RIDE ON SLAMMED VETTE FIXED
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,765
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From: Dana Point Ca
RIDE ON SLAMMED VETTE FIXED
I just wanted to say thank you for a wonderful sight. Ive only been registered for a couple of days and have gotten a solution to my problem. I have a 2002 that was slammed on the ground and had a bouncy ride. Thanks to the thread by team z06 and melloyellow I had the shop cut 50% off the shock tower and the ride is absolutley fantastic and the car is slammed on the ground, thank you to everyone who responded. I look to getting advice when I've got a couple thousand miles and I do a supercharger (magnussen vs. ATI?). What an outstanding site, by the way, West Coast Corvette does outstanding work and craig is extremely helpful.
God bless :) :lol: :blueangel: :D :chevy :flag
God bless :) :lol: :blueangel: :D :chevy :flag
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,248
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Re: RIDE ON SLAMMED VETTE FIXED
Cool. I'm still learning myself. They took the dust cover off the shocks and cut 50% off your bump stop? That is the only mod I plan to do as well after running over all the options.
FWIW, everyone recc'd against a bump steer kit and said luckily it isn't necessary for our cars. At least on the Z51 and FE4 setups.
The only danger of cutting the bump stops down is possibly bottoming out internally in the shock and blowing the shock out or reducing the shock life. Cutting 1/2" should be acceptable. How much are you lowered?
I'd assume a shock failure would be more gradual. It's losing control bouncing without enuff travel (infinite spring rate) in a fast turn that worried me.
[Modified by MelloYellow, 11:01 PM 12/11/2001]
FWIW, everyone recc'd against a bump steer kit and said luckily it isn't necessary for our cars. At least on the Z51 and FE4 setups.
The only danger of cutting the bump stops down is possibly bottoming out internally in the shock and blowing the shock out or reducing the shock life. Cutting 1/2" should be acceptable. How much are you lowered?
I'd assume a shock failure would be more gradual. It's losing control bouncing without enuff travel (infinite spring rate) in a fast turn that worried me.
[Modified by MelloYellow, 11:01 PM 12/11/2001]
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,765
Likes: 0
From: Dana Point Ca
Re: RIDE ON SLAMMED VETTE FIXED (MelloYellow)
I can fit one finger in the front wheel well sideways, and barely one finger in the rear flat. I have Z51 suspension and I did have the bump steer kit put on. The ride is very stiff but no more bouncing at all.I went to one of the best alignment guys in southern ca. and he said the bump steer is a must, when you are lowering the car this much you are completely changing the suspension geometry. This is coming from a guy who does custom suspension work for vette's, hot rods, imports etc. All I know is that the car handles like a race car and the ride is very liveable for me, maybe its because Im 28, I dont know. To me the bumpsteer is cheap insurance to do the job right.Please let me know if you have any questions and I will do my best to help. :D
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,248
Likes: 0
Re: RIDE ON SLAMMED VETTE FIXED (vettethret)
I'm very interested in your setup. Hope I don't go over this Ad Nauseum.
Which bump steer kit did you use? Gulstrand does the suspension work on the C5R and in their opinion it wasn't necessary. They said our suspension requires a 4 wheel align after lowering and with the existing setup were able to compensate and had no bump steer issues and were able to align within spec.
Bump steer kits aren't expensive, so I don't mind the extra safety.
Can you confirm a few things for me?:
How much did you lower?
Did you cut the front bushings? How much? Remove Screws?
Which bump steer kit? Is it adjustable? How much? Source?
You cut the stock z51 bump stops under the shock jacket 1/2", correct?
The alignment guy set the bump steer during the alignment?
Thx! I'm doing the same myself right now. Doing the research and then the above after my new wheel/tire setup goes on the car shortly.
[Modified by MelloYellow, 2:21 PM 12/12/2001]
Which bump steer kit did you use? Gulstrand does the suspension work on the C5R and in their opinion it wasn't necessary. They said our suspension requires a 4 wheel align after lowering and with the existing setup were able to compensate and had no bump steer issues and were able to align within spec.
Bump steer kits aren't expensive, so I don't mind the extra safety.
Can you confirm a few things for me?:
How much did you lower?
Did you cut the front bushings? How much? Remove Screws?
Which bump steer kit? Is it adjustable? How much? Source?
You cut the stock z51 bump stops under the shock jacket 1/2", correct?
The alignment guy set the bump steer during the alignment?
Thx! I'm doing the same myself right now. Doing the research and then the above after my new wheel/tire setup goes on the car shortly.
[Modified by MelloYellow, 2:21 PM 12/12/2001]
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,765
Likes: 0
From: Dana Point Ca
Re: RIDE ON SLAMMED VETTE FIXED (MelloYellow)
Well I'll try my best to awnser here. The bump steer is by baer. The car is lowered about 2.5" all around, maybe a little more in the back.From what West Coast told me, They cut 2/3 of the rubber on the front bolts and then took the rubber off of the bottom of the spring that connects to the frame and put a thin piece of polyurethane in place of it.I don't know if their bumpsteer is adjustable, West Coast sells it. I dont know about the stock shocks bump stops because I put on the bilstein sports while lowering.The alignment guy did set up the bumpsteer while he aligned the car to Z06 -specs.The bilsteins did have 50% of the shock tower rubber cut off, anymore and you will ruin the shocks.In the next year I will tub and put the 345/19 in the rear, post a picture after your done with yours. Hope this helps :cool:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,248
Likes: 0
Re: RIDE ON SLAMMED VETTE FIXED (vettethret)
Sounds great, thanks! Who did your work at WCC?
Will post pics when I'm done.
How much labor was involved including setting the bump steer, but not the alignment costs?? I wonder how much travel difference or diff in the setup there is between the Z51 and Bilsteins? Other than travel issues, I'm happy with the Z51 shocks.
[Modified by MelloYellow, 7:49 PM 12/12/2001]
Will post pics when I'm done.
How much labor was involved including setting the bump steer, but not the alignment costs?? I wonder how much travel difference or diff in the setup there is between the Z51 and Bilsteins? Other than travel issues, I'm happy with the Z51 shocks.
[Modified by MelloYellow, 7:49 PM 12/12/2001]
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,765
Likes: 0
From: Dana Point Ca
Re: RIDE ON SLAMMED VETTE FIXED (MelloYellow)
:confused: I dealt with Craig who is extremley helpful, and unlike guldstrand who've I visited many times, was willing to do custom work at a great price. I think I paid about $300 total for all labor, shocks, bumpsteer, lowering, swaybars, removing spring etc. It was another $140 to align it. The nice thing about WCC, they were willing to keep working on my car as long as it took to make me happy. From what I've heard, your MUCH better to spend the $300 for the bilsteins, your ride will be much better than lowering on the stock shocks. Just my -2 cents.
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