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Hi Guys, I am preparing my C8 Z51 MAG ride, for the track. I lowered it about 1in. One C8 owners told me he went to Ron Fellows driving school, and they were instructed not to lower the car, if you are going to track it, it’s ready to go, out of the box. Is this true, has anyone lowers their car and tracked it??
Before I spend $300 on a track alignment, I want to make sure, lowering the car, is ok.
thank you in ad My car lowered with 19x315s in rear and 18 265s in the front installed
vance
My car is lowered about an inch on MCS 2 ways and track it all the time, runs great.
We should note here that MCS coilovers are A LOT stiffer than the stock shocks, and it would be able to handle that 1" drop much more gracefully.
If you do have stock suspension, however, you might want to keep it very close to stock in ride height. The magna ride depends on the high stroke to work properly, and you might even run into clearance and/or rubbing issues if you lower it too much.
We should note here that MCS coilovers are A LOT stiffer than the stock shocks, and it would be able to handle that 1" drop much more gracefully.
If you do have stock suspension, however, you might want to keep it very close to stock in ride height. The magna ride depends on the high stroke to work properly, and you might even run into clearance and/or rubbing issues if you lower it too much.
good point, I would have assumed if lowering within the OEM ability with the threaded shocks it should be ok though unless also doing a very aggressive tire fitment.
good point, I would have assumed if lowering within the OEM ability with the threaded shocks it should be ok though unless also doing a very aggressive tire fitment.
I left 3 threads on shock at the bottom. I do not find any rubbing, so far. The car feels much better, handling wise at this height. I found car a little sloppy, at stock height. Thx for input
We should note here that MCS coilovers are A LOT stiffer than the stock shocks, and it would be able to handle that 1" drop much more gracefully.
If you do have stock suspension, however, you might want to keep it very close to stock in ride height. The magna ride depends on the high stroke to work properly, and you might even run into clearance and/or rubbing issues if you lower it too much.
I left 3 threads on shock at the bottom. I do not find any rubbing, so far. The car feels much better, handling wise at this height. I found car a little sloppy, at stock height. Thx for input
I will test out, when at the track and work my way up to speed, to see if there are any issues. I would wonder why, they would give you the choice of lowering, the car, if it could cause damage. I’ve driven it pretty hard, on the street, with no sign of rubbing or bottoming
Mag-ride with front lift so my front height wasn't adjustable. I ran the GM-spec track alignment with the rear essentially bottomed out, per recommendation of my chassis/alignment guy. 15+ track days and the car felt very sharp on the nose and rotated nicely. The only thing I would change would be more rear camber judging my the outer shoulders.
Mag-ride with front lift so my front height wasn't adjustable. I ran the GM-spec track alignment with the rear essentially bottomed out, per recommendation of my chassis/alignment guy. 15+ track days and the car felt very sharp on the nose and rotated nicely. The only thing I would change would be more rear camber judging my the outer shoulders.
So you lowered the rear but left the front alone? That’s an option I hadn’t considered. I’ll keep that in mind if I update the alignment.
Mag-ride with front lift so my front height wasn't adjustable. I ran the GM-spec track alignment with the rear essentially bottomed out, per recommendation of my chassis/alignment guy. 15+ track days and the car felt very sharp on the nose and rotated nicely. The only thing I would change would be more rear camber judging my the outer shoulders.
Did you drive car on track both before and after this suspension adjustment? Really curious how it felt? My car definitely had some understeer in stock configuration. Lowering the rear would potentially make this more noticeable.
Did you drive car on track both before and after this suspension adjustment? Really curious how it felt? My car definitely had some understeer in stock configuration. Lowering the rear would potentially make this more noticeable.
hi, no I just know a lower car is better. Lower CG. I have been beating on it in the streets and parking lots, no rubbing scraping. I think it will be fine. I did notice the car felt less wobbly and more planted to the ground. It also looks muck better without those giant gaps between tires and wheel arches.
Did you drive car on track both before and after this suspension adjustment? Really curious how it felt? My car definitely had some understeer in stock configuration. Lowering the rear would potentially make this more noticeable.
No, I had my guy do the alignment before I tracked the car. He has a LOT of setup experience but mine was the first C8 he had done. I trust him implicitly -- I gave him the car, the GM specs and told him to do whatever he recommended. I didn't even realize the rear was lowered until I had the wheels off to do brake pads and noticed the collars were near bottomed out.
RE: understeer -- what took me a few days on track to start to figure out is you can't drive this car like a front-engine (like my C7Z). It's a much different approach to take advantage of the weight being behind you. Understeer went away and lap times dropped once I started to get my head around that.
No, I had my guy do the alignment before I tracked the car. He has a LOT of setup experience but mine was the first C8 he had done. I trust him implicitly -- I gave him the car, the GM specs and told him to do whatever he recommended. I didn't even realize the rear was lowered until I had the wheels off to do brake pads and noticed the collars were near bottomed out.
RE: understeer -- what took me a few days on track to start to figure out is you can't drive this car like a front-engine (like my C7Z). It's a much different approach to take advantage of the weight being behind you. Understeer went away and lap times dropped once I started to get my head around that.
I was coming from a much different platform as well but one that had a ton of rotation and a large tendency to oversteer with a much higher power to weight ration. The C8 is way easier to drive. I was driving an AC cobra that had a weight distribution of 46% front/ 56% rear and 600whp on a 2500# platform. That car was a handful.
No, I had my guy do the alignment before I tracked the car. He has a LOT of setup experience but mine was the first C8 he had done. I trust him implicitly -- I gave him the car, the GM specs and told him to do whatever he recommended. I didn't even realize the rear was lowered until I had the wheels off to do brake pads and noticed the collars were near bottomed out.
RE: understeer -- what took me a few days on track to start to figure out is you can't drive this car like a front-engine (like my C7Z). It's a much different approach to take advantage of the weight being behind you. Understeer went away and lap times dropped once I started to get my head around that.
I have been driving and racing front engine car, my entire life, I know it’s going to take time for me to get used to a mid engine, but I’m sure I will master it, after a few track day.
thx for your input
I was coming from a much different platform as well but one that had a ton of rotation and a large tendency to oversteer with a much higher power to weight ration. The C8 is way easier to drive. I was driving an AC cobra that had a weight distribution of 46% front/ 56% rear and 600whp on a 2500# platform. That car was a handful.
Lowering C8 before tracking it
