cgantner5150

Alright - I am racking my brain trying to figure this out.
During the rebuild of damn near the entire Vette, I replaced my front spring with a used one coded BMA. I installed the lowering wedges and replaced the retainers with the cast aluminum (cut down appropriately). I replaced the shocks with KYB.
I have it back together and on the road with oem C5 thin spokes and stock tires for the rims.
It sits like a 4x4 in the front. I have the adjustable bolts for the rear but have them even with the front for the time being.

This weekend I removed the spring pad ends and it dropped a little bit. I checked the movement of the lower A-arms and they do not seem to be bound up. I can stand on the engine and the front suspension articulates. I am sitting at 27 1/2 inches to the top of the wheel opening. Three fingers from the tire to the top of the opening.

My questions are - why won't it go lower? Any suggestions? What am I missing?

C4Betts

I'd say to try and put some miles on it to see if it comes down anymore. But I feel your pain!

I had to replace my rear spring due to de-lamination problems and it lifted the rear almost 2 inches. I already had the lowering bolts in it and they are now adjusted as low as they will go and it is still higher than it was or what I want it to be (I'm going to have to get even longer bolts...)

As far as the front, I was really disappointed with the little the kit lowered the car. To lower it properly you really need to go the the adjustable coil over shocks.

That new (to your car) spring apparently has much more 'lift' than the one you had in it...

cgantner5150

I have been driving it for 5 weeks or so (until the pad removal last weekend). I replaced the rear with a NYU spring and I have about 2 inches of lowering bolt to go so no problem there.
The BMA spring has a lot less arch than the HKX that I removed. My only other thought is that the BMA spring is too stiff to let the front drop? Maybe I'll put wedges on the old spring and put it back in and see what happens

dan_t

Thats the 84 Z51 spring... its less curved because its a LOT stiffer and therefor compresses less. I went from a lowered 85 NON Z51 spring to the lowered 84 Z51 spring and its raised the front around an inch or so.

Thats the stiffest front spring of the 84-87 cars.

ZBRA

Put a big block in it.

redrose

not missing anything IMHO.

the c4 front end IS too high...when side profile is viewed from a few yards away the front fascia needs to be lowered to align with the rest of the car.

modding the front suspension to a lower ride height is not an acceptable cure ...ground clearance is limited even in stock configuration, and suspension geometry is upset reducing cornering capability (perhaps even creating a hazardous condition) by suspension mods.

there are several different approaches to lowering the front fascia/hood 1-2 inches at the very front of the vehicle, leaving the hood rear latches/stops at oem height, with pros/cons for each method...engine cradle/floorboards/etc remain at oem...hood-to-gill panel seam alignment will be altered a small amount by a 'nose drop', but most are so poorly aligned in that area (by now) that nothing will lost (mine got BETTER with the 'drop').. hood/tire clearance only changes ~1/2 of nose drop dimension...possible 'nose drop' dimension may be reduced/increased by intake manifold/engine accessory configuration.

be thankful that a c5 (big butt) or c6 ('silly wabbit' front bodywork/lights) is not in your drive, those are uglier and MUCH harder to cure...IMHO

due to the potential for litigation when/if a 'modified' vehicle injures a pedestrian, vehicle operator, etc, modification details will not be posted...pics here of my 86 with a 2'' nose drop will be possible soon (snow flurries predicted here for tonight) if interest is voiced.

redrose

duplicate post deleted

cgantner5150

I have read / taken a look at / used a lot of your contributions and insight, Redrose.
You have my interest.
I want to know your solution (pm or email if you wish).

dan_t

I'm interested in your pics for sure

Some big snowy donuts would clear the snow would it not?

Stevenix1

I would also appreciate any pictures and a confidential listing of what you did, NOT WHAT YOU RECOMMENDED I DO. I take full responsibility for any changes I make to my car.
Steve Nix
snix@teamaubuchon.com

turbotim23

Hi I tried to lower my corvette and didn't have much luck either. mine didn't go down much and the front height was uneven after. I think because it bottomed spring against spring tunnel between wedges. I going to try a few aluminum spring spacers to fix the unevenness, that will only raise the front end more though. What we need is a dropped spindle, that way you could bring the front down and not effect suspension travel. I've heard of someone cutting spring pocket and lowering it, then you could run more than just wedges and still drop it but the way I look at it you might as well go to coil overs if you do that much work.

JrRifleCoach

Try this, loosen the spring retainers and take it around the block.
I found when tightening these with the spring unloaded, the spring was pinched.

This helped me.