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2007 Base - Extremely Rough Ride, Can I Soften The Suspension?

5K views 38 replies 13 participants last post by  Robotech 
#1 ·
Gramps here with yet another post.

Driving our newly purchased 2007 base the 800 mile trek home, I thought my head would explode at times from simple bumps in the road at highway speeds. Our plan is to "joy ride" the car around town and also tow it behind our motor home for sight-seeing. My wife and I find the stiff suspension for performance handing to be a very serious problem. I don't know the history of this vehicle, if the previous owner switched springs and/or shocks, or maybe it has the original unmodified suspension. I would like to soften the ride by a whole lot, changing springs and shocks if I have to.

I realize my desire is unusual, especially on this forum. Has anyone here ever done this, or read of another doing it? I really don't know where to start looking for soft-ride suspension replacements. I don't know the specs to compare.
 
#3 ·
Gramps here with yet another post.

Our plan is to "joy ride" the car around town and also tow it behind our motor home for sight-seeing.
With regard to towing, the owner's manual is quite clear, I think it's on page 230:

Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your retailer or a professional towing
service if you need to have your disabled vehicle
towed. See Roadside Assistance Program on
page 359.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Notice: Dolly towing or dinghy towing your
vehicle may cause damage to the vehicle.
Always put your vehicle on a flatbed truck.
Your vehicle was neither designed nor intended to
be towed with any of its wheels on the ground.

If your vehicle must be towed, see “Towing Your
Vehicle” earlier in this section.
Towing a Trailer
Your vehicle is neither designed nor intended to
tow a trailer.
 
#4 ·
With regard to towing, the owner's manual is quite clear, I think it's on page 230:

Recreational Vehicle Towing
Notice: Dolly towing or dinghy towing your
vehicle may cause damage to the vehicle.
Always put your vehicle on a flatbed truck.
Your vehicle was neither designed nor intended to
be towed with any of its wheels on the ground.
That is interesting because Blue Ox makes Sky-Specific towing hardware. CLICK HERE to see it.

I understood the automatic was not towable 4-wheels-down, but the manual transmission is. That is why we bought the manual transmission.
 
#7 ·
I looked at the BlueOx website and they show very detailed installation instructions for the Solstice, noting that it also fits the Sky. It appears that you have to cut two fairly large holes in the fascia/grill.

There is also a very prominent warning about checking the manufacturer's instructions for towing.

The damage I would worry about would be caused by the low ground clearance and of course the installation of the tow bar.

As for softening the ride, I am not aware of any components that are softer than the stock NA.
 
#10 ·
Hey first post here All. rjgramps, check your tire pressure! when I got my 2007 RL a month ago I liked the ride and handling until I freaked when I discovered it was on 20PSI tire pressure. I pumped it to 40 PSI and found it to be very harsh. Down to 32 and will probably lower some more. Find the Goldilocks spot... These low profile tires are sensitive to pressure.
 
#11 ·
There should be a sticker inside the driver's door frame: GM recommends 29 psi for the original equipment size tires. These cars are very sensitive to the proper tire pressures, but you will never get a very soft ride. If you tires are over 32 psi or so the ride will be very choppy.

YMMV

:dunno:

.
 
#12 · (Edited)
I will double check my tire pressure. Thanks for that tip.

Out of curiosity, I shopped on-line (not direct from GM) for replacement shocks and springs, hoping to find softer "touring" versions. To my surprise, nobody offers any kind of aftermarket or OEM replacements with one exception.

Rock Auto offers 4 different shocks for a 2007 Sky Base, all are ACDelco.
CLICK HERE to see them. They are all "performance" rated, none for touring. I wonder what the differences are.

No springs are available from anyone.
 
#14 ·
FE2 is stock for the NA, and FE3 is stock for the RL (turbo). The fronts and rears are different for each, so four different standard parts.

Tires are going to be the best option you have for softening the ride, and it isn't going to be by much. For all of the talk here about how soft the NA suspension is, it is likely stiffer than anything else you can find.

Do check tire pressures, that was good advice. I have had the best results at 31 PSI.

What tires are on the car, and how old are they?
 
#15 · (Edited)
A lot of folks installed lowering springs, there was two different versions (low & lower), and they definitely ride harder than stock. Also, adjustable coilovers were available, and they also ride firmer than OEM. If memory serves correct you should be able to get two to three fingers between the top of the tire and the bottom of fenders.

Then again, the Kappa wasn't designed to be a cruiser and it's hard to know if what you think of as a stiff ride that others may think that this was the way it was designed to ride. If you know anyone else that has a Kappa ask them to take a ride in your car and tell you what they think of the ride.

BTW, you may want to use a different term than fluff (or fluffer)...if you get my drift.
 
#16 ·
No point trying to guess what is in your car. Get it up on a hoist where someone knows these cars and see if they can diagnose whether there is after market stuff in there resulting in the harsh ride. It might be as simple as refitting stock shocks and springs. The model you have had the softest suspension package, so unless you are used to driving only cars with especially soft suspension, I really wonder if some previous owner has been at the car, 'tuning' it...

If there is another NA car for sale in your area, it would also be an idea to go and test drive it to see if it feels the same to you. Maybe ask if there is another member of this or the Solstice forum that lives near enough to you to offer you the opportunity for a test drive.
 
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#17 ·
Bill is correct about needing to get a look under the car, but there is a good chance that you can tell what is there yourself. The chart in the SolsticeForum thread includes tag colors for the different springs, and there is a good chance that you will be able to tell what you have from those. You can also measure the stabilizer bars to see if they were changed. If they were, the springs probably were also.
 
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#19 ·
Gramps. A location would help. There are a lot of us on the site that have cars, that you could test drive. I live in SoCal and have a stock 2007 NA, you would be more than welcome to take it for a test drive if you are nearby.

It really is hard to tell what has been done to the car, and hard for all of us to help you. I think all have given you good advice. Checking the air pressure is the first thing I would do. Also look at how old the tires are and who made them.

Good luck to you figuring it out.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Gramps here with yet another post.
My wife and I find the stiff suspension for performance handing to be a very serious problem.

I realize my desire is unusual, especially on this forum. Has anyone here ever done this, or read of another doing it? I really don't know where to start looking for soft-ride suspension replacements. I don't know the specs to compare.
I have good bad and good news. It's gonna cost you money to pot-hole proof your Sky. But you can do it. And if you do it you'll love the ride.

1. First of all - get rid of Run-On-Flat tires if you have them. They make the car jump around a lot.
2. To pot-hole proof your car you must install the DDMWorks brace bundle. If you have a base you need the sway bars too. It'll make your car heavier so it doesn't bounce so much and it gives the car a smoother and more solid ride.
3. And you need tires that give you a smooth ride (BF Goodrich g-Comp A/S work for me). Inexpensive tires are a recipe for disaster.)

Yes. You can replace the suspension (with OEM from rockauto) - and you might notice a difference.

I doubt that's be enough to make you happy with your car.

If I had to do it one step at a time I'd start with the tires.

If your shocks are yellow - they are OEM.

The last resort solution is to swap out the 18" rims with 17" and get tires with a 55 ratio.
 
#22 ·
A friend just put on BC Coil overs from DDM I believe. He sat the car up like @Robotech suggested. He set the it on 7 clicks from softest. He loves it. I think I like the NA better for every day driving. Driving the mountain roads aggressively I like the Redline setup a little better.

I am looking at the BC Coil overs to raise my car up a little. I have lowering shocks on it. It is just to low for normal driving in my area. Will let you know how it feels if I do it. Will most likely happen in the next week

I get to drive the Redline and the NA back to back. I have lower springs on the Redline and all of the DDM braces. On the NA it is totally stock.

I don't think 17 inch wheels will work, not enough clearance for the rotors, but not certain on that.

I think the DDM braces make the car far more rigid. I would recommend the tunnel brace for sure. It makes car less flexy and protects the body from twisting.
 
#25 · (Edited)
A friend just put on BC Coil overs from DDM I believe. He sat the car up like @Robotech suggested. He set the it on 7 clicks from softest. He loves it. I think I like the NA better for every day driving. Driving the mountain roads aggressively I like the Redline setup a little better.

I am looking at the BC Coil overs to raise my car up a little. I have lowering shocks on it. It is just to low for normal driving in my area. Will let you know how it feels if I do it. Will most likely happen in the next week
I run my BCR shocks at 5 clicks front and 10 clicks rear. Many people set shocks too stiffly and then complain about how the car acts - sounds like your friend isn't one of those!

Make sure that the height gets adjusted the correct way - do it using the wrong adjustment anf you get what the guy in this thread complained about.

 
#23 ·
Does all that "body stiffening" eliminate the convertible top squeaking and body-grunting with every bump? If not, it will be hard to justify many more hundreds into undercarriage plates and bars to stiffen up the body that remains a beast. I really was hoping to buy soft-ride shocks to tame the beast and be done.

As of right now, I have invested just under $1,300 in parts for this car to get it looking right, 28 parts to-date. A new tulip assembly was my biggest expense, followed by new custom gauges from Black Cat Custom. There are a few $100 purchases but the bulk is less than $30 parts...more like like than $20 parts. Unfortunately I don't see the end in sight yet. I might buy new leather seat skins. I've done 3 different vehicles now (one was a Solstice) getting pretty good at the installation.

So far, the core of the car is excellent as evident in driving it home 700 miles from the point of purchase. I will be addressing the brakes solely for cosmetic reasons. They work well, just look ugly. New Bosch QuietCast rotors with the anti-corrosion finish, and of coarse new pads, along with a general caliper and wheel cleanup, will have the wheel areas looking good.

I'd like to make the car "Cruise Night" worthy.
 
#24 ·
How many miles are on the car?

It is a low priced roadster. Most are noisy and harsh compared to normal cars.

My only answer is to put the top down and enjoy it. You can't hear the squeaks and rattles with the top down. Well at least I can't.

I just put Falken tires on all of my cars and FJ. Have found them to be very good tires, that behave on our freeways and back roads. I run 28 pounds on both the NA and Redline. I took off Michelin SSports or what ever they were called, and Bridgestone RE71R's. Hated the Michelins on the freeways, were total garbage there. The RE 71's destroyed the paint. Will keep them for autocross.

Hoping you figure this out.
 
#30 · (Edited)
OP here,

Answering everyone's.

skersfan: My 2007 Sky base had only 8700 miles when I bought it last month. I drove it home 700 miles so it has 9500 miles today. It appears to have sat outside most of the past 13 years which is why I have so much to do. But it has great potential.

About The Tires: They are not original. They are not run-flat. They are directional, rotating properly. The dealer said he put on new tires last July, and it appears to be so. Three are Mirada date-coded 2017, one is Goodyear date-coded 2015. They are all the right size 245-45-18. It appears the dealer located new/old stock of whatever he could find that was cheapest. I guess new/old stock tires can be found in the hills of NE Georgia.

About PSI: The dealer prep'd the car for me to drive it home. The tires looked fine, but after I had gotten home, I checked the tires to find them at a low 22 psi. I was expecting them to be over-inflated. I don't see outer-edge wear driving 700 miles from the under-inflated condition.

I wonder why my ride home was so rough with under-inflated tires. I did not notice any handling issues. I was actually impressed with the handling. It was a sweet ride other than the suspension being so stiff and the car jarring with every little imperfection in the highway. I wonder if my original shocks (assumed to be original) are so stiff from sitting around outdoors for so long of a time.

About the aftermarket bracing being discussed. One of the brace kits appears to be something that resembles a trailer hitch without the receiver portion. I did find a class-one trailer hitch for the Sky Red-Line, wondering if that will stiffen the rear in a similar manner. I did want a trailer hitch for our two bicycles anyway. CLICK HERE to see the trailer hitch for sale on Ebay for $71 including shipping. I would appreciate everyone's thoughts on this. Anyone here have a trailer hitch on their Sky? If you are very familiar with the differences between a Red-Line and Base exhaust system in-back, do you think this Red-Line hitch will have mounting issues with my base?
 
#31 ·
One more Question concerning this topic being discussed.
skersfan said:
A friend just put on BC Coil overs from DDM I believe. He sat the car up like @Robotech suggested. He set the it on 7 clicks from softest. He loves it. I think I like the NA better for every day driving. Driving the mountain roads aggressively I like the Redline setup a little better.

I am looking at the BC Coil overs to raise my car up a little. I have lowering shocks on it. It is just to low for normal driving in my area. Will let you know how it feels if I do it. Will most likely happen in the next week
I run my BCR shocks at 5 clicks front and 10 clicks rear. Many people set shocks too stiffly and then complain about how the car acts - sounds like your friend isn't one of those!

Make sure that the height gets adjusted the correct way - do it using the wrong adjustment anf you get what the guy in this thread complained about.

Bc racing coilovers
-----------------------------------------
Are these BC shocks the answer to my complaint of an overly rough ride?
 
#33 ·
One more Question concerning this topic being discussed.

I run my BCR shocks at 5 clicks front and 10 clicks rear. Many people set shocks too stiffly and then complain about how the car acts - sounds like your friend isn't one of those!

Make sure that the height gets adjusted the correct way - do it using the wrong adjustment anf you get what the guy in this thread complained about.
BCs come with a fair set of instructions...once you get past the "instructions originally written in Chinese then passed through Google Translate" nature of them. In short...

DO NOT set ride height using spring preload. Spring preload should be set to 5mm (meaning once you get the spring preload ring set to where the spring cannot be wiggled up and down but no pressure is on the spring, measure from the spring preload ring to the top of the spring. Then tighten the spring preload ring onto the spring until the measurement from the ring to the top of the spring is 5mm shorter than where you started).

Once spring preload is set, you can set ride height by shortening or lengthening the length of the shock buy turning in or out the lower mount on the shock body. Doing it this way allows the piston inside the shock to still have it's full range of motion regardless of how long or short the shock (and thus how high or low the car) is adjusted to.

If you use the spring preload to adjust ride height by allowing the shock to compress before the spring is engaging the upper spring perch or lower spring preload ring, the piston can bottom out inside the shock body causing damage to the shock.
 
#32 ·
I am amazed that you had a stable ride at 22psi. Both of mine get really loose below 25, and are somewhat loose below 30.

The ProBeam and the trailer hitch may look similar, but as far as I know the hitch attaches in a completely different place and will not provide any handling improvement.

I have heard of and seen several hitches on Solstices, but none on a Sky that I can remember, but I don't know why it wouldn't work. Our backup light is right there, but I don't think it would interfere.

The difference in the exhausts is the second outlet that the RL has. Otherwise they are the same. A hitch that is not identified as for the RL usually has a gusset that has to be trimmed for the second outlet, but a RL-capable hitch will work on a base without issue.

You may have to ask BC about their shocks, to see if the softest setting is softer than the base. It seems unlikely to me, but they should know.
 
#34 ·
@Robotech : At their softest setting, do you have any idea how stiff the BC shocks are? @rjgramps asked if they might give him a softer ride than the stock NA setup.

Hmmm: Maybe I should trade my 105k mile NA shocks with him. They have definitely lost some stiffness but still provide a lot of control.
 
#39 ·
@Robotech : At their softest setting, do you have any idea how stiff the BC shocks are? @rjgramps asked if they might give him a softer ride than the stock NA setup.
John, I corresponded with the factory guys in Taiwan in 2009 and IIRC the BCR shocks start about where the stock ones leave off, so the lowest setting will be about the same as a stock shock in a GXP/Redline.
I am a horrible person to ask as I like a stiff suspension and I've been on the BCs for about 5 years now. I would say they feel about the same as stock on the NA at their softest setting but honestly, I bet they are stiffer.
 
#35 ·
John, I corresponded with the factory guys in Taiwan in 2009 and IIRC the BCR shocks start about where the stock ones leave off, so the lowest setting will be about the same as a stock shock in a GXP/Redline.

There may be some degree of uncertainty as my conversation by email took place in a hybrid Chinglish, so I wasn't always dead sure I understood what I was being told. They were very cooperative and sent me a set of shocks direct from the factory rather than via a North American dealer (although one was involved to take payment).
 
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#36 ·
Thanks, Bill.

That is what i really expected to hear, since there wouldn't be much demand for softer-than-stock racing shocks, but thought it would be worth asking.
 
#38 ·
Sorry it wasn't what you wanted to hear.

Did you mention a lot of noise when going over bumps? A known problem is friction in the stabilizer bar bushings that can cause a noise. If the friction is enough, it could also add to the harshness of the ride, so you might want to clean and lubricate the bar/bushing interface. There are alternate bushings available that eliminate the noise, but I believe that they are also stiffer.

A nice thing is that cleaning and lubricating won't cost you anything .....
 
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