will alignment affect lowering
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 347
Likes: 1
From: Martinez GA
will alignment affect lowering
i have lowered my 98 on stock bolts and am waiting a few weeks for the alignment (its not a dd so a few weeks will be about 3-4 drives for dinner). while searching different threads i noticed one person said once they had the car aligned after lowering it raised the car about 1/2".
has anyone else had this same experience? is it common? just wanted to make sure, didn't want to have it at my ideal height then come back needing mudflaps again
thanks in advance
has anyone else had this same experience? is it common? just wanted to make sure, didn't want to have it at my ideal height then come back needing mudflaps again
thanks in advance
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Lowering will cause more negative camber.
The alignment is important, but wont kill your tires if you dont drive too much.
Now lowering too much will negatively effect the handling quite a bit without an alignment.
The alignment is important, but wont kill your tires if you dont drive too much.
Now lowering too much will negatively effect the handling quite a bit without an alignment.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,315
Likes: 17
From: Near Jacksonville Fl.
i have lowered my 98 on stock bolts and am waiting a few weeks for the alignment (its not a dd so a few weeks will be about 3-4 drives for dinner). while searching different threads i noticed one person said once they had the car aligned after lowering it raised the car about 1/2".
has anyone else had this same experience? is it common? just wanted to make sure, didn't want to have it at my ideal height then come back needing mudflaps again
thanks in advance
has anyone else had this same experience? is it common? just wanted to make sure, didn't want to have it at my ideal height then come back needing mudflaps again
thanks in advance
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
I lowered mine on oem bolts/bushings (uncut) then drove it for approx. 100 miles of varied driving. It dropped 5/8" in the front and 3/4" in the rear. At that point, I made minor adjustments to level it side to side and for drivers weight.
The alignment was definitely off. I wanted maximum tire wear so the tech used non Z06 specs for alignment. Two years and no inside tire wear.
The alignment was definitely off. I wanted maximum tire wear so the tech used non Z06 specs for alignment. Two years and no inside tire wear.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 347
Likes: 1
From: Martinez GA
thanks for the response
i definitely intend to align it or at least have it checked due to just putting new rubber all the way around and want max wear, just wanted to make sure i have it low enough that the alignment will put end result where i want it, not defeat my lowering process
any clue on average what the alignment lifts the car back up?? will it bring it back up 1/2" - 3/4" after alignment like someone stated in another post?? 
gotcha, that sounds like what i am hoping to accomplish also, i don't "wanna be in the weeds" as we used to call it in the 80's.......but i also don't like all the wheel to fender gap, i am NOT all the way down on front and it is still a little low for my liking but if alignment is going to bring it up then i might leave it where it is so after, IF alignment "typically" brings up i will be good with end result.
I lowered mine on oem bolts/bushings (uncut) then drove it for approx. 100 miles of varied driving. It dropped 5/8" in the front and 3/4" in the rear. At that point, I made minor adjustments to level it side to side and for drivers weight.
The alignment was definitely off. I wanted maximum tire wear so the tech used non Z06 specs for alignment. Two years and no inside tire wear.
The alignment was definitely off. I wanted maximum tire wear so the tech used non Z06 specs for alignment. Two years and no inside tire wear.
, i am NOT all the way down on front and it is still a little low for my liking but if alignment is going to bring it up then i might leave it where it is so after, IF alignment "typically" brings up i will be good with end result.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
The alignment did not raise my car afterward. I think you may have misunderstood the statement above.
When you lower the car, you change the front end geometry. That's why the alignment is usually performed at some point once the suspension has settled.
When you lower the car, you change the front end geometry. That's why the alignment is usually performed at some point once the suspension has settled.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 347
Likes: 1
From: Martinez GA
gotcha.......there is no question if i am getting it aligned....i am for sure......just wanted to know if anyone else had experienced the rise after alignment....i will try to find that thread again and post a link....it was the only one i found but just wanted a few more opinions/experiences......we are on the same page 
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Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
This is what mine looks like lowered on uncut bushings and oem bolts. Personally, I would never go any lower than this on a street driven car. There's to many road hazards, ie, alligators and speed bumps, that make this the maximum drop for me. And it's within the range than GM said was good if the car is to be occasionally used in racing.
Last edited by hotwheels57; Nov 1, 2010 at 04:12 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 347
Likes: 1
From: Martinez GA
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...hat+did+i+miss
this was what i read.....raised car 1/4-1/2" after align......wasn't sure if this was typical
this was what i read.....raised car 1/4-1/2" after align......wasn't sure if this was typical
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 347
Likes: 1
From: Martinez GA
This is what mine looks like on uncut bushings and oem bolts. Personally, I would never go any lower than this on a street driven car. There's to many road hazards, ie, alligators and speed bumps, that make this the maximum drop for me. And it's within the range than GM said was good if the car is to be occasionally used in racing.
we have a lot of road kill here as well and every dang neighborhood has gone to the road humps every 20 feet so i'm with ya....just wanna remove some of that fender gap
main thing is i don't wanna be happy with my height then get it lifted as a side effect of the alignment
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
After adjustment on oem bolts and with uncut bushings, measured to the c/l of the fender arches to grade...
front: 26 1/4” passenger side, 26 3/8” driver side
rear: 27 1/2” passenger side, 27 1/2” driver side
front: 26 1/4” passenger side, 26 3/8” driver side
rear: 27 1/2” passenger side, 27 1/2” driver side
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 347
Likes: 1
From: Martinez GA
still remember your good advice on lift
.......unfortunately home addition took away all my lift $$$....however adding a master bath and a master closet for the wife might get me a lift and a c6z06 sometime in the future....got the shop all wired up with 220 outlets tho so i'm ready....wish wallet was 
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
thanks again
still remember your good advice on lift.......unfortunately home addition took away all my lift $$$....however adding a master bath and a master closet for the wife might get me a lift and a c6z06 sometime in the future....got the shop all wired up with 220 outlets tho so i'm ready....wish wallet was
still remember your good advice on lift
.......unfortunately home addition took away all my lift $$$....however adding a master bath and a master closet for the wife might get me a lift and a c6z06 sometime in the future....got the shop all wired up with 220 outlets tho so i'm ready....wish wallet was It took me 12 years of marriage to get my first shop...and it was only a 5x5' closet in our carport for my first motorcycle. It continued to get better from there, now at 38 years and an 1815 sf shop...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 347
Likes: 1
From: Martinez GA
It'll happen. Priorities and keeping the spouse happy take precedent.
It took me 12 years of marriage to get my first shop...and it was only a 5x5' closet in our carport for my first motorcycle. It continued to get better from there, now at 38 years and an 1815 sf shop...
It took me 12 years of marriage to get my first shop...and it was only a 5x5' closet in our carport for my first motorcycle. It continued to get better from there, now at 38 years and an 1815 sf shop...
i thought i had a good one to let me get a vette with 4 kids under 11.....your shop kinda trumps that!
took me 12yrs of marriage to get a 20x24 steel beam shop too!
again i say we are on the same pagemomma gets what momma wants.....kids come before vette...everything else falls right into place
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,150
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
I didn't notice any change on my car and it had a bunch of camber that had to be taken out. When I think about the suspension I can't think of any alignment adjustment that would cause noticeable lift, assuming it was correct before lowering. The lowering mostly just causes you to have too much camber. I guess if you really tilted the wheels in at the
top then the gap could look smaller but it seems to me the camber would have to be be a huge angle before alignment for that to make a noticable difference.
Peter
top then the gap could look smaller but it seems to me the camber would have to be be a huge angle before alignment for that to make a noticable difference.
Peter
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 347
Likes: 1
From: Martinez GA
I didn't notice any change on my car and it had a bunch of camber that had to be taken out. When I think about the suspension I can't think of any alignment adjustment that would cause noticeable lift, assuming it was correct before lowering. The lowering mostly just causes you to have too much camber. I guess if you really tilted the wheels in at the
top then the gap could look smaller but it seems to me the camber would have to be be a huge angle before alignment for that to make a noticable difference.
Peter
top then the gap could look smaller but it seems to me the camber would have to be be a huge angle before alignment for that to make a noticable difference.
Peter
I just had it aligned less than 1000 miles ago when I got new treads so it should be pretty close.
Thanks for the response
Instructor
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 117
Likes: 2
From: Providence RI
This is what mine looks like lowered on uncut bushings and oem bolts. Personally, I would never go any lower than this on a street driven car. There's to many road hazards, ie, alligators and speed bumps, that make this the maximum drop for me. And it's within the range than GM said was good if the car is to be occasionally used in racing.
Fortunately we only have to worry about potholes here in the Northeast...not alligators!
