[tecboy]

For those who installed the GM lowering kit. About how many miles did it take for the suspension to settle down to the advertised 3/4" drop?

[Msquared]

Originally Posted by tecboy

For those who installed the GM lowering kit. About how many miles did it take for the suspension to settle down to the advertised 3/4" drop?

It shouldn't take very long. There's not a lot to settle if things were installed properly. To that point, the main thing is to make sure you didn't tighten any suspension link bolts until the car was back at ride height (I'm assuming this kit still uses stock-type bonded-rubber bushings). This also goes for rear shocks at their lower bushings. If you tightened any of these with the car still on jackstands and the suspension at full droop, then the bushings are keeping your car higher than it should be.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Msquared

It shouldn't take very long. There's not a lot to settle if things were installed properly. To that point, the main thing is to make sure you didn't tighten any suspension link bolts until the car was back at ride height (I'm assuming this kit still uses stock-type bonded-rubber bushings). This also goes for rear shocks at their lower bushings. If you tightened any of these with the car still on jackstands and the suspension at full droop, then the bushings are keeping your car higher than it should be.

Any suggestions on how to lower the rear of a ZL1 1LE a bit? It's like a brick.

[Msquared]

Originally Posted by JSH

Any suggestions on how to lower the rear of a ZL1 1LE a bit? It's like a brick.

Doesn't that car come with adjustable ride height coilovers?

PS - I don't get the brick comment. Do bricks have high ride heights?

[JSH]

Y

Originally Posted by Msquared

Doesn't that car come with adjustable ride height coilovers?

PS - I don't get the brick comment. Do bricks have high ride heights?

I don't know the answer right now, but there's lowering thread that concludes "no

No, that's my point. The 1LE rear suspension is like a brick, nonadjustable. A bit of an exaggeration but not much.

[Msquared]

Originally Posted by JSH

I don't know the answer right now.

A very quick perusal shows that the front ride height is adjustable on a ZL1 1LE (ZLE), but not the rears. I don't know if there's an easy/cheap solution out there in the aftermarket or not. I don't own this model, so I haven't looked into it much.

No, that's my point. The 1LE suspension is like a brick, nonadjustable. A bit of an exaggeration but not much.

You are conflating two different things, I think:

1. Ride height and damping rate adjustability: the ZLE dampers all have active adjustments for the damping rates, controlled by a computer module and dependent on which of the many settings you have it set for. Also, front ride height is adjustable. This has everything to do with adjustability and nothing to do with how stiff the suspension is (what you mean by "like a brick" I think).
2. Overall spring rates, and somewhat relatedly the overall damping rates. This may make the car feel like it has bricks instead of springs or dampers: i.e. it rides very stiffly. This is generally acknowledged to be the case with the ZL1 1LE, which has springs that are roughly 2.5x stiffer than a regular ZL1 or an SS 1LE and probably also has damping rates to match. It also has solid metal rear subframe bushings (maybe others too?). It is by far the most hard-core track Camaro Chevy produces. That's the tradeoff you agreed to when you purchased a ZLE. It may make sense to sell that and buy a regular ZL1 (without the 1LE track pack).

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Msquared

It may make sense to sell that and buy a regular ZL1 (without the 1LE track pack).

No, I'm not serious enough about picking up a tenth or two to buy a new car. Just trying to make this one work a little better.

[Mountain]

Originally Posted by JSH

Any suggestions on how to lower the rear of a ZL1 1LE a bit? It's like a brick.

Lowering the rear of the ZL1 1LE is definitely not the direction you want to go if you are looking to make the ride quality on the street better.

Your two options are:
1. Replace the dampers ("shocks") with something adjustable.
2. Replace the rear springs. However, if you do this, keep in mind you will be limited due to the rear shock damping unless you change those too. The rear springs in the ZL1 1LE are the same, dimensionally, as the other Camaros; whereas, the fronts take a typical spring used on coil-over setups.

[Matt6951]

Any pics of the Gm lowering kit?