To Lower or not to lower the C5 ..??

[BLUTHUNDER]

Hi gang ,
i came across a lowered C5 today ..( lowered 1 Inch )
It looked great ! I'm very interested in lowering mine , but i am concerned that with the rear leaf springs it may impair the handling..Rather than improve it.

Has anybody had there C5 lowered ?? If so what are your thoughts..

Thanks !


Jeff

 

[danl72]

From what I here I think it does help the handling. I have not done it so I don't know from experience, but I know someone who has and he said it handles better.I think it is a matter of if it is done properly.

 

[vettepilot]

Before you lower it, you just might want to read a post over on the ZO6 site. Some guy was driving his lowered ZO6, hit a rock in the road, it punchured/ punchered/ punched... oh shoot it made a damn hole in his oil pan, didn't realize it until his engine seized.
I guess he wasn't watching his instruments , or the DIC.

Where's my spell check when I need it!

Stan

 

[02 C-5]

I would not lower the car , it is low enough .
Thanks ,
Joe

 

[les]

Low-rider

I would use the money to buy some cool ground effects. Mabe a wing.

 

[Scissors]

Lowering will improve handling a bit and help the looks, but be prepared to replace your tires more often.

 

[Karl Snedeger]

Lower C5

Lowering your C5 body does nothing to the oil pan location. You are only lowering the body, the frame stays the heighth as before. So this lowered ZO6 would have punvtured his oil pan regardless.

 

[vettepilot]

Sorry but lowering the suspension lowers the entire chassis, frame and all, therefore the oilpan is lowered the distance of the lowering.
If the body only is lowered, that requires extensive bodywork or chopping. I don't think this person was looking at that option.
The C5 suspension was designed to be adjustable to facilitate the factory to adjust for individualy optioned cars in order to provide a more standard ride height.

 

[toy1]

regards to Bluthunder

I was reading your reply and noticed the modification you made to your C5. I was wondering if you would be willing to share all the specifics of the modifications, as well as cost, driveability, performance ETC. how would you compare to Zo6 performance.

 

[vettedreamer]

i lowered mine 1 inch looks and rides awsome had it done by gm
they said the only problem would be of course big bumps
but i am very careful so if u like it do it and injoy!

 

[DealerTech]

i lowered mine 1 inch looks and rides awsome had it done by gm
they said the only problem would be of course big bumps
but i am very careful so if u like it do it and injoy!

had it done by GM? :confused

maybe you mean done by a dealer? please elaborate.

 

[Colorado]

vettedreamer - I don't know what it's like where you drive, but to be "careful" while driving around here you would need to be in constant radio contact with a scout vehicle to avoid all the road hazards

Colorado

 

[vettedreamer]

may bad "dealer tech" i meant to say chevy dealer. The streets around here are pretty good so i don't really have a problem
it all depends on where you live i guess.

 

[dreamboat3annie]

vettepilot

i know nothings about cars
when u said his engine "seized"... what does that mean???? and what did he have 2 do 2 fix it and was that /is that covered by a warranty???


p.s. punctured

 

[B/STOCK]

Annie When you run without oil friction heats everything to the point it melts and bonds together so nothing moves because there is nothing left to move. All your major internal parts, pistons, bearings are now one mass of metal. No more moving parts This is a little over simplified but you get it right. Michael

 

[dreamboat3annie]

thank u fast red

uh huh, i think i get it now...... thank u again.

 

[TODD L GRIFFITH]

Lower the C5?

I agree with 02 C5, the car really is low enough. I thought my C4 was low but, but after purchasing a C5, I'm really careful now when I turn into a parking lot, alittle higher than the road surface. Even though you might here the front air dam scrape, that is enough for me. The door sill height is so much lower than the other car that I worry about hitting some road debris. It may help the handling, I don't really know. To me it's just not worth doing, because now your hitting something you normally would clear with a stock C5.

 

[untchble]

i've lowered my 2000 convt. and found to adverse affects on handling, or tire ware. plus it makes the car look a lot better. and u don't need to spend money to do it. ride height is fully adjustable, unless u want to go really low, where u just have to buy longer bolts.

 

[Speeddemon]

Lower Or Not

What ever you do, do not lower a C5 or any type of corvette. When you lower a vette then you are making an american car seem like a rice burner. Thats like takin a 345 hp engine out and puting in a 300 hp. Its just wrong.

 

[jjones]

"is it covered by warranty"

Hey Dreamboat - any major mods to your Vette (mechanical or structural) will void the warranty. Cosmetic stuff is OK. Another reason why not to.

jj