Good Information!

 

I have lowered my c5 all the way in the front and then did a 1/4 rake in the rear , then cross balanced the car by raising the dvr side frt until I reached my goal. After running it a few weekends and setting the shocks (pfadt) where I liked them best I found I was crushing the bump stops on the frt. I removed the stop and the washer at the bottom and after another event i noticed i was coming within 1/4in (see pics) of bottoming out the shocks and they were suposed to be shorter.

Pfadt said to either stiffen the frt shocks or raise the frt to be safe. I didn't want to do either because the car was handling better then the others in my class when we switched cars. I was using 1/4 in spacers to widen the frt to keep the scrub radius to 0. What I found was the top spacer was a liitle over 1/2" in height and if I cut that in half I would gain another 1/4' of room to keep it from bottoming out. It worked really well.

I don't know if there are any negative effects to this for I haven't found any yet. I think I am
still SS SCCA legal since you can change shocks and mounts and when I raised the car the shock just stops the wheel 1/4 in. sooner.

This is what Pfadt Engr said

I have not tested a configuration like this so I can only speculate on how it will preform. The problems that I would foresee are increased force required to obtain necessary misalignment angle which would cause increased friction, accelerated shaft bushing wear and decrease in mounting bushing life.

I would not expect that you will notice any of these but that is the downside to reducing the size of the bushing.

 

don't want to sound like a noob but, I can't get my front below 27 1/8. I want to be at 26 1/2 or close to that, my adjustment screws seem to be maxed out as I can only turn with a wrench. I have a 00 FRC with C6Z06 shocks and C6Z51 sways. What am I missing?

 

Although my car has the base springs, as you can see, 50% of the travel is gone with the lowering that I did. For the rears, I was thinking of inverting the shock bracket so there was more travel left, but concerned it may be too much and I would'nt have anything to put the tire back on the pavement. I still may try it, as I'm only trying to set up for street use. The fronts, I have no answer.

 

Did you remove the front bolts and cut the bushings? with the bushings stock, you'll only get about 1/2" drop. The bushing is about 3/4" thick and can be cut down to 1/8" leaving just enough rubber for cushion against the A arm. That will get you where you want to be.

 

From the Wikipedia link YOU posted:

"The use of PTFE tape in tapered pipe threads performs a lubricating function, which more easily allows the threads to be screwed together, to the point of deformation, which is what creates the majority, if not all, of the seal."

 

Think you just made my point.

 

Do you have the C6 front adjustment bolts (included in the Zip Corvettes lowering kit) or the stock C5 bolts? C6 bolts will drop you another 3/4" I believe.

 

I've got the stock C5 bolts but, have a set of C6 bolts sitting on my work bench, guess it's time to install them

 

I have a 02 that was lowered before I bought it. I would like to return it to stock height. A dealer wants over 400 bucks for labor and new bolts and bushings for the back. Does anyone here have there stock bolts and bushings that I could purchase? I can replace them myself and hopefully save alot of money.

 

PM sent

 

I have recently changed my tire/wheels to a lower profile and now notice the bigger gap in the wells,(really bad looking) from what i have read in this thread i seem to have two choices, follow 'socalman's' page 1 instructional or go to coilovers and get the same result without al the muss & fuss?
I do not road/autocross just doing it for the look.
i am a noob on this lowering stuff and of course i do realize there is a price differential
TIA for info and thoughts

 

Coilovers are the way to go if money is no object. The initial reason for this thread was due to many stating that the Bilstien Sport Shock was for lowered cars (which is mostly false). In fact, every brand of shock made has the same max and min lengths, with the same travel +/- 1/4".

Although you bought the wheels and tires already, I have to say there was no reason to get lower profile tires unless you upsized your rims (went from 17/18 to 18/19 etc.) The overall tire diameter should remain close to stock for all the computerized goodies to work properly (ABS, Speedo etc.).

What are you running?

 

yes i did change rims with the tires to 18/19's basically C6 sizes, i am leaning towards KONI Fsd's there around $700 or so, im not saying money is no object ( i wish it were'nt), but if im in for $700 a few more up the ladder isn't going to break me, and if i could tackle the lowering effect at the same time it would be mission accomplished.
Thanks for the reply and informative posts above.

 

i installed the 6" bolts, looks good, but it seems a little bouncy in the rear

 

QA1 offers C5 coilovers for around $1200, 18 way adjustable shocks. google thier website.

bouncy is normal when you lower the car, you will feel every bump, depending on how low you go. If you go too far, you'll feel the crash at the bottom of the bump, if you didn't over-lower, you'll still have some travel in the shocks.

How old and what type shocks?

what type suspension (Base, Z51 etc)?

 

Couldn't find coilovers for C5's on their site?

 

bouncy is normal when you lower the car, you will feel every bump, depending on how low you go. If you go too far, you'll feel the crash at the bottom of the bump, if you didn't over-lower, you'll still have some travel in the shocks.

How old and what type shocks?

what type suspension (Base, Z51 etc)?[/QUOTE]


shocks are factory with 28k on them, base

 

I looked on there site to, a bit difficuilt navigating through there product linrup iv seen better sites, anyway there was a post somewhere a couple days ago that linked to Ecklers web site for the
QA1 coilovers specifically for the C5(not sure for the C6) that they were a new item just out if i remember what the post said;

fronts;
http://www.ecklers.com/corvette-coil...1997-2010.html
rears;
http://www.ecklers.com/corvette-coil...1997-2010.html

 

or just call QA1 direct. Im assuming you might get a better price than from Ecklers. Just know what you want as they offer front and rear in 450/550/650 set ups.