Lowered Front did not work
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,556
Likes: 0
From: Jenison MI
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by l78vetteman
Thanks for all the suggestions. I think that I will cut some off the rubber pads on the spring ends to get it down a little more. The car has settled another 1/8" after driving for a week. Still think I should have got a full inch out of the mods. Will re-inspect everything when I take it apart for the trim job on the ends. Thanks again.
Rob
Rob
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 10,641
Likes: 13
From: Slidell Louisiana
Originally Posted by fsr402
I would recommend NOT cutting the pads down. Those pads are there for one thing and one thing only. To keep the composite spring from contacting the A-arm. Contact such as touching or rubbing on the arm will damage the spring in time. I know that people here have done it and so far it seems fine, but really, how much driving do they do and how rough are the roads? Well, if you plan to keep the car, don't do it. You will end up replacing the spring when it fails.
There were metal covers on the ends of my front spring. I don't know why the spring would fail. I can see the steel spring ends galling the aluminum lower control arms! However, I left half of the thickness of the stock rubber/steel pads on my spring. I don't have a long term reliablity of this mod yet, however, so far so good. Others have done it successfully. If it fails I will have to go to coil overs, or hydraulics or better yet air bags. Because in my opinion C4s look like *** at stock ride height.
Mike
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,939
Likes: 38
From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
Originally Posted by fsr402
I removed .625 from mine.
Mine after driving a few days dropped almost 1.5 inches.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 590
Likes: 0
From: Boynton Beach, FL
Lowering with FHB front spring
I just lowered my 93 coupe while installing a an FHB (Z-51/R9G) front spring. Total drop was approximately 1-1/2". I was surprised because
The last time I lowered a C4, an 86 Z-51, I only got about an 1/8" drop. This time I removed all the aluminum spacers and just used the wedges above spring. I did not have to cut mounting blocks to fit (and yes, its tight). Spring came off a 90. The mount must have changed because it bolted up fine. Biggest gain in lowereing came from new spring which had no pads on end of spring. Stock spring had about 3/4" of pad. I glued a 1/4 Delrin block to each end of the spring where it mates with LCA. If you want to lower your car some more, get rid of the tall end pads. My $.02
Larry
The last time I lowered a C4, an 86 Z-51, I only got about an 1/8" drop. This time I removed all the aluminum spacers and just used the wedges above spring. I did not have to cut mounting blocks to fit (and yes, its tight). Spring came off a 90. The mount must have changed because it bolted up fine. Biggest gain in lowereing came from new spring which had no pads on end of spring. Stock spring had about 3/4" of pad. I glued a 1/4 Delrin block to each end of the spring where it mates with LCA. If you want to lower your car some more, get rid of the tall end pads. My $.02
Larry
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 10,641
Likes: 13
From: Slidell Louisiana
Originally Posted by steve40th
My question is can you put spacers/washers on the bolts to accomadate for the cutting of the aluminum brackets to bring the front end back up?
Last edited by aboatguy; Jan 9, 2006 at 09:14 PM.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,939
Likes: 38
From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
Originally Posted by aboatguy
I see how washers would raise the front however, stacking the shims on top of the spring would!
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 10,641
Likes: 13
From: Slidell Louisiana
Originally Posted by steve40th
I just got underneath the Vette. The aluminum brackets , IMHO can raise and lower the vehicle based on where you put some "shims/spacers" as it would change the position of the spring. So, I will put shims on top of the spacer to bring the spring down, therefore raising the front end. Make sense?
I left the word don't out of my previous post, (phone rang while posting)
Mike
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,404
Likes: 398
From: Lakeville MI
Are the spring ends fully seated in the lower control arms?
If not the spring could be bowed a bit, keeping the ride height up. Its been a few years since I have done this. But I think it took some time for the spring ends to settle in, since there is a lot of friction between the rubber end pads and the lca.
Maybe jacking the spring from below would unload it and help it seat.
I'm also thinking of cutting down the end pads, since I still have about 2 fingers between the tire and the fender (26" from the ground).
If not the spring could be bowed a bit, keeping the ride height up. Its been a few years since I have done this. But I think it took some time for the spring ends to settle in, since there is a lot of friction between the rubber end pads and the lca.
Maybe jacking the spring from below would unload it and help it seat.
I'm also thinking of cutting down the end pads, since I still have about 2 fingers between the tire and the fender (26" from the ground).