Rear lower than the front implications
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 4,442
Likes: 407
From: Portland OR
Rear lower than the front implications
Hey gang,
So this is sad, but after driving my car for a year, I finally had it parked in the lot at work, dead level ground and in a spot I could get a good side view from 50 or so feet away.
I have the rear set lower than the front. Never could see that in my sloped driveway or small garage. Dumb, I know.
So just how does this affect the handling? The car is hardly slammed, just a bit lower than stock.
I believe I'll just raise the rear, instead of lower the front, but just wondering if this might be the source of the odd handling, and maybe even be messing up my drag strip launches.
Ron
So this is sad, but after driving my car for a year, I finally had it parked in the lot at work, dead level ground and in a spot I could get a good side view from 50 or so feet away.
I have the rear set lower than the front. Never could see that in my sloped driveway or small garage. Dumb, I know.
So just how does this affect the handling? The car is hardly slammed, just a bit lower than stock.
I believe I'll just raise the rear, instead of lower the front, but just wondering if this might be the source of the odd handling, and maybe even be messing up my drag strip launches.
Ron
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 6,004
Likes: 723
Hey gang,
So this is sad, but after driving my car for a year, I finally had it parked in the lot at work, dead level ground and in a spot I could get a good side view from 50 or so feet away.
I have the rear set lower than the front. Never could see that in my sloped driveway or small garage. Dumb, I know.
So just how does this affect the handling? The car is hardly slammed, just a bit lower than stock.
I believe I'll just raise the rear, instead of lower the front, but just wondering if this might be the source of the odd handling, and maybe even be messing up my drag strip launches.
Ron
So this is sad, but after driving my car for a year, I finally had it parked in the lot at work, dead level ground and in a spot I could get a good side view from 50 or so feet away.
I have the rear set lower than the front. Never could see that in my sloped driveway or small garage. Dumb, I know.
So just how does this affect the handling? The car is hardly slammed, just a bit lower than stock.
I believe I'll just raise the rear, instead of lower the front, but just wondering if this might be the source of the odd handling, and maybe even be messing up my drag strip launches.
Ron
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,003
Likes: 89
From: Indy IN
Hey gang,
So this is sad, but after driving my car for a year, I finally had it parked in the lot at work, dead level ground and in a spot I could get a good side view from 50 or so feet away.
I have the rear set lower than the front. Never could see that in my sloped driveway or small garage. Dumb, I know.
So just how does this affect the handling? The car is hardly slammed, just a bit lower than stock.
I believe I'll just raise the rear, instead of lower the front, but just wondering if this might be the source of the odd handling, and maybe even be messing up my drag strip launches.
Ron
So this is sad, but after driving my car for a year, I finally had it parked in the lot at work, dead level ground and in a spot I could get a good side view from 50 or so feet away.
I have the rear set lower than the front. Never could see that in my sloped driveway or small garage. Dumb, I know.
So just how does this affect the handling? The car is hardly slammed, just a bit lower than stock.
I believe I'll just raise the rear, instead of lower the front, but just wondering if this might be the source of the odd handling, and maybe even be messing up my drag strip launches.
Ron
When I first set up my car and we were doing testing on an autocross course, we found that forward bite (the ability to put down power on corner exit) was really effected by lowering the back. The lower we made it, the more wheelspin we got coming off of corners. We started with the back end lowered about a half an inch from stock and for every turn of the rear screws we lost lap time and the car had more wheelspin coming off the corners. I would go with about a half an inch from stock if I wanted to go to the strip and that should help your 60 ft time a lot.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 4,442
Likes: 407
From: Portland OR
Thanks SOLO. The answer I expected. 
I'll tweak it, the adjustments aren't hard to do.
Thanks!
BTW...my coworker said yes, my phone takes great photos......um...no it doesn't.
Ron
I'll tweak it, the adjustments aren't hard to do.
Thanks!
BTW...my coworker said yes, my phone takes great photos......um...no it doesn't.
Ron
Last edited by RonSSNova; Jun 6, 2013 at 12:26 PM.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 325
Likes: 0
Bring a tape measure with you to work, assuming your parking lot actually is completely level, and measure from ground to the jacking points on the framerail. Rake should be about 1/2" front to back.
i.e., 4.5" on the front jack point, 5" in the rear. Should get the same measurements side to side with you in the car, otherwise you have one side lowered more than the other.
i.e., 4.5" on the front jack point, 5" in the rear. Should get the same measurements side to side with you in the car, otherwise you have one side lowered more than the other.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,341
Likes: 8
From: Hopatcong New Jersey
Bring a tape measure with you to work, assuming your parking lot actually is completely level, and measure from ground to the jacking points on the framerail. Rake should be about 1/2" front to back.
i.e., 4.5" on the front jack point, 5" in the rear. Should get the same measurements side to side with you in the car, otherwise you have one side lowered more than the other.
i.e., 4.5" on the front jack point, 5" in the rear. Should get the same measurements side to side with you in the car, otherwise you have one side lowered more than the other.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 4,442
Likes: 407
From: Portland OR
So I measured from the jacking points right where it is sitting.
I got 4 1/4" in front and 4 1/8" in the rear. I have the correct rake, just in the wrong direction.
I read another post (Thanks BumbleZ) that these numbers should be closer to 6". Hmm...
The car does have Z06 springs and some negative camber.
Ron
I got 4 1/4" in front and 4 1/8" in the rear. I have the correct rake, just in the wrong direction.
I read another post (Thanks BumbleZ) that these numbers should be closer to 6". Hmm...
The car does have Z06 springs and some negative camber.
Ron
Racer
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 325
Likes: 0
So I measured from the jacking points right where it is sitting.
I got 4 1/4" in front and 4 1/8" in the rear. I have the correct rake, just in the wrong direction.
I read another post (Thanks BumbleZ) that these numbers should be closer to 6". Hmm...
The car does have Z06 springs and some negative camber.
Ron
I got 4 1/4" in front and 4 1/8" in the rear. I have the correct rake, just in the wrong direction.
I read another post (Thanks BumbleZ) that these numbers should be closer to 6". Hmm...
The car does have Z06 springs and some negative camber.
Ron
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 4,442
Likes: 407
From: Portland OR
Thanks. That's good to know as I don't have another C5 to compare to. I did all of the suspension work, and really didn't have a guideline to go by. I do know it's not all the way down, at least as far as the adjustments go.
I like the lowered look, but in all honesty, the car is nervous with the present suspension settings on all but very smooth roads.
Ron
I like the lowered look, but in all honesty, the car is nervous with the present suspension settings on all but very smooth roads.
Ron
Racer
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 325
Likes: 0
Get the rake setup well and make sure the side to side height is correct and get the car alligned.
Can't just go by number of threads visible on the bolt as well - the first time I lowered the car I left equal number of threads showing between the adjustment bolts on both the front and back. I had unequal heights on both the framerails and fenders after this, so had to go back in and adjust.
You'd be surprised how much just getting everything square will help you, even in a straight line.
Can't just go by number of threads visible on the bolt as well - the first time I lowered the car I left equal number of threads showing between the adjustment bolts on both the front and back. I had unequal heights on both the framerails and fenders after this, so had to go back in and adjust.
You'd be surprised how much just getting everything square will help you, even in a straight line.