Over the winter, i lowered my car (on stock bolts). I lowered it about as far as it could go; then backed off a couple threads on the bolts.

Today I snuck the car out for the first time in six months and enjoyed the hell out of it... but the ride quality seems to have suffered. Maybe it's me not remembering what it was like 6 months ago; but minor bumps in the road seem to hit the car harder and provoke more "reaction" in the form of a hard jounce right afterwards. Definitely more pronounced at speed. Is it normal for the ride quality to plummet by lowering on stock bolts? I haven't heard too many people comment on it, so I assumed it would be modest at best...but this is almost objectionable. I'm assuming if I raise the car up about halfway to what it was before, I might cure some of the issue while still having a "slightly" lowered look. Any thoughts? Is it something one could get used to with some time? I wonder if I'm just nonplussed because it's "different" and haven't really given it a change. All suspension components are stock Z06.

 

I did the same thing and ended up returning it to the original height. The ride quality was terrible and I felt every bump in the road unlike before.

 

i'll let you know what I think, i lowered the rear tonight and doing the front tomorrow.
Are your tire psi the same? That sometimes changes things around.

 

Have you replaced the stock shocks? Do you have sway bars? Have you put lower profile tires on it? All of these things factor into the ride quality. Look into coilovers and enjoy!

 

lowered mine alot, longer bolts in rear and removed the bolts up front. The rear now scrubs, I have 285/40-18 tires, and this weekend Im getting a little bit shorter bolt for the rear and hopefully it will stop bottoming out too.

 

I haven't notice a difference..its been a week. I did the same as you. I would think its because you haven't drove it for 6 months and it seems different.

 

Yup, all 4 tires are at 30 psi (cold).

everything is stock on this car (suspension-wise). The tires are standard Z06 sizes, except the fronts are 275's because 265's weren't available.

That could very well be. I'll let it stay for a couple weeks... if I am not content with it by the time my new calipers arrive, I'll raise it halfway back up and see how that goes.

 

You've lost your suspension travel from lowering the car.

 

I raised my back up about 1/4 in it made a large difference in the ride but not much in the outward stance.

 

I had aftermarket longer bolts in the rear, took out the bolts in the front, having the leaf springs on the control arm and had a set of 19/20 inch wheels with low pros. The ride quality shocked me because it still didn't go down all that much at all. The car just felt like it handled better. The C5 platform has awesome ride quality from what it is. If you have ever ridden in a C3 Corvette or 3rd/4th gen camaros and firebirds you would take a
C5 any day. Of course the ride quality will be different because you limit the range for the car to rebound, but it still has great ride quality. By you guys lowering your cars, be sure to have an all wheel alignment done. That might be another reason why the car might ride a little different. If you slam the C5 Z06 you will not be able to get the wheels aligned exactly flat, the C5Z is designed to have negative camber. That you cannot get rid of, you will always have just a little. That is one reason why it handles a little better than the base model and the tires will wear a little different. The base model can be aligned truely flat however. Be sure that if you did "SLAM" the car like I did you find an all wheel alignment place that has a "PIT", so you can drive it up on. You have got to get an alignment. I tried to get my car on the alignment machine at a Chevy/ Corvette Certified Dealership and you will not be able to get it on there without ruining the car. Do Not Try!!! Good luck

 

It will suffer a bit.

 

I lowered mine on stock bolts. did not remove/cut bushings in front - just turned them as far as I could, etc.. I actually like the ride better now then before I lowered it. I have the Z51 setup with Bilstein HD shocks. I would lower it more, as I still think it looks like a 4X4 in the gap above the wheels but from it seems about as low as I want it to be from a ground clearance standpoint - not from a looks standpoint now. Since it is my DD I will probably keep it the way it is.



I know.. I know.. Just grow a pair and lower it already!

 

I was wondering if this would come into play here. I've been on the fence about lowering mine and even though it looks great I think I'll leave it alone.

 

Wonder if lowering even a small amt would be noticed in driving or be worth the trouble visually?

 

Lower mine on stock bolts all the way. Base coupe ride is fine no differnet at all.Looks 100% better.

 

I noticed the bumps a little bit more than before but all in all not that much of a difference!

 

GM at some point (on a CD?) recommended only a minimum lowering on oem bolts/bushings for racing. Somebody probably has that spec, it was in mm as I recall.

Most owners think if a little is ok, more is better. It usually isn't unless you make other changes to compensate.

I lowered mine on oem bolts w/o cutting the bushings. I achieved exactly 3/4". To most, that wouldn't be enough visually. The ride quality on mine hasn't changed that much. I feel the bumps slightly more, but no where near uncomfortable. I wouldn't consider going any lower than that.

Maybe the engineers knew what they were doing...

 

If you insist on slamming the vehicle, it might be wise to install aftermarket shocks that are designed to handle the lower ride height and follow that with a proper alignment.

 

Interesting point. What is the impact in inches when lowering on stock bolts? You mention 3/4" on yours, however is that the lowest you can go on stock bolts or did you just stop there?

 

That's the average (maximum) you can lower the car...some say they achieved only 5/8" and some report as much as 1". So, it apparently also depends on the type of suspension on the car.

Study the front and rear adjustment bolts.

The front is limited by the adjustment available between the bottom of the upper control arm and the top of the bushing above the spring.

The back is limited by the adjustment available when loosening the tension on the bolts.

Going beyond those points requires changing of the bolts and/or cutting the bushings or removal of the front bolts completely. That's were ride comfort may suffer.