But the ride is smooth-
Lowered c5 but no difference.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,003
Likes: 89
From: Indy IN
Solo, just a question then to address what you are saying.
One how can a garage not be level unless the person who built it was an idiot? A garage has to be level to comply with building codes.
Second I can raise it up to 3 notches in the rear but so far I have seen no difference in handling at 1 notch.
One how can a garage not be level unless the person who built it was an idiot? A garage has to be level to comply with building codes.
Second I can raise it up to 3 notches in the rear but so far I have seen no difference in handling at 1 notch.
Now to the second question, first of all it may or may not have setteled all the way, but you won't notice the bottoming right away if you aren't driving on rough pavement or aren't cornering at speed and hit a bump. The stock bump stops are pretty progessive, and you will just think it's a bit more firm as opposed to slaming down on every bump. What's nasty is when you hit a bump when cornering hard and cause the car to oversteer.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,738
Likes: 15
From: OC Calif
St. Jude Donor '10
Sry socal no its been a long day those are suppose to be 28 rear and 27 front numbers. but as you can see if they are stock at 27.5 I am seeing litterally no change in fronts. I have 5-6 notches showing on front bolts. ok so here is my question how do i measure rake on these cars because its soo hard to measure with measuring tape on ground to jacking points and get exact. I can easily do it with fenders thx.
rear is 1.5" higher than the front
rear is aprox 29", front is 27.5.
If you're at 27 at the front, that is the max you are going to get out of the stock front bolts (27-1/2" stock to 27 lowered), until you remove them and cut off the bushing. The bushing is around 3/4" high. You can get the 'Zip' front bolts which are like someone posted, C6 which have a shorter bushing.
At 28 in the rear, you are good without getting into the shock bumpstop (you actually might be at that height), but that's another story.
Check your PMs for some more info
Last edited by socalman; May 15, 2010 at 10:05 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,389
Likes: 3
From: somewhere shooting my assault rifles
Measuring at the frame right next to each puck hole I just use a large tape measurer on its end which is like 3" or so and pull the tape up from it to the frame.
Hard to really get a typical measurement from everyone what is normal lowered height as there are different rims and tire heights being used.
Last edited by Z06supercharged; May 15, 2010 at 10:05 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,003
Likes: 89
From: Indy IN
Even with coilovers, if you lower the car too much the geometry will be messed up and there will be issues with bump steer and lateral roll center movement, so if you want handling AND a low ride height dropped spindles are an advantage, but they are expensive.
Slightly lowered ride height with stock geometry, the right springs (like Z06 or stiffer) and a good set of performance shocks with an aggressive alignment will make these cars into amazing handling machines. Add sticky tires and you can just about extrude your brains out of your ears with the g forces they can make... To give you an example, a good stock Z06 with shocks, a performance alignment and a set of Hoosier DOT sticky tires will hit 1.25 g's all day long...
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,738
Likes: 15
From: OC Calif
St. Jude Donor '10
I am not a huge fan of coilovers, a lot of expense for not a big improvement. If you are racing and want to make spring rate changes quickly there is a real advantage, but for street and anything short of pro racing there is really no need.
Even with coilovers, if you lower the car too much the geometry will be messed up and there will be issues with bump steer and lateral roll center movement, so if you want handling AND a low ride height dropped spindles are an advantage, but they are expensive.
Slightly lowered ride height with stock geometry, the right springs (like Z06 or stiffer) and a good set of performance shocks with an aggressive alignment will make these cars into amazing handling machines. Add sticky tires and you can just about extrude your brains out of your ears with the g forces they can make... To give you an example, a good stock Z06 with shocks, a performance alignment and a set of Hoosier DOT sticky tires will hit 1.25 g's all day long...
Even with coilovers, if you lower the car too much the geometry will be messed up and there will be issues with bump steer and lateral roll center movement, so if you want handling AND a low ride height dropped spindles are an advantage, but they are expensive.
Slightly lowered ride height with stock geometry, the right springs (like Z06 or stiffer) and a good set of performance shocks with an aggressive alignment will make these cars into amazing handling machines. Add sticky tires and you can just about extrude your brains out of your ears with the g forces they can make... To give you an example, a good stock Z06 with shocks, a performance alignment and a set of Hoosier DOT sticky tires will hit 1.25 g's all day long...
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 18,643
Likes: 14
From: Norman Oklahoma - The Only State in the Union with no Blue Counties!
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,738
Likes: 15
From: OC Calif
St. Jude Donor '10
Actually the C6 bolts dont have a bushing at all. Its just a solid flat thicker bottom plate with some rubber coating on it.
Measuring at the frame right next to each puck hole I just use a large tape measurer on its end which is like 3" or so and pull the tape up from it to the frame.
Hard to really get a typical measurement from everyone what is normal lowered height as there are different rims and tire heights being used.
Measuring at the frame right next to each puck hole I just use a large tape measurer on its end which is like 3" or so and pull the tape up from it to the frame.
Hard to really get a typical measurement from everyone what is normal lowered height as there are different rims and tire heights being used.
I measured quite a few cars, along with searches here, many report about the same at the fenders. I know fenders can be off, but if we're just going for a look, and you measure from the fenders on a level surface with tires at same pressure-and the fenders measure equal both sides, it's an easy place to start when lowering. I know I measured mine before I started and they were the same both sides within less than 1/16th.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
From: Portland Oregon
OK Update!
I got the driver side bolt to move I just had to remove bottom of shock to get a wobble in there. Anyways front passanger and driver and fully out I left bushings because its not that big a deal to me. And on the Rear I put them at 3 grooves left I had it at 1 groove and I heard the bumpstop thumping at a stop taking off a couple times haha.
Anyways I am coming from a import racing background and so as you said you do not like coilovers I still believe that are the only option for a super aggressive lowered look and still good performance.
I got the driver side bolt to move I just had to remove bottom of shock to get a wobble in there. Anyways front passanger and driver and fully out I left bushings because its not that big a deal to me. And on the Rear I put them at 3 grooves left I had it at 1 groove and I heard the bumpstop thumping at a stop taking off a couple times haha.
Anyways I am coming from a import racing background and so as you said you do not like coilovers I still believe that are the only option for a super aggressive lowered look and still good performance.
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
From: Portland Oregon
Now I drove about 10 miles with 3 grooves in the rear, but my other question was will 3 grooves still hit bumpstop it does not seem like it does from testing so far but I have not hit huge bumps.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,738
Likes: 15
From: OC Calif
St. Jude Donor '10
The stock shock (or Bilstien) has about 1.5" of travel after the cars weight. If you lower 1/2", you now have 1" travel and so on. 1" will leave you not much in the way of travel, so you will feel it on a hard bump.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,389
Likes: 3
From: somewhere shooting my assault rifles
I had my stock rear bolts all the way to the little safety washer thingy so no threads showing at all. My stock shocks still did not bottom out. You just have to experiment around to see where it is.
BTW a sloping garage floor is not going to slope that much over the distance of both wheel center lines. I just went out and checked my garage floor and the whole 25 feet from one end to the other slopes 1/4" according to the laser level and the 9' from wheel to wheel slopes less than 1/8".
Also I tried Bilstein sport shocks and didnt like them at all and took em back off. A great shock for the street are Pfadt adjustable inverted sport shocks for around $800.
BTW a sloping garage floor is not going to slope that much over the distance of both wheel center lines. I just went out and checked my garage floor and the whole 25 feet from one end to the other slopes 1/4" according to the laser level and the 9' from wheel to wheel slopes less than 1/8".
Also I tried Bilstein sport shocks and didnt like them at all and took em back off. A great shock for the street are Pfadt adjustable inverted sport shocks for around $800.
Last edited by Z06supercharged; May 16, 2010 at 12:00 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
From: Portland Oregon
I have not noticed bottoming out. but I will keep driving it this whole week and then make adjustments if i feel like it. To be honest though in my opinion just lowering it the 1 inch in rear and .5-1inch in front is all the car needs until you have money to purchase an adjustable coilover set. If you truely want a lowered corvette with an aggressive look you need coilovers.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,003
Likes: 89
From: Indy IN
BTW a sloping garage floor is not going to slope that much over the distance of both wheel center lines. I just went out and checked my garage floor and the whole 25 feet from one end to the other slopes 1/4" according to the laser level and the 9' from wheel to wheel slopes less than 1/8".
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
From: Christiansburg Virginia
Definitely have it aligned after. My alignment was WAY out.
