Raising Front end
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 153
Likes: 3
Raising Front end
Have the same problem many of the bretheren have - steep drive way - low front end on '07 C6. Did some reading here and saw there are "lowering" bolts at each wheel. Lowering in converse could mean raising as well. Called a local performance shop and he told me he could raise using the lowering bolts but we were only talking about a quarter inch or so - anything more and we have alignment problems. Anyone been there - done that? Comments? A quarter inch may not do it??
Gr
Gr
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,340
Likes: 6
From: Redmond WA
You probably have about 1.5 inches of total adjustability using the stock bolts. Where your vehicle is already set within that range is unknown, but I bet you probably have more ability to go higher than to go lower.
My Vette seems fairly sensitive to ride height as far as handling balance. I primarily lowered the front of mines because the factory ride height was WAY high, and dropping it down noticeably decreased understeer by making the front end stick better. If you're going to go higher and you like your current handling balance, you might want to think about raising the rear also. The bad part about doing that is that if you raise both the front and rear by the same amount, that's the amount of extra ground clearance you'll get. If you raise just the front, your air dam goes up by some amount that is greater than the amount of lift you get at the wheels.
My Vette seems fairly sensitive to ride height as far as handling balance. I primarily lowered the front of mines because the factory ride height was WAY high, and dropping it down noticeably decreased understeer by making the front end stick better. If you're going to go higher and you like your current handling balance, you might want to think about raising the rear also. The bad part about doing that is that if you raise both the front and rear by the same amount, that's the amount of extra ground clearance you'll get. If you raise just the front, your air dam goes up by some amount that is greater than the amount of lift you get at the wheels.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 153
Likes: 3
Raising front end
You're absolutely correct. Have no idea if previous owner may have used bots to lower the car before I got it. Perfomance shop guy says he will be able to tell just by looking at it.....may run it down there and see what happens - I hate that rub going out of the driveway!!
BTW I have already cut the airdam down a little more than half - no cooling problems at all..
BTW I have already cut the airdam down a little more than half - no cooling problems at all..
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,340
Likes: 6
From: Redmond WA
It took my car nearly 500 miles to settle to its final ride height after adjusting the bolts. When I first adjusted the bolts, I did a couple of turns, drove around, and nothing had changed. I did a couple of turns, drove around, and nothing had changed. Did a couple of turns, got a big drop, and then ended up having to go back up. It then slowly settled over a period of a few weeks to its final height. I then got another alignment. If you haven't had yours aligned, you might be surprised at how much variation you have from the factory. I had about half a degree of negative camber at the left rear and zero at the right rear, with combined toe in up front and combined toe out at the rears. It still handled well for street driving even with those settings, but after getting it aligned correctly, it's way better with better steering precision and feedback.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 24,964
Likes: 2,680
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
You probably have about 1.5 inches of total adjustability using the stock bolts. Where your vehicle is already set within that range is unknown, but I bet you probably have more ability to go higher than to go lower.
My Vette seems fairly sensitive to ride height as far as handling balance. I primarily lowered the front of mines because the factory ride height was WAY high, and dropping it down noticeably decreased understeer by making the front end stick better. If you're going to go higher and you like your current handling balance, you might want to think about raising the rear also. The bad part about doing that is that if you raise both the front and rear by the same amount, that's the amount of extra ground clearance you'll get. If you raise just the front, your air dam goes up by some amount that is greater than the amount of lift you get at the wheels.
My Vette seems fairly sensitive to ride height as far as handling balance. I primarily lowered the front of mines because the factory ride height was WAY high, and dropping it down noticeably decreased understeer by making the front end stick better. If you're going to go higher and you like your current handling balance, you might want to think about raising the rear also. The bad part about doing that is that if you raise both the front and rear by the same amount, that's the amount of extra ground clearance you'll get. If you raise just the front, your air dam goes up by some amount that is greater than the amount of lift you get at the wheels.
It took my car nearly 500 miles to settle to its final ride height after adjusting the bolts. When I first adjusted the bolts, I did a couple of turns, drove around, and nothing had changed. I did a couple of turns, drove around, and nothing had changed. Did a couple of turns, got a big drop, and then ended up having to go back up. It then slowly settled over a period of a few weeks to its final height. I then got another alignment. If you haven't had yours aligned, you might be surprised at how much variation you have from the factory. I had about half a degree of negative camber at the left rear and zero at the right rear, with combined toe in up front and combined toe out at the rears. It still handled well for street driving even with those settings, but after getting it aligned correctly, it's way better with better steering precision and feedback.
My experience also, except I was raising the car slightly instead of lowering. Took 200-500 miles for it to settle in properly.
Raising my car slightly did not seem to effect handling; but the increase was small, I raised both ends at the same time, and anyways I'm a klutz.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,340
Likes: 6
From: Redmond WA
My experience also, except I was raising the car slightly instead of lowering. Took 200-500 miles for it to settle in properly.
Raising my car slightly did not seem to effect handling; but the increase was small, I raised both ends at the same time, and anyways I'm a klutz.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,461
Likes: 701
From: Sausalito CA
Yes you can raise on the bolts.
Just keep the ride height at the OEM spec and you'll be OK handling wise.I think it is @4.5 inches.
Do not measure front the fenders lips, use the points on the rocker panel and suspension to floor as per the service manual.
1/4 may or may not make a diffence to your driveway scraping and 1/4 may not make an alignment difference...yet any time you adjust ride height a alignment check would be prudent.
Again just stay within specs and you'll be able to adjust alignment wise.
Just keep the ride height at the OEM spec and you'll be OK handling wise.I think it is @4.5 inches.
Do not measure front the fenders lips, use the points on the rocker panel and suspension to floor as per the service manual.
1/4 may or may not make a diffence to your driveway scraping and 1/4 may not make an alignment difference...yet any time you adjust ride height a alignment check would be prudent.
Again just stay within specs and you'll be able to adjust alignment wise.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 24,964
Likes: 2,680
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Unfortunately, the Service Manual procedure is to put the car up on an alignment rack and use a $250 tool to measure between two points on the suspension.
I can't find anything in the Service Manual about measuring from any part of the car, to the floor. Any measurements done that way would need to be corrected for tread depth on the tires.
I'm sure some racing teams or dealerships have established frame-to-floor specs they use, but I haven't seen them published; and they would need to corrected for our different tires.
If anyone has some good specs and can relate them to street usage, please post them!
I can't find anything in the Service Manual about measuring from any part of the car, to the floor. Any measurements done that way would need to be corrected for tread depth on the tires.
I'm sure some racing teams or dealerships have established frame-to-floor specs they use, but I haven't seen them published; and they would need to corrected for our different tires.
If anyone has some good specs and can relate them to street usage, please post them!
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,461
Likes: 701
From: Sausalito CA
GearheadJim's right the C6 alignment Z and D measurements do not use the floor.
The trim height info is in my book's chapter 3 - wheel alignment - and use points between suspension componets to measure.
I did not look for a frame repair chart which may use the flooring.
(FWIW I recall the C5 trim heights did use the floor and two points on the rocker - opps on C6 info).
The trim height info is in my book's chapter 3 - wheel alignment - and use points between suspension componets to measure.
I did not look for a frame repair chart which may use the flooring.
(FWIW I recall the C5 trim heights did use the floor and two points on the rocker - opps on C6 info).
