[Z06] which Bilstein shock
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 249
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
To be clear, lowering the car beyond a certain point (more than 1" lower than stock on C5Z) will cause the lower control arms to sit at parallel or beyond, and this will take the car's suspension travel out of the optimal camber range. This means a stock height C5Z will run a faster time on a road course than a C5Z that has been lowered more 1".
Also, the ride is compromised unless the bumpstops are modified and/or the shock stroke is modified.
So, you can get away with lowering a C5Z and may not have ill effects. And yes the Bilsteins will control the car's motions better than OEM shocks. And no, not everyone here is trying to take their car racing or on the road course. But I just don't want to see misconceptions being the norm out there on the interwebs.
I find that hard to believe.
Also, the ride is compromised unless the bumpstops are modified and/or the shock stroke is modified.
So, you can get away with lowering a C5Z and may not have ill effects. And yes the Bilsteins will control the car's motions better than OEM shocks. And no, not everyone here is trying to take their car racing or on the road course. But I just don't want to see misconceptions being the norm out there on the interwebs.
I find that hard to believe.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,724
Likes: 9
If you're looking at the Bilstien sports you may want to look at our Johnny O'Connell shocks as well. The shocks are revalved in such a way that the car feels a little firmer over small road irregularities, but is much smoother and composed over large bumps. You will also see a handling improvement over the stock Z06 shocks, especially over rough roads the Johnny O'Connell shocks will allow you to accelerate out of corners without worrying about the back end stepping out.
As far as ride heights are concerned, the lower you take the car on lowering bolts the more suspension travel you effectively lock out. Without moving to coilovers which have been designed specifically with aggressive lowering in mind, the lower you go the more likely you are to ride on the bumpstops. We recommend the users of our replacement shock options lower the car no more than the factory bolts allow, and suggest about a 1/2" drop for best handling and ride quality. Also keep in mind that every time you change your ride height you need to check your alignment as well, so when you're making adjustments to your lowering bolts make sure the car is the ride height you want it, THEN get an alignment. For good performance and tire wear on your mostly stock vehicles take a look at our Pfadt Racing Alignment Guide... a great alignment is absolutely worth the effort with these cars! Click the photo for access to a larger version, we don't want to post up a giant image that breaks forum tables.
As far as ride heights are concerned, the lower you take the car on lowering bolts the more suspension travel you effectively lock out. Without moving to coilovers which have been designed specifically with aggressive lowering in mind, the lower you go the more likely you are to ride on the bumpstops. We recommend the users of our replacement shock options lower the car no more than the factory bolts allow, and suggest about a 1/2" drop for best handling and ride quality. Also keep in mind that every time you change your ride height you need to check your alignment as well, so when you're making adjustments to your lowering bolts make sure the car is the ride height you want it, THEN get an alignment. For good performance and tire wear on your mostly stock vehicles take a look at our Pfadt Racing Alignment Guide... a great alignment is absolutely worth the effort with these cars! Click the photo for access to a larger version, we don't want to post up a giant image that breaks forum tables.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 215
Likes: 2
From: Brighton MI
Believe I will act on this advice!!
Last edited by atlas094; Nov 30, 2011 at 07:48 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 35,874
Likes: 1,600
From: Honolulu HI
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,003
Likes: 89
From: Indy IN
Don't listen to this advice, it is absolutely the wrong thing to do. I hate to call MTPZ06 an idiot again, but he continues to spout this drivel that lowering the car all the way on stock bolts is fine. It isn't. If you lower it all the way on stock bolts the drop will be more than 3/4 of an inch. I don't know where MPTZ06 gets this information but it is absolutely false. We tested and measured and lowering the car all the way on stock bolts is a drop of an inch and a half. Maybe he was measuring from a car that was already lowered some, or maybe he didn't let it settle out, but if you drop the car all the way on stock bolts you will have about 4.5 inches of ground clearance in the front (as measured from the jacking points) and in the back you will have about an inch of travel on the rear shocks before you hit the bump stops. The stock ride heights (at the jacking points) are 6.02 and 6.22 inches (front/rear) respectively. This is from the workshop manual. It's a small but important point, but than additional 7/8 of an inch of suspension travel is really necessary to keep you from hitting the bump stops on a regular basis.
There's a litany of posts and experience and problems that people have experienced with excessive lowering, and it isn't any faster with the car lowered all the way on stock bolts (proven lots of times at the track).
There's a right way and wrong way to lower your car. Before you go out and start turning screws take a look at this post and do yourself a favor and do it right. Once you do it wrong you really should get the car corner weighted, or expect to take a good bit of time carefully measuring the ride height to straighten it out.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1576940245-post106.html
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 35,874
Likes: 1,600
From: Honolulu HI
Look here SloNFat...you have your results and I have mine. Once again, you continue to insult people who also have a real world experience and try to spout off as if you are the only expert on the forum that has an opinion. I took before and after measurements from my jacking points, and I did let it settle out...took 5 days to get the final 1/8". Maybe your car came higher from the factory than mine? My car (purchased new) started at 5.50" in the front and settled at 4.75" at the jacking points.
As I stated previously, you really need to work on your social skills...and stop being an idiot who calls everyone idiots who differ from your opinion. You really do appear to be a louzy human being.
As I stated previously, you really need to work on your social skills...and stop being an idiot who calls everyone idiots who differ from your opinion. You really do appear to be a louzy human being.
Here we go again....
Don't listen to this advice, it is absolutely the wrong thing to do. I hate to call MTPZ06 an idiot again, but he continues to spout this drivel that lowering the car all the way on stock bolts is fine. It isn't. If you lower it all the way on stock bolts the drop will be more than 3/4 of an inch. I don't know where MPTZ06 gets this information but it is absolutely false. We tested and measured and lowering the car all the way on stock bolts is a drop of an inch and a half. Maybe he was measuring from a car that was already lowered some, or maybe he didn't let it settle out, but if you drop the car all the way on stock bolts you will have about 4.5 inches of ground clearance in the front (as measured from the jacking points) and in the back you will have about an inch of travel on the rear shocks before you hit the bump stops. The stock ride heights (at the jacking points) are 6.02 and 6.22 inches (front/rear) respectively. This is from the workshop manual. It's a small but important point, but than additional 7/8 of an inch of suspension travel is really necessary to keep you from hitting the bump stops on a regular basis.
There's a litany of posts and experience and problems that people have experienced with excessive lowering, and it isn't any faster with the car lowered all the way on stock bolts (proven lots of times at the track).
There's a right way and wrong way to lower your car. Before you go out and start turning screws take a look at this post and do yourself a favor and do it right. Once you do it wrong you really should get the car corner weighted, or expect to take a good bit of time carefully measuring the ride height to straighten it out.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1576940245-post106.html
Don't listen to this advice, it is absolutely the wrong thing to do. I hate to call MTPZ06 an idiot again, but he continues to spout this drivel that lowering the car all the way on stock bolts is fine. It isn't. If you lower it all the way on stock bolts the drop will be more than 3/4 of an inch. I don't know where MPTZ06 gets this information but it is absolutely false. We tested and measured and lowering the car all the way on stock bolts is a drop of an inch and a half. Maybe he was measuring from a car that was already lowered some, or maybe he didn't let it settle out, but if you drop the car all the way on stock bolts you will have about 4.5 inches of ground clearance in the front (as measured from the jacking points) and in the back you will have about an inch of travel on the rear shocks before you hit the bump stops. The stock ride heights (at the jacking points) are 6.02 and 6.22 inches (front/rear) respectively. This is from the workshop manual. It's a small but important point, but than additional 7/8 of an inch of suspension travel is really necessary to keep you from hitting the bump stops on a regular basis.
There's a litany of posts and experience and problems that people have experienced with excessive lowering, and it isn't any faster with the car lowered all the way on stock bolts (proven lots of times at the track).
There's a right way and wrong way to lower your car. Before you go out and start turning screws take a look at this post and do yourself a favor and do it right. Once you do it wrong you really should get the car corner weighted, or expect to take a good bit of time carefully measuring the ride height to straighten it out.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1576940245-post106.html
