Lowering a '91 ZR1 - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

viperbaron · 06-26-2009

What advantages are there to "lowering" a ZR1? Can it be done with the selective ride system? Should it be done? How can it be done? Just an inch or so.
With my '80, lowering the rear is easy with longer bolts, but the front coil springs are more problematic. I was wondering what it would take to lower my '91 ZR1?

jonszr1 · 06-26-2009

lowering the rear is just like your 80 (longer bolts . the front howevert is more involved ,you must remove the front spring which is a pain and put on a different bumper . you can find the pieces in any of the corvettte catalogs .or switch to coilovers . to me the car is low enough , my 92 has coliovers which makes it 2 in lower and it scrapes on everything ,even ants jk

Paul Workman · 06-26-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonszr1

lowering the rear is just like your 80 (longer bolts . the front howevert is more involved ,you must remove the front spring which is a pain and put on a different bumper . you can find the pieces in any of the corvettte catalogs .or switch to coilovers . to me the car is low enough , my 92 has coliovers which makes it 2 in lower and it scrapes on everything ,even ants jk

Mine is NOT lowered, and speed bumps anywhere are a certain drag! For the street, I wouldn't want to go lower. If I were tracking it...That might be a consideration...might be.

With regard to racing on a road course, I wonder what Jeffvette would have to say 'bout lowering the Z? (If anyone would have an expert opinion, he would, I recon.

)

P.

GOLDCYLON · 06-26-2009

Another vote for not lowering it. The car is low enough and the speedbumps in my neighborhood are a PITA no matter what the angle of attack. Especially if you are running a B&B fartcan resonator on the underside in the midline. I see zero benefit beyond maybe autocross and only with the additional modification to coilovers and other suspension mods. other than that its a personal preference. GM did a very good job in the configuration the car is already, JMO your mileage may vary.

XfireZ51 · 06-26-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by GOLDCYLON

Another vote for not lowering it. The car is low enough and the speedbumps in my neighborhood are a PITA no matter what the angle of attack. Especially if you are running a B&B fartcan resonator on the underside in the midline. I see zero benefit beyond maybe autocross and only with the additional modification to coilovers and other suspension mods. other than that its a personal preference. GM did a very good job in the configuration the car is already, JMO your mileage may vary.

I'm concerned with same thing only with Magnaflow resonator which is fairly large.

Aurora40 · 06-26-2009

I think the main advantage of lowering the car is the visual improvement. Dialing the rear down a little helps a lot in the looks department.

XfireZ51 · 06-26-2009

Any comment on what it might do for traction at the track?
In that same vein, anybody have a preference on FX3 settings for the drag strip?

jonszr1 · 06-27-2009

on my blk car with the standard fx3 i get the best results in the middle setting .also disonnect the front sway bar .i remove the spare tire and fill the gas tank almost all the way full they help a bunch

Kb7tif · 06-27-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by viperbaron

What advantages are there to "lowering" a ZR1? Can it be done with the selective ride system? Should it be done? How can it be done? Just an inch or so.
With my '80, lowering the rear is easy with longer bolts, but the front coil springs are more problematic. I was wondering what it would take to lower my '91 ZR1?

Also keep in mind when you lower the rear with the longer bolts what you would be doing is taking tension off the leaf spring mainly, that would give you some lowering effect. this also softens the spring tension and causes a soft bouncy ride..... The Z has soft enough springs already.

And will need to realign.

Aurora40 · 06-27-2009

Springs don't work that way.

The spring is pushing the car up with the same force as before, which is exactly the force required to counteract gravity. In order to provide that force, it will be as tensed as before. You are simply changing the mounting point, which changes the ride height.

06-26-2009	#1
viperbaron Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Kabul, Afghanistan Posts: 12	Lowering a '91 ZR1 What advantages are there to "lowering" a ZR1? Can it be done with the selective ride system? Should it be done? How can it be done? Just an inch or so. With my '80, lowering the rear is easy with longer bolts, but the front coil springs are more problematic. I was wondering what it would take to lower my '91 ZR1?

06-26-2009	#2
jonszr1 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: lone pine and mammoth lakes Posts: 1,407	Re: Lowering a '91 ZR1 lowering the rear is just like your 80 (longer bolts . the front howevert is more involved ,you must remove the front spring which is a pain and put on a different bumper . you can find the pieces in any of the corvettte catalogs .or switch to coilovers . to me the car is low enough , my 92 has coliovers which makes it 2 in lower and it scrapes on everything ,even ants jk

06-26-2009	#4
GOLDCYLON Join Date: May 2007 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 9,155	Re: Lowering a '91 ZR1 Another vote for not lowering it. The car is low enough and the speedbumps in my neighborhood are a PITA no matter what the angle of attack. Especially if you are running a B&B fartcan resonator on the underside in the midline. I see zero benefit beyond maybe autocross and only with the additional modification to coilovers and other suspension mods. other than that its a personal preference. GM did a very good job in the configuration the car is already, JMO your mileage may vary. __________________ GOLDCYLON - 91 ZR-1 #2014 GOLDCYLON - 90 ZR-1 #2794, 4L60e (Formerly Schrade's) GOLDCYLON - 11 CTS-V Arizona State Director 91 WHITE/BLACK #2014. 380 P&P&PCed,Ported Heads, Jeal Long tubes, Corsa Exhaust/FIKSE FM-5s /LED TLs, LED Headlights, Front Wilwood 6 piston narrowlite calipers and rear Wilwood caliper street shop mod,CNCed Coolant Pipes,TPI Cvr,Filter cover,Stainless Bolts, DRM/DOM PROM /ZFDOC mod build #102,DRLs,BMAD with stainless Debris Screen,Coplan Air Blaster, Pioneer APP Radio 4,Brey-Krause HB,Sub Bar,Fire extinguisher seat mount,DRM Coilovers,LEDs everywhere,Compass mirror (orange),V1 DIC hidden display, Homelink sun visor, Carbon Fiber top x3 and APSIS Carbon Fiber interior, APSIS CF Steering Wheel/NAPA Leather, Banski trailing arms, Guldstrand front suspension,urethane bushings from Prothane (total suspension) ZFDoc drive shaft safety loop, raptor shift light (orange),AO engineering louver front plate, Console seat cushion, 96CE seats with black custom Sheepskins, ss billet catch can,Viper remote entry/alarm,Cragar Rear Louvers,LED side louver lights, Dewitts Radiator with SPAL fans and a Woods 160 T-Stat 90 RED/BLACK #2794. 4L60e Automatic Stage V by RPM Transmission, TCI Dedicated TCM, OBX Stainless Headers, Corsa Exhaust, SAN Secondaries and Haibeck PROM, Exotic Muscle Coil overs, LED Interior Lights, LED Tail Lights, LED Headlights, 94 Sport seats with black custom Sheepskins , Cragar rear louvers, GS Front calipers, Banski Trailing arms, APSIS Carbon Fiber steering wheel, Front and Rear Baer Eradispeeds, DRLs, Guldstrand front suspension,urethane bushings from Prothane (total suspension), Dewitt's Raditor with Dual SPAL fans and a Haibeck 170 T-Stat 11 RED/GREY CTS-V Last edited by GOLDCYLON; 06-26-2009 at 09:50 AM.

06-26-2009	#6
Aurora40 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Leesburg, VA Posts: 2,713	Re: Lowering a '91 ZR1 I think the main advantage of lowering the car is the visual improvement. Dialing the rear down a little helps a lot in the looks department. __________________ Bob Saveland Former owner of #2517 [IMG]http://a.random-image.net/aurora40/vette.jpg[/img]

06-26-2009	#7
XfireZ51 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chicagoland, IL Posts: 9,709	Re: Lowering a '91 ZR1 Any comment on what it might do for traction at the track? In that same vein, anybody have a preference on FX3 settings for the drag strip?

06-27-2009	#8
jonszr1 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: lone pine and mammoth lakes Posts: 1,407	Re: Lowering a '91 ZR1 on my blk car with the standard fx3 i get the best results in the middle setting .also disonnect the front sway bar .i remove the spare tire and fill the gas tank almost all the way full they help a bunch

06-27-2009	#10
Aurora40 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Leesburg, VA Posts: 2,713	Re: Lowering a '91 ZR1 Springs don't work that way. The spring is pushing the car up with the same force as before, which is exactly the force required to counteract gravity. In order to provide that force, it will be as tensed as before. You are simply changing the mounting point, which changes the ride height. __________________ Bob Saveland Former owner of #2517 [IMG]http://a.random-image.net/aurora40/vette.jpg[/img]

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