Lowering your Vette.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,630
Likes: 0
From: Studio City CA
Lowering your Vette.
Have been thinking about lowering it, but am worried about the clearance over town.
How much difference have you who have lowered it noticed.
The angles here in LA are a little wierd. Even my driveway I hear the protector under the front scrape.
I just don't want it to get lowered and have the front end scraped up.
Also, do you need the lowering bolts from WCC?
http://westcoastcorvette.com/ps-46-1...-bolt-kit.aspx
Or can it be done without?
LEX
How much difference have you who have lowered it noticed.
The angles here in LA are a little wierd. Even my driveway I hear the protector under the front scrape.
I just don't want it to get lowered and have the front end scraped up.
Also, do you need the lowering bolts from WCC?
http://westcoastcorvette.com/ps-46-1...-bolt-kit.aspx
Or can it be done without?
LEX
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,566
Likes: 2
From: Goleta CA
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
If you're worried about being too low, drop it on stock bolts all the way first. You can then get the kit if you want to go lower. All the kit does is give you thinner bushings since the factory ones are huge.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 951
Likes: 0
From: North AL.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1380507
lowered on stock bolts with bumpstops removed.
lowered on stock bolts with bumpstops removed.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,903
Likes: 0
From: NC
So to clarify. You wouldn't need different springs or whatever as you would with another car to lower it? All that needs done is the shop tightens the factory bolts or whatever? Sorry if I sound total newb, but oh well.
I too have thought about lowering it, but I'm worried about clearance and my driveway too.
How much lower does messing with the factory bolts lower it? 1in? 2in?
I too have thought about lowering it, but I'm worried about clearance and my driveway too.
How much lower does messing with the factory bolts lower it? 1in? 2in?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,630
Likes: 0
From: Studio City CA
How low does the stock ones go?
There is a C5Z06 that is around here that is way lowered but he never parks in a driveway, only on the street.
Anyone had experience lowering it then had to put it back because of clearance?
Do you have to lift the car to lower it?
Is it something anyone can do?
LEX
There is a C5Z06 that is around here that is way lowered but he never parks in a driveway, only on the street.
Anyone had experience lowering it then had to put it back because of clearance?
Do you have to lift the car to lower it?
Is it something anyone can do?
LEX
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,769
Likes: 0
From: SFV CA
My C6 is slammed...a good +2" and trimmed the under protector by 1/2" but yet will scrape those annoying speed bumps & supermarket driveways, also I'm in need of adding the A&A frame saver soon. I swear some of the roads here in the Valley are just not Corvette friendly, I normally just avoid those areas...Roscoe in Van Nuys is such a pain in the azz, the construction is never-ending. The under proctector is an inexpensive replacement part, no wurries with the scraping.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,630
Likes: 0
From: Studio City CA
What is under protector?
A&A Frame saver?
The Valley is aweful for dips. I'd like to lower it even 1/2" to 1" just to get rid of that HumV look.
But don't want to risk the car.
LEX
A&A Frame saver?
The Valley is aweful for dips. I'd like to lower it even 1/2" to 1" just to get rid of that HumV look.
But don't want to risk the car.
LEX
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Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,968
Likes: 55
From: SoCal
Originally Posted by lexaudio
How low does the stock ones go?
There is a C5Z06 that is around here that is way lowered but he never parks in a driveway, only on the street.
Anyone had experience lowering it then had to put it back because of clearance?
Do you have to lift the car to lower it?
Is it something anyone can do?
LEX
There is a C5Z06 that is around here that is way lowered but he never parks in a driveway, only on the street.
Anyone had experience lowering it then had to put it back because of clearance?
Do you have to lift the car to lower it?
Is it something anyone can do?
LEX
A: Yes, I loved the look but it's high maintenance. Once I threw on long tubes I didn't want any problems so I had it raised a bit.
Q: Is it something anyone can do?
A: Yes, but I paid WCC to lower it for me so i didn't have to hassle with it.
Here's a couple of pics of my car lowered all the way with WCC cut bushings.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,089
Likes: 14
Originally Posted by lexaudio
How low does the stock ones go?
There is a C5Z06 that is around here that is way lowered but he never parks in a driveway, only on the street.
Anyone had experience lowering it then had to put it back because of clearance?
Do you have to lift the car to lower it?
Is it something anyone can do?
LEX
There is a C5Z06 that is around here that is way lowered but he never parks in a driveway, only on the street.
Anyone had experience lowering it then had to put it back because of clearance?
Do you have to lift the car to lower it?
Is it something anyone can do?
LEX
Raising it was a simple job, took less than 10 minutes including getting out the tools. Now it is 1 inch higher. It still scrapes bumping over the curb in and out of my driveway (no curb cuts allowed here, continuous rolled storm curbing), and still scrapes a little bit going into my employer's parking garage (steep), but it is a lot better.
Only the rubber air dam, which is designed to tolerate scraping, scrapes now. The radiator supports stay up off the pavement. I don't fear driveways, crowned intersections, or even most speed bumps now. (The steep round top speed bumps used some places can still be a problem, but the broader flat topped ones adopted most places are ok now.)
The car really should come from the factory with skid plates, though. It is horribly low as it comes from the factory, and does hit and drag, not just the air dam, when driving lots of ordinary places.
Last edited by shopdog; May 5, 2006 at 03:20 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,769
Likes: 0
From: SFV CA
Originally Posted by lexaudio
What is under protector?
A&A Frame saver?
The Valley is aweful for dips. I'd like to lower it even 1/2" to 1" just to get rid of that HumV look.
But don't want to risk the car.
LEX
A&A Frame saver?
The Valley is aweful for dips. I'd like to lower it even 1/2" to 1" just to get rid of that HumV look.
But don't want to risk the car.
LEX
Sorry...the under protector is actually the rubber air dam in 3 section parts.
A&A frame savers:
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,968
Likes: 55
From: SoCal
Originally Posted by lexaudio
Damn, that is sharp! 
Do you scrape everything?
How low did you go?
LEX
Do you scrape everything?
How low did you go?
LEX
A: I went all the way down on cut bushings, the ones WCC sells.
Q: Do you scrape everything?
A: Not really (I'm not counting the front valence as it's supposed to scrape).
When my car was lowered all the way and I had a passenger sometimes on the freeway I would run out of spring. Some places were literally inaccessible. I love the look but it requires extreme discretion when driving. I would avoid unfamiliar roads because of fear. If you drive really slow, you'll have enough time to react to road imperfections but if you occasionally enjoy spirited driving you have to be very careful.
If I didn't do with Long Tubes I'd still have it lowered all the way.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,810
Likes: 0
From: Indian River MI
You would be in trouble here in rural MI. MI roads are in terrible repair and more so here. We have pot holes big enough for the Vette to fall into after our winters. There aren't many driveways in town that I don't touch on now so to lower is not an option for me.
I hate the sound of the scrapping too much. It's a terrible sound. Like nails on the blackboard!
I hate the sound of the scrapping too much. It's a terrible sound. Like nails on the blackboard!
Last edited by 2bubbas; May 5, 2006 at 12:02 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 7,753
Likes: 210
From: North Western Connecticut
Originally Posted by shopdog
Anyone with a jack and a 10mm wrench can adjust the ride height of the car. It is very simple and takes very little time. After dragging nearly everywhere I drove (my driveway, driveway at work, friend's driveways, etc, and breaking the lower radiator supports crossing a crowned intersection), I raised mine. Note, my car hadn't been lowered, the height was as delivered from the factory.
Raising it was a simple job, took less than 10 minutes including getting out the tools. Now it is 1 inch higher. It still scrapes bumping over the curb in and out of my driveway (no curb cuts allowed here, continuous rolled storm curbing), and still scrapes a little bit going into my employer's parking garage (steep), but it is a lot better.
Only the rubber air dam, which is designed to tolerate scraping, scrapes now. The radiator supports stay up off the pavement. I don't fear driveways, crowned intersections, or even most speed bumps now. (The steep round top speed bumps used some places can still be a problem, but the broader flat topped ones adopted most places are ok now.)
The car really should come from the factory with skid plates, though. It is horribly low as it comes from the factory, and does hit and drag, not just the air dam, when driving lots of ordinary places.
Raising it was a simple job, took less than 10 minutes including getting out the tools. Now it is 1 inch higher. It still scrapes bumping over the curb in and out of my driveway (no curb cuts allowed here, continuous rolled storm curbing), and still scrapes a little bit going into my employer's parking garage (steep), but it is a lot better.
Only the rubber air dam, which is designed to tolerate scraping, scrapes now. The radiator supports stay up off the pavement. I don't fear driveways, crowned intersections, or even most speed bumps now. (The steep round top speed bumps used some places can still be a problem, but the broader flat topped ones adopted most places are ok now.)
The car really should come from the factory with skid plates, though. It is horribly low as it comes from the factory, and does hit and drag, not just the air dam, when driving lots of ordinary places.
You say the car is horribly low from the factory and then lower it more? If I brought mine down even 1" I wouldn't have a spoiler left in a week. Perhaps other more expensive damage too! I guess it's all according to where you live!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,566
Likes: 2
From: Goleta CA
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
Originally Posted by shopdog
It still scrapes bumping over the curb in and out of my driveway (no curb cuts allowed here, continuous rolled storm curbing),
Originally Posted by lexaudio
What is under protector?
A&A Frame saver?
The Valley is aweful for dips. I'd like to lower it even 1/2" to 1" just to get rid of that HumV look.
But don't want to risk the car.
LEX
A&A Frame saver?
The Valley is aweful for dips. I'd like to lower it even 1/2" to 1" just to get rid of that HumV look.
But don't want to risk the car.
LEX
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,566
Likes: 2
From: Goleta CA
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
Originally Posted by ShockwaveTXB
So how do you do it? Is there a how too?
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...6&forum_id=101