Corvette Tech Tip: Lower Your Corvette for Better Handling

Are you looking for quicker response and improved handling from your Corvette? Well, look no further. Lowering your Corvette will give you the advantage of a lower center of gravity, which offers better road handling and cornering ability, as well as a more aggressive stance. In this article, Mid America Motorworks highlights the benefits of a lower C4 Corvette suspension. Lowering kits are available for C4, C5, C6 and now C7 Corvettes, providing the performance and appearance you crave.

C4 Corvettes

Lowering any 1984-1996 Corvette can be accomplished with the addition of a Suspension Lowering Kit. Inexpensive kits are available to lower the ride height of your Corvette approximately 1 inch. The lower center of gravity is very beneficial in reducing body roll and increasing cornering capability.

Most Suspension Lowering Kits consist of a pair of extended length rear spring mounting bolts, two locking nuts and a pair of thinner-than-stock Urethane wedges to replace the stock rubber front spring mounting cushions. By replacing the stock rear spring bolts with longer bolts, the rear suspension height can be lowered accordingly. The longer bolts have 4 inches of thread for adjustment that allows fine tuning of the rear suspension height.

Most 1984-1987 Corvettes have stamped steel retainers that clamp the rubber front mounting cushions and the spring in place against the frame member. The 1988-1996 Corvettes utilize cast aluminum retainers to clamp the cushions and spring in place. Replacing the rubber front spring cushions with thinner, urethane wedges repositions the front spring closer to the frame, which effectively lowers the front suspension height.

On most 1984-1987 Corvettes, the stamped steel retainers must be replaced with the later model 1988-1996 aluminum retainers. On all models, the retainers should be trimmed down to allow the thinner wedges to be clamped securely with the spring to the frame.

In an effort to help you lower your C4 Corvette, some aftermarket companies – including Mid America Motorworks – have formulated a kit that provides the upgraded 1988-1996 aluminum retainers and mounting hardware necessary to install the lowering kit on 1984-1987 Corvettes. The Spring Mounting Upgrade Kit should be ordered when installing the Suspension Lowering Kit on any 1984-1987 Corvette that has stamped steel front spring mounting retainers.

We highly recommend referring to a GM Service Manual for the procedure to remove and reinstall the front spring, as it is compressed under extreme force and could cause serious injury if not properly handled. After the lowering kit is installed, the car should be driven a short distance and realigned.

Tech Note: 1984-1987 require the replacement of the OE stamped-steel Front Spring Outer Retainers with our Front Spring Outer Retainer Upgrade Kit, item #602-714.

Late Corvette Suspension

As we stated earlier, C4 Corvettes are not the only ones with the ability to take advantage of a lower center of gravity! In fact, C5, C6 and C7 Corvettes all benefit from a lowering kit that will reduce body roll and increase your Corvette's responsiveness to driver input.

C5 Corvettes – Lowering Kits for C5 Corvettes are for Rear Suspension, as the Front Suspension is factory-equipped with adjustable spring end bolts. Rear Suspension Lowering Kits are designed to replace the Rear Spring End Bolts and Bushings on your 1997-2004 Corvette, giving you the ability to lower your ride as much as 2 inches.

C6 & C7 Corvettes – Lowering Kits for the 6th and 7th Generation Corvettes include hardware for the front and rear suspension. Typically, 4 bolts replace the stock spring mounting bolts to provide additional ride height adjustment. Check compatibility with Selective Ride Control options. C7 Lowering Kits have just recently been made available to the marketplace, giving Stingray owners another option for customization.