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aFe Control Johnny O'Connell Stage 1 Suspension Performance Package

Name: aFe Control Johnny O'Connell Stage 1 Suspension Performance Package
SKU: 530-401001-J
Price: 1453.78 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.0 (2 reviews)

Chevrolet Corvette (C5/C6) 97-13

Part Number: 530-401001-J

Regular Price: $1,795.85

Special Price $1,453.78

MSRP: $2,137.91

2 Review(s) | Add Your Review

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Details:

Package Tuned by Legendary Corvette Racer, Johnny O'Connell
Bolt-On Shocks Keep the Car Planted and Remove Harsh Ride Characteristics
CNC-Bent 4130 Chromoly 35MM Front Bar and 29MM 3-Way Adjustable Rear Bar
Includes Polyurethane Bushings
Heavy Duty Rod End Endlinks and CNC Machined Articulation Spacers

Overview

aFe Control is proud to introduce the Johnny O'Connell Stage 1 Package for the 1997-2013 Chevrolet C5/C6 Corvette. Tuned by legendary 4 time Le Mans winner, Johnny O'Connell , this package features sway bars and shocks designed to provide your Corvette with racecar level road holding ability, and the street-ability you would expect from your daily driver. The 4130 Chromoly tubular sway bars, include polyurethane bushings, heavy duty end links, and come in Johnny O's signature yellow. The rear bar is 3 way adjustable, allowing for fine tuning the suspension. Perfectly matched to the Johnny O'Connell shock absorbers, the Johnny O'Connell stage 1 Package will make for a complete transformation in your C5/C6 Corvette's performance, offering flatter, faster cornering, and added car control. Perfectly balanced, aFe products will have your Corvette handling just as good at the track as it will around town.

Tuned by Johnny O'Connell:
These shocks are a bolt-on solution for your Corvette and are tuned by Johnny O'Connell to the exact specifications needed for a perfect balance between performance and smooth ride.

O.E Style Fitment:
All O.E. mounting points have been retained for durability and a hassle-free installation.

Revised Damping Curve:
The damping curve has been completely revised, removing the harsh, high speed ride characteristics associated with OEM dampers, while offering increased "platform" to keep the car planted in turns or transition inputs like slalom or road courses.

Note:
Some vehicles equipped with "Mag Ride" electronic shock absorbers will require an additional delete kit, order part # 436-401001-N

aFe Control Suspension products are engineered and manufactured in our Corona, California manufacturing facility.

Instructions

Applications

Vehicle Applications

Year

Make

Model

SubModel

Engine

Fuel

1997-2004	Chevrolet	Corvette	(C5)	V8 5.7L	Gas
2005-2007	Chevrolet	Corvette	(C6)	V8 6.0L	Gas
2008-2013	Chevrolet	Corvette	(C6)	V8 6.2L	Gas
2001-2004	Chevrolet	Corvette Z06	(C5)	V8 5.7L	Gas
2006-2013	Chevrolet	Corvette Z06	(C6)	V8 7.0L	Gas
2009-2013	Chevrolet	Corvette ZR1	(C6)	V8 6.2L (sc)	Gas

Reviews (2)

Customer Reviews (2)

Overall average

Average Ratings By Category:

Quality
Value
Easy Install

Night & Day difference over the C6 base suspension!

I recently installed this complete shock, sway bar, and end link kit on my 2008 C6 Base Corvette.

Install: I was able to install the shocks myself using a floor jack & jack stands. Compressing the old and new shocks was very easy using the zip tie trick (check youTube). This method allows you to keep the control arms in place without removing the control arm bolts. Major time saver! I was also able to install the sway bars but the front was a little challenging due to the low front end clearance. I had to roll the front wheels on boards then jack up the center for enough room to work. The end link bolts/nuts are not the easiest to get to but if you have the right wrenches and tools it can be done in a couple hours. Just follow the included instructions for torque specs and fitment. Quick Tip: Only remove the top end link bolt and pull the entire old sway bar unit out at once... vs wasting time removing the lower end link bolt while under your car.

Shocks: I felt about a 25% improvement in feel and ride performance with the new shocks. The ride is a little more firm but not rough. The new shocks also eliminated the annoying rapid bouncing/chatter that I felt on rough roads with the stock shocks. They also do not "float" over undulated roads like the stock shocks. If you compress the stock shocks by hand you will notice they compress at least twice as easy as the AFE and do not provide much resistance. The damping is too light which results in rapid, uncontrolled response to the terrain. The AFE shocks just feel more "planted", reactive, and in-control of the road.

Sway Bars: When I installed the new sway bars I felt a 100% difference vs. the stock suspension. This is when the magic happened. I honestly did not expect the sway bars to affect normal driving, but they did.The ride is just amazing! There is little to no body roll when turning and I have much more confidence in corners at speed. I can also predict when she wants to let go out of the corner. I started with the center bolt position on the rear bar. I may try the other 2 positions just for comparison but I am extremely happy with the performance of these bars. I especially love the yellow color as it matches my yellow car. You can see the rear bar when standing behind the vehicle. NICE BONUS!

End Links: How such a small part makes a BIG difference. My old links were extremely loose and squeaked over bumps. They were small and just not up to the task with even mildly aggressive driving. The new end links are beasts! All I can say is GET THEM! They are a perfect complement to this complete package.

Overall: As I stated earlier... the entire package feels like a 100% improvement over stock. The shocks alone are a significant improvement but the sway bars and end links are critical to the overall upgrade. The lesson here is: do not skimp on your suspension. If you are concerned about the cost, watch YouTube videos and figure out how to install this upgrade yourself. This alone saved me up to $1,000 or more. I am no master mechanic, but I read the instructions, watched the videos, and knocked out the project over a span of a couple of days. Overall it took about 4-5 hours of work but I took my time and tested the shocks before installing the sway bars and end links.

I would highly recommend this set-up based on my personal experience. I am expecting years of service out of this high performance suspension package!

Quality
Value
Easy Install

Review by C6 is Best! / Posted on 6/29/2022

Nice upgrade over stock C6 Base model

Installed them today on my 2008 C6 Base to replace the stock shocks. My original shocks had only 10k miles on them but they were 14 years old. I immediately noticed that the rebound on the AFE shocks is much slower & stiffer than the stock... about twice as slow. This leads to less bouncing and chattering when hitting bumps. The AFE shocks definitely feel more smooth over the bumps on regular streets. They also seem to absorb the harsh hits better. My stock shocks would chatter on rough roads and float on smooth roads. The AFE shocks feel more planted on the rough streets and firm on the smooth roads. It's a noticeable improvement. I'd say it feels like about a 25% - 35% increase in feel & performance. I'll update my review if needed but my initial impression of the AFE shocks is positive.