Lowering too much?!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,922
Likes: 38
From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
Lowering too much?!
Can you lower your suspension too much. Besides the tires hittin gin the fenderwell, and the bottom of the car scraping scanerios, what about the suspension. Can it be lowered enough that its spring tension isnt enough, and the shocks are bottoming out?
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 32,782
Likes: 11
From: Former NCM Drag Racing coordinator, National director Corvette Challenge Spring Hill, Tennessee: Whiting, New Jersey
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Re: Lowering too much?! (steve40th)
To much of anything is no good :(
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
Re: Lowering too much?! (steve40th)
yea... too much is bad... causes the suspension to do bad things... remember, the suspension is designed to work within some geometric range... you lower too much, you effect the range.
if you really must lower that much, you need to change the pickup points.
if you really must lower that much, you need to change the pickup points.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,141
Likes: 1,729
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Re: Lowering too much?! (bogus)
when lowering more than an inch or so, you cause the suspension to "bottom out" and your car hits the ground on bumps and such. You would have to raise the spring rate of your suspension considerably to keep this from happening. Race cars are very low to the ground but have very high spring rates to compensate. I would recommend against trying to lower a vette more than an inch (in front especially), the damn thing is so low i have to crawl out of it now.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,922
Likes: 38
From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
Re: Lowering too much?! (vader86)
Well, I have already lowered, over towo years ago. I had the 285/40/17 tires in the rear, and now I have the 315/35 and to get the same "look" I lowered teh rear more, and it rattles a little on the right side. The right side as you know is higher than the left as many have found when loweringa C4, so I went to the lowest possible on the spring bolt, with 2 threads left. I have the same look now, but I may be to low. The Left side is okay, as it is 8 threads up on the bolt. I may have to raise it. Anyone have the height of the 285 tire of hand, so I can see how much shorter the sidewall is?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 13,298
Likes: 14
From: Somers NY
Re: Lowering too much?! (vader86)
Before you go crazy figuring how much you can lower it.. try looking at some of the "Slammed" Ricers.. & re-think if you REALLY want to lower it AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE !
And if you lower it THAT much, I have some purple florescent lights that can be installed under the rocker panels.. & some clear tail light lens's... oh I also have a big.. stick on that says "R-type"
Hint, lower it 1-2" the most, that will look :cool: Not a good Idea if you plan on drag racing, but for the 99% who only race a few times a year its fine to lower it 1-2" IMHO..
And if you lower it THAT much, I have some purple florescent lights that can be installed under the rocker panels.. & some clear tail light lens's... oh I also have a big.. stick on that says "R-type"
Hint, lower it 1-2" the most, that will look :cool: Not a good Idea if you plan on drag racing, but for the 99% who only race a few times a year its fine to lower it 1-2" IMHO..
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,922
Likes: 38
From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
Re: Lowering too much?! (Red96Coupe)
From the top of the front tire to the lip of the fender, it is 1", for the rear it is 1.5"s from top of tire to the rear fender. I really like the look. My website, signature doesnt show the height it is now, it is lower. As soon as I cxan I will update with a good digital photo.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 859
Likes: 17
From: Houston TX
Re: Lowering too much?! (steve40th)
I was told by some guys that ran C4s for years, that the best set height for the rear on C4s was 27 inches from the bottom center fender to the ground. Thats lower than stock, but its not as low as it can go.
I run my race car at 27, and my 89 with Z51 sits at 28 stock so I just left it.
The front is hard to get a set place because you can take the outside shims out, and shim the spring mounts up and down. Just set it like you want it and be careful what you try to drive over and be aware of bumpsteer if you get it too low. Good Luck
I run my race car at 27, and my 89 with Z51 sits at 28 stock so I just left it.
The front is hard to get a set place because you can take the outside shims out, and shim the spring mounts up and down. Just set it like you want it and be careful what you try to drive over and be aware of bumpsteer if you get it too low. Good Luck
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,922
Likes: 38
From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
Re: Lowering too much?! (White Lightning 89)
I just measure a cool 26 inches in the rear. HMMM. Now I do have the 315/35 series tires. they are a little shorter. Before I had the 285/40 series. Steve
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,524
Likes: 1
From: Pinellas Florida Misfit
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: Lowering too much?! (steve40th)
I dropped my rear 2 inches and the front 1.75... the car looks much better, handles and even rides better. I've only scraped the front air dam once since I did it a few weeks back.