Ugh! I believe I will pull the shocks off and let it sit on it's weight to see what happens.
76 C3 Ride Height
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,009
Likes: 62
From: Houston Tx
Hi everyone, I finally got back to work on my ride height problem. I went back in and aligned the top of the coil springs to the hole in the frame perch and put the end of the coil springs with the notch in the bottom control arms.
Also, I loosened the control arm bolts and allowed the car to sit on the ground on it's own weight (and bounced it as much as I could). I'm going to allow it to sit that way for a few days. All of that work got me an inch lower in height.
The space between the top of the front tires and hi point of the wheel well archs is now ~ 4 inches on both sides. It was 5 inches.
Some other things I recorded:
The bottom of the center front bumper cover is ~12 inches from the ground
The distance from the hi point of the wheel well archs to the ground is a little over 29 inches on both sides
The distance from the bottom of the chassis to the ground (measured at the middle of the side air vents) is a little over 9 inches on both sides
The car has not been aligned, yet. Both front tires appear to be angled outward at the top
I appreciate any thoughts/feedback on this. Thanks.
Also, I loosened the control arm bolts and allowed the car to sit on the ground on it's own weight (and bounced it as much as I could). I'm going to allow it to sit that way for a few days. All of that work got me an inch lower in height.
The space between the top of the front tires and hi point of the wheel well archs is now ~ 4 inches on both sides. It was 5 inches.
Some other things I recorded:
The bottom of the center front bumper cover is ~12 inches from the ground
The distance from the hi point of the wheel well archs to the ground is a little over 29 inches on both sides
The distance from the bottom of the chassis to the ground (measured at the middle of the side air vents) is a little over 9 inches on both sides
The car has not been aligned, yet. Both front tires appear to be angled outward at the top
I appreciate any thoughts/feedback on this. Thanks.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,225
Likes: 7,823
From: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
2025 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
The tires should be close to straight 90 degrees or maybe slightly tipped inwards at the top. Depending on the type of alignment. I run .5 degrees tipped in at the top for handling purposes.
When I put on a Aluminium intake. Aluminium heads, Aluminium radiator and deleted a number of useless things under the hood my car sat high as well.
I cut one full coil off my springs. as anything else they dont sit in the pockets correctly. then I was a touch to low. I put 3/8 inch poly spacers under the springs and got my ride height perfect at 27 1/4 inch to the inside top edge of the fender arch.
Best of luck getting yours perfect. took me about 4 goes pulling springs in and out and trying different things until I finally nailed it.
When I put on a Aluminium intake. Aluminium heads, Aluminium radiator and deleted a number of useless things under the hood my car sat high as well.
I cut one full coil off my springs. as anything else they dont sit in the pockets correctly. then I was a touch to low. I put 3/8 inch poly spacers under the springs and got my ride height perfect at 27 1/4 inch to the inside top edge of the fender arch.
Best of luck getting yours perfect. took me about 4 goes pulling springs in and out and trying different things until I finally nailed it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,025
Likes: 1,120
From: North tonawanda NY
This is why I just bought a set of these viking coil overs https://www.ebay.com/itm/284107609956 still need to order the matching rears...
My original shocks were blown out on my 74 and I noticed even after just putting cheap gabriel shocks on the car that it raised it a bit too much for my liking.
anyone want to but a new set of moog 450lb front springs?
My original shocks were blown out on my 74 and I noticed even after just putting cheap gabriel shocks on the car that it raised it a bit too much for my liking.
anyone want to but a new set of moog 450lb front springs?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,009
Likes: 62
From: Houston Tx
Thanks for the feedback augiedoggy. Yeah, I may check them out if I can confirm the Bilstein shocks are causing my car to sit to high.
Now that I think through it, The rear end is sitting high, too. I put Bilstein shocks on the rear, as well. The rear sitting a little over 29inches on both sides from the top of the wheel arches to the floor and about 5 inches between the wheel wells arches and top of rear tires with the leaf spring end bolt nuts backed off all the way to the end. The bottom center of the rear bumper is 15 inches to the ground.
Now that I think through it, The rear end is sitting high, too. I put Bilstein shocks on the rear, as well. The rear sitting a little over 29inches on both sides from the top of the wheel arches to the floor and about 5 inches between the wheel wells arches and top of rear tires with the leaf spring end bolt nuts backed off all the way to the end. The bottom center of the rear bumper is 15 inches to the ground.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,225
Likes: 7,823
From: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
2025 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
An awful lot of us run Bilstiens. Shocks should not make your car sit higher. Springs do.
And the rear is easy. Longer bolts.
And the rear is easy. Longer bolts.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,947
Likes: 4,506
From: Virginia
Bilsteins have a small amount of stored energy in them. (I mentioned this back in post #5). Probably not enough to notice, but more than nothing.
Rubber bushings can also store energy. While I doubt your poly bushings could cause any issues, rubber bushings on the shocks might, depending on how they were installed.
It's probably not much, but if you can loosen and tighten everything while the car is on all 4 wheels, include the shock bushings, at least the bottom mounts. Or take them all the way off and see if you notice a difference (I bet you won't), but please take measurements and post photos!
Rubber bushings can also store energy. While I doubt your poly bushings could cause any issues, rubber bushings on the shocks might, depending on how they were installed.
It's probably not much, but if you can loosen and tighten everything while the car is on all 4 wheels, include the shock bushings, at least the bottom mounts. Or take them all the way off and see if you notice a difference (I bet you won't), but please take measurements and post photos!
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,009
Likes: 62
From: Houston Tx
Hi everyone, just to update on this one; I'm on hold on my ride height issue, right now. I believe I have tried everything I can to get the height down besides cutting/replacing the coil springs and putting longer rear bolts in the rear. The poly bushings I installed are branded Energy Suspension. I spoke to them and they claim the bushings have a "break-in" period of about 4 weeks. They claim the car should return to "normal" height after this period.
Also, I see post 57 of this old thread (https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...n-front-3.html) where the poster says their car settled down after it was aligned. I'm a few weeks from an alignment but we will see. I will update this thread after that time.
Thanks for all the help.
Also, I see post 57 of this old thread (https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...n-front-3.html) where the poster says their car settled down after it was aligned. I'm a few weeks from an alignment but we will see. I will update this thread after that time.
Thanks for all the help.