Lowering on it's own
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 27
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Lowering on it's own
When I purchased my 1999 C5 used three years ago, I believed it had been lowered,(sate about 4 inches from groud), it sate lower than most corvettes that I have seen and looked nice. Last year my car began to get lower and lower to the point that the air dame would scrub the ground at the lowest of bumps and sits about 2 inches from the ground now. Could this be the leaf spring going bad or front shocks?
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
I'm not a suspension "expert"...but, your thinking is probably accurate.
You didn't mention the type of suspension you have (options) or your current mileage. Has the ride suffered with the loss of static height?
More than likely, it's the shocks on your car. You can usually find good deals on Z06 shocks in the CF classifieds. Try to find some '04 Z06 shocks and change front and rear for the best results.
There's also after market, which most seem to prefer BILSTEIN, but there are different versions, so wait for the "experts" to reply.
You might gain some information from this post...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1978036
You didn't mention the type of suspension you have (options) or your current mileage. Has the ride suffered with the loss of static height?
More than likely, it's the shocks on your car. You can usually find good deals on Z06 shocks in the CF classifieds. Try to find some '04 Z06 shocks and change front and rear for the best results.
There's also after market, which most seem to prefer BILSTEIN, but there are different versions, so wait for the "experts" to reply.
You might gain some information from this post...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1978036
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
From: Austin Texas
One other thing to check, before you start tearing the suspension apart, is tire pressure. These cars have really stiff sidewalls, and you can't always tell when the tire pressure is getting low... that can have more of an effect on ride height than you would think.
Yes, I learned this the hard way.
Yes, I learned this the hard way.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Lowering on it's own
The suspension is stock, it just has the ride adjust option, I looked at the leaf spring bushings and they look good. The ride is still good, not that I take corners at high speeds. I have hit some bumps over the summer including a raised slab on the freeway. Are the shocks gas filled and could that have caused the problem? But I tell ya, the car looks really good the way it sits but I am scraping the front nose a lot.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 7,370
Likes: 8
From: Slave to the evil empire
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04
The shocks do not hold the car up and you don't adjust the ride height at the shocks, this is all done at the adjuster bolts on the springs. If your car is lower and the adjuster bolts and bushings have not moved then your springs are starting to give.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
If the gas or oil have leaked from the oem shocks, the static height may suffer. He stated above he has the ride adjust option. I'm not familiar enough with it, but if that is failing, wouldn't that possibly be a possible reason for loss of static height?
Last edited by hotwheels57; Mar 26, 2008 at 12:42 PM.
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Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
I do believe that this could be the leaf spring but I wanted to be sure because shocks cost much less than a front leaf spring. Most of the posts about bad leaf springs involved splintering or breakage, my springs look great. The car has 56K miles on it and I will need to change the shocks at some time but the main thing before I put it back on the road for Spring is to get the car off the ground. When I talk to the dealer they are very vague in there diag$$$$$$$$$$$.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 7,370
Likes: 8
From: Slave to the evil empire
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04
Especially with the self lowering of 2" on a car with only 56k on it.
In either case the ride height can be brought back up to where it needs to be using these adjusters.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Richmond Hill Ontario
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
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From: Flagstaff Az.
Shocks only dampen the bound and rebound of the car. You can push them down with your hands when they are off the car.
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