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Lowering the C6

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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 11:18 AM
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Default Lowering the C6

I know it is a little early, but after seeing the C6 in AUTOMOBILE Mag (great shots) I have to wonder why Chevy will not just lower the car a tad to eliminate the extreme space in the wheel well area. I truly think that this is what is throwing he car off. The thing is that if the engineer the car car lowered than it would not compromise the ride and only enhance the performance. Any GM people here that can clarify why this is not being done? The lower stance of many Euro cars is very complimentary. Always felt that this should have been done for the gorgeous C5 since experiencing lowering I did realize a slicker looking car and not that much sacrifice of the ride plus better control.

Last edited by cmicasa; Aug 8, 2004 at 11:21 AM.
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 11:56 AM
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Ride height is established early in the design process. The two major criteria that drive ride height are achieving legal bumper height and having adequate suspension jounce travel.

Lowering a car reduces jounce travel, which means the suspension will be hitting the jounce bumpers frequently in normal driving on real world roads, and this will result in both poor ride and poor handling.

Duke
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 12:08 PM
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After lowering my C5, I learned a valuable lesson... it wasnt worth the trade off in comfort and ride control.... I will leave my as it comes... but thats just me... many love the lowered look.....
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 12:10 PM
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Originally Posted by TRAYC6
After lowering my C5, I learned a valuable lesson... it wasnt worth the trade off in comfort and ride control.... I will leave my as it comes... but thats just me... many love the lowered look.....
Just tell any observer who makes a comment that it's that high so you can put larger wheels on it if you want to.
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 12:56 PM
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The front air dam is 3.5" off the ground. I don't believe lowering is in the cards.
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 08:49 PM
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Originally Posted by RedC6Coupe
Just tell any observer who makes a comment that it's that high so you can put larger wheels on it if you want to.
Good point I wonder if putting 20 inch rims on back and 19" on front will do anything negative to ride/performance. Anyone know or care to speculate?
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 08:53 PM
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Originally Posted by cmicasa
I truly think that this is what is throwing he car off.
???????????????????????????

Would you please translate that into English?

Tnx
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 09:03 PM
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Default lowering C6

Come on guys, lowering and 20" wheels ??? This thing ean't made in Japan !!!
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 10:07 PM
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Originally Posted by SWCDuke
Ride height is established early in the design process. The two major criteria that drive ride height are achieving legal bumper height and having adequate suspension jounce travel.

Lowering a car reduces jounce travel, which means the suspension will be hitting the jounce bumpers frequently in normal driving on real world roads, and this will result in both poor ride and poor handling.

Duke
duke for some reason all GM cars look like 4 wheel drive trucks compared to the ones from over seas. the fender openings can be dropped without lowering the car body. look at BMW the wheels are up inside the fenderwells and they meet the all US specs. i thing GM designs cars for use with tire chains. i ask about the big wheel to fender gap in GM cars at the NCM when the engineers were taking questions and they said i would have to ask design people.
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 10:16 PM
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I will be putting on19's and 20's and lowering...just happens to b my taste...
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 11:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Old One
???????????????????????????

Would you please translate that into English?

Tnx
As pretty as the car is, you can not tell me that it does not look a little high (4X4) in the pictures being seen.
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Old Aug 9, 2004 | 12:09 AM
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it is kinda high isn't it?
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Old Aug 9, 2004 | 03:33 AM
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IMO the greater ground clearance compared with the C5 is a major IMPROVEMENT for the C6. Yes, the 3.5-inch clearance for the front air dam is about the same as the C5, but that thing is designed to scrape the road (see "Aero Tricks" pg 47 Sept C&D... the C6 air dam scrapes quieter!). R&T says C6 ground clearance is 5.8 inches, which I assume is the rest of the car. And the shorter front & rear overhangs make the C6 even less likely to bang a bumper in a road dip, pothole, steep crown or even off-loading from a trailer.

For practicality, I wouldn't change the ride height. But some guys like the lowered look and possible improved handling from the lower CG. If you want it, let the mod-ing begin! I like the stock ride height, and it made my C5 vs C6 decision much easier.
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Old Aug 9, 2004 | 07:46 AM
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Originally Posted by Chris Draper
it is kinda high isn't it?
I think the ride height is fine. Considering the guy who took this picture and the one in AutoWeek were kneeling down or lying on their stomachs
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Old Aug 9, 2004 | 10:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Chris Draper
it is kinda high isn't it?


See what I mean? Can anyone photochop larger wheels in the wheel wells to fill them out a little. Then Email to Dave Hill and the those crazy guys so they can go ahead and make the changes necessary before I order my Vert.
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Old Aug 10, 2004 | 09:59 AM
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Originally Posted by Chris Draper
it is kinda high isn't it?

The back of the C6 is the only thing that looks like it could be lowered... If they are using the similar suspension as the C5, it is very easily done... leave the front alone. just my $.02..
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Old Aug 10, 2004 | 10:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Chris Draper
it is kinda high isn't it?
The back is high. The front is fine. If this is how they come, I'd either leave it alone or lower the back.

However, I'm betting that they are delivered with the front wheel gap looking the same as the back wheel gap in that picture, then it will have to be lowered a little.

Edit : look at the pictures here http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=880919 Hard to see because it's black, but the wheel gap is much larger in the front than the GM advertisement pictures.

Last edited by rbarta; Aug 10, 2004 at 10:51 AM.
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Old Aug 10, 2004 | 12:54 PM
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Default Lower C6



Hey guys this is my first post. I'm a 350Z owner and former M3 owner. I hope to be a future C6 owner Back on topic.... It does seem like American cars have a wheel gap problem. The C6 has 19" wheels on the back and still it looks like a 4x4. Here is a quick photochop of what I think the C6 should look like. I put 19" on the front and 20" wheels on the back. I also took off those hugh door handle hole things? If the doors are automatic, why have any holes at all?

Last edited by 4 shizzy; Aug 10, 2004 at 12:59 PM.
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Old Aug 10, 2004 | 01:01 PM
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The doors are not automatic. You have to reach inside the handle and press a "membrane" to indicate you want to get in. How else would you actually open the door without a handle to pull on?

Last edited by Vette_DD; Aug 10, 2004 at 01:25 PM.
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Old Aug 10, 2004 | 03:51 PM
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I'm not sure the image shown previously is representative of the C6. Here are 2 other views which don't seem to have (at least to me) the whell gap problem.

-----------------------------------------------------------------




Last edited by John George; Aug 10, 2004 at 03:53 PM.
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