Lowering Question - Bouce?...
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 1,084
Likes: 158
From: New Bedford MA
Lowering Question - Bouce?...
I lowered my 98 vert with the F45 suspension using A&A bolts and I did not cut the bushings. It is only 1 inch lower all around but now that it has settled I notice that the car bounces on every little road bump. Has anyone else had this same problem? I'm thinking about raising the rear back up 1/2 inch to see if it will eliminate the bouncing. I'm tired of the up and down ride but really like the look of the lowering. Any suggestions? Maybe Z51 sway bars? The car currently sits 3/4 higher in the rear at the top of the wheel wells.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 488
Likes: 0
Re: Lowering Question - Bouce?... (FredC5)
Maybe an alignment will help?
I lowered mine to where I only had about 5" from the wheelwell to the top of the tire in the rear and I bounced pretty bad too. see response below.
[Modified by F8LPONY, 6:53 PM 5/5/2002]
I lowered mine to where I only had about 5" from the wheelwell to the top of the tire in the rear and I bounced pretty bad too. see response below.
[Modified by F8LPONY, 6:53 PM 5/5/2002]
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 1,084
Likes: 158
From: New Bedford MA
Re: Lowering Question - Bouce?... (F8LPONY)
I did a 4 wheel alighnment and road force balancing of the tires to get rid of some vibrations. The bouncing happens in all three F45 settings although it is less in the performance mode. I need to take of the chrome wheels today because it is going into the body shop to repair a damaged rocker panel. I will but back the stock wheels and tires to see it it still bounces as much as the non-runflats. Then I'll try raising the rear a little to give the suspension some room to move more and maybe that will lessen the bouncing.
I agree that it looks so much better lowered. I drove a friend's new Z06 and it rides better than my F45. Maybe I can fix the bounce by getting a new Z06! Hmmm?? :lol: ;)
I agree that it looks so much better lowered. I drove a friend's new Z06 and it rides better than my F45. Maybe I can fix the bounce by getting a new Z06! Hmmm?? :lol: ;)
Racer
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 488
Likes: 0
Re: Lowering Question - Bouce?... (FredC5)
I went for a quick spin with the 1.5" gap like I mentioned above and it rode much nicer. Still some bounce but not much more than when stock.
My old setup had me .5" from wheelwell to tire in the rear and that was a bouncy ****!
My old setup had me .5" from wheelwell to tire in the rear and that was a bouncy ****!
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,270
Likes: 0
From: Rockford IL
Re: Lowering Question - Bouce?... (FredC5)
Put on the Bilstien sports!You can see in my sig that mine is very low, when I first lowered it I didnt have the Bilstiens,and it was pretty bouncy, I put the Bilstiens on and it helped it about 80%. It rides a little stiffer, but thats the price you pay to look cool! :yesnod:
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 249
Likes: 0
From: Broken Arrow Oklahoma
Re: Lowering Question - Bouce?... (FredC5)
I had to same problem with mine. In my situation I found the shocks had a rubber bumper mounted on the shock shaft. You can't see it until you remove the shocks and the plastic cover. The car doesn't have the normal bumper stops like most cars. This is what you are bouncing off of when you complain of a bouncy ride.
Here is the fix for your ride. The top shock mount bracket needs to be installed upside down from the original position. You should shim the bracket as needed so the sharp edges don't cut into the frame. It will give you more travel before you bottom out on the built in bumper stop. Worked great for me.
Here is the fix for your ride. The top shock mount bracket needs to be installed upside down from the original position. You should shim the bracket as needed so the sharp edges don't cut into the frame. It will give you more travel before you bottom out on the built in bumper stop. Worked great for me.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,013
Likes: 79
From: Manitoba/San Jose del Cabo
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '11
Re: Lowering Question - Bouce?... (mac383)
I also turned my upper rear bracket upside down when I was running the stock shocks, it really did help. I am now running Bilsteins and the bracket is back in it's normal position. If you have the cash, Bilsteins are far and away the best remedy! :cheers: :cheers:
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every Model vs Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)
Joe Kucinski
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!
Brett Foote
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)
Joe Kucinski
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!
Michael S. Palmer
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!
Joe Kucinski
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 6,071
Likes: 296
From: Savannah GA
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Re: Lowering Question - Bouce?... (racer44)
You may can get away with installing a set of Z51 shocks. I am running them and the car drives perfect with the Hotchkis sway bars. No bounce and a very tight ride.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,112
Likes: 2
From: Sindelfingen Germany
Re: Lowering Question - Bouce?... (best_vette_yet)
The car doesn't have the normal bumper stops like most cars. This is what you are bouncing off of when you complain of a bouncy ride.
Here is the fix for your ride. The top shock mount bracket needs to be installed upside down from the original position. You should shim the bracket as needed so the sharp edges don't cut into the frame. It will give you more travel before you bottom out on the built in bumper stop. Worked great for me.
Here is the fix for your ride. The top shock mount bracket needs to be installed upside down from the original position. You should shim the bracket as needed so the sharp edges don't cut into the frame. It will give you more travel before you bottom out on the built in bumper stop. Worked great for me.
Frederik
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 1
From: Morganton, NC, USA
Re: Lowering Question - Bouce?... (vettethret)
I do believe I need to do the mod recommended by C5 Frederik as I've lowered my rear 2" and installed Billstein Sports. When I hit a couple road dips at 70 mph, I get booted in the butt by the seat and really feel the shoulder strap holding me down. I think the Billstein is bottoming, but there is no audible thud. :yesnod:
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 1,084
Likes: 158
From: New Bedford MA
Re: Lowering Question - Bouce?... (best_vette_yet)
Thanks for the advice guys. I dropped the body one inch measured from the ground to top of wheel well and that left about 1 finger from top of tire to top of outer wheel well. I'll look at turning the top bracket over when it comes back from the body shop when I put the Z06 chromies back on. Is this possible with the F45 suspension? I thought that the F45 already were Bilstein shocks?? :confused: I'll also try raising the rear about 1/2 inch to give the shock a little more travel room. Maybe this is why the MAD catalog has a note under the longer bolts, "Not for F45 Suspension"