So I'm trying to restore my CE to stock height (the original owner dropped her an inch or so) but I dont understand these spring codes. I don't get any of it, the RPO, the spring rates, nothing. Can someone please explain this to me?

 

Measure first the length of the bolt on either end of the spring. The OE/GM bolt is 225mm, uses a castle nut and is cotter keyed. Most after-market aren't. 225mm is just short of 9". On the bottom of the rear spring on one end or the either there should be a 3 letter code likely in the spring , they will be nearly 3/8" tall letters.

Length of bolt and letter code will answer all questions you could possibly have. I wouldn't worry about the RPO codes presently. They don't control what you're interested in.

 

Care to explain spring rates?

 

It's immaterial until you mention what you have. There's many to choose from and your car should only have one! Work presently with the one that is currently in the car.

 

I must be confused then, is a c4 not lowered by different springs. So I guess the real question is how do I get her back to the correct height?

 

The most often procedure used is to use "LONGER BOLTS" than stock on either end of the spring, sometimes the shim stack is changed at the differential mount and lastly someone changes maybe the rear spring. A rear spring change isn't customarily done if the only change desired is "HEIGHT".

 

I've noticed the only thing you've been mentioning is the rear spring, is it the same process for the front or no?

 

Front is way different and the "eye-balling" of the mods is difficult. I'd concentrate on checking the rear, changing/correcting the rear and after accomplishing that you measure the front to determine what might have been changed, if at all.

It should be less than a 30 minute check/confirmation for the rear. Less than 30 actually, way less.

 

Well the entire car sits lower not just the rear

 

This might help

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-identify.html

 

I understood that and I suggested to you where to start. I suggested the easiest "trouble-shooting" procedure that there is. Once you resolve or at least understand what is done at the rear then it's way more easy to understand what is likely done maybe at the front.

If you found a spring code that could be determined to maybe be an original and bolts that are likely something closer to 11" then it could maybe be "assumed" that the front was lowered by removing the spring, trimming/removing the bonded pads and gluing on pads of less mass.

If perhaps you found a spring in the rear which was an obvious mismatch then "maybe" there's more to maybe prepare yourself for in the front.

If you've a couple thousand dollars to part with you could of course buy new X 2 and hire the job of replacement. Your responses hint that it's likely not a DIY to resolve your issue.

If you want to know "WHAT SHOULD BE FOUND" then either recover the build sheet from the top of the fuel tank, retrieve it from the front suspension member OR purchase it from the NCM and then look for the actual codes that the build called for in the appropriate blocks. I can't tell you the blocks for a '96 but it should be very easily sorted. I believe that the codes SHOULD BE in block 5 & 6

Is this car an 07 (coupe) or a 67 ('vert)?

FE1 for a 67 I believe would be FSR (FRNT) & RCA (RR)

FE1 for an 07 unsure of the (FRNT) but RHZ (RR)

You've never mentioned FE1 or FE3 but the FE3 is certainly less likely.

 

Sorry I've been out for a minute, but the rear has 11" spring bolts so I should go with the 9" bolts to get the rear back up to stock height but what about the front? What should I look for?

 

You have to take the front end apart to look at the thickness of the spring wedges.

Most people modify thecwedges by trimming them down to lower the front... If this is the case you'll have to remove the modified wedges, buy new wedges and glue them on the spring.
Will

 

What Will says - I have never thought about doing it but I don't know why it couldn't work. Push a bore scope or a remote camera up towards center of car on top of the spring to see what's there at the anchor points. You're concerned with "top of spring".

Theoretically you could remove the retainers at each anchor point and compare the depth with new and assume that's the dimension that's been removed. You would have to assume it was done correctly also and there were no shortcuts.

If you plan on replacing wedges or a new spring I believe you'll need new retainers to do it correctly. I thought I had a couple to measure but I can't put a "hands on".

On a lift the front spring code should be visible and easily confirmed. About 1 - 1 1/2" inboard of the control arm pad the code will be tattooed into the spring in 3/8" tall letters. Could be either side but it will be there.

The FSM images aren't correct for your '96 but it's very similar. Here's a '96 image from 3C