1996 front lowering....
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 5
From: Sandhills of North Carolina
1996 front lowering....
I'm in the process of lowering my front end. A couple of stumbling blocks though. The rubber was either broke or I broke it on the left lower ball joint. I had to take the lower control arm off anyway to get the spring out so no problem. Until.......I have no idea how they got that rear bolt in for the control arm unless they put it in before the diagonal brace for the engine mount. Which is probably the case. So, do I just cut the bolt and replace it? And install it from the opposite direction. Anything wrong with this?
Mike
Mike
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St. Jude Donor '09 thru '20
That SOB is hard to remove. You have to use a lot of persuasion. Take all other screws out and start to rotate the LCA in circles and pull-pull-pull. It wll come out. To install just put the screw backwards, torque and go on!
What else are you installing? How r u planning on lowering your 96? VBP or lowering kit?
What else are you installing? How r u planning on lowering your 96? VBP or lowering kit?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 5
From: Sandhills of North Carolina
That SOB is hard to remove. You have to use a lot of persuasion. Take all other screws out and start to rotate the LCA in circles and pull-pull-pull. It wll come out. To install just put the screw backwards, torque and go on!
What else are you installing? How r u planning on lowering your 96? VBP or lowering kit?
What else are you installing? How r u planning on lowering your 96? VBP or lowering kit?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,926
Likes: 38
From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
I am putting it all back together today. The brace that is in the way of the LCA bolts comes out pretty easy. I removed the bolts forward, loosened the side bolts, lifted the engine a tad, and removed engine mount nuts. Then the braces can be pulled down enough to get LCA bolts out.
Please show if you put the aluminum spacer above Urethane wedges (if you bought the lowering kit) or not, and exactly how much you cut the aluminum lower U shaped brackets.
Here are some sites I used as reference in lowering. All years will produce different results as GM throughtout the years kept raising the Vette higher and higher.
http://webpages.charter.net/khasting.../lowering.html
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...ad.php?t=79763
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ctures+lowered
Please show if you put the aluminum spacer above Urethane wedges (if you bought the lowering kit) or not, and exactly how much you cut the aluminum lower U shaped brackets.
Here are some sites I used as reference in lowering. All years will produce different results as GM throughtout the years kept raising the Vette higher and higher.
http://webpages.charter.net/khasting.../lowering.html
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...ad.php?t=79763
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ctures+lowered
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 5
From: Sandhills of North Carolina
I am putting it all back together today. The brace that is in the way of the LCA bolts comes out pretty easy. I removed the bolts forward, loosened the side bolts, lifted the engine a tad, and removed engine mount nuts. Then the braces can be pulled down enough to get LCA bolts out.
Please show if you put the aluminum spacer above Urethane wedges (if you bought the lowering kit) or not, and exactly how much you cut the aluminum lower U shaped brackets.
Here are some sites I used as reference in lowering. All years will produce different results as GM throughtout the years kept raising the Vette higher and higher.
http://webpages.charter.net/khasting.../lowering.html
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...ad.php?t=79763
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ctures+lowered
Please show if you put the aluminum spacer above Urethane wedges (if you bought the lowering kit) or not, and exactly how much you cut the aluminum lower U shaped brackets.
Here are some sites I used as reference in lowering. All years will produce different results as GM throughtout the years kept raising the Vette higher and higher.
http://webpages.charter.net/khasting.../lowering.html
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...ad.php?t=79763
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ctures+lowered
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,926
Likes: 38
From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
Yep, I am in the process if it now, and as I out the spring in the shims are needed on my Vette. The spring hits without the shims, and I havent even tightened the clamps. Sux.
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,616
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From: Sandhills of North Carolina
I think it will. When the weight of the car gets on the spring it should flex off the frame and let it ride on the new spacers. My spring had a few little scratches on it where it had rubbed before. I can't seem to get the brackets tight enough though. That's making me wonder if the shims need to be in. I think I'm out of threads on the bolts. These kits should be made car specific and not cover so many years. You're right....it SUX!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,926
Likes: 38
From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
I also put 1/4 in delrin pads on the end of the springs, as my new ones didnt have any(the originals were 5/8 inch
), where they touch the control arms. So it will be lower than what I had, which was a good bit.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,926
Likes: 38
From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 5
From: Sandhills of North Carolina
I cut 1/2" off. No spacers. But.....I had to put what I cut off on the bottom of the bolt to have enough threads to tighten. I feel like I've done something wrong. I followed those instructions to a T. Like I said, these things should be car specific. I don't have a spring protector on mine. Stuff lke that. Yet it says I do in the years covered. It's sitting overnight to let the glue cure out. This was a Bitch!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,926
Likes: 38
From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
I am going to search some key questions. If you cut a half inch off, does it compress the rubber on the bottom of the spring, and secure the wedges up against the aluminum spacer. And should the Aluminum bracket you cut go flush with the aluminum spacer on top of the wedge so when you tighten it, are the bolts getting properly torqued.
Mine had a gap between the aluminum bracket and the flat spacer on the wedges and as I was tightening the thing it snapped, so I am pissed.
I guess who ever originally lowered the Vette, they had cut the bracket too short.
Mine had a gap between the aluminum bracket and the flat spacer on the wedges and as I was tightening the thing it snapped, so I am pissed.
I guess who ever originally lowered the Vette, they had cut the bracket too short.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 5
From: Sandhills of North Carolina
Steve, Here is the link to the kit I have. The instructions are in a PDF file at the bottom left.You see what you think.
http://www.mamotorworks.com/corvette?frame=3.1088
http://www.mamotorworks.com/corvette?frame=3.1088
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,926
Likes: 38
From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
I think the bracket is supposed to touch the aluminum spacer. I had a pretty good gap in there.
I used the wedges, spacer and bracket cut to 2 inches exactly.
Damn this sux.
Do you have any pictures of the install? is it all put back together?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,926
Likes: 38
From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05