How do you not scrape?
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,687
Likes: 212
From: Mo.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,774
Likes: 363
From: Midland TX
I will never get the whole "lowering" thing on a "street" car? They always look to me like the shocks broke. All I can figure is it is a "free" mod (hence popular) that reduces handling on the street and puts a $50,000 car at additional risk of unnecessary damage?
I have had several people over the past year ask me if my Corvette has been lowered yet? I mean that is their "first" question??? So I guess this is just some kind of "fad" that younger owners are doing to these cars now that they can buy them cheap second hand?
I have had several people over the past year ask me if my Corvette has been lowered yet? I mean that is their "first" question??? So I guess this is just some kind of "fad" that younger owners are doing to these cars now that they can buy them cheap second hand?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,013
Likes: 170
From: Highlands Ranch CO
Lowering the car is done to improve handling, before anyone flames gm allows and recommends a specific setting on the suspension to improve handling, its in the owners videos. beyond those specs are done with personal taste unless adequate steps have been taken to ensure that the car still handles good. ie coilovers and swaybars etc.
my car is lowered per gm's reccomendation and my handling hasnt been affected in a negative way, also i dont scrape any worse since i have been lowered
my car is lowered per gm's reccomendation and my handling hasnt been affected in a negative way, also i dont scrape any worse since i have been lowered
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,021
Likes: 133
From: Conejo Valley CA
Its an acquired skill...
When I first got my vette, it was scrape scrape scrape all the time. Over time, you get good at knowing when to turn the wheels hard and maneuver to one side of a driver way as you enter or exit. Also, a slow approach is always best... forget about it if if you're in a hurry.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 2
From: fort hood tx
lowering ur car has been and always be a part of hot roddin history has nothing to do with age and if u think that u need step back into reality and check ur ego at the door. just give it a little angle u will be good. my 72 nova with headers scraped more than the vette.(exauste part anyway)
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Last edited by blkdevl; Dec 2, 2009 at 06:11 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,789
Likes: 894
From: Northern Illinois
Oldtimer
I raised the front of mine slightly to keep from scraping. I'm very careful when I take it out. I have to pull into our driveway on a sharp angle and still scrape the plastic spoiler slightly.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 25
lowering ur car has been and always be a part of hot roddin history has nothing to do with age and if u think that u need step back into reality and check ur ego at the door. just give it a little angle u will be good. my 72 nova with headers scraped more than the vette.(exauste part anyway)
Lowering the car is silly for a lot of reasons-wonder how many would have bought the car they have if it was all scrapped up when they looked at it. If your going to do it, air bags are the answer, low when you not moving and high enough to actually DRIVE without looking/sounding silly to the rest of the world when your draging along the ground.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,568
Likes: 264
From: Near Charlotte NC
Yep. Lower it, get some fattdaddy rollers, and trim your air dam up and it's not so bad!
I'm assuming you mainly scrape your air dam which isn't anything to worry about, hell it was designed so it could take that made out of flimsy rubber/plastic and on hinges in the center. Save your lower radiator frame with the rollers and trim ~1" off the air dam and you'll be fine. 1" off my air dam has ZERO cooling effects and sits just a hair over the rollers so therefore the air dam NEVER scrapes. If I ever hit anything it is the rollers on steep inclines/declines however I am lowered nearly 3" on coilovers.
Hope this helps!
I'm assuming you mainly scrape your air dam which isn't anything to worry about, hell it was designed so it could take that made out of flimsy rubber/plastic and on hinges in the center. Save your lower radiator frame with the rollers and trim ~1" off the air dam and you'll be fine. 1" off my air dam has ZERO cooling effects and sits just a hair over the rollers so therefore the air dam NEVER scrapes. If I ever hit anything it is the rollers on steep inclines/declines however I am lowered nearly 3" on coilovers.
Hope this helps!
\db2
Carolina
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 891
Likes: 0
From: Greensburg Indiana
If you purchase a chin spoiler you will actually gain an inch or so versus the rubber air dam. But..... you still can scrape.
The Fat Daddy rail savers don't really sit low enough to prevent scraping the spoiler but will prevent serious damage if you hit hard enough.
Angle.... angle..... angle.... and pay close attention!
The Fat Daddy rail savers don't really sit low enough to prevent scraping the spoiler but will prevent serious damage if you hit hard enough.
Angle.... angle..... angle.... and pay close attention!
Pro
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 619
Likes: 3
From: Wheeling IL
Go in on an angle and crank the wheel all the way. If the tires hit first, you won't scrape. I'm lowered with ACI and I have never scraped in 4 years. It helped I grew up with a 91 Camaro and that hood was long!
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,789
Likes: 894
From: Northern Illinois
Oldtimer
Last edited by DevilDog II; Dec 2, 2009 at 09:06 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 4,237
Likes: 11
From: Lacombe Louisiana
Down here with the heavy rainfall and drainage problems,the steep driveways and parking lot entrances keep most lowered Corvettes out as even on angle they hit hard on the rocker panels. Sorta humorous to watch em park on the street just so they can "look cool"
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 30,770
Likes: 41
From: Down the Shore New Jersey, Elev.3 feet
St. Jude Donor '17
Weird ...if I back in driveway and pull into street nose first I am fine. If I pull in driveway nose first I am ok but backing out I scrape no matter how hard I angle it.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,335
Likes: 0
From: Qualicum Beach British Columbia
I want to lower the car but i'm scared, any suggestions?
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,771
Likes: 141
From: Kaukauna WI
This happens to me in my driveway as well...every single time. I'm lowered on stock bolts only. Backing into my garage all the time would be a pain... The air dam is meant to take a little abuse, so I'll just have to live with it, I suppose!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,186
Likes: 264
From: Huntington Beach CA
I can't even drive my car to work because it scrapes on the speed bumps in the parking structure. I have Kooks long tube headers and lowered on stock bolts (but not all the way). I also have the frame savers and rollers on the front. In fact it's getting rather annoying not being able to drive it when I want. I'm considering raising in back up a tad so that it is more user friendly but it looks SOOOOO good the way it sits now. Decisions, decisions.......
I've read that most long tube headers do not hinder the ground clearance, but mine are definitely an inch or so lower than the rest of the car.
I've read that most long tube headers do not hinder the ground clearance, but mine are definitely an inch or so lower than the rest of the car.