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,798
Likes: 16
From: St.Charles MO
I honestly don't know who offers STOCK height aftermarket springs. I assume you will notice a ride difference due to better shocks. I have never replaced JUST shocks before.
I went with the Strano/Koni SA setup on my 66K mi car from factory suspension. It is noticeably "firmer" ride but not harsh. it finally feels sporty without being too jarring for a DD.
The "firm" ride will mostly come from sway bars and higher spring rates. If you keep stock springs rates then the ride should "feel" the same and maybe less "floaty" due to better shocks.
I went with the Strano/Koni SA setup on my 66K mi car from factory suspension. It is noticeably "firmer" ride but not harsh. it finally feels sporty without being too jarring for a DD.
The "firm" ride will mostly come from sway bars and higher spring rates. If you keep stock springs rates then the ride should "feel" the same and maybe less "floaty" due to better shocks.
I can't speak for the new Koni STR.Ts, but the Koni SA's massively changed the ride quality for the better for me on otherwise stock suspension. Firmed everything up and made the car feel 1000 times more solid, like "one piece". Massive handling and feel improvement too, much more so than just springs or just swaybars.
*edit: replaced my stock decarbons with around ~40,000 miles on them, so it wasn't like they were really old or worn.
Happy to help, but I'm not quite sure what you are asking me about.
I just don't want to tell you X, Y, Z for the sake of an easy sale, that's a game others play. I get why because it's tough to be that honest with people.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
I just saw this. But I'm not at all sure what encompasses "everything" let alone enough to make an itemized price list.
Happy to help, but I'm not quite sure what you are asking me about. I just don't want to tell you X, Y, Z for the sake of an easy sale, that's a game others play. I get why because it's tough to be that honest with people.
Happy to help, but I'm not quite sure what you are asking me about.
I just don't want to tell you X, Y, Z for the sake of an easy sale, that's a game others play. I get why because it's tough to be that honest with people.OEM type springs, not sure if they are required, how would this be determined?
Bump stops
Bushings.
The car is a 2000 T/A vert, 67k miles. Wheels, 18in front, 19in rear if it matters. Do you require tire size?
What else would you need to know?
No games are appreciated.
The car is not raced, just enjoyed.
I'm still lost. Is it on OEM springs? Or on something else? I guess it's the wording when you asking "not sure if they are required" that I'm finding confusing. 
Are the bumpstops in bad shape? Are they missing? Are the bushings all destroyed? I have a feeling there is some "I need to change this because the internet says so" going on here more than you really needing those things. I'm not really sure though.
If you are on stock springs, and intend to stay there then I'd probably put you on the bilstein's given how you tell me you use the car. I assume "not raced, just enjoyed" means you want a nice driving cruiser vs. something more aggressive, or am I off base?
Are the bumpstops in bad shape? Are they missing? Are the bushings all destroyed? I have a feeling there is some "I need to change this because the internet says so" going on here more than you really needing those things. I'm not really sure though.
If you are on stock springs, and intend to stay there then I'd probably put you on the bilstein's given how you tell me you use the car. I assume "not raced, just enjoyed" means you want a nice driving cruiser vs. something more aggressive, or am I off base?
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
I'm still lost. Is it on OEM springs? Or on something else? I guess it's the wording when you asking "not sure if they are required" that I'm finding confusing.
Are the bumpstops in bad shape? Are they missing? Are the bushings all destroyed? I have a feeling there is some "I need to change this because the internet says so" going on here more than you really needing those things. I'm not really sure though.
If you are on stock springs, and intend to stay there then I'd probably put you on the bilstein's given how you tell me you use the car. I assume "not raced, just enjoyed" means you want a nice driving cruiser vs. something more aggressive, or am I off base?
Are the bumpstops in bad shape? Are they missing? Are the bushings all destroyed? I have a feeling there is some "I need to change this because the internet says so" going on here more than you really needing those things. I'm not really sure though.
If you are on stock springs, and intend to stay there then I'd probably put you on the bilstein's given how you tell me you use the car. I assume "not raced, just enjoyed" means you want a nice driving cruiser vs. something more aggressive, or am I off base?
The photo shows the worn out passenger side bump stop.
I do not know the age of the dampners but would entertain their replacement. I looked them up and they had 4.5 of 5 stars with 65 reviews. But, I would need you or someone tell me how they might be different from the Koni str.t or Bilstein shocks.
The bushings are present and intact but I am not sure how to tell if they are still doing their intended job 100%
This is a stock LS1 and i do not plan to take it to a track. It is my older guy cruiser but I occasionally run it up to 100 or so because it is Fun!!!
Please let me know if I need to provide more information or photos. And thank you!
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
That's a lot, LOT more helpful. Thank you bgw70, now I'm not guessing.
The car desperately needs new bumpstops. The springs look stock to me, and if the car isn't sagging they aren't bad. You might want to change them if you want to lower it (not sure you do, and you certainly don't have to just to make it drive better).
Tokico Blues are "ok". I have on idea who is rating them 4.5 out of 5, or what against. Most of those are just polls of folks who put them on and being better than worn out stock crap most shocks look great by comparison.
We know you need bumpstops. You need to decide if you want to change springs or not. If not I'd likely go Bilstein here based on what you are telling me you drive it like. If you are going to use a lowering springs, then I'd lean more Koni STR.T. You can use the STR.T at stock height if you wish as well, but the Bilstein's are a little more ride oriented, the Koni's more control oriented (and meant to handle lowering springs Bilstein's aren't so much meant for that).
What I would also strongly recommend is upgrading the sway bars to my 8316 front and 8410 rear (35/22 set). Bars are awesome in that they don't kill the ride, cause you scrape, and don't need killer shock damping to do their job.
To summarize: Bumpstops. Shocks to make the car more planted and tied down feeling, also slowing roll and pitch rates too. Bars to actually flatten the car out and make it roll less.
The car desperately needs new bumpstops. The springs look stock to me, and if the car isn't sagging they aren't bad. You might want to change them if you want to lower it (not sure you do, and you certainly don't have to just to make it drive better).
Tokico Blues are "ok". I have on idea who is rating them 4.5 out of 5, or what against. Most of those are just polls of folks who put them on and being better than worn out stock crap most shocks look great by comparison.
We know you need bumpstops. You need to decide if you want to change springs or not. If not I'd likely go Bilstein here based on what you are telling me you drive it like. If you are going to use a lowering springs, then I'd lean more Koni STR.T. You can use the STR.T at stock height if you wish as well, but the Bilstein's are a little more ride oriented, the Koni's more control oriented (and meant to handle lowering springs Bilstein's aren't so much meant for that).
What I would also strongly recommend is upgrading the sway bars to my 8316 front and 8410 rear (35/22 set). Bars are awesome in that they don't kill the ride, cause you scrape, and don't need killer shock damping to do their job.
To summarize: Bumpstops. Shocks to make the car more planted and tied down feeling, also slowing roll and pitch rates too. Bars to actually flatten the car out and make it roll less.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Okay Sam, I like your recommendations and would like you to provide me a quote...or do I go your website to look everything up.
BTW, I mostly agree with you assessment of the way reviews are conducted, here is the link where they are located. Tokico Shock review
BTW, I mostly agree with you assessment of the way reviews are conducted, here is the link where they are located. Tokico Shock review
All the parts are on the site if you want to look for yourself. The shocks are $385 for the Bilstein's. The Sway bars are $369.98 for the pair. Shipping to get both the set of shocks and the set of bars to Florida, about $55, but no sales taxes.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Sam, in a previous post you said, "And they come with a new spring perch on the front where the Bilstein's re-use the OEM perch, which can matter as not everyone has the OEM shocks on the cars, but others that have a perch that isn't useable on the Bilstein, which means they get to buy more parts."
Just to confirm, since I am still stock, does my application require the perch?
Also, will this installation require any other new parts, like bushings mounts, bolts etc. I really am not sure what or how to ask but I am all about doing the job correctly the first time.
Do the sway bars come with all new bushings and new mounting hardware, to include clamps and bolts?
Do you carry the correct bumstops for this car?
v/r
Brian
Just to confirm, since I am still stock, does my application require the perch?
Also, will this installation require any other new parts, like bushings mounts, bolts etc. I really am not sure what or how to ask but I am all about doing the job correctly the first time.
Do the sway bars come with all new bushings and new mounting hardware, to include clamps and bolts?
Do you carry the correct bumstops for this car?
v/r
Brian
If you have the stock deCarbon's you don't need anything else bought. Those perches, etc. swap over to the Bilstein.
Bars come with all new links w/bushings and mounting bushings and brackets.
I have some urethane stops you can use, but they ride a little more firmly than the GM stops, which cost a lot more. I don't have the GM stuff, but that's what I'd recommend. It's not a massive difference but a difference none the less.
Unless rust is an issue you shouldn't need anything else, the front lower control arm bushings are likely not in the greatest shape, I have those too (I have all the suspension bushings in fact), but the front lowers are most likely to get beaten up and you don't have 200k miles so likely that's all I'd even think about.
Bars come with all new links w/bushings and mounting bushings and brackets.
I have some urethane stops you can use, but they ride a little more firmly than the GM stops, which cost a lot more. I don't have the GM stuff, but that's what I'd recommend. It's not a massive difference but a difference none the less.
Unless rust is an issue you shouldn't need anything else, the front lower control arm bushings are likely not in the greatest shape, I have those too (I have all the suspension bushings in fact), but the front lowers are most likely to get beaten up and you don't have 200k miles so likely that's all I'd even think about.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Look back a few entries in this thread and you will see the dampners that are on my car...the blue Japanese ones.
If I change the front lower control bushings, are those bushings pressed in? This may be more than I have at home, tool wise.
Last question, do you offer a military discount?
If I change the front lower control bushings, are those bushings pressed in? This may be more than I have at home, tool wise.
Last question, do you offer a military discount?
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Look back a few entries in this thread and you will see the dampners that are on my car...the blue Japanese ones.
If I change the front lower control bushings, are those bushings pressed in? This may be more than I have at home, tool wise.
Last question, do you offer a military discount?
If I change the front lower control bushings, are those bushings pressed in? This may be more than I have at home, tool wise.
Last question, do you offer a military discount?
Yes the bushings are pressed in, you could take the arms to a garage out of the car and have them pressed in there though.
As for the discount. You deserve an honest answer, so here it is. I do my best to charge everyone a fair price and support the products with good solid and proven advice. The price I sell for is not profit, there are all kinds of charges on credit card sales, shipping costs etc. and I'm not charging a premium for any of the things I have vs. what you find generally out in the world.
What you do get from me is the ability to call me and talk to me and discuss things man to man and with someone who knows what is actually going on vs. farming a paycheck.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
The answer is a solid.... maybe. I'd say it depends on the use, if you are going to drag race/launch it more than not, then probably a good idea. If it's more of a handling/ride car then not as critical.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion