Lowered on Stock Bolts??
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 284
Likes: 29
From: Oxford PA
Lowered on Stock Bolts??
I have a 2003 Z06. I tried to lower it following the directions and photos I found on another Vette website.
The question I have is that I don't have a bolt with a nut on the front spring. I just have a stud with a 10mm end that threads through the spring and is attached to a bushing on the bottom. The bushing is attached to the control arm and when I turn the stud it looks like it will tear the bushing.
Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong? Can I just turn the stud and the bushing will not rip?
Any help would be great.
The question I have is that I don't have a bolt with a nut on the front spring. I just have a stud with a 10mm end that threads through the spring and is attached to a bushing on the bottom. The bushing is attached to the control arm and when I turn the stud it looks like it will tear the bushing.
Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong? Can I just turn the stud and the bushing will not rip?
Any help would be great.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,699
Likes: 16
From: Sun City- Menifee Calif.
When you have the car jacked up You have to use a small jack under the end of the spring to lift it up slightly to take the pressure off the bushing then it should turn easily. Turn it counter clock wise so you see more threads above the spring til it stops then back it off slightly.If you want it lower you can cut some or all of the bushing off. Good luck.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 284
Likes: 29
From: Oxford PA
When you have the car jacked up You have to use a small jack under the end of the spring to lift it up slightly to take the pressure off the bushing then it should turn easily. Turn it counter clock wise so you see more threads above the spring til it stops then back it off slightly.If you want it lower you can cut some or all of the bushing off. Good luck.
Just wanted to make sure I could turn the stud with the bushing attached without damaging the bushing.
And, yes, ipuig, I need lots of penetrating fluid. I keep spraying it hoping it will free up.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 941
Likes: 3
From: Grand Rapids MI
When you have the car jacked up You have to use a small jack under the end of the spring to lift it up slightly to take the pressure off the bushing then it should turn easily. Turn it counter clock wise so you see more threads above the spring til it stops then back it off slightly.If you want it lower you can cut some or all of the bushing off. Good luck.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
St. Jude Donor '09
I am guessing for the one inch drop mod, mainly just to make a c-5 appear more like a damn Batmobile. Naturally, which is why I am doing it. Probably wouldnt be too terribly costly to bring it to your trusted mechanic. Throwing her up on the lift and adjusting the bolts couldnt take more than a half hour. I may go that route, I hate being underneath those cars, no gaps anywhere, just a flat pancake maker for your head......I admit I am a wanny.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,699
Likes: 16
From: Sun City- Menifee Calif.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 941
Likes: 3
From: Grand Rapids MI
I am guessing for the one inch drop mod, mainly just to make a c-5 appear more like a damn Batmobile. Naturally, which is why I am doing it. Probably wouldnt be too terribly costly to bring it to your trusted mechanic. Throwing her up on the lift and adjusting the bolts couldnt take more than a half hour. I may go that route, I hate being underneath those cars, no gaps anywhere, just a flat pancake maker for your head......I admit I am a wanny.
Think it would kill you LESS if it falls on you from a hoist or from a 1' jack stand? Proper lifting safety procedures are necessary no matter how you lift it.
(I admit, I dropped a car on my head once when a scissor jack broke as I was placing a jack stand. Just caught the pinch rail and I consider myself lucky to be alive, but this is no reason to NOT use jacks/jackstands. Just be safe!)
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Wauconda IL
I am guessing for the one inch drop mod, mainly just to make a c-5 appear more like a damn Batmobile. Naturally, which is why I am doing it. Probably wouldnt be too terribly costly to bring it to your trusted mechanic. Throwing her up on the lift and adjusting the bolts couldnt take more than a half hour. I may go that route, I hate being underneath those cars, no gaps anywhere, just a flat pancake maker for your head......I admit I am a wanny.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
If you find the rubber bushings are vulcanized to the control arm, which won't allow the adjustment bolts to turn, try using your choice of lubricant (most use PB BLASTER) on the bushings and pry them off with a metal putty knife...
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 5
From: Holly, Michigan
Before you pull the leaf try this:
If you’ve buggered the factory bolt) get a Craftsman bolt extractor kit. It looks like an impact socket, but has teeth that dig in to buggered bolts.
I combined this with a 1/2" drive impact wrench. Select a bolt extractor socket that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the bolt and tap it onto the bolt, then attach the impact and using very short squeezes of the trigger, loosen the bolt.
Once it had broken free, I used a ratchet to finish lowering it. I had to do this with my lowering bolts as they were seized. You'll have to remove the shock to get room to maneuver the impact drive into place.....
If you get ham fisted with the impact wrench, you may end up tearing the bushing from the leaf, but it's worth a try!
If you’ve buggered the factory bolt) get a Craftsman bolt extractor kit. It looks like an impact socket, but has teeth that dig in to buggered bolts.
I combined this with a 1/2" drive impact wrench. Select a bolt extractor socket that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the bolt and tap it onto the bolt, then attach the impact and using very short squeezes of the trigger, loosen the bolt.
Once it had broken free, I used a ratchet to finish lowering it. I had to do this with my lowering bolts as they were seized. You'll have to remove the shock to get room to maneuver the impact drive into place.....
If you get ham fisted with the impact wrench, you may end up tearing the bushing from the leaf, but it's worth a try!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 284
Likes: 29
From: Oxford PA
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 5
From: Holly, Michigan
There is some ambiguity with regards to the word "bushing" as it is used here in this thread. The bushing I was referring to is the steel bushing that is molded inside the leaf spring, essentially a nut.
The bushing FASST LN is referring to the the rubber bushing at the bottom of the lowering bolt. This bushing stick to the spring making turning the bolt difficult. Both "bushings" make lowering more difficult if seized...
The bushing FASST LN is referring to the the rubber bushing at the bottom of the lowering bolt. This bushing stick to the spring making turning the bolt difficult. Both "bushings" make lowering more difficult if seized...
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
question
So I cut part of the bushing off for the rear tires and I reduced the number of threads showing. This got me about 1".
ON the front side I brought the bolt up as far as possible. This got me about 1/4". I would like to get another 1/2" or so to come closer to matching the 1" on the rear.
How do I go about getting the other 1/2" on the front?
ON the front side I brought the bolt up as far as possible. This got me about 1/4". I would like to get another 1/2" or so to come closer to matching the 1" on the rear.
How do I go about getting the other 1/2" on the front?
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,699
Likes: 16
From: Sun City- Menifee Calif.
So I cut part of the bushing off for the rear tires and I reduced the number of threads showing. This got me about 1".
ON the front side I brought the bolt up as far as possible. This got me about 1/4". I would like to get another 1/2" or so to come closer to matching the 1" on the rear.
How do I go about getting the other 1/2" on the front?
ON the front side I brought the bolt up as far as possible. This got me about 1/4". I would like to get another 1/2" or so to come closer to matching the 1" on the rear.
How do I go about getting the other 1/2" on the front?