[Z06] Intro/SP500 showoff/lowering question thread
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 861
Likes: 2
From: MSP Minnesota
Intro/SP500 showoff/lowering question thread
Figured I'd get it all done in one shot!
Name's John. Picked up an '02 Z06 a couple months ago now. Bought it with 28k miles! Last owner threw a Flowmaster axle back on it (which will get changed out) and added some minor things like a short antenna, C6Z shifter, partition, etc.
I added 20% tint and a Vararam B-2 two weeks ago; threw it on the dyno and made 361whp/355wtq. on a dynojet - seems to be spot on average.
Fast forward to this weekend and I found my dream set of wheels locally on craigslist for a spectacular price and just couldn't pass it up. CCW SP500s - 18x10 (275/30), 19x11.5 (305/30) wrapped in Nitto Invos. Don't mind the junk pics - I'll get better ones soon.
Before all this I lowered the car using C6 front bolts, and the WCC rears. I maxed out the fronts and settled the rears with 10 threads showing. Looking at others' cars, their front looks so much lower than mine even when using the same bolts maxed out like mine. I tried jacking up the a-arm to possibly gain more clearance, but it wouldn't budge. Slipped my finger in and all that's between the a-arm and leaf spring is the C6 bolt head.
What could be causing this? Please any help would be appreciated.
Thanks and
Name's John. Picked up an '02 Z06 a couple months ago now. Bought it with 28k miles! Last owner threw a Flowmaster axle back on it (which will get changed out) and added some minor things like a short antenna, C6Z shifter, partition, etc.
I added 20% tint and a Vararam B-2 two weeks ago; threw it on the dyno and made 361whp/355wtq. on a dynojet - seems to be spot on average.
Fast forward to this weekend and I found my dream set of wheels locally on craigslist for a spectacular price and just couldn't pass it up. CCW SP500s - 18x10 (275/30), 19x11.5 (305/30) wrapped in Nitto Invos. Don't mind the junk pics - I'll get better ones soon.
Before all this I lowered the car using C6 front bolts, and the WCC rears. I maxed out the fronts and settled the rears with 10 threads showing. Looking at others' cars, their front looks so much lower than mine even when using the same bolts maxed out like mine. I tried jacking up the a-arm to possibly gain more clearance, but it wouldn't budge. Slipped my finger in and all that's between the a-arm and leaf spring is the C6 bolt head.
What could be causing this? Please any help would be appreciated.
Thanks and
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
Johnny T your car looks great. To get the front as low as possible w/ the C/6 adjusters, there should be alot of threads showing above the springs, and the bottom pad of the adjuster should be screwed up against the bottom of the springs. Hope this helps.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 861
Likes: 2
From: MSP Minnesota
Thanks!
Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 424
Likes: 1
From: NOVA VA
sorry i cant help you on the lowering thing, i used the Zip kit and it is slammed. The way i like it. Your wheels look great. Is there any way you can post a pic from directly behind the car to see how the rears look?
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 861
Likes: 2
From: MSP Minnesota
Take Mark's (Toque's) for example (hoping it's ok to reference):
Now, I did notice that mine seemed to settle a bit today - so I'll take pictures tomorrow and contrast it against my first posted pics and his again. However, in looking at his car more specifically, and the angles he shot his car at, I'm drawing 2 conclusions:
1.) Most of the pics I've seen when judging this is that his are mostly from the rear - which perceives the front wheel gap to look a bit lower than it really is. This is one of the few of the front that will help me gauge better.
2.) His wheels are 19". He's running a 275/30/19. I'm running a 275/35/18. My circumference is about 7mm greater, and my diameter is about 2mm greater. So, if I'm thinking correctly, I'll have a 2mm LARGER wheel gap. Is that even going to be noticeable? Doubtful. Hmm..kinda shot down that one.
Maybe I'm going crazy....it's possible at this point.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,084
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From: Huntington Beach California
But I have since installed PFADT coilovers - this is what you really need to do 
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 861
Likes: 2
From: MSP Minnesota
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
I', not familiar w/ the bottom (pads) of the c/6 adjusters. If they have rubber pads on the bottom, how thick are they? That would be the difference in not getting it lower in the front. The Zip bottom pads thicknessare paper thin. Lets not forget the Z springs are stiffer than a regular spring. Forget about taking the adjusters out completely. It will be slammed but ride will be horrible. Been there, done that.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 861
Likes: 2
From: MSP Minnesota
I', not familiar w/ the bottom (pads) of the c/6 adjusters. If they have rubber pads on the bottom, how thick are they? That would be the difference in not getting it lower in the front. The Zip bottom pads thicknessare paper thin. Lets not forget the Z springs are stiffer than a regular spring. Forget about taking the adjusters out completely. It will be slammed but ride will be horrible. Been there, done that.
Take that into perspective, but I'd say it's a 1/4" thick from what I remember. I just looked at the Zip ones, and without seeing them side by side I can tell the C6 ones are ever so slightly thicker, but certainly not enough to compensate for the amount of wheelgap I have. Ugh...so frustrating.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
If those are C/6 adjusters, they are identical to the after markets I have in front of me. When I was lowering my Z, I went all the way down w/ aftermarkets. Let settle. Wasn't enough. Took adjusters completly out. Just right! Ride was teeth cracking,bone shattering. Went directly to coil overs. Did the job by myself, in one day. Now can have ride height anywhere I want, with out the jarring. You really have to make sure that you drive your car down some bumpy roads to get your car to settle. Freeway driving is not going to do it. You have to make sure that you have the top of that bottom aduster up against the bottom of the spring, then back off 1/2 turn.
Last edited by bumble-z; Jun 15, 2010 at 10:19 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 861
Likes: 2
From: MSP Minnesota
If those are C/6 adjusters, they are identical to the after markets I have in front of me. When I was lowering my Z, I went all the way down w/ aftermarkets. Let settle. Wasn't enough. Took adjusters completly out. Just right! Ride was teeth cracking,bone shattering. Went directly to coil overs. Did the job by myself, in one day. Now can have ride height anywhere I want, with out the jarring. You really have to make sure that you drive your car down some bumpy roads to get your car to settle. Freeway driving is not going to do it. You have to make sure that you have the top of that bottom aduster up against the bottom of the spring, then back off 1/2 turn.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,084
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From: Huntington Beach California
When you lower the car this far it becomes unsafe at high speed especially on the freeway. Mine only had about an 1" of shock travel left and the backend would BOTTOM out and bounce around when the road got uneven - coilovers give you the stance, look and handling these NIBBLE cars were intended to have at higher speeds and are way SAFER - spend your $$$ wisely 
What ever you choose to do - get a 4 wheel alignment afterwards
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
This is the front of a 03 Z , w/out adjusters. As stated before, you need to go on some bumpy roads, not free way to get car to completly settle. Reason for backing adjuster bolt back a half turn is so that the bolt won't become bonded to the bottom of the spring. Making it much easier to readjust or remove.
Last edited by bumble-z; Jun 15, 2010 at 10:52 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 861
Likes: 2
From: MSP Minnesota
This is the front of a 03 Z , w/out adjusters. As stated before, you need to go on some bumpy roads, not free way to get car to completly settle. Reason for backing adjuster bolt back a half turn is so that the bolt won't become bonded to the bottom of the spring. Making it much easier to readjust or remove.
Someone else suggested could it be possible the shock bushing at the top of the shock be holding things up too? I've never heard anyone have that issue before, but it makes sense that it could at least be possible.
Thanks for the reference.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
I only ran w/out any adjusters for around one week. That was enough for me!C/overs will allow you to go to an even lowwer stance then the stance w/out adjusters. Many go w/aftermarket adjusters, turned all the way to get low & install different shocks that don't bottom out. I didn't want to go that route. I figured if I was going to invest any money, it would be all towards the c/overs, then done. Good luck.
Last edited by bumble-z; Jun 15, 2010 at 11:22 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 861
Likes: 2
From: MSP Minnesota
Well I got more pics today, lighting sucked but they're a whole lot better. Please let me know what you guys think...it seemed to settle a bit (flat ground helps with perception too):
Here's Mark's (Toque's) again - max lowered on C6 front bolts using a 275/30/19 tire:
Here's a car with NO BOLTS - unsure on tire:
Here's mine - max lowered on C6 bolts using a 275/35/18 tire:
...and just because I want to show off my new wheels:
So what do you guys think? Everything seem pretty normal now or do I have some wrenching to do?
Here's Mark's (Toque's) again - max lowered on C6 front bolts using a 275/30/19 tire:
Here's a car with NO BOLTS - unsure on tire:
Here's mine - max lowered on C6 bolts using a 275/35/18 tire:
...and just because I want to show off my new wheels:
So what do you guys think? Everything seem pretty normal now or do I have some wrenching to do?
Last edited by JohnnyT; Jun 15, 2010 at 08:52 PM.