composite rear spring
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 215
Likes: 0
From: Lakeland FL
My first glance at the pics pointed me towards the same conclusion. However, first do you have a spare tire? I wonder if the additional 50' weight of a spare tire get you closer to the desired ride height.
If not, I believe that the longer bolt would possibly give you the desired results.
I'm waiting to install my 10" bolts only after my C5/C6 wheel/tire upgrade that I have planned as soon as someone purchases my 8"x15" chrome rally wheels (with spinners) and my Firestone Indy radials with about 450 miles on them.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,827
Likes: 959
From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
Several years ago I talked to VB&P and expressed my displeasure about the arc of a spring I bought there. It made no engineering sense to me that the stiff spring I bought had basically the same arc as the softer springs. We all know that a stiffer spring won't change its shape/arc as much as a soft spring when installed, and I thought it was both technically wrong and poor customer service to sell a product that wasn't built the way it should be, resulting in the customer spending additional funds to make it work (ie: by replacing the outer hanger bolts with longer substutes). To VB&P's credit, they offered to swap out my newly purchased spring for a correctly shaped "low arc" part. The low arc replacement was a quality piece and worked well on my car.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 434
Likes: 0
From: Triangle Area NC
Spring's gonna go...
I'm probably going to re-replace the spring.
I'm not willing to extend the bolts any longer, as they're already marginally long at the rim line.
I don't have a spare in the car at the time, but I don't think the 50 lbs would change much .. that IS a stout spring and it doesn't easily deflect.
John
I'm not willing to extend the bolts any longer, as they're already marginally long at the rim line.
I don't have a spare in the car at the time, but I don't think the 50 lbs would change much .. that IS a stout spring and it doesn't easily deflect.
John
Last edited by johnmb; Nov 28, 2011 at 07:55 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 98
From: Ontario
I'm probably going to re-replace the spring.
I'm not willing to extend the springs any longer, as they're already marginally long at the rim line.
I don't have a spare in the car at the time, but I don't think the 50 lbs would change much .. that IS a stout spring and it doesn't easily deflect.
John
I'm not willing to extend the springs any longer, as they're already marginally long at the rim line.
I don't have a spare in the car at the time, but I don't think the 50 lbs would change much .. that IS a stout spring and it doesn't easily deflect.
John
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,298
Likes: 1,580
From: Western NY
Shouldn't have an effect, becuuse in theory, the sway bar is "neutral" until cornering forces cause one side of the car to rise, relative to the other. At that point, the bar then tries to resist this force, and comes into play.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 98
From: Ontario
It was just a thought. I can't understand his problem. I have read of this with TRW springs but his looks like a VBP.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,298
Likes: 1,580
From: Western NY
I didn't realize that VB&P made their springs in different "arch rates", as "wesch" mentioned. But if they do, it appears that it's "jonhmb"s problem. As I previously mentioned, I put one of these springs on a '79 that my wife used to own, and I got the desired ride height without any major issues.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 215
Likes: 0
From: Lakeland FL
I'm probably going to re-replace the spring.
I'm not willing to extend the springs any longer, as they're already marginally long at the rim line.
I don't have a spare in the car at the time, but I don't think the 50 lbs would change much .. that IS a stout spring and it doesn't easily deflect.
John
I'm not willing to extend the springs any longer, as they're already marginally long at the rim line.
I don't have a spare in the car at the time, but I don't think the 50 lbs would change much .. that IS a stout spring and it doesn't easily deflect.
John
At some point in the future I'll go with a VBP solution (adjustable) in the front and rear and this issue for me will be settled.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 434
Likes: 0
From: Triangle Area NC
John
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 98
From: Ontario
Just unload it and see what happens. It looks like a GM-original 7/16" but it may be the source of your problem. Good luck. I am out of ideas and certainly do not advise 10" bolts.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,920
Likes: 731
From: Youngstown Ohio
I didn't realize that VB&P made their springs in different "arch rates", as "wesch" mentioned. But if they do, it appears that it's "jonhmb"s problem. As I previously mentioned, I put one of these springs on a '79 that my wife used to own, and I got the desired ride height without any major issues.
I got mine from VB&P (380 lb. spring) and had no excess height issues. Mine is over 5 years old. It did not have excess arch before installing or after installation.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 20
From: The only Corvettes in Highett Victoria
Test drive
I'm probably going to re-replace the spring.
I'm not willing to extend the bolts any longer, as they're already marginally long at the rim line.
I don't have a spare in the car at the time, but I don't think the 50 lbs would change much .. that IS a stout spring and it doesn't easily deflect.
John
I'm not willing to extend the bolts any longer, as they're already marginally long at the rim line.
I don't have a spare in the car at the time, but I don't think the 50 lbs would change much .. that IS a stout spring and it doesn't easily deflect.
John
Have you taken the car for a fifty mile drive? That might be all it needs to "settle" into a lower ride height. The stabiliser bar has no effect on ride height, don't even look there. Put the spare tyre in and go for a drive. Take a before and after photo with a ruler or tape measure in the gap so that we can see the results (if any!?!?).
Regards from Down Under.
aussiejohn
