GO_BLUE_VETTES

We are having a cornerweighting party tomorrow - going to do 3 C5zs at the same time.

Setup will be for HPDE road race conditions. Everybody has some form of upgraded swaybar (T1, Hotchkis, Adcco). One car has VBP springs (same spring rate as T1 springs)

All 3 of the cars have been lowered (different amounts) at some point from the stock ride height. I know it is important to set the ride height before doing the corner weighting.

Questions.

1. How low is too low? At what point does the suspension bottom out because the ride height is set too low?
2. What is the ideal ride height? Measured from what reference point?
3. What is the ideal rake?
(if we went to Phoenix what would they do?)

Thanks!

spankythegator

-First, make sure you have enough rake....around 3/8" or so measured from the frame rails (between the tires) to a level surface. Very important to make sure you don't get high speed lift. You can go low on the ride height but too low is a bad thing on the track b/c you need suspension travel obviously.
-Make sure alignment is set to what you want
-3/8 to 1/2 tank fuel
-Disconnect swaybars
-Set tire pressures
-Prep car like it will be on the track (empty trunk, remove mats etc)
-Put the car on the scales w/ driver & helmet

You should only need to adjust one corner.....which will most likely be raising your passenger rear to dial in the 50/50 cross weight. That tire is always the lowest weight tire so you raise it to add weight to it. After you make an adjustment be sure to bounce the car to settle the suspension before weighing again. Repeat until you get it nailed!

99BlackZ51

Put hitch pin clips on the shaft of the shock before you track it and check the position of the pins after the session, that will tell you how close you are to bottoming out. I cut flaps in my shock boots to make it much easier to check the pins. If you do need to adjust ride height at one end of car at the track raise or lower L&R the same (count turns on the adjuster) and you will not screw up your corner weights.

Scott

davidfarmer

if you've cut the adjusters, you've gone too low...period.

You only need to disconnect one side of each bar, just "settle" between adjustments.

You need the ride height correct before you start, then adjust a corner to dial in weights and tweak ride height as needed. You could be off hundreds of pounds, or just a few pounds. Plus, leaf springs are funny, as sometimes you make big changes and nothing seems to happen.

If your guys ride alone, weigh alone. If you ride with passengers, then you can balance with either 2 people, or more easily no people.

I agree about adjusting from the rear. Just raise the corner that needs "help", until you get it dialed in. If you go so far that the opposite corner ends up really low, you may have to raise it up and start over.

Have fun. It can be a tough job learning the tricks.