tumbaumba

Lowered the stock rear bolts to the max (barely 2 threads showing on top)

But...
I can still fit a whole fist between tire and fender
In fact, I don't really see any difference from before

Stock 17"/18" y2k wheels

I've seen photos online where people claim to be on stock bolts and the car seems to be sitting much lower than the fist wheel gap I have

I rolled the car back and forth a bit, bounced it up and down.. don't really see any difference in ride height form how it sat before I lowered the bolts.

Am I doing something wrong?

91LSMAN

You need to drive it and let it settle some. It's not an instant thing.

REDHOTS

I think why a lot of people seem to have an issue when changing ride heights is that there are like 10 rubber bushings that want to stay where they were. I would think the best way to set ride height would be to loosen all of the upper, and lower A-arm pivot bolts, along with the lower shock bolt, the with full weight of the car on the suspension and then tighten the all the pivot bolts. Same deal in the front. You really need a drive on lift and wheel weight scales to do it right. It has always been a factory service procedure to tighten the pivot bolts at ride height for every car made, as far as I know.

lewislgZ06

Agree 100 percent. Good rule of thumb is about 50 miles to settle it.

Choreo

383 Z06

You need to drive it

hron61

Yeah...and throw more cheese on it. lol

Velocity_Vette

The first time I lowered my C5 I turned the rear bolts I'd say nine full turns roughly each and got a little over an inch lower on each side. Everyone is correct however; the car doesn't lower instantly and mine actually looked higher initially. You have to go and put some miles on the car.

tumbaumba

Thanks for the responses
I am glad this is normal

I did more research on this subject and I agree with what REDHOTS is saying about loosening and the retightening all pivot bolts with the wheels on the ground.

I decided to go let it settle for a couple of days, then cut the rear bolt bushings with a cable saw (to have a bit more distance to play with) and retorque all pivot bolts as mentioned above

ErikwithAK01

When I got 7" rear bolts, and cut my front bushings, it took a MONTH before the thing settled to the height in the pictures and I put some serious mileage on mine, and I'm not gentle

tumbaumba

Wow! Those wheels and the ride height is PERFECTION

ErikwithAK01

Oh, well thank you here are a couple more, since you like it so much I just got the wheels this last summer! 18x9.5 and 19x11. Tires are 265/35/18 +50 fronts, and 305/30/19 +53 rears, lowered on stock front bolts, with all the pad chopped off, and rear Zip bolts set at 3/8's of an inch thread showing is this kind of what you're going for?

Fast Cars & Horses

ERIK...I love the back of your vette!!! I hope you don't mind that I borrowed a couple ideas from yours to put on my C6Z....even though it's a C6, I'll still post it on the C5 forum since I might do something similar to the C5. I do know not everyone will like it, but hey...I couldn't care less!!! Can I ask if yours is painted on or is it vinyl?

To stay on topic, my C6 was lowered on the stock bolts about a month ago and it's not fully settled yet, but I can see a difference. I will lower the C5 in the rear only as the front is so low it scrapes already.

ErikwithAK01

It is actually drawn on I plasti-dipped the entire back face of the bumper in matte clear, and hand draw out everything on that, with lab grade indelible ink Sharpies I use the plasti-dip because it can be peeled later, and the pen doesn't leech through it down to the paint, where the UV stable pens I use would surely stain the finish. All of it is done by myself, and it is an answer to winter boredom This is the most recent, solid back shot

REDHOTS

If you think about why the car needs to settle, it has to be the rubber bushings on the pivot points holding up the car, and also disturbing the spring rate while they try to twist to a new position. It can't be good for the bushings, as they are set at normal ride height and designed to operate in that range. Rubber bushings are bonded to the sleeve and do not rotate.