Lowering/Ride height?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 25,238
Likes: 5
From: Oswego NY
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
Lowering/Ride height?
What is an acceptable difference in the ride height from left to right? Specifically, when measured from the ground to the jacking area 
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,346
Likes: 5
From: Mustang OK
GM ride height specifications per the GM Service Manual are not taken from the ground. Rather, for both the front and rear suspensions, ride height measurements are taken from the lowest point of the ball joint to the center of the front side of the lower control arm mounting bolt using a special J tool. Ride height specifications differ for each of the C5 suspensions (i.e., FE1, FE3 & FE4) and the service manual contains procedure for a number of other steps that must be accomplished prior to taking the measurements. Tolerances between the right and left side are measured using the spring adjuster bolt gaps for the front and the spring stud top heights for the rear. How one would correlate this to measurements taken from the ground, I have no idea.
Good luck with the adjustments.
Good luck with the adjustments.
Last edited by GrayC5; Jul 12, 2006 at 12:21 AM. Reason: Corrected wording on left and right tolerances.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,572
Likes: 9
From: Jackson Tn
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
First make sure your on a level floor. I found only one spot in my garage that was truely "level". I measure from the frame with a tool I made out of threaded rod with a nut and large washer. Just insert the tool and run the nut up then pull it out and measure from the nut to the end of the rod. This is a pretty accurate way to measure. I measure from the jacking points on the side frame and try to get side to side with in 1/16" of each other. Also, the car will handle better at high speeds with a little rake in the car. About 1/8 - 1/4 front to rear. 
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
YOur car should be equal when you are sitting in the drivers seat. SO when you are not in the drivers seat the left should be 1/8" to 3/16 higher then the right at the front jacking puck holes.
Rear jacking puch holes 3/16" higher then the front jacking puck holes for rake.
These mesurments are for reference only and are just in front of the front holes and just behind the rear holes.
Measureing ride height is done where the A-arms meat the frame front and rear.
and the level floor is the most important and hardest to do.
Now the other challange is the corvette frame is within Chevy specs but that is also +/- 1/8" left to right and +/- 1/8" up and down.
So a normal frame is not straight as it could be so adjustments are needed and an alignement is a good idea after adjusting the ride height.
Rear jacking puch holes 3/16" higher then the front jacking puck holes for rake.
These mesurments are for reference only and are just in front of the front holes and just behind the rear holes.
Measureing ride height is done where the A-arms meat the frame front and rear.
and the level floor is the most important and hardest to do.
Now the other challange is the corvette frame is within Chevy specs but that is also +/- 1/8" left to right and +/- 1/8" up and down.
So a normal frame is not straight as it could be so adjustments are needed and an alignement is a good idea after adjusting the ride height.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,052
Likes: 20
From: boston mass
[QUOTE=AU N EGL]YOur car should be equal when you are sitting in the drivers seat.
i'm 250lbs, my son is 230, some guys weigh less. i agree it should be higher on the driver side but to the drivers weight nahhh
i'm 250lbs, my son is 230, some guys weigh less.
i agree it should be higher on the driver side but to the drivers weight nahhh
