I'd like to lower min about an inch
Any suggestions?
Its an 80 btw

 

Use 550# coils up front and cut 1/2 coil off each one. Then get 8" bolts for the rear springs, and you have it. Mine is done just that way...and I'm using OEM sized tires.

 

what are 550 springs?
If its that easy cant i just cut my coils?
explain more detail on th 8 bolts please?

 

550 is the load rating of the coil spring. It was used for the sport suspension optional upgrade, so unless your car has Gymkhana suspension it won't have 550# springs up front. I don't know how much you would have to cut off the OEM springs to achieve the affect.

RE: the rears - you have a lateral leaf spring, with a bolt on each end attached to the suspension. The shorter that bolt is, the higher the car rides; there's more tension on the spring.

 

The 550 Foot/pound springs are also known as the F-41 suspension will lower the Front about 1 inch. A good upgrade would be to purchase both front and rear spring. Just be aware your current spring rate is probably around 280 foot pounds, so there will be an increase in handling and what you might perceive as a decrease in comfort.

If you after looks only, then this may not be the way to go.

 

I would enjoy tighter handling forsaking comfort anyday
I will check into the suggestions
hmm... Longer bolts lower the rear
Actually the front sits about an inch lower than the rear now
maybe I'll try the back first
thanks guy
sweet brown btw

 

For the sake of a good handling car, go with a front/Rear matched set. Putting a stiff spring in the rear and leaving the front stock will make the car tend to oversteer.

 

I did not have to cut my 550# springs to lower 1". If you go that route, you may want to install and check height before you start cutting. You might look at upgrading your shocks too. I went with the VBP Street and Slalom suspenson package which has the matching front/rear springs, Bilstein Sport shocks, the longer bolts and larger sway bars. Might be something to look at if your budget allows.

Also, make sure your front springs are correctly seated in the pockets of the A-arms; this can make it sit high if not properly positioned.

 

A few weeks ago I lowered my '76 with the VB&P 550lb front coils and 8" bolt kit for the rear. I didn't cut the new springs and it lowered mine 2" from an altitude of 29.5" on the front center of the wheel openings to a more sea level reading of 27.5"

If you do the work yourself, make sure you order new dust boots for the ball joints since the old ones will get pinched by the pickle fork. VB&P sells them. Here are links to the springs and the bolt kit, they do offer bolts with new bushings for $10 more on their site.

Front coils

http://www.vbandp.com/C2-C3-Corvette...l-Springs.html

Bolt kit

http://www.vbandp.com/C2-C3-Corvette...2-1997-05.html


Before picture



After Pics






During the install




Stock springs next to new 550 lb spring

 

From my Friend Mark who races his Corvette. This is probably a lot more than you wanted to know, but something you should be aware of. Just haphazardly lowering the car and changing the suspension could a huge effect on the way the car handles. Here is what Mark had to say when we discussed your post:

“You are absolutely right the C3 base spring rates are 280 Front 140 Rear.
If he wants to lower the car an inch use F41 springs all the way around do not just lower the rear. He can also lower the rear by using longer spring bolts and talking about half a coil out of the front but you don't want the rear to be low and the front high. The stock springs were way too soft so he may like the F41 springs. This will be a PIA to be done right because the springs may have to come out a few times to be trimmed to the proper height.

The ride height in the front is a very critical dimension. Remember the Z ride height spec in the shop manual?

You need to make sure you are at the specified Z dimension (off set of the lower control arm bushing height to the lower control arm ball joint height) else the roll center will be wacked out and the car will never handle right.

The critical spec for the C3 is:
Front "Z " 1 1/4" to 1 1/2"
Rear "D" 1/14"
both with driver and full tank of fuel

The "D" spec is the offset heights of the Rear camber strut, or the difference in height of the inner camber
rod busing center and the out rear camber center.

The "Z" spec is the offset heights of the lower control arm, or the height of the center of the inner LCA bushings and the center of the ball joint. For 99% of stock ball joints GM included, the center of ball joint is located on the mounting plate. Don't measure off the outer case where the grease fitting is.

The best way to measure these is with two pieces of angle iron. Take one piece of angle iron and drill a hole near the center. Take a second piece of angle iron and drill a hole near the end. Bolt the two together so now they look like a scissor (sort of). Cut the end of the second piece on a 45 degree angle so it forms a point. Slide the thing under the car and position the point on the center of the inner bushings. Slide it out and measure from the point to the ground. Slide it back in and position the point on the outer end of the bushing or ball joint center and measure that point to the ground. The difference between the two measurements is the offset of the inner and out pivot ends. That is the ONLY way you KNOW that your roll center will be close to where it needs to be. What some people do is just make sure the front is right and then just set the rear so the frame is
one inch higher than in the front to get the 10 degree rake.

Most people are clueless when it comes to this, even a lot of racers over lower cars and never figure out why their cars are slow. The circle track guys are all over this. In racing trim, my VIR lap times went from a 2:30 to a 2:27 just by setting the proper ride height, yes three SECONDS ! The front will have more grip, it won't slide, you won't grain front tires, get better tire life, the less distance you slide the more distance you go forward, that
is where the time is made up. The second most critical dimension is the wheel offset which directly effects the scrub radius. When you change to aftermarket rims you need to keep the scrub radius the same.

Those two parameters are things you and your friend should be aware of.”

 

What kind of wheels are those?

 

Their Centerline Champ 506's, billet aluminum. 18" x 8" with 4" rear spacing.

 

Thank's for the information

 

I was wondering if you could explain what a "coil" is in reference to what we want to remove.

If I am going to cut off 1 coil, does that mean the piece I remove will look like an "O"?

And a half of a coil removed would look like a "C"?

 

Yeah, i'm afraid i forgot the exact number it lowered my 69 but it did lower it some with the 550# Gymkhana springs and longer bolts in the rear.



i'd start with the springs first and see how you like that lowered look. Then if you want more go back in and start cutting till you get the look you like. Next time i'm in that area working i'll most likely cut some off as it could stand to be lower a bit more...

 

That looks great and just what I have in mind. Thanks. I don't see a spring compressor. How did you do it without one?

 

Spring compressors are dangerous. Use a floor jack to unload the spring pressure from the lower control arm.

 

SDP, thanks for the information. I agree about the danger. Could you elaborate on how you used the floor jack. I have some suspension work scheduled for this winter while she's closed up in the garage. Do you have a suggested source for the 550# springs? What size tires are on your brown beauty?

 

I bought a new coil spring compessor from Jegs only to find out there was no way it was going in the hole in the lower control arm, luckily I didn't need it. You have to loosen the lower control arm bushing bolts a few turns then the control arm will swing down farther as you can see in one of the photos I posted then I used the big red handled pry bar to push it a little farther and just pulled the spring out, you do have to be careful and aware of what your doing but it really was simple and made me wish I hadn't wasted the money on the compressor.

I bought the 550# springs and longer rear spring bolts from Vette Brakes and Products (vbandp.com) in St. Pete

 

Buy the Van Steel DVD on suspension teardown. Its worth the ~$25 or so. It will give you a great walkthrough on how to dismantle both front and rear.

I used the jack method to dismantle the front several times. My 82 had the FE7 spring originally. Earlier cars with the 10 turn coil can be more tricky. Use a chain and the jack method and you should have no problems.

B.