EVLGTO

Purchased my 94' C4 nice and low from an older gentleman. Looks great! But rides like crap. I'm bouncing all over the place like a kid in a lowered Honda. I was going to check to see if I was riding on bump stops. But I think I just want to lift it back up close to stock height. Some people in here have told me I may not be able to lift the front back up depending what was done. The guy had a Corvette shop do the drop. Here's at it sits now.

WVZR-1

The rear of course we could assume shouldn't be an issue, replace what are likely longer bolts with the stock ones.

The front if it was removed and had the "wedges" removed/shaved or other shorter/thinner wedges glued on hen it could maybe become an issue. It would likely require spring removal and adding back proper height wedges on each side.

A '94 front spring should have a square block on each spring end where it contacts the control arms. If the cut those it could certainly complicate the issue. I should have a snapshot of a spring end. You "might" be able to eye-ball the end at the control arm to determine. If they replaced the front spring then it of course might get more complicated also.

Is the shop that did the work local to you?

EVLGTO

That would be great thank you!

Negative, the shop is 120 miles away from me. I picked the car up in Menifee, which is about 100 miles away. He had his local Corvette shop do the work. He also had the adjustable suspension disabled and put in some nice new shocks which is fine. But I don't even think the shocks are able to do their thing with the way this car is slammed.

WVZR-1

I have never done this but maybe in your case it might be something to consider. I don't/won't suggest jacking on a spring BUT if using the correct spring collapsing tool maybe you could insert urethane spacers shaped like the control arm pocket on either end. You could maybe attempt with a 1/4" and increase maybe as required. Being "slammed" as it is the shocks very well aren't accomplishing a thing. What brand and part number on the shock tube?

Here's a couple images for front comparison. Spring on left is a '94 style, on the right '91 and earlier. The block on the '94 spring is something near 16mm tall. With the car on a lift the spring code I would think could be visible, about 1" - 1 1/2" from the triangular shaped end and should be a 3 letter code. I don't know which end.

EVLGTO

Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh now I understand how the front is lowered on these cars! People stick wedges at the ends of those triangle shaped areas. Then that pushes the ends of the spring up and makes the car come down. No wonder the cars ride like crap. The spring is being forced almost straight and not being able to flex much. Hence less movement and the stiff ride.

WVZR-1

That isn't how the front is lowered. The front is normally lowered by "cutting off" the wedge in the second snapshot and gluing on wedges of less thickness. Look at the kits/packages offered by all of the resellers. No one does anything at the control arm to increase/lower typically. Your desire is to increase and I suggested it for THOUGHT. I would think inexpensive also. Wouldn't require spring removal, spring purchase etc. Would it work? I'd maybe consider it for a "LIFT".

That's why I did the second snapshot. So you could maybe eye-ball what's on your car. I don't believe they're in plain sight but it may very well be visible.

The block on the '94 spring is stock, there is nothing tampered with on either spring.

EVLGTO

Understood. Makes sense now. The center is where it makes the difference. In that case, I hope they didn't cut it all off

EVLGTO

Also, I've been searching the web and can't find a straight answer. Where the heck are the bump stops on the C4's?? I must be blind. Or are they built into the shocks? I can't find pictures anywhere.

gerardvg

There are bump stops on the rear but not on the front, the front of the car can fall on the ground when the spring breaks unless the shock absorbers bottom out.

The ride height of the blue car is very low and will be on the bump stops, perhaps EVLGTO should the look for a new or second hand front spring to raise the height to stock. That will lift the car a couple of inches.

You can always go to coilovers and set the ride height where ever you want, at the turn of a spanner.

Sure a lowered Corvette looks great, however the ride is not so great.

See below, my corvette hits the bump stops going slowly over speed bumps at that hight.

The second picture the ride is a lot better and can go off road but does not look so good (that is around the standard ride height), i have coilovers so have the best of both worlds.
Easy to adjust for whatever mood i am in.

http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fu...&subgroup=1972

EVLGTO

Thank you so much!!!!

EVLGTO

Well, looks like I need to either find another front spring or go with coilovers.

drive it

Used front spring in good shape=couple hundred bucks. (And it is a pia to change)
Coil set=1000+
Your wallet!

EVLGTO

I'm going to with the spring route. Found a few for $150.

JayEmEss

Will the after market kits allow lowering the back to be even with the front without lowering the front? I want the look of an even or flat car without the stiff(er) ride...perhaps coil overs is the only solution?

JayEmEss

Found my answer in earlier thread..which is the way the forum should work! :-)

EVLGTO

I still need to figure out exactly what was done to the front. Some people have told me that whatever was done to the front of my car is much more than a wedge kit. Wedge kits only lower the front 1" from what I have been told. I wonder if the whole rubber was wacked off and no wedge was put in at all. Maybe I can stick a lowering wedge in there and have just a 1" drop, then raise the back a little to keep it even, just not as low all around.

Well, I am going to lift the car up this weekend and try to find out if I can see anything without removing the spring. Some of my research shows people putting in rubbers under the spring, which lowers the car even more. We will see.

EVLGTO

Here's a pic that shows how small and compressed my shock is from the lowering job. I doubt these are smaller shocks. Probably stock replacement, hence the crappy ride.

WVZR-1

When on the lift get as much information as possible. Letter code on the spring, part #'s/brand on the shock tubes and check how the spring is mounted to the control arm. Is it possible that the PO used an adjustable function at the control arm to control the height? Maybe. If you can borrow a bore scope you can likely inspect the wedges using it to see what was done there. On a lift you should be able to confirm much.

This link should take you to a document with images and snapshots. Google will find you many more.

C4 Corvette Lowering procedure.doc


I thought I had an aluminum retainer to measure but I can't put my hands on it. If you're going to add to the spring "top side" you will need new retainers I believe.

Here's a side by side of the spring "bump-stop" and the top-side that would get cut off and wedges used to replace them.



I looked at your snapshot and I believe the spring in your car is likely the stock and it's been trimmed. I can see the rivets that are used for assembly. If you do a spring you will need the retainer #40 in this image and likely a couple shims #45 or manufacture some.

EVLGTO

WZR1 thank you very much for the help and info. I will report back tomorrow with more pics.

WVZR-1

I forgot to mention or maybe I just assumed you knew but in the image that I posted the rectangular/flat aspect (left) is the top of the spring that gets trimmed/removed. The cushion (right) is the lower on the spring sits in the retainer and is effectively a bump-stop but it's permanent and in constant contact.

Shims if used go "on top". The shims for the front are all the same thickness and if needed they're stacked. The FSM usually has a shim count by front spring code (color) and mentions max of 2. Maybe a stretch could be 3 per side and new retainers. I don't believe I'd stretch the shim count beyond 3.