Lowering Kit - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

Bob Seliga · 12-30-2008

I'm considering trying one of the lowering kits that are available thru MidAmerica or Corvette Central. Does anyone have experience with these? How difficult are they to install? Do they improve cornering? Do they require alignment adjustment?
I'm trying to improve track times.

tf95ZR1 · 12-30-2008

Rear is easy. Just swap out (2) bolts.
Front is a PITA. You have to remove the front
Transverse Spring. I got a new allignment just
to be sure. I just like the look better.

tccrab · 12-30-2008

I've wanted to lower mine, but have held back because I don't want to mess up the high speed stability of the car.
I've not yet been to "Where Life Begins" and I've heard that lowering the back can cause instabilities up there where the air is a lot denser. Remember that "Flat Spin" in the movie Top Gun? It would surely suck to do something similar to that on the freeway at warp 1.8.

Besides, I scrape the front air dam getting out of my driveway now with the car at stock height. If I lower it even an inch in the front I might not be able to get out of my driveway without leaving parts behind.
And some day I might actually have to go over a speed bump in a parking lot and I don't want to leave my exhaust system on that speed bump.

TomC
"Crabs"

Bob Seliga · 12-30-2008

I would lower both the front and rear for consistancy. By bringing the front end closer to the ground, less air should get under the car. The center of gravity should be 1" lower which should theoretically make handling better. Does anyone have an idea about alignment - stock or something else?

Z51JEFF · 01-01-2009

You do have to get the car aligned after its been lowered and as far as taking the speed up to the a$$ pucker zone,not in my car.Get it up to about 110,hit a bump and it gets pretty scary.Theres very little rebound in the suspension so you get thrown around abit at speed but my car will never be raised back up to stock haight,not while I own it.A lowered car isnt for everybody,most seem to think its a waste but thats just the way I like my cars.I went with the addjustable spring from VB-P mainly because I didnt want to cut my stock spring.I avoid speed -Mountains- and steep driveways.

cward · 01-01-2009

I believe that if the car is lowered equally front and back, then the rearend will be light at 180. I have done that and to get the rearend to stay where you want it, we had a front to rear rake of 1/2 ". That is measured from the frame just behind the front wheel to just in front of the rear wheel. The car had coilovers and was very low to the ground with very stiff suspension. However, that setup was stable at 200 mph. With stock suspension and only slight rake, car moved around at 170+. At 180, it was interesting on a rough road. Depends on what you are trying to do. Open Road Racing is alot of high speed. Driving on the street or on a road course where you don't get above 150, probably that lightness in the rear would be offset by better balance of the car. In that slower speed area, the problem is the load unload side to side movement of the suspension and that can be a real problem, especially on a rough track such as Texas World Speedway. If you are serious about track racing or ORR, then my recommendation is coilovers. Most of the time, I stay out of these discussions as what I wanted out of my car is not what most people would be happy with. I drove my car on the street but most people would not like how it sounded or felt like inside the car. Bob and I were about the only people that didn't mind as we are both deaf anyway. #364 was setup to go as fast as I could make it go with limited rwhp and almost no thought given to comfort.

Curtis

8upZR1 · 01-02-2009

What happened to #364?

cward · 01-02-2009

After 4 great years of racing, #364 met an imoveable object at about 50 mph. I loaned her to another ZR-1 owner to drive in a "safe" low speed autocross. Turned out to be not so safe for the car. At least she went out racing.

Curtis

HIZNHRZ · 01-02-2009

Sorry to hear about #364 Curtis. Did you replace her?

cward · 01-02-2009

No. Too many other things that are higher on priority list. Racing is a black hole for money. But I still have many friends that I have met because of #364 and many very good memories of her giving me everything she had. To me, that car was special.

Curtis

12-30-2008	#1
Bob Seliga Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Nevada Posts: 16	Lowering Kit I'm considering trying one of the lowering kits that are available thru MidAmerica or Corvette Central. Does anyone have experience with these? How difficult are they to install? Do they improve cornering? Do they require alignment adjustment? I'm trying to improve track times.

12-30-2008	#2
tf95ZR1 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Northridge, CA Posts: 1,461	Re: Lowering Kit Rear is easy. Just swap out (2) bolts. Front is a PITA. You have to remove the front Transverse Spring. I got a new allignment just to be sure. I just like the look better.

12-30-2008	#4
Bob Seliga Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Nevada Posts: 16	Re: Lowering Kit I would lower both the front and rear for consistancy. By bringing the front end closer to the ground, less air should get under the car. The center of gravity should be 1" lower which should theoretically make handling better. Does anyone have an idea about alignment - stock or something else?

01-01-2009	#5
Z51JEFF Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 3,088	Re: Lowering Kit You do have to get the car aligned after its been lowered and as far as taking the speed up to the a$$ pucker zone,not in my car.Get it up to about 110,hit a bump and it gets pretty scary.Theres very little rebound in the suspension so you get thrown around abit at speed but my car will never be raised back up to stock haight,not while I own it.A lowered car isnt for everybody,most seem to think its a waste but thats just the way I like my cars.I went with the addjustable spring from VB-P mainly because I didnt want to cut my stock spring.I avoid speed -Mountains- and steep driveways.

01-01-2009	#6
cward Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Luling, TX Posts: 97	Re: Lowering Kit I believe that if the car is lowered equally front and back, then the rearend will be light at 180. I have done that and to get the rearend to stay where you want it, we had a front to rear rake of 1/2 ". That is measured from the frame just behind the front wheel to just in front of the rear wheel. The car had coilovers and was very low to the ground with very stiff suspension. However, that setup was stable at 200 mph. With stock suspension and only slight rake, car moved around at 170+. At 180, it was interesting on a rough road. Depends on what you are trying to do. Open Road Racing is alot of high speed. Driving on the street or on a road course where you don't get above 150, probably that lightness in the rear would be offset by better balance of the car. In that slower speed area, the problem is the load unload side to side movement of the suspension and that can be a real problem, especially on a rough track such as Texas World Speedway. If you are serious about track racing or ORR, then my recommendation is coilovers. Most of the time, I stay out of these discussions as what I wanted out of my car is not what most people would be happy with. I drove my car on the street but most people would not like how it sounded or felt like inside the car. Bob and I were about the only people that didn't mind as we are both deaf anyway. #364 was setup to go as fast as I could make it go with limited rwhp and almost no thought given to comfort. Curtis __________________ Curtis Ward 91 ZR-1 #364 RIP

12-30-2008	#3
tccrab Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Folsom CA Posts: 1,658	Re: Lowering Kit I've wanted to lower mine, but have held back because I don't want to mess up the high speed stability of the car. I've not yet been to "Where Life Begins" and I've heard that lowering the back can cause instabilities up there where the air is a lot denser. Remember that "Flat Spin" in the movie Top Gun? It would surely suck to do something similar to that on the freeway at warp 1.8. Besides, I scrape the front air dam getting out of my driveway now with the car at stock height. If I lower it even an inch in the front I might not be able to get out of my driveway without leaving parts behind. And some day I might actually have to go over a speed bump in a parking lot and I don't want to leave my exhaust system on that speed bump. TomC "Crabs" __________________ TomC '90ZR1 #792 Honorary Pirate [B]If it ain't FUN, you're doing something terribly WRONG. [/B]

01-02-2009	#7
8upZR1 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Thunderbolt, Ga. Posts: 253	Re: Lowering Kit What happened to #364? __________________ IT IS THE FATE OF THE INNOCENT TO MEET WITH DEATH!!!

01-02-2009	#8
cward Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Luling, TX Posts: 97	Re: Lowering Kit After 4 great years of racing, #364 met an imoveable object at about 50 mph. I loaned her to another ZR-1 owner to drive in a "safe" low speed autocross. Turned out to be not so safe for the car. At least she went out racing. Curtis __________________ Curtis Ward 91 ZR-1 #364 RIP

01-02-2009	#9
HIZNHRZ Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Germantown, MD Posts: 737	Re: Lowering Kit Sorry to hear about #364 Curtis. Did you replace her?

01-02-2009	#10
cward Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Luling, TX Posts: 97	Re: Lowering Kit No. Too many other things that are higher on priority list. Racing is a black hole for money. But I still have many friends that I have met because of #364 and many very good memories of her giving me everything she had. To me, that car was special. Curtis __________________ Curtis Ward 91 ZR-1 #364 RIP

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