When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Welp, I bought the paragon wrenches. I also got some Carbotech 1521 pads for front/rear. I got the Z51 package with my C8, but it will be a long time before I see any "track" days (although a friend with an NSX keeps talking about taking them to the track). The Z51 stock pads are brake dust fiends and I suspect will not last very long.
So I am going to kill 3 birds with one stone:
1) taking stock wheels off to have them powder coated gloss black, clearcoated, and then ceramic coated. ($520 for 4 vs paying for the GM version at $1500)
2) while wheels are off, will remove brembo calipers and replace pads with carbotech-1521 pads, and add some CRC high temp grease (3000F). Will ceramic coat the brembo's too at that time.
3) use the paragon wrench to lower the front by 3/4" and the rear by 1/2". Hopefully this will keep the vehicle within alignment specs and not require anything else to be done and improve the appearance quite a bit.
There was a method to my madness when I bought the basic stock silver painted wheels!
Rather than starting a new thread, sorry for resurrecting an old one. If I buy the special wrenches (are Paragon's really special or will any coil over wrenches $14 kit from amazon work?) and DIY how precise does each side need to be? I've read that you need to leave 1 thread remaining at the bottom, but that's not really a precises measurement... or is it?
Cheap wrench will do I believe, just not sure of fit.
I left more than 1 thread in the rear. I'll have to take a look when I take wheels off in a day or two.
I used collars for front, 21k miles later car is running well on and off the track.
Cheap wrench will do I believe, just not sure of fit.
I left more than 1 thread in the rear. I'll have to take a look when I take wheels off in a day or two.
I used collars for front, 21k miles later car is running well on and off the track.
Thanks that would be great. When you did it on the rear, how did you measure both sides to get them equal or did you just do it visually based on thread count? With the collars on the front, you still have to screw down the coil overs right?
I just eyeballed mine to all be pretty much max lowered with a thread for safety remaining under the perch. Watch for a used set of Paragon wrenches then resell them for the same; that way you're only out the shipping (pretty cheap mod!). Occasionally I'll see my old set pop up on here making their rounds. You can make the cheap wrenches work, but the Lingenfelter & Paragon ones fit properly making the job quicker/easier.
Rather than starting a new thread, sorry for resurrecting an old one. If I buy the special wrenches (are Paragon's really special or will any coil over wrenches $14 kit from amazon work?) and DIY how precise does each side need to be? I've read that you need to leave 1 thread remaining at the bottom, but that's not really a precises measurement... or is it?
I can't vouch for the ebay ones, I bougth these from Wild Hammer. The main thing is they are stainless not aluminum and at $39 tough to beat the price.
I can't vouch for the ebay ones, I bougth these from Wild Hammer. The main thing is they are stainless not aluminum and at $39 tough to beat the price.
Lowering a C8 Corvette needs special tools and know-how, especially to keep the alignment and handling right. I'd recommend getting it done by a professional or a Corvette specialist.
But, if you're experienced with car mods and have the right tools, you could do it yourself.
Awesome, seem like a great deal. New question, how many of you that lowered experienced more issues with bottoming out than before you lowered?
Not really... But I've been driving lowered cars for something like 23 years. Just be careful and go slow with steep transitions, aprons, and speedbumps.
Lowering a C8 Corvette needs special tools and know-how, especially to keep the alignment and handling right. I'd recommend getting it done by a professional or a Corvette specialist.
But, if you're experienced with car mods and have the right tools, you could do it yourself.
Assuming no front end lift, it's a threaded perch. There is nothing to screw up and no special knowledge needed, only a couple of special tools. It's as simple as moving a nut down a bolt. You just need to lower each side the same amount. What IS a PITA though is getting the )#&($)&#$ rubber boot off.
Assuming no front end lift, it's a threaded perch. There is nothing to screw up and no special knowledge needed, only a couple of special tools. It's as simple as moving a nut down a bolt. You just need to lower each side the same amount. What IS a PITA though is getting the )#&($)&#$ rubber boot off.
To your point about the boot. I'm putting a set of new Z51 shocks together off the car, they'll replace what's on the car. After getting that boot off I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it would do or protect once lowered. I cut them off.
With the front lift you either have to install lowering collars (Paragon sells them) and accept that GM won't cover any warranty work on the front lift, or install lowering springs. There is no way to adjust the perches like cars with no front lift.
I put Paragon lowering collars on mine and adjusted the perches in the rear - lowered about 3/4" all the way around. Two years now with no problems but you take the chance of problems not covered by the warranty.
I also have Paragon 20mm wheel spacers all around.
