No Go

I have a base suspension 96 Coupe and have maxed out the front end alignment with -1.2 camber.

Car works quite well for my skill level, but the outside edges of front tires are really getting worked (feathering/wear). This really came to light after the 100 track miles last night although I could see it occuring after other events (much shorter durations).

I'm thinking of lowering the car ~1 inch. I hate to really, as I like the ground clearance (driveway/speed bumps), but if it helps and makes it look "cool" then I can see it. Not talking the wedges and the shaved pads (front) but maybe just one or the other. By the way, I was just kidding on the look cool part:)

Does anyone have any input on how much camber I would gain and if removing the pads would be worthwhile for a 1 inch drop front and rear?

Car is 90% street driven, but I like it to perform on the track when asked (ie a rollcage is future modification:)).

Thanks from Nebraska

EricVonHa

I don't know exactly how much negative camber you'll gain.. but I can say that I NEVER got over 2 degrees negative camber on the rear until I installed the adjustable strut rods. I had mine lowered and I remember only getting like 1.5 or 1.6 negative with the rear... sorry for not being exact. I looked around for a while for my old alignment settings before susp mods and can't find them !!! F%#k!!!!

MSR

how about using offset lower control arm bushings?

another possibility is using '84-'87 upper control arms. i've not seen this done myself, but i hear it's possible. they're much shorter, and would need a lot of spacers to get back to -3, or so (from what i hear).

EricVonHa

Sorry, initial read looked like you were asking about the front... my bad.

corvette dave

From past experience I have seen about 1/2 degree change in camber when lowering a C4 or C5 1".
If you have a camber gauge or can borrow one, check the camber of the front wheels. Then sit or push down on the front of the car until it is 1" lower. Then check the camber again while lowered. Probably will take 2 people.
There is your answer.
Dave

Brian Madderom

I wouldn't lower the car more than 1.5" if driven on the street. I would use the lowering wedges with the stock spring and not remove the end pads which will damage the spring down the road. VBP offers an Xtreme front spring for 88-96' vette's which is ride-height adjustable just like the C-5. Then you can adjust the car for street and track ride-height and corner weights. It probably wouldn't be too hard to set the alignment up for your street setting and measure the camber change when lowered to the track spec. Then you could mark the adjuster for both and adjust the ride-height accordingly without adjusting the alignment. :cheers:


[Modified by Brian Madderom, 4:54 PM 4/11/2002]

NavyVet

NO Go - I lowered my roadster about 1.5 inches and got -.4 more, but I had to raise it back up because of the speed bump/driveway issue. So.....

Brian - How does the VBP adjustable spring work? Where are the adjusters? I just saw an ad for this and it sounds great, especially if you can mark it and repeat the adjustments. Have you installed one? It sounds too good to be true.

JasonL

I've seen this style installed on a C4. There are spring bolts at the ends of the springs, sort of like the C4 rears. It uses all the stock mounting points (I guess there is some sort of plate for the bolt that sits on the control arm).

BTW I'd be kind of wary of frequently adjusting a nylon locknut...the nylon may wear out after a few changes. There are also other ways of adjusting ride height at the track :p:

Brian Madderom

The C-4 Xtreme front spring is nothing like the rear. It actually resembles a C-5 front with the adjusters on each end. The hard durometer poly adjusters contact the lower a-arm where the original triangle pads were on each end of the spring. The kit comes with the center mount bolt-on conversion brackets which are very easy to bolt on. There is actually thread inserts on each end of the spring again like the C-5 where the adjusters are threaded in to. It takes an allen wrench or socket to adjust the spring easily. Terry Lackey runs the Speedvision Gran Sport class and he said that he ran four races with the spring and it didn't change ride-height or corner weight specs at all. The reliability has been proven on the track.

No Go

Actually the front is the limfac right now. The rear does not seem to be near max and I'm satisfied with the -1.1 I have now with the 315's.

Gaining .4-.5 would be worth it so this may be my winter project...jeez thinking of my next winters project already!:)

Thanks for the input on the wedges too...removing pads doesn't seem like a good thing to do, but it is free...initially:)

Thanks :D