aFe Corvette C5/C6 Featherlight Adjustable Coilovers

C5/C6 Featherlight adjustable front and rear coilovers

The aFe 430-401001-N CONTROL PFADT Featherlight system replaces C5/C6 Corvette OE shocks and transverse leaf springs with FOUR coilover assemblies. The selected primary specifies 460 lb/in FRONT and 600 lb/in REAR springs, adjustable ride height and linked compression/rebound damping.

Key Features

• Selected Featherlight street/track coilover system: 430-401001-N.
• Four coilover assemblies replace OE dampers and transverse leaf springs.
• Selected spring rates: FRONT 460 lb/in; REAR 600 lb/in.
• Hard-anodized 6061-T6 aluminum monotube bodies with internal floating pistons.
• Sealed BOA upper mount and integrated CIRC gas-volume design.
• 24 documented linked compression/rebound damping settings and adjustable ride height.

Fitment

Current exact manufacturer and own selected manual cover support 1997–2013 C5/C6 Corvette. The full selected thirteen-engine-row table supports all ten original named scopes and Grand Sport 2010–2013. Existing Base 1997–2013 remains combined across its documented engine rows; no engine designation becomes an invented trim.

Specifications

What's Included

• FOUR coilover assemblies with coil springs, two front and two rear, as shown in the exact native set image.
• The own procedure identifies the supplied 3mm Allen/spanner wrench and upper assembly washers/M14 nuts; no full formal bill verifies every loose-hardware count. Original rear shock mount PLATES are transferred, and specified factory mounting hardware is reused.
• Original transverse leaf springs and OE shocks are removed. Sway bars, replacement endlinks and electronic-shock modules are not included; generic filter/coupler fields do not describe these contents.

About aFe Power

aFe Power develops application-specific intake, filtration, exhaust, cooling, tuning, suspension, drivetrain, and truck-performance components supported by product testing and documented installation requirements.

Related Parts

• Current exact selected coilover and spring-rate specifications
• Own nine-page axle installation and setup/service guide
• Complete independently selected named-application table
• Shop the complete aFe Power collection

FAQ

The selected front/rear coilover conversion. FOUR coilover assemblies with coil springs, two front and two rear, as shown in the exact native set image. The own procedure identifies the supplied 3mm Allen/spanner wrench and upper assembly washers/M14 nuts; no full formal bill verifies every loose-hardware count. Original rear shock mount PLATES are transferred, and specified factory mounting hardware is reused. Original transverse leaf springs and OE shocks are removed. Sway bars, replacement endlinks and electronic-shock modules are not included; generic filter/coupler fields do not describe these contents.

Current exact manufacturer and own selected manual cover support 1997–2013 C5/C6 Corvette. The full selected thirteen-engine-row table supports all ten original named scopes and Grand Sport 2010–2013. Existing Base 1997–2013 remains combined across its documented engine rows; no engine designation becomes an invented trim. Some factory Mag Ride electronic-shock vehicles require an additional delete kit according to the selected manufacturer page, which names 436-401001-N. That linked module is identified for C6 equipment; do not assume the same module fits every C5. Confirm actual factory electronics and connector. The module is sold separately; no module coding/wiring procedure is inferred.

Hard-anodized CNC-machined 6061-T6 aluminum bodies; monotube construction with an internal floating piston separating oil and nitrogen. CIRC concentric integrated remote-canister design with a sealed BOA Ball-on-Axis upper mount. Inverted construction places damping adjusters at the bottom. Double-digressive valving combines compression and rebound into ONE adjustment per damper. The primary lists FRONT 460 and REAR 600 lb/in spring rates for THIS selection. Its more-than-triple gas-volume claim is relative to an unspecified standard coilover; no gas-pressure, temperature or other kit’s 17-4PH clevis specification is inferred.

Support at proper factory points and open the hood. C5: MOVE washer bottle AND coolant reservoir without fully disconnecting. C6: MOVE driver-side coolant reservoir held by two 10mm flange nuts; hoses stay connected. Remove the old 15mm upper shock nut while holding 6mm shaft flats, wheels, FOUR front leaf-spring-to-subframe bolts and lower shock bolts. Support the LOWER BALL JOINT with a floor jack before removing FOUR upper-control-arm frame bolts. RECORD washer positions. Pivot the upper arm/lower the jack and remove BOTH shocks; detach one control-arm endlink, pivot the upright/lower arm down and free the leaf spring until its opposite end slips free. Locate new coilover lower bolts, raise the lower arm until the upper mount seats, and install TWO upper washers and M14 nut in the EXACT own diagram order. Restore upper-arm washers/bolts at 48 ft-lb, lower mount nuts at 21 ft-lb and upper coilover nut at 62 ft-lb, holding the stud with 6mm Allen or T40 as needed. Restore GM production endlinks at 53 ft-lb, engine-bay components and wheels.

Support the rear at proper points and remove wheels. Support the LOWER BALL JOINT with a floor jack; remove TWO upper shock-plate bolts, lower shock bolt and upper-control-arm frame fasteners. RECORD washers on aluminum chassis. Pivot upper arm/lower jack and remove BOTH shocks. Remove FOUR rear leaf-spring-to-subframe bolts and detach one sway-bar endlink; pivot upright/lower arm down to free the transverse leaf spring. TRANSFER original shock upper mount PLATES onto coilovers in the own diagram order and tighten M14 nuts to 62 ft-lb. Locate the lower bolt and raise the lower arm; upper plate WHITE DOT faces FRONT. Upper PLATE-to-frame bolts 22 ft-lb; lower shock bolt 81 ft-lb. Restore upper-arm bolts and exact washer positions: ALUMINUM chassis 48 ft-lb, STEEL chassis 81 ft-lb. Restore GM production endlinks at 53 ft-lb and wheels, repeat and lower the car.

After tightening, lower and ROLL the car to settle; measure on a perfectly FLAT plane. Own FRONT five perch turns = 1/2 inch ride-height change; REAR 4.5 turns = 1/2 inch. Safely raise/support and remove wheels before adjusting with the SUPPLIED 3mm Allen/spanner wrench. Loosen perch set screws, adjust and snug them: DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN or damage the nylon ball. Repeat measurements. The own guide says nominal preset is the recommended C6 height; every car needs adjustment. A short settling drive is recommended only when near desired height, with caution because alignment may have changed; recheck height and ALIGN after final setting. No fixed mileage, wheel torque, battery-disconnect or coding procedure is printed. Own STOCK-TIRE fender-arch reference heights, FRONT/REAR inches: C5 stock 28/29.3, recommended C5 27/28.3; C6 stock 26.9/28.1; C6 Z06 stock 26.7/27.6; recommended C6 26.4/27.3. These are guides, not guaranteed drop amounts or adjustment limits. Reference Z/D/J/K millimeters respectively: C5 stock 44/108/153/158; recommended C5 25/83/128/133; C6 stock 45/121/154/171; C6 Z06 stock 41/109/150/159; recommended C6 32/99/141/149. Z/D use the own lower-ball-joint-lowest-point to front-side center of the lower-arm forward mounting bolt reference. J is rocker-to-ground 35 inches rearward of FRONT wheel centerline; K is rocker-to-ground 31 inches forward of REAR wheel centerline. ADD 10mm to J/K for frame/chassis-to-ground measurements. Use the exact OEM reference dimensions and own diagram; no C7 26/27.5 reference is substituted.

NEVER use the CIRC HEAD as leverage or unscrew it from the body tube. It is under high pressure: loosening can cause sudden gas loss, shock failure, SERIOUS INJURY and void warranty. A difficult perch may be held with a RUBBER strap wrench around the THREADED BODY area using material that does not damage threads. The own photos reject gripping the head or using damaging tools. Changing REAR springs requires removing the lower shock fork with a SPECIAL TOOL. The own manual does not recommend attempting this yourself and directs consulting aFe CONTROL for service. Do not provide a home fork-removal or pressurized-head disassembly procedure.

FRONT and REAR each have 24 documented effective clicks combining compression and rebound. Start FULL STIFF and count DOWN softer. Extra soft-end clicks may not affect damping. Own starting clicks down from full stiff: STREET 8 front/10 rear, TRACK 5 front/8 rear, DRAG 20 front/16 rear. They are starting guidance, not independent compression/rebound controls or measured handling gains. Rear prose prints “Do adjust beyond” while specifying 24 and ineffective extra clicks: unresolved wording error, not an expanded adjustment range. Use the documented range and seek manufacturer clarification if uncertain. This selected street/track kit is not the separately offered specially tuned drag version.

Installation Instructions

1. Confirm aFe 430-401001-N, named application and actual factory electronic-shock equipment. Read the complete own nine-page manual before supporting the car.
2. Some factory Mag Ride electronic-shock vehicles require an additional delete kit according to the selected manufacturer page, which names 436-401001-N. That linked module is identified for C6 equipment; do not assume the same module fits every C5. Confirm actual factory electronics and connector. The module is sold separately; no module coding/wiring procedure is inferred.
3. Support at proper factory points and open the hood. C5: MOVE washer bottle AND coolant reservoir without fully disconnecting. C6: MOVE driver-side coolant reservoir held by two 10mm flange nuts; hoses stay connected. Remove the old 15mm upper shock nut while holding 6mm shaft flats, wheels, FOUR front leaf-spring-to-subframe bolts and lower shock bolts. Support the LOWER BALL JOINT with a floor jack before removing FOUR upper-control-arm frame bolts. RECORD washer positions. Pivot the upper arm/lower the jack and remove BOTH shocks; detach one control-arm endlink, pivot the upright/lower arm down and free the leaf spring until its opposite end slips free. Locate new coilover lower bolts, raise the lower arm until the upper mount seats, and install TWO upper washers and M14 nut in the EXACT own diagram order. Restore upper-arm washers/bolts at 48 ft-lb, lower mount nuts at 21 ft-lb and upper coilover nut at 62 ft-lb, holding the stud with 6mm Allen or T40 as needed. Restore GM production endlinks at 53 ft-lb, engine-bay components and wheels.
4. Support the rear at proper points and remove wheels. Support the LOWER BALL JOINT with a floor jack; remove TWO upper shock-plate bolts, lower shock bolt and upper-control-arm frame fasteners. RECORD washers on aluminum chassis. Pivot upper arm/lower jack and remove BOTH shocks. Remove FOUR rear leaf-spring-to-subframe bolts and detach one sway-bar endlink; pivot upright/lower arm down to free the transverse leaf spring. TRANSFER original shock upper mount PLATES onto coilovers in the own diagram order and tighten M14 nuts to 62 ft-lb. Locate the lower bolt and raise the lower arm; upper plate WHITE DOT faces FRONT. Upper PLATE-to-frame bolts 22 ft-lb; lower shock bolt 81 ft-lb. Restore upper-arm bolts and exact washer positions: ALUMINUM chassis 48 ft-lb, STEEL chassis 81 ft-lb. Restore GM production endlinks at 53 ft-lb and wheels, repeat and lower the car.
5. After tightening, lower and ROLL the car to settle; measure on a perfectly FLAT plane. Own FRONT five perch turns = 1/2 inch ride-height change; REAR 4.5 turns = 1/2 inch. Safely raise/support and remove wheels before adjusting with the SUPPLIED 3mm Allen/spanner wrench. Loosen perch set screws, adjust and snug them: DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN or damage the nylon ball. Repeat measurements. The own guide says nominal preset is the recommended C6 height; every car needs adjustment. A short settling drive is recommended only when near desired height, with caution because alignment may have changed; recheck height and ALIGN after final setting. No fixed mileage, wheel torque, battery-disconnect or coding procedure is printed.
6. NEVER use the CIRC HEAD as leverage or unscrew it from the body tube. It is under high pressure: loosening can cause sudden gas loss, shock failure, SERIOUS INJURY and void warranty. A difficult perch may be held with a RUBBER strap wrench around the THREADED BODY area using material that does not damage threads. The own photos reject gripping the head or using damaging tools.
7. FRONT and REAR each have 24 documented effective clicks combining compression and rebound. Start FULL STIFF and count DOWN softer. Extra soft-end clicks may not affect damping. Own starting clicks down from full stiff: STREET 8 front/10 rear, TRACK 5 front/8 rear, DRAG 20 front/16 rear. They are starting guidance, not independent compression/rebound controls or measured handling gains. Rear prose prints “Do adjust beyond” while specifying 24 and ineffective extra clicks: unresolved wording error, not an expanded adjustment range. Use the documented range and seek manufacturer clarification if uncertain. This selected street/track kit is not the separately offered specially tuned drag version.
8. Changing REAR springs requires removing the lower shock fork with a SPECIAL TOOL. The own manual does not recommend attempting this yourself and directs consulting aFe CONTROL for service. Do not provide a home fork-removal or pressurized-head disassembly procedure.

California Proposition 65 warning: this product can expose you to chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive harm.