Ride Height Too High
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 312
Likes: 0
Ride Height Too High
Hi, I had the entire suspension reworked in my 71 coupe with a new rear leaf sping and the ride height is too high, could I go with a longer set of rear sping bolts till the spring settles? And if so, who sells them.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Yes, longer bolts on the leaf spring will do the trick. Get 'em from Vette Brakes & Products
http://www.vbandp.com/detail.aspx?ID=443
They offer a range of lengths and they are very easy to fit.
J
http://www.vbandp.com/detail.aspx?ID=443
They offer a range of lengths and they are very easy to fit.
J
4th Gear
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Restoring a '73 Corvette out in the middle of Africa. I recently imported a carbon fibre mono-rear spring and a carbon fibre mono-front spring kit from the States, which I have installed. But...it looks funny as the gap between the tyre and the fender on the back is +/- 7-8 inches and on the front +/- 4-5 inches. Is there anyway to lower the ride height, besides tightening the adjusting bolts (which doesn't seem to have much effect)?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,000
Likes: 1
From: Minneapolis, Mn USA
B...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 312
Likes: 0
Well I got the 10 inch long bolts and I dont know what I was thinking that the original bolts were 8 inches in length, but they are only 6.5 inches long and I was thinking they may bottom out after I install them, I can always cut off the excess, but I would like someones thoughts on this and if anyone has tried the 10 inch bolts on their C3 vette. The first pic is my 1970, the next is my 1971 with the new rear steel leaf spring and the 3rd pic is the original bolt with a longer bolt next to it.
Last edited by JIMS1970VETTE; Jan 2, 2007 at 06:42 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 30,183
Likes: 313
From: Lake Norman NC
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 18,126
Likes: 174
From: WI
8th Gear
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
I am by no means a mechanic but here's what I think...
Looking at your picture of the leaf spring, there is a band holding the leafs together. If that band is tight enough ,wouldn't it stop the spring from flexing ? My guess is that band is a shipping clamp.
The steel spring i put on my 74 last year doesn't have those bands and the ride height seems about right with the stock bolts.
If I'm wrong, someone please set me straight
If I'm right, What's the safe way to remove those bands?
Looking at your picture of the leaf spring, there is a band holding the leafs together. If that band is tight enough ,wouldn't it stop the spring from flexing ? My guess is that band is a shipping clamp.
The steel spring i put on my 74 last year doesn't have those bands and the ride height seems about right with the stock bolts.
If I'm wrong, someone please set me straight
If I'm right, What's the safe way to remove those bands?
Racer
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 259
Likes: 2
From: Sacramento CA
Stock springs did not have a band. Replacement springs often do and they can and should be removed. Easiest done with a pneumatic grinder with a cut-off disk but you can also use a hammer and screwdriver to open up the bent over tab and pry it off. The metal band is not real stiff.
I just replaced mine just because it was 37 years old, not because I had a ride height issue. Now mine sits about 2" higher than it did. Hoping it is going to settle.