Improving ground clearance?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,488
Likes: 27
From: Long Island NY
Improving ground clearance?
I'm probably the only person thinking about trying to RAISE the suspension as opposed to lowering it.... but in real world street driving conditions, at least in urban areas, ground clearance is a bit more important that center of gravity. Has anyone out there actually considered raising the car a bit? IS this even possible without severely ill side effects?
The rated ground clearance of the C6 is 3.5" if I am not mistaken. Some have said that the only reason for the very low clearance spec is that plastic spoiler piece under the front end. Is this so? If one were to remove this plastic piece, does anyone know what the minimum ground clearance of the car would then be? Not that I'd remove that plastic piece, because scraping a plastic spoiler is no big deal, but I am more concerned about doing serious damage to critical componants underneath when flying over hiils, dips, potholes, ferry boat ramps, etc.
Any info / comments from owners appreciated. Has anyone yet done serious damage to their Vette by hitting the bottom?
Reminds me of my friend's old GTO.... he put headers on that were probably about 4" from the ground.... we hit a dip in the road, and.... that was the end of the headers.
The rated ground clearance of the C6 is 3.5" if I am not mistaken. Some have said that the only reason for the very low clearance spec is that plastic spoiler piece under the front end. Is this so? If one were to remove this plastic piece, does anyone know what the minimum ground clearance of the car would then be? Not that I'd remove that plastic piece, because scraping a plastic spoiler is no big deal, but I am more concerned about doing serious damage to critical componants underneath when flying over hiils, dips, potholes, ferry boat ramps, etc.
Any info / comments from owners appreciated. Has anyone yet done serious damage to their Vette by hitting the bottom?
Reminds me of my friend's old GTO.... he put headers on that were probably about 4" from the ground.... we hit a dip in the road, and.... that was the end of the headers.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,516
Likes: 2
From: Virginia Bch VA
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06
Sorry Guy
Don't know why you are doing this? It will wreck havoc with steering and cornering. 
And it will look silly.
If you’re really dead set on a raise, I suggest you go to a local off-road shop for a 3” lift kit. Post Pix. You will win special category at every show you enter.
And it will look silly. If you’re really dead set on a raise, I suggest you go to a local off-road shop for a 3” lift kit. Post Pix. You will win special category at every show you enter.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 465
Likes: 0
From: New York
I haven't had any C6 experience yet 
but I had a Z4 with the sport package that lowered the car. Driving in NYC I would occasionally bottom out the suspension but never did any damage to the car. The front spoiler scraped the ground but the C6's is a better design since it is easily replaceable and cheap. Unless you hit some huge pothole at high speed you should be OK. You can damage an SUV hitting some of these large potholes so raising the Corvette will only protect you from cosmetic damage to the front spoiler and not the wheels or suspension if you don't watch where you drive.
Alan
but I had a Z4 with the sport package that lowered the car. Driving in NYC I would occasionally bottom out the suspension but never did any damage to the car. The front spoiler scraped the ground but the C6's is a better design since it is easily replaceable and cheap. Unless you hit some huge pothole at high speed you should be OK. You can damage an SUV hitting some of these large potholes so raising the Corvette will only protect you from cosmetic damage to the front spoiler and not the wheels or suspension if you don't watch where you drive.Alan
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,488
Likes: 27
From: Long Island NY
Well, I'm talking more about maybe a one inch raise, to the extent where it would hardly be noticeable from an appearance point of view. An inch, while seemingly insignificant, can mean the difference between putting a one inch deep dent / tear in the bottom of the car or not. After coming off a local ferry recently with another car and observing the steep ramp angles and other dips and bumps, speed bumps, etc, I started thinking how I'd probably be terrified to take a Vette there.... but, because of where I live, I kinda need to go there. I am hoping that the actual ground clearance of the Vette (minus that plastic spoiler thing in the front) is actually greater than 3.5"... if so, then it might be fine as is.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 53,529
Likes: 77
From: Arizona
The chin strip is designed to scrape, so you know you're getting close to touch-down. My C5 scraped daily for 6 years without ill effect, getting in and out of my driveway. My C6 doesn't seem to scrape as easily, maybe because the front overhand is shorter. If you exceeded the C5's limits, the front struts, under the bumper would touch down, with a thud. Other than scraping these struts, I never had any other damage to the car. I have yet to strut out the C6. I go over high speed bumps daily with the C6, and I have no problems. I would see no reason to raise the car.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,075
Likes: 3
From: Penn Valley California
Corvette garage has a set of small nylon wheels that mount to the front skid rails to help lift the front over little dips,and appear from the pictures to be fairly inconspicuous(about $80).I saw in one post where a car was lowered,and about an inch was removed from the lower edge of the front spoiler to compensate.It wasn't really noticeable to my eyes,and that might be a solution without raising the car.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 937
Likes: 3
From: Austin Texas
Originally Posted by Hoonose
The chin strip is designed to scrape, so you know you're getting close to touch-down. My C5 scraped daily for 6 years without ill effect, getting in and out of my driveway. My C6 doesn't seem to scrape as easily, maybe because the front overhand is shorter. If you exceeded the C5's limits, the front struts, under the bumper would touch down, with a thud. Other than scraping these struts, I never had any other damage to the car. I have yet to strut out the C6. I go over high speed bumps daily with the C6, and I have no problems. I would see no reason to raise the car.
Seems like you might not be used to having the front black plastic spoiler scrape as Hoonose describes above. It's a normal part of owning a Corvette. It's almost like a curb feeler. City or country I have never even seen a high speed bump that would bottom out the actual chassis on a stock Corvette.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 465
Likes: 0
From: New York
Originally Posted by Vet
a one inch raise, to the extent where it would hardly be noticeable from an appearance point of view....a local ferry...the steep ramp angles and other dips and bumps
As for the ramp on the ferry, I think your concern is with the angle of approach and not the ground clearance (an off road SUV concept). Since the C6 has a longer wheelbase and less overhang than the C5, you might find it isn't as big a problem as you anticipate. Drive slow over speed bumps and steep driveways and don't give up the handling you are going to want most of the time.
Alan
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Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
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Originally Posted by Vet
I'm probably the only person thinking about trying to RAISE the suspension as opposed to lowering it.... but in real world street driving conditions, at least in urban areas, ground clearance is a bit more important that center of gravity. Has anyone out there actually considered raising the car a bit? IS this even possible without severely ill side effects?
The passenger side air dam had come loose, and the driver's side brake cooling duct had come loose from the front fascia, from scraping and dragging. I was fixing those when I noticed the ride heights were off. It was 3/4 of an inch lower on the passenger side than the driver's side in the front. Now, after adjusting, with me in the car, ride height is equal side to side, and I have a little more ground clearance than I had before.
Handling seems better now that the ride heights are balanced too.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 937
Likes: 3
From: Austin Texas
If Chevy would have offered it I would have paid plenty for adjustable ride height controlled at the console. In the center would be the best performance. Lower for street cruising and higher for boat travel.
