Lowering bolt install C6 how to (with pics)
04-24-2013, 08:09 AM
#21
Team Owner
The corvettemods bolts do not have "delrin" made caps. They are just rubber hence the reason they tear up so easily. Also...grease will only advance the issue with lowering/cut bolts due to bringing in all that dirt, rocks, grime, etc. Imagine all that crap smacking that rubber against metal...it's no wonder they turn to garbage.
04-24-2013, 08:14 AM
#22
Team Owner
I am reading all these threads about after market lower bolts. I get the idea of the improved look/stance and so I am not critiquing anyone's mods. But I cannot believe that cars so lowered don't scrape on every dip on the road? I guess I am the only one that actually raised the ride height because I was sick of the scraping.
Reading other threads, the consensus is that any major change in ride height dictates that alignment should be checked.
Reading other threads, the consensus is that any major change in ride height dictates that alignment should be checked.
04-24-2013, 09:57 AM
#23
Race Director
The only thing low enough on a C6 that will scrape while driving is the air dam, and that is made to scrape. The subframe and all that important stuff actually sits pretty high relative to the body. Even lowered, the air dam is about the only thing that takes any real abuse. Raising the car from stock height not only degraded your handling, but I bet it also looks terrible.
Be sure and tell that to all the people that have replaced the lower radiator support.
04-24-2013, 08:45 PM
#25
04-24-2013, 08:49 PM
#26
Just an update. These lowering bolts are complete garbage. I have already gone through my 2nd set on the rear. Yes, I used plenty of heavy duty grease. My car is not a daily driver. I got about 1k miles out of each set in the rear before that delrin pad was completely disintegrated, like it's not even there, just metal on metal now. Real easy to tell because it starts making an awful noise over the smallest cracks and you can actually feel the metal to metal contact. I will be cutting down the pad on the stock bolts this weekend for the rears and will see how those hold up. That rubber pad on the stock ones seems much more durable than that delrin crap on the corvette mods ones. Don't waste your money on them unless your car is a trailer queen show car, seriously.
Last edited by Thunder8; 04-24-2013 at 08:51 PM. Reason: spell
04-24-2013, 08:50 PM
#27
The only thing low enough on a C6 that will scrape while driving is the air dam, and that is made to scrape. The subframe and all that important stuff actually sits pretty high relative to the body. Even lowered, the air dam is about the only thing that takes any real abuse. Raising the car from stock height not only degraded your handling, but I bet it also looks terrible.
04-27-2013, 07:33 PM
#28
Burning Brakes
Has anyone cut about an inch off the bottom of the air dam to stop some of the scraping? If so, any loss of flow for cooling? I scrape every time I back out of the driveway and lowering the stock setting, even without citing bushing only made it worse.
04-28-2013, 11:30 AM
#29
Team Owner
That air dam is pliable and flexible, therefore made to scrape. It does nothing for engine cooling, for the C6 is 100% front feeder. The outer plastic pieces of the air dam help push air into the brake ducts. I would not recommend cutting any of that stuff and live with the scrapes...just part of being lowered.
04-28-2013, 11:38 AM
#30
04-28-2013, 12:37 PM
#31
Melting Slicks
The caution paint scuffs marks are a tell tale sign.
I can see why the support can get broken if an owner can't judge distance when parking.
At 100.00 I am good with randomly replacing the air dam.
I gave up worrying about it dragging the ground.
05-01-2013, 07:30 PM
#32
Burning Brakes
That air dam is pliable and flexible, therefore made to scrape. It does nothing for engine cooling, for the C6 is 100% front feeder. The outer plastic pieces of the air dam help push air into the brake ducts. I would not recommend cutting any of that stuff and live with the scrapes...just part of being lowered.
What I have noticed is I don't hear that dam scraping sound every time I back out of my driveway any more. Pretty simple, blue painters tape along the dam, a flexible 1" wide Ruler to make a mark, and the old jigsaw. Cleaned it up with a belt sander. Looks good, and no dam noise!
Last edited by Woodstoc; 05-01-2013 at 11:16 PM.
05-02-2013, 09:48 AM
#33
Team Owner
I went ahead and cut 1" off the air dam and have seen no side effects as far as cooling, either brakes or radiator goes. I drive in a lot of stop and go on the freeways of houston, 45 miles each way every day.
What I have noticed is I don't hear that dam scraping sound every time I back out of my driveway any more. Pretty simple, blue painters tape along the dam, a flexible 1" wide Ruler to make a mark, and the old jigsaw. Cleaned it up with a belt sander. Looks good, and no dam noise!
What I have noticed is I don't hear that dam scraping sound every time I back out of my driveway any more. Pretty simple, blue painters tape along the dam, a flexible 1" wide Ruler to make a mark, and the old jigsaw. Cleaned it up with a belt sander. Looks good, and no dam noise!
05-02-2013, 10:38 AM
#34
Race Director
05-02-2013, 10:59 AM
#35
MiltIV, for cutting down the stock bushings I'll recommend a super-sharp serrated blade (like on a multi-tool) & WD40 to ease/lubricate the cutting. I tried this when trimming the bottoms of my stock rear bushings & the serrated blade/wd40 combo cut the rubber quite cleanly. I'll also recommend cutting only the bottom-most rib off the rears & then you won't need to cut the stock fronts...Let us know how it goes.
05-25-2013, 10:13 PM
#36
Advanced
Member Since: Apr 2012
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi everyone -
I recently bought my 2011 GS and love it. The first mod that I wanted to do was go ahead and lower the car. I previously owned a Z51, went to the same guy, same shop who cut the stock bolts down half way as I was happy with the ride height and didnt have any issues.
Fast forward, I took my 2011 GS as we went throgh the same procedure. Once I got home I realized that I had grease inside my rear drivers wheel coming from my CV boot. I didnt think that this would be due to lowering the car, however I went ahead and took it the dealer.
The master mechanic there explained that the boot ruptured because of the way the car was lowered. Any of you guys experience this?? If so please reply or PM me and let me know if this would actually be the case and what you did about it,
Thanks in advance!
I recently bought my 2011 GS and love it. The first mod that I wanted to do was go ahead and lower the car. I previously owned a Z51, went to the same guy, same shop who cut the stock bolts down half way as I was happy with the ride height and didnt have any issues.
Fast forward, I took my 2011 GS as we went throgh the same procedure. Once I got home I realized that I had grease inside my rear drivers wheel coming from my CV boot. I didnt think that this would be due to lowering the car, however I went ahead and took it the dealer.
The master mechanic there explained that the boot ruptured because of the way the car was lowered. Any of you guys experience this?? If so please reply or PM me and let me know if this would actually be the case and what you did about it,
Thanks in advance!
05-29-2013, 03:44 PM
#38
Team Owner
I don't see how the boot ruptured because of the bolts? Those boots are made to move up and down, and there are plenty of guys with lowered C6s without the issue. Since its a dealer, it sounds like they are saying the cut bushings caused the tear so that it would not be covered under warranty and therefore will be money out of your pocket.
02-14-2014, 07:44 PM
#39
Life Starts at 120 mph
Member Since: Jun 2012
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 1,534
Received 185 Likes
on
118 Posts
NCM Lifetime Member
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Great Tread, very informative
I recently purchased a 2010 GS, I also track my car 8-10 days a year with NASA NE. From everyone's advice, which is great, it sounds like I will just lower my GS, with no cutting, no mods, on the factory bolts. Screw them in and let it ride.
The question I have, does anyone here track theirs and do you have any tips with regard to the lowering.
Thanks in advance
Boxcar
The question I have, does anyone here track theirs and do you have any tips with regard to the lowering.
Thanks in advance
Boxcar
02-14-2014, 09:39 PM
#40
Race Director
Member Since: Aug 2005
Location: Hudson WI
Posts: 13,598
Received 181 Likes
on
162 Posts
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Coilovers solve the lowering issue. I like you went through lowering bolts and after the second set, put coilovers on. That was over 5 years ago and still no issues.