Originally Posted by mark b

thinking of getting them for my C5 instead of lowering on stock bolts..Ive heard stories that lowering on stock bolts effects handling in a neg way...I so much want to get rid of the wheel well 4x4 look of the bilstiens..I dont want to sacrifice any handling so I was thinking that these springs would be the way to go. Maybe someone can chime in if they have a better cheaper solution... also will changing my stock tire set up to 17x11's all around eliminate that annoying gap? someone with experience with this please respond thanks

Originally Posted by Aaron Pfadt

You're probably referring to the new Koni product release in this month's Vette Mag. The release erroneously states that Koni's coupled with Eibach springs will lower your car 1 to 1.5 inches. That is probably standard language from Koni's PR department.

To my knowledge, Eibach does not make a replacement spring set for the Corvette. You can use Eibach springs on coil overs and achive a lower ride height, but the Konis shown are not coil over capable.

More to the point of your question, you can lower the car about 3/4 of an inch using stock hardware. The shocks do not set ride height (the spring does that), but they limit the suspension travel. The problem with ride and handling comes from the fact that the stock shocks are what limits the suspension travel and are relatively long. If you lower the car 3/4 inch, you use up 3/4 inch of your available travel. With the relatively soft stock springs, you can bottom out easily which is bad for ride and handling. If you use an aftermarket shortened body shock or a coil over you can lower the car and properly address the limited travel.

Some of the 'lowering' kits out there sell you hardware (bolts) to lower the car even more than the stock hardware will allow. This presents even more exaggerated bottoming out issues and can even get you into bad suspension geometry.

You can do a moderate lowering (1/2") of your car without buying anything but some shop time. Start there. If you want more from your car in terms of handling or lowering, look into some spring/shock packages that are designed to work together. Coil overs or otherwise. There are many options.



thanks for the info, I have Bilstein sports on now and Ive heard that they work fine with the car lowered. I really dont want to lower my car because I use it on track and do not want to mess up its already good handling. I just hate the wheel well gap.. its funny because some days the gap shrinks, and somedays it looks like a 4x4! Since the Bilstiens are gas charged, could the amount of gas in your car effect the way the car sits? Just curious....And will lowering my car 1/2 inch effect its handling in a negative or positive way? thanks, I go to the glen alot so you know you need great handling there
Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by Aaron Pfadt

You're probably referring to the new Koni product release in this month's Vette Mag. The release erroneously states that Koni's coupled with Eibach springs will lower your car 1 to 1.5 inches. That is probably standard language from Koni's PR department.

To my knowledge, Eibach does not make a replacement spring set for the Corvette. You can use Eibach springs on coil overs and achive a lower ride height, but the Konis shown are not coil over capable.

More to the point of your question, you can lower the car about 3/4 of an inch using stock hardware. The shocks do not set ride height (the spring does that), but they limit the suspension travel. The problem with ride and handling comes from the fact that the stock shocks are what limits the suspension travel and are relatively long. If you lower the car 3/4 inch, you use up 3/4 inch of your available travel. With the relatively soft stock springs, you can bottom out easily which is bad for ride and handling. If you use an aftermarket shortened body shock or a coil over you can lower the car and properly address the limited travel.

Some of the 'lowering' kits out there sell you hardware (bolts) to lower the car even more than the stock hardware will allow. This presents even more exaggerated bottoming out issues and can even get you into bad suspension geometry.

You can do a moderate lowering (1/2") of your car without buying anything but some shop time. Start there. If you want more from your car in terms of handling or lowering, look into some spring/shock packages that are designed to work together. Coil overs or otherwise. There are many options.



thanks for the info, I have Bilstein sports on now and Ive heard that they work fine with the car lowered. I really dont want to lower my car because I use it on track and do not want to mess up its already good handling. I just hate the wheel well gap.. its funny because some days the gap shrinks, and somedays it looks like a 4x4! Since the Bilstiens are gas charged, could the amount of gas in your car effect the way the car sits? Just curious....And will lowering my car 1/2 inch effect its handling in a negative or positive way? thanks, I go to the glen alot so you know you need great handling there
Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by mark b

thanks for the info, I have Bilstein sports on now and Ive heard that they work fine with the car lowered. I really dont want to lower my car because I use it on track and do not want to mess up its already good handling. I just hate the wheel well gap.. its funny because some days the gap shrinks, and somedays it looks like a 4x4! Since the Bilstiens are gas charged, could the amount of gas in your car effect the way the car sits? Just curious....And will lowering my car 1/2 inch effect its handling in a negative or positive way? thanks, I go to the glen alot so you know you need great handling there
Hope this helps.