MrLeadFoot

I recently lowered my coupe on stock bolts. Net change in height was about 7/8 of an inch front and back. Car handles better now, and surprisingly, instead of riding harsher, it rides pretty darned nice now.

However, I've noticed that now it's VERY hard to tell between ride comfort levels when I switch settings on my F45 dial. Granted, I've not even put 100 miles on it yet, but so far, it almost feels like it rides the same in all 3 settings. I'm sure each setting still changes shock-metrics, and maybe I just haven't driven over roads yet that I might notice a difference on, but I used to be able to tell immediately when I changed settings. (And, no, I did not unplug the shocks during the lowering process.)

Has anyone else experienced this? Or, better yet, can someone technically explain how the F45 works, so that I might try to figure out what's going on, and whether or not I should just leave it like this, or do something about it, like raise the car up 1/2 way, or ...?

Thanks in advance.

iroc90

I lowered my 97 with F45 as well, but i never felt a diffrence when chaging the shock setting, I dumped that set up and went with the billsteins and Z06 bars, it rides a lot better just have to get it aligned now.

phils C5 vette

Mine is standard hight. and its hard to tell the differance.
I can tell between tour and performance, but that's about it

MrLeadFoot

That is so interesting how some people say they can hardly tell the difference in settings. I wonder if it's a matter of how sensitive some folks are, compared to others.

FWIW, the softest setting is supposed to be softer than base shocks, which I notice quite easily, especially since the ride is more "floaty". The middle setting is supposed to be stiffer than the base suspension, which I can also tell is on because the float is gone. The firmest setting is supposed to be a little stiffer than the Z51, which I can also feel because the shocks seem to react quicker by compressing and rebounding less.

vettedevil

01vetter

I also have F45 and can't hardly tell the difference. The sense that on a washboard road the firmest setting is a little jittery. I was wondering if the Goodyear EMTs have an effect because of their stiffer sidewalls. My car has 25K so I am assuming that they are a little harder than when they were new. Does anyone have an F45 with non EMT tires? I would be interested if you could feel more difference between settings

phils C5 vette

when cruzing, I use the tour and its a smoother ride

When playing, I use the performance.

I dont use the sport. I dont feel much between tour and sport, or sport and performance.

I think the 2004 vehicle only have tour and sport

mixermike

i have a 98 coupe with F45, kumho mx's non runflats,lowered cut bushing.i notice a difference between each setting. before i lowered it i always had it set on touring,after lowering i have it set on sport, it just firms it up a little. i have 35,000 miles on the clock, all original suspension

MrLeadFoot

Sounds similar... are you saying that now that it's lowered, the stiffer settings on the F45 seem somehow less harsh now that it's lower? I know others without lowered F45s might not understand what I'm asking, but maybe you do? In other words, I, like you, used to have use the F45 set on the softest settings for normal driving, because it was the smoothest. But, now that it's lowered it almost seems like it rides better, and the stiffer settings can be used all the time. Hence my post. I was wondering if what I'm experiencing is not right (if there is a right).

Paras

Can't say much except that when I had it, I could tell just a marginal difference between the two extremes on very bumpy roads... the tour helped smooth it out a bit...

LV Vette

I also have the F45 suspension and can feel a slight difference between the settings. But I can't believe the "performance" setting is stiffer then a Z51. Anyone else feel this way?

Clayton

VET IT B

The difference in the settings is slight. If you pick a road that has some differences in it, ie some rough, some flat, some humps and valleys, and try it in all three modes you can easily tell the differences.

There is a off ramp near me that has 35mph speed limit. I can take it at 70mph with no problem. When I change the setting you will be able to really notice the difference. Mark

99 vett babycar

I'm at standard height, Z06 bars and I can surely feel the difference between tour and performance.

0C_Williams@RPM

Look on the a-arms and you notice a link that connects to a "feedback" module located on the chassis. Re-establsh the original geometry and all will be fine.

Thanks,

Charlie

topless99

99 vert. never noticed a difference before lowering or after. figured either the shocks were worn or it was the worn run flats being to stiff. In the process of putting on KDW 2s maybe that will make a difference. Only other suspension change is ZO6 sway bars. Shocks have 44000 miles on them so they might be gone too.

MrLeadFoot

So, you're saying that when I lowered the car that that is causing the F45 to react differently? I mean, do you think that the F45 system can tell I'm lower, so it adjusts differently? (Interestingly, though, it seems to ride better, even though it's harder now to detect a difference in ride when I change settings.)

If so, then I guess raising the car even only 1/2 way back up will again change the behavior of the F45, right?

Bill Curlee

Charlie hit the nail on the head!!!! Even with the correct adjustments, the differences between the settings is not all that drastic. Like it was stated previously by VET IT B, small bumps in the road are noticed more in performance than in tour. Your butt meter needs to be well tuned to notice the setting differences.

If your shocks are worn out the electric metering valve in the shocks will not be able to provide the necessary dampening to allow you to see a noticeable difference.

If you can, remove one of the front shocks and examine the compression and rebound dampening as compared to a new one at the dealer. If it is very noticeable, it's time for new shocks!!

Bill C

MrLeadFoot

Thanks for the reply, but I think I may have miscommunicated something here. You see, BEFORE lowering I could easily tell the difference. But, since lowering the car recently, it seems harder to tell the difference in settings. I've actually been wondering if it's because the shocks don't need to travel as far now, so maybe it's just a matter of the shocks not NEEDING to adjust themselves, no matter what setting I have them on (the car actually RIDES better lowered, not just handles better). That's why I was asking to see if anyone else with F45s noticed this after lowering, or if anyone knew the technical aspects on how the F45 system actually worked.

doje

I have the F55 (next generation). When I bought the car about 19 months ago, I really felt the difference between Tour & Sport. After about 10 months, evrything felt like Sport. I think they are not made to last at all. A great selling feature, but a lousy long term feature. Shoulda got the Z51

Benchpress

I to lowered mine 1.25" and notice very littel difference before and after. I did notice a bigger difference when I changed to pilot tires