Question about lowering
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,922
Likes: 219
From: West Branch, MI
Question about lowering
I've oftened wondered why folks lower their super low C5s. Maybe a few of you can chime in and give me your opinion. Is it to make the car "racier" looking (like the C5R?) or is it to make the wheel well look filled in so that not so much free space is showing around the tire? Is it the stance you're trying to achieve or what? If trying to fill out the wheel well, wouldn't it make sense to use a larger tire? If stance is the goal, I guess I could understand that but sure seems that super low C5s being lowered even more causes a lot of problems for the sake of looking good. I've not ever lowered my car and I rub on stuff all the time. A lowered vehicle would be a bad thing where I live. However, when I went to larger tires on front and back (both front and rear are 1.5" taller tires) the wheel wells are filled nicely and the car rides better plus has been raised so that I don't rub hardly ever now. Plus it still seems really low to me. Let me know what you think.
Last edited by CactusCat; Nov 18, 2017 at 10:18 AM.
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,442
Likes: 2,189
From: Buffalo Texas
when I met my now wife, her C 6 ZO 6 was lowered some and in Ok. the roads are horrible, the car bottomed out regularly !!!!! We AutoX this car and went with 18's all around due to the availability of 200 compound tires. made the car even worst with DD and I raised the car back to about 5/8 of a inch between tire and fender, looks better (IMO) and rides so much better, not to mention getting in and out of many driveways !!!!!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 276
From: Wichita Falls Texas
When I bought my 03 Vert around five months ago it had been lowered using the stock bolts. The owner said he liked the way it looked and I agree, it did look good.
I drove it around 140 miles home and it drug in a few places and I just didn't like the sound or feel of the dragging at all.
When my wife drove it she complained about it before we got a mile from the house.
I did a search on the forum and raised it back up using the stock bolts.
The dragging is gone now and I think it still looks pretty dang good!
To each his own.
Raised or lowered I think the C5 is a beautiful vehicle!
I drove it around 140 miles home and it drug in a few places and I just didn't like the sound or feel of the dragging at all.
When my wife drove it she complained about it before we got a mile from the house.
I did a search on the forum and raised it back up using the stock bolts.
The dragging is gone now and I think it still looks pretty dang good!
To each his own.
Raised or lowered I think the C5 is a beautiful vehicle!
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 14,137
Likes: 2,985
From: Iowa
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
I've oftened wondered why folks lower their super low C5s. Maybe a few of you can chime in and give me your opinion. Is it to make the car "racier" looking (like the C5R?) or is it to make the wheel well look filled in so that not so much free space is showing around the tire? Is it the stance you're trying to achieve or what? If trying to fill out the wheel well, wouldn't it make sense to use a larger tire? If stance is the goal, I guess I could understand that but sure seems that super low C5s being lowered even more causes a lot of problems for the sake of looking good. I've not ever lowered my car and I rub on stuff all the time. A lowered vehicle would be a bad thing where I live. However, when I went to larger tires on front and back (both front and rear are 1.5" taller tires) the wheel wells are filled nicely and the car rides better plus has been raised so that I don't rub hardly ever now. Plus it still seems really low to me. Let me know what you think.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
Likes: 906
From: Lake Elsinore, CA
Geez! What a bunch of whining little babies!
Just kidding, boys!
First thing I did when I brought my '02 home from the dealer in Oct. of '01 was lower it. Looked like a 4x4 when I picked it up. I lower it for looks, to fill in the wheel well and for stance.
My C7 daily driver is even lower - I have maybe 1-1/2" clearance below my side skirts and I have no problem scraping, but then, I have lots of practice. And California has the 49th worst-condition roads in the US according to a recent survey.
Just kidding, boys!
First thing I did when I brought my '02 home from the dealer in Oct. of '01 was lower it. Looked like a 4x4 when I picked it up. I lower it for looks, to fill in the wheel well and for stance.
My C7 daily driver is even lower - I have maybe 1-1/2" clearance below my side skirts and I have no problem scraping, but then, I have lots of practice. And California has the 49th worst-condition roads in the US according to a recent survey.
Last edited by Patches; Nov 18, 2017 at 05:21 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,820
Likes: 411
From: Somewhere in the middle of Kansas
Lowering a C5 is definitely a wicked and desired look. The trade off is that it will not ride as well. I lowered mine with aftermarket bolts and it is fairly slammed. I swapped in Bilstein shocks and that helped a bunch but I am thinking coilovers would be the best if you want to stay slammed. Surprisingly, scraping isn't really that much worse if you use some due diligence in your driving methods.
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,442
Likes: 2,189
From: Buffalo Texas
Lowering a C5 is definitely a wicked and desired look. The trade off is that it will not ride as well. I lowered mine with aftermarket bolts and it is fairly slammed. I swapped in Bilstein shocks and that helped a bunch but I am thinking coilovers would be the best if you want to stay slammed. Surprisingly, scraping isn't really that much worse if you use some due diligence in your driving methods.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,820
Likes: 411
From: Somewhere in the middle of Kansas
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Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 142
From: Lynn MA
I've lowered mine just about all the way down on stock bolts and love the look, stance and anything else. Hated the 4x4 look, I did replace the shocks with C6 ones and I do have the fangs in the front but all that ever scrapes is the front air dam which is spring loaded so it's not a worry.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,820
Likes: 411
From: Somewhere in the middle of Kansas
I've lowered mine just about all the way down on stock bolts and love the look, stance and anything else. Hated the 4x4 look, I did replace the shocks with C6 ones and I do have the fangs in the front but all that ever scrapes is the front air dam which is spring loaded so it's not a worry.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,804
Likes: 358
From: Northville, MI
Unless you want maximum handling, lowering the ride height will not hurt the ride using stock bolts. The important part is lowering each bolt the same number of turns otherwise you will have uneven ride height side to side and end to end. Another item to remember is to keep the rake (front end lower than the rear end) to factory specs.
For max handling, lowering about 1/2", corner weighing, and suspension come into play. If you look at the top drivers in Autocross, they have a noticeable gap above the tires to accommodate body roll. and not hitting on the bump stock on the shocks.
For max handling, lowering about 1/2", corner weighing, and suspension come into play. If you look at the top drivers in Autocross, they have a noticeable gap above the tires to accommodate body roll. and not hitting on the bump stock on the shocks.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 276
From: Wichita Falls Texas
Unless you want maximum handling, lowering the ride height will not hurt the ride using stock bolts. The important part is lowering each bolt the same number of turns otherwise you will have uneven ride height side to side and end to end. Another item to remember is to keep the rake (front end lower than the rear end) to factory specs.
For max handling, lowering about 1/2", corner weighing, and suspension come into play. If you look at the top drivers in Autocross, they have a noticeable gap above the tires to accommodate body roll. and not hitting on the bump stock on the shocks.
For max handling, lowering about 1/2", corner weighing, and suspension come into play. If you look at the top drivers in Autocross, they have a noticeable gap above the tires to accommodate body roll. and not hitting on the bump stock on the shocks.
I ended up using a tape measure on each corner to finally get the desired level that I wanted. It took a few times adjusting and driving around the block to get it right but I finally did.
Counting the turns didn't work for me at all.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 249
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
When I bought my '03 Z06 in the owner's video that came with the car Dave Hill suggests for optimum handling lowering is a suggested thing to do, so I did. It also looks great and I don't find the ride to be significantly worse than before.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,776
Likes: 500
From: West Seneca NY
Mostly about the look, I look at how the rim sits up in the wheel well, how it flows with the shape of the wheel well, or I guess you could say it looks better if the lines of the rim are as close to parallel to the wheel well shape as you can get it. I also think the diameter of the rim will also have an affect on how it looks at different heights.
STOCK HEIGHT
19" LOWERED 1/2" FRONT 3/4" REAR
19/20 LOWERED 1/2" & 3/4"
20/20 LOWERED 1/2" & 3/4"
19" 1" LOWER ON DROP SPINDLES
19/20 DROP SPINDLES
20/20 DROP SPINDLES
STOCK HEIGHT
19" LOWERED 1/2" FRONT 3/4" REAR
19/20 LOWERED 1/2" & 3/4"
20/20 LOWERED 1/2" & 3/4"
19" 1" LOWER ON DROP SPINDLES
19/20 DROP SPINDLES
20/20 DROP SPINDLES
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,363
Likes: 430
From: Birmingham Al
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,922
Likes: 219
From: West Branch, MI
Not sure that size has much to do with it. I'd always heard it was the ratio of the front to rear that was needed. Since I used 1.5" taller on both front and rear, I still have the 1" difference that the stock sizes had. Seems to work quite well. Never a single issue with TC plus I don't have AH so that's never an issue as well..
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,922
Likes: 219
From: West Branch, MI
when I met my now wife, her C 6 ZO 6 was lowered some and in Ok. the roads are horrible, the car bottomed out regularly !!!!! We AutoX this car and went with 18's all around due to the availability of 200 compound tires. made the car even worst with DD and I raised the car back to about 5/8 of a inch between tire and fender, looks better (IMO) and rides so much better, not to mention getting in and out of many driveways !!!!!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 249
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Mostly about the look, I look at how the rim sits up in the wheel well, how it flows with the shape of the wheel well, or I guess you could say it looks better if the lines of the rim are as close to parallel to the wheel well shape as you can get it. I also think the diameter of the rim will also have an affect on how it looks at different heights.
STOCK HEIGHT
Attachment 48227156
19" LOWERED 1/2" FRONT 3/4" REAR
Attachment 48227159
19/20 LOWERED 1/2" & 3/4"
Attachment 48227170
20/20 LOWERED 1/2" & 3/4"
Attachment 48227171
19" 1" LOWER ON DROP SPINDLES
Attachment 48227173
19/20 DROP SPINDLES
Attachment 48227174
20/20 DROP SPINDLES
Attachment 48227175
STOCK HEIGHT
Attachment 48227156
19" LOWERED 1/2" FRONT 3/4" REAR
Attachment 48227159
19/20 LOWERED 1/2" & 3/4"
Attachment 48227170
20/20 LOWERED 1/2" & 3/4"
Attachment 48227171
19" 1" LOWER ON DROP SPINDLES
Attachment 48227173
19/20 DROP SPINDLES
Attachment 48227174
20/20 DROP SPINDLES
Attachment 48227175