Lowering Z28...Scrapes

racr4jc · 06-08-2002, 04:21 AM

Hey y'all, My 1999 Z28 M6 is all stock and I want to set it up for autoX, but in it's current form, the air dam for the radiator scrapes over every driveway and large speed bumps. Does anyone else have this problem? I want to put some trick suspension on it, but I'm afraid to lower it for fear of more scrapage.

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KeNnY

'68 RS in the works, Ritchie Racing Red
'99 Z28 (dad's car) white
'92 Sierra also white

Boost: The replacement for displacement

sgarnett · 06-08-2002, 07:21 AM

The plastic air dam under the radiator scrapes for everyone. It's somewhat flexible, so it doesn't really hurt to scrape it. The bottom edge will get a little fuzzy. It's probably possible to break it if you hit something hard enough (like trying to run over a cinder block at high speed), but in normal, careful driving it won't break.

It helps to learn the "S turn" trick. For example, when entering a driveway where you know it will scrape, don't go straight in. Swing out to one side first so that you can enter the driveway at an angle (more is better). The idea is to get one front tire on the bump/slope first to raise the front end before the dam gets to the bump. Of course, you'll have to turn the opposite direction past the bump to straighten out again. The manuever resembles an "S".

As for lowering, people that do it must live where all the roads are smooth and flat, or else they just don't mind scraping.

racr4jc · 06-08-2002, 02:21 PM

hahahaha. Yah, I do that a lot. I learned it from all the little ricers @ school. They all either have their cars way too low and absolutely have to do that over speed bumps to keep from tearing off all their expensive body kit mods, or they have all-stock imports and are just being dumb. Thanks for clearing that up. But does it ever scrape when autocrossing?

auto-Xer · 06-10-2002, 10:15 AM

Yea, its because the distance from the front tire to the nose of our cars is huge, so the nose gets into everything before the wheel gets there to lift it. Thats why parking is a pain too, you can turn sharp enough, but the nose wants to take out someones door to line you up right.

sgarnett · 06-11-2002, 11:02 AM

Quote:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by racr4jc:
But does it ever scrape when autocrossing?</font>

It never has on my stock (FS) car.

lons94z · 06-12-2002, 06:13 AM

I am lowered about 2". My car is lowered more than almost any F bod I have seen at an autocross. I have adjustable seats in front and rear and have come up about 3/8" and it is still the most I have seen. I did have rubbing with the front inner fender directly above the tire with 275's I will probably have to raise it up a little more when I go to the 315's
I have never scraped the body or the front air dam while autocrossing