Went to put the Jack under the front pad today and it would not fit underneath. It has had about 1" clearance before. Car does sit more since I retired, do you think it lowered itself?
OGC5

 

I've seen them come down a 1/4 to a half over time, but a whole inch would have me wondering...

Peace
Chip

 

The jack might be stuck. Mine gets hard to colapse without something pushing it down.

 

I don't think it can lower itself.

 

How long since you put the jack under it? How new were the tires then compared to now?

My vette used to scrape my driveway when I had the balding runflats on it. When I put new tires on, it cleared without touching with 1/2" to spare. Just a thought.

 

Check the air in your tires

 

Sounds like a bad flux capacitor.

 

sure it can... the front spring broke on my car and it 'slammed' it's self right to the ground. look really great however sure was a danger to drive. had to have the car carried to the shop

 

Me too: Drove it, handles great, checked diameter of new tires 25.7 same as old ones. I did have it aligned a few days ago but fail to see how that would be the problem. Checked the jack and its all the way down. Beats me, but since it handles good I will just drive the front up on some 2 x 8s so I can get the jack under it. Back still sits alright. Looks cool and did not require any effort on my part.
OGC5

 

Or mabye the Warp Drive? although a bad Hydrogulater Thermocouple is possible!
OGC5

 

You have a 2004 and your spring broke? How is that possible?
Thank you

 

Checked everything, I put on new tires and had a 4 wheel alignment last week Car handles great at high speeds but is about 1" lower in front than before. Cant get Jack under now unless on a 2 x 8.
Do you thint the alignment tech may have lowered the car?
OGC5

 

 

check the carburetor belts

 

Jenny Craig I keed, I keed.

 

Unlikely, with a routine alignment. Maybe he prefers the lowered look...ask him...

 

Amusing responses!

 

If we take a torsion/compression spring and flex it often enough, such as with the front spring set, there will be some tension loss in the springs over time and mileage, all cars will settle therefore with higher mileage.

Mine is a 2003 and has the same problem, my cure was to simply remove 1/4" from the front spoiler to prevent it from being constantly torn up. Scraped on everything with no other explanation than the springs in the front settled. Mine was 1/4" with 26K miles, love the effect and the car does use the full ground effects especially when over 85. Car feels like it was pasted to the asphalt or concrete.

This would explain the 1/4" drop but cannot see why a full inch in front end lowering occurred as it is not the compression spring taking a set unless was deliberately heated, car resting on blocks, and then allowed to cool, this was the way to lower cars back in the day, mid 60's.

The 1" drop you state can be verified by taking a measurement at the center of the wheel to the edge of the front fenders, record this number and visit your local Chevy dealer used car lot and check against the same model on their lot. They should be the same values or within 1/4 inch. If not, and this is a driving concern, then replace the front springs by the dealer which will also re-align the front end, checking the rear. The Corvette is already low, my C-5 is lower than a C-6 as an example by design at the factory on all 4 wheels by 3/8".

Just an engineer expressing an opinion and hope this helps.

 

Measure both sides, did both sides lower the same amount? This seems strange.

 

Measured again today and it is the same on both sides. 1" lower was an estimate and it could be only 3/4" but the fact is that my floor Jack used to go under the Front Elite frame Rail pads and now it won't. The car runs and handles great at 93,000 so I am going to forget about it.
Humm....OCD is kicking in,maybe it was karma from that Citroen that parked next to me last week, gotta see that alignment guy monday!.
Thanks CF for all the advice
OGC5