how to.....
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1
how to.....
hey guys i am going to try to lower my C5 Z06 today, before i do i wanted to see if anyone had a link or can tell me how to find the lowering bolts and if you are tightening or loosening these bolts to lower the car..... i tryed the search section of the the forum and couldnt find anything............thanx in advance
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,532
From:
RE: how to.....
Here is a link to a tutorial on lowering your C5...
Click Here
...and another
Click Here
If you go to Google and search under "lowering a c5" you will get a few sites. Be sure to let me know how everything goes cause I am thinking about lowering mine pretty soon.
Click Here
...and another
Click Here
If you go to Google and search under "lowering a c5" you will get a few sites. Be sure to let me know how everything goes cause I am thinking about lowering mine pretty soon.
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10
From:
RE: how to.....
And here's another ...
Lowering the C5- Instructions by “G Manâ€
Tools required
- Floor Jack
- Jack Stands (2)
- Wheel Blocks
- Hog ring Pliers or Needle nose Pliers
- Hacksaw or Serrated Knife
- 10mm Ratcheting Wrench or 10mm Socket Wrench w/swivel extension
- 18mm Combination Wrench or 18mm Socket Wrench
- 13/16†Combination Wrench or 13/16†Deep Socket Wrench
REAR
1. Make certain the car is located on a level surface.
2. Place blocks or boards under the front wheels to prevent the car from rolling.
3. Using the floor jack, raise the rear of the car, insuring that the jack is positioned in the center of the rear cross member (silver/gray in color).
4. Place two jack stands under the rear cross member, and SLOWLY lower the car onto them. Make sure you have raised the car high enough to allow plenty of workspace.
5. Locate the rear leaf spring. There is a bolt on each end (18mm bottom, 13/16†nut on top), with a rubber bushing top and bottom. At the top of the bolt, above the nut, you will see a small c-clip. This clip must be removed in order to get the nut off the top. Use hog ring pliers or needle nose pliers to remove the clip.
6. With the c-clip removed, loosen the top nut from the bolt.
7. Pull out the bolt and bushings from the leaf spring(the leaf spring is NOT under pressure).
8. Cut both bushings so that the section with the extension is the only one left. Use a hacksaw or serrated knife. ** NOTE: If the car is too low for your personal preference, you can add back the piece or pieces you cut off **.
9. Once the bushings are cut, reassemble the bolt, bushings, and nut through the leaf spring and A-Arm. Leave TWO threads showing on top when you re-tighten. It will seem loose, but when the car is lowered onto the ground, the weight will load the spring. Don’t forget to put the c-clip back on.
10. Lower the car, the rear is done !!
FRONT
1. Make sure the car is in gear to prevent it from rolling.
2. Raise the car with the jack positioned in the center of the front cross member.
3. Place the two jack stands under the cross member, and SLOWLY lower the car onto them.
4. Remove the front wheels. It may be necessary to slightly loosen the lug nuts before the wheels are completely off the ground.
5. Find the front leaf spring, and with a 10mm wrench or socket, turn the bolt as if you were loosening it (It is reverse threaded so you are actually tightening it).
6. Turn the bolt until there is no longer a gap between the bushing and the bolt. Measure the exposed threads to insure the other side is done the same. NOTE: On a Z51 car, the car will not drop as much as one that has the standard suspension. You can completely remove the front lowering bolt if you would like to go even lower. A jack or spreading tool is required to allow removal of the adjusting bolt.
7. Put the wheels back on and lower the car. NOTE- It may be necessary to place a board under the tires so you will be able to remove the floor jack once the car is lowered.
Lowering the C5- Instructions by “G Manâ€
Tools required
- Floor Jack
- Jack Stands (2)
- Wheel Blocks
- Hog ring Pliers or Needle nose Pliers
- Hacksaw or Serrated Knife
- 10mm Ratcheting Wrench or 10mm Socket Wrench w/swivel extension
- 18mm Combination Wrench or 18mm Socket Wrench
- 13/16†Combination Wrench or 13/16†Deep Socket Wrench
REAR
1. Make certain the car is located on a level surface.
2. Place blocks or boards under the front wheels to prevent the car from rolling.
3. Using the floor jack, raise the rear of the car, insuring that the jack is positioned in the center of the rear cross member (silver/gray in color).
4. Place two jack stands under the rear cross member, and SLOWLY lower the car onto them. Make sure you have raised the car high enough to allow plenty of workspace.
5. Locate the rear leaf spring. There is a bolt on each end (18mm bottom, 13/16†nut on top), with a rubber bushing top and bottom. At the top of the bolt, above the nut, you will see a small c-clip. This clip must be removed in order to get the nut off the top. Use hog ring pliers or needle nose pliers to remove the clip.
6. With the c-clip removed, loosen the top nut from the bolt.
7. Pull out the bolt and bushings from the leaf spring(the leaf spring is NOT under pressure).
8. Cut both bushings so that the section with the extension is the only one left. Use a hacksaw or serrated knife. ** NOTE: If the car is too low for your personal preference, you can add back the piece or pieces you cut off **.
9. Once the bushings are cut, reassemble the bolt, bushings, and nut through the leaf spring and A-Arm. Leave TWO threads showing on top when you re-tighten. It will seem loose, but when the car is lowered onto the ground, the weight will load the spring. Don’t forget to put the c-clip back on.
10. Lower the car, the rear is done !!
FRONT
1. Make sure the car is in gear to prevent it from rolling.
2. Raise the car with the jack positioned in the center of the front cross member.
3. Place the two jack stands under the cross member, and SLOWLY lower the car onto them.
4. Remove the front wheels. It may be necessary to slightly loosen the lug nuts before the wheels are completely off the ground.
5. Find the front leaf spring, and with a 10mm wrench or socket, turn the bolt as if you were loosening it (It is reverse threaded so you are actually tightening it).
6. Turn the bolt until there is no longer a gap between the bushing and the bolt. Measure the exposed threads to insure the other side is done the same. NOTE: On a Z51 car, the car will not drop as much as one that has the standard suspension. You can completely remove the front lowering bolt if you would like to go even lower. A jack or spreading tool is required to allow removal of the adjusting bolt.
7. Put the wheels back on and lower the car. NOTE- It may be necessary to place a board under the tires so you will be able to remove the floor jack once the car is lowered.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 903
From:
RE: how to.....
That depends upon your suspension/shocks. I have the Z51 option and I very seldom ever hit bottom. I DO scrape the front movable lip more often, traversing driveways and such, but just take it slow when you are not sure.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 16
RE: how to.....
This is just a suggestion. Do Not lower. It will scrape all the time and it does not seem to handle any better. You will have a cool looking car untill you go up a driveway or speed bump. Everyone will look because of the noise.
When I bought mine is wall lowered 1" and I thought it handled pretty well. The car had 67,000 miles on it and it now has 115000 and going strong. About a month ago I park next to another C5 and thats when I discoverd that I was lower. Tired of the scraping I raised it to stock level. Thats when I noticed that when I go into a turn that the Outside seems to almost raise as if leaning into the turn. A friend of mine who drag races and other things to cars explained that the car is now allowed to pivot in the center as designed. when my wife drove the car she thought it realy handled a lot better. We do not drive it hard or try to drift
but I realy believe that it should be left stock. Befor you lower it go for a drive and use the fenders as reference in fast turns. Make some written notesso you can refer to them.
After lowering that it out on the same corse at the same speed and compare notes.
Just a suggestion
When I bought mine is wall lowered 1" and I thought it handled pretty well. The car had 67,000 miles on it and it now has 115000 and going strong. About a month ago I park next to another C5 and thats when I discoverd that I was lower. Tired of the scraping I raised it to stock level. Thats when I noticed that when I go into a turn that the Outside seems to almost raise as if leaning into the turn. A friend of mine who drag races and other things to cars explained that the car is now allowed to pivot in the center as designed. when my wife drove the car she thought it realy handled a lot better. We do not drive it hard or try to drift
but I realy believe that it should be left stock. Befor you lower it go for a drive and use the fenders as reference in fast turns. Make some written notesso you can refer to them.
After lowering that it out on the same corse at the same speed and compare notes.
Just a suggestion