Lowering car! Advice appreciated
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 218
Likes: 1
Lowering car! Advice appreciated
Alright, time has come for me to lower my car some more.
I'm currently lowered all the way on the stock bolts. The rear has 3" between top of tire and fender, and the front has 2" from top of tire to fender.
The plan is to cut the bushings in the front, & I went and bought some 6" grade 8 bolts today for the rear. I'd like the front to be an inch lower, and the rear to be 1 1/2 inches lower.
Changing the rear bolts seems relatively easy, but I need some advice for cutting the bushings in the front.
Few questions:
-how much should I cut for it to lower about an inch?
-can I cut them with everything in tact or do I need to take a part the suspension? (I've seen a few different answers for this)
-if it gets too low in the front after cutting the bushings, I can still raise it back up correct? Same for the rears.. If it's too low, I could put back in the stock bolts correct? Just for arguments sake.
-has anyone cut bushings and completely regretted it? I don't want a horrible noise or something bad to arise after cutting.
Any advice about anything helps. Thanks guys.
I'm currently lowered all the way on the stock bolts. The rear has 3" between top of tire and fender, and the front has 2" from top of tire to fender.
The plan is to cut the bushings in the front, & I went and bought some 6" grade 8 bolts today for the rear. I'd like the front to be an inch lower, and the rear to be 1 1/2 inches lower.
Changing the rear bolts seems relatively easy, but I need some advice for cutting the bushings in the front.
Few questions:
-how much should I cut for it to lower about an inch?
-can I cut them with everything in tact or do I need to take a part the suspension? (I've seen a few different answers for this)
-if it gets too low in the front after cutting the bushings, I can still raise it back up correct? Same for the rears.. If it's too low, I could put back in the stock bolts correct? Just for arguments sake.
-has anyone cut bushings and completely regretted it? I don't want a horrible noise or something bad to arise after cutting.
Any advice about anything helps. Thanks guys.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,728
Likes: 142
From: Iowa
I'd leave it all the way down on stock bolts, without cutting any bushings and raising the rear enough to get the proper rake. I adjusted mine this way when I bought it and it's perfect as is, and has enoug problems getting around already...nevermind being even lower.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 501
Likes: 44
From: Aurora Colorado
Mine is lowered on stock bolts and I have about an inch in the front and 1 1/2 in the rear. 2 and 3 inches sounds more like stock C5 4x4 height.
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Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 455
Likes: 48
From: Athens GA
Stock bolts here and I am also wondering how your car is sitting so high.
I'm actually considering raising mine back up a half inch or more........ these twisty roads here in GA just make the tires squat hard.
I'm actually considering raising mine back up a half inch or more........ these twisty roads here in GA just make the tires squat hard.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,308
Likes: 159
From: LaGrange Park, IL IL
St. Jude Donor '13, '15
Starting to wonder if the OP turned the stock bolts the right direction? Seems like he may have RAISED the car all the way on stock bolts.
OP: Got any pics of the bolts as they sit now?
OP: Got any pics of the bolts as they sit now?
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 455
Likes: 48
From: Athens GA
Or perhaps, has not let the suspension settle. It takes a few miles to get the suspension to settle to it's new spot.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 154
Likes: 35
From: Santa Cruz CA
If this is a performance or aesthetic thing, then judge by your air dam. It's ideal ride height is about 3-4" if you ever go lower than 3" you're essentially deleting a design feature for high speed front end stability, so at that point... probably stop 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 3,311
Likes: 386
From: Toronto Ontario
I'm on my second C5 and ive lowered both of them
What ive noticed is that you can get away with lowering the front a lot more then you can with the rear
If you lower the rear much farther past the stock adjustments the car rides like a piece of S--T
I learned from my last C5 and this time around I found more of a sweet spot, where ive m,anaged to retain a fairly good ride while still lowering the car quite a bit
Ive completely cut off the front bushings, started with them maxed out (lowered) and then raised them up until the car felt comfortable again
My right rear side lowered very well just on stock bolts, but the left side wouldn't lower the same , for what reason I have no idea, so I had to trim bushing off the rear left side to try to match it, and its still not exactly equal yet
The very best bet, if you want to lower the car properly, is to get coilovers, its the only way man
Lowering too far past stock and your car is going to ride very badly
What ive noticed is that you can get away with lowering the front a lot more then you can with the rear
If you lower the rear much farther past the stock adjustments the car rides like a piece of S--T
I learned from my last C5 and this time around I found more of a sweet spot, where ive m,anaged to retain a fairly good ride while still lowering the car quite a bit
Ive completely cut off the front bushings, started with them maxed out (lowered) and then raised them up until the car felt comfortable again
My right rear side lowered very well just on stock bolts, but the left side wouldn't lower the same , for what reason I have no idea, so I had to trim bushing off the rear left side to try to match it, and its still not exactly equal yet
The very best bet, if you want to lower the car properly, is to get coilovers, its the only way man
Lowering too far past stock and your car is going to ride very badly
Last edited by 1Willy1; Jan 7, 2017 at 03:06 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,804
Likes: 358
From: Northville, MI
If your just a boulevard cruiser, you will have few problems lowering on stock bolts, other than scraping on speed bumps, driveways, etc. Once your drive your Corvette harder, you can encounter several other problemslike areo, handling, hitting the bump stops, etc. If you ever feel like driving past 110 mph, then rake becomes very important--rake is front to rear ride height. Also, once you change your ride height, get the car aligned or you will more than likely experience uneven tire wear and handling problems. Finally, like others have said, drive the car about 100 miles and let the spring and suspension parts settle before measure wheel gaps.