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Lowering and ground clearance

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Old Aug 12, 2016 | 11:11 AM
  #81  
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Originally Posted by InfiniteReality
Thanks for the part number, I may just need it!
Yeah no problem man. Now hopefully I get some time here real soon to get this stuff installed, and report back to you all. I'm anxious with this stuff sitting here, and not having the time to do it right now lol
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Old Aug 13, 2016 | 07:51 AM
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Enjoying this thread. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress. I'm in a similar situation and want to do a mild drop. Exhaust is a big limiting factor here. With the components that you bought, if you decide to upgrade your exhaust, you'll be able to pull the spacers out. So you still have options down the road.

My stock height SS has just over 4.5" of clearance with the Hooker BH system. My lowest part of my car is the passenger side header (4.5"). Headers are SE 1 7/8. Car is stock weight minus back seat, belts, jack, spare, air pump, egr.
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Old Aug 13, 2016 | 08:55 AM
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Originally Posted by rybern
Enjoying this thread. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress. I'm in a similar situation and want to do a mild drop. Exhaust is a big limiting factor here. With the components that you bought, if you decide to upgrade your exhaust, you'll be able to pull the spacers out. So you still have options down the road.

My stock height SS has just over 4.5" of clearance with the Hooker BH system. My lowest part of my car is the passenger side header (4.5"). Headers are SE 1 7/8. Car is stock weight minus back seat, belts, jack, spare, air pump, egr.
I was thinking about going with that exhaust system and wondering how well their midlength headers flowed compared to some LT's for this very reason. If there isn't much of a power difference and you're worried about clearance then the midlengths might be the better option for many people as they do offer noticeably more exhaust clearance.
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Old Aug 13, 2016 | 09:44 AM
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Originally Posted by rybern
Enjoying this thread. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress. I'm in a similar situation and want to do a mild drop. Exhaust is a big limiting factor here. With the components that you bought, if you decide to upgrade your exhaust, you'll be able to pull the spacers out. So you still have options down the road.

My stock height SS has just over 4.5" of clearance with the Hooker BH system. My lowest part of my car is the passenger side header (4.5"). Headers are SE 1 7/8. Car is stock weight minus back seat, belts, jack, spare, air pump, egr.
Man that's awesome you have 4.5"clearance at your lowest point. If I had that I wouldn't think twice about doing the full 1.2" drop. My car came with the Pacesetter long tubes and ORY when I bought it, so I'm kind of stuck with that
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Old Aug 13, 2016 | 06:28 PM
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Originally Posted by HCI2000SS
Man that's awesome you have 4.5"clearance at your lowest point. If I had that I wouldn't think twice about doing the full 1.2" drop. My car came with the Pacesetter long tubes and ORY when I bought it, so I'm kind of stuck with that
There is a guy that mated the Blackheart system to Pacesetter headers. There is a write up about it on here. I mated the Blackheart system to SE headers. It wasn't super easy and required me to do some modifications to some of the piping. There were times during the install that I wish I had gone with the Hooker mid lengths, but it all worked out in the end and I'm very happy with the system. I had the car up on blocks for 2 weeks and worked on it a few evenings/week and weekends. Took this long to install headers, poly mounts and exhaust. I took my time. I also encountered a broken manifold bolt and had to remove it. Car isn't my DD.
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Old Aug 13, 2016 | 07:03 PM
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Originally Posted by rybern
There is a guy that mated the Blackheart system to Pacesetter headers. There is a write up about it on here. I mated the Blackheart system to SE headers. It wasn't super easy and required me to do some modifications to some of the piping. There were times during the install that I wish I had gone with the Hooker mid lengths, but it all worked out in the end and I'm very happy with the system. I had the car up on blocks for 2 weeks and worked on it a few evenings/week and weekends. Took this long to install headers, poly mounts and exhaust. I took my time. I also encountered a broken manifold bolt and had to remove it. Car isn't my DD.
That sounds really coold. I'd love to try something like this, but don't want to spend the time and money to do so lol.
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Old Aug 13, 2016 | 07:12 PM
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Originally Posted by HCI2000SS
That sounds really coold. I'd love to try something like this, but don't want to spend the time and money to do so lol.
I totally understand. There was a point during my install that I wondered why I was spending the time and energy. Keep us posted on your progress with the springs etc.
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Old Aug 13, 2016 | 07:15 PM
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Originally Posted by rybern
I totally understand. There was a point during my install that I wondered why I was spending the time and energy. Keep us posted on your progress with the springs etc.
Trust me i hear ya lol. Yep I will keep you all posted for sure. Thanks for the info and feedback
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Old Aug 14, 2016 | 10:16 AM
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Originally Posted by rybern
Enjoying this thread. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress. I'm in a similar situation and want to do a mild drop. Exhaust is a big limiting factor here. With the components that you bought, if you decide to upgrade your exhaust, you'll be able to pull the spacers out. So you still have options down the road.

My stock height SS has just over 4.5" of clearance with the Hooker BH system. My lowest part of my car is the passenger side header (4.5"). Headers are SE 1 7/8. Car is stock weight minus back seat, belts, jack, spare, air pump, egr.
Your car sat like mine did stock...The BMR's will take care of that for sure!!
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Old Aug 14, 2016 | 12:55 PM
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Started the install today, so hopefully I'll be done later or by tomorrow. I'll keep everyone posted
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Old Aug 14, 2016 | 01:40 PM
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Originally Posted by HCI2000SS
Started the install today, so hopefully I'll be done later or by tomorrow. I'll keep everyone posted
Awesome. In progress photos are acceptable too.
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Old Aug 14, 2016 | 06:06 PM
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Ok guys the car just got done. Long story short I appears the front hasn't dropped at all but the rear dropped just over an inch. I know it may take a few days for the front to drop, but that doesn't explain how the rear dropped an inch. Everything I did was supposed to give me about a 3/4" drop all around. Has anyone encountered this? On a good note the ride is much improved. I'll get some pics soon
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Old Aug 14, 2016 | 06:23 PM
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Originally Posted by kinglt-1
Your car sat like mine did stock...The BMR's will take care of that for sure!!
Looking forward to that.

Originally Posted by HCI2000SS
Ok guys the car just got done. Long story short I appears the front hasn't dropped at all but the rear dropped just over an inch. I know it may take a few days for the front to drop, but that doesn't explain how the rear dropped an inch. Everything I did was supposed to give me about a 3/4" drop all around. Has anyone encountered this? On a good note the ride is much improved. I'll get some pics soon
Please refresh our memories with what's been done so we won't have to look back. BMR springs front and rear but with 1/2" spacers up front and rear?

Have you driven it since you put it on the ground? If not, drive it a bit. Front IS will cause the car to be a bit high when setting it down on the ground. Did you take any before measurements?
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Old Aug 14, 2016 | 06:25 PM
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Old Aug 14, 2016 | 06:28 PM
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Old Aug 14, 2016 | 06:32 PM
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Before measurements were 27.5" front and 27.75" rear. Now it's 27.5" front and 26.75" rear. I've only drove the car for maybe 20 miles. Added the BMR 1/2" spacers in the front and the Moog 18-1901 coil spring isolator on the rear
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Old Aug 14, 2016 | 06:36 PM
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Front looks slightly lower than stock to me, but not much. The low height of the rear might be making the front look higher than it is. I'd say that the rear needs to come up a bit or the front come down a bit. At least your mid pipe is toward the center of the car, so raising the rear will help with clearance if you remove the spacer in the front.
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Old Aug 14, 2016 | 06:40 PM
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Originally Posted by HCI2000SS
Before measurements were 27.5" front and 27.75" rear. Now it's 27.5" front and 26.75" rear. I've only drove the car for maybe 20 miles. Added the BMR 1/2" spacers in the front and the Moog 18-1901 coil spring isolator on the rear
Wow, thats surprising. Sorry to see that man. I'm no professional but I doubt it will settle enough to make it sit level.... much less, having a bit of rake(which I prefer).

Very clean looking SS btw.
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Old Aug 14, 2016 | 06:48 PM
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Thanks rybern! I'm gonna give it a few days then go from there. If I'm not happy I'll either raise the rear or drop the front. I love the way it rides and handles though
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Old Aug 14, 2016 | 07:28 PM
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Originally Posted by HCI2000SS
Thanks rybern! I'm gonna give it a few days then go from there. If I'm not happy I'll either raise the rear or drop the front. I love the way it rides and handles though
Makes me think of my car. It looks to sit a little high in the front compared to the rear. I even installed the heater hose mod on my cars rear at first but went back to the OEM insulators to help level the car off. I might drop the spring to the lower perch on my front shocks(Koni SA's) when I add my C6Z wheels. Speaking of which how do you like the Cooper tires your running up front? I'm considering them for my Z06 wheels.
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