First off my 08 is lowered on crappy stock bolts.

I will be changing the rears next week to hardbars.

The car is 26.5 inches from the ground to fender. 25.25 in front from ground to fender. The car rides very rough which honestly I'm ok with. I assume with the car being this low for 2-3 years the stock shocks are wore out.

I'm looking at Bilsteins for replacements and possibly raising the car slightly. I have been readin the past two hours over height and reversing upper shock mount. Using less bumpsyop so the shock has more travel. Using more bumpstop etc etc. honestly I have just became more confused than anything.

 

I would not mess with the upper shock mount...getting new Bilsteins and raising that ride height will help with the ride, and your current height is pretty low especially for stock shocks. I would guarantee that they are worn and done as a result. Leave the bumpstops alone on whatever new shocks you get.

 

What would be a safe height by changing to Bilsteins. Also for a few months the rear was about 1/4 lower than what it is now

 

26.5 front is pretty safe and standard. Basically stockish...though the lower it is, the better it looks. however it sounds like you are on lowering bolts, so anything 26" (front) give or take is good.

 

I was leaning towards 26 and 27ish in the rear. I would be content with

 

Koni FSD on a 2008 z51 means a lovely ride but the scrapes are much more common dammit.

 

Scrapes aren't an issue. The cars current state I can't put my shoe underneath the plastic panels now. Just want a little better handling car

 

What I can tell you my friend is that appaently Koni lowers itself although the exact degree of the same is up for debate. I swear my ride is easily a 1/2 inch lower with no other change. The handle is great. Daniel's Chevrolet in Tampa did the install and I am quite pleased.

 

Konis valving is pretty soft... Hence the reason it lowers, scrapes, and rides so nice.

 

Also bilstein sports or HD for lowered?

 

I am running Pfadt inverted sport shocks and lowered on stock bolts. Great ride but I do bottom out sometimes. Could increase the stiffness of the shock but I like the ride set on 6. feels like stock.

 

The Bilstein's are a decent shock. The Pfadt inverted sports or Johnny O's are what we have been using a lot lately. Of course as others have exclaimed if you do lower it, the ride will become harsher especially on a stock valved shock that is meant to be at "X" ride height that you now have altered.

Put in numerous sets of the Pfadt JO shocks, coupled with their sway bars and dropped the vehicle at the same time. Can't beat the package for a $1000 for sways, end links and shocks!

 

Somewhat on a budget and riding on messed up shocks slammed on the ground and torn lowering bolts. I'm sure whatever I go with and raised an inch and the proper bolts will be a drastic increase!

 

I'm now thinking to go with the Johnny O's I already have z51 bars. I'm sure going with the better ones would be nice. But I'm just after an upgrade of what I have. So the pjadt JOs work nice on a lowered set up?