How To Lower your C3 Corvette

Your Corvette C3 is one of the sleekest and most attractive of all of the Corvette line of sports car. Many owners of these vehicles purchase them mostly for their unique appearance. However, if you find that you’re in an area with other Corvette C3 vehicles, you may have a hard time distinguishing your car from the rest on the street. If you want to install a lowering kit with new springs, your vehicle will be lower and distinctive in appearance from the other Corvette C3s around it. This is also a good plan if you’re interested in having a lower feel on your ride as well, as it changes the feeling of driving the Corvette and also the feeling of how the car operates. Read on for a step by step guide on how to lower your C3 Corvette.

Step 1 — Gather the Necessary Materials

You’ll need the following materials in order to lower your C3 Corvette:

• Hydraulic jack and jack stands (two, tall)
• Torque wrench
• Socket wrench and spare sockets
• Breaker bar
• Cro bar
• Assistant to help out
• Ratchet set

Step 2 — Prepare the Vehicle

Begin by parking your Corvette C3 in a nice, open space that you have plenty of room to work in. This will ensure that you’ll be able to maneuver the vehicle appropriately as you work. Check to make sure that the emergency break is on, then mount the front end of the vehicle up using the hydraulic jack. Place the jack stands underneath the outer sides of the car so that you’ll be able to access the underside easily. Loosen the lug nuts on the rims throughout the vehicle, but don’t remove them.

Step 3 — Remove the Front Springs

The front suspension springs are the more difficult and dangerous of the two to remove from your vehicle. Because these massive springs are very tightly coiled, you’ll need to be able to work very carefully to decompress the springs before you remove them entirely. With the assistant’s help, use the breaker bar to cut the caliper line so that you can move it out of the way on the left side of the vehicle. When you work on the driver’s side, turn the steering wheel all the way to the right before you work; when you work on the passenger’s side, turn the steering wheel all the way to the left.

Step 4 — Replace the Front Springs

Now you’ll need to replace the front springs with the new springs that came in your lowering kit. With the assistant’s help to hold back the caliper and to expose the A-Arm, mount each spring in the bottom isolator one at a time and push it back into place. The springs are interchangeable, so it doesn’t matter which one you use on the passenger’s side of the vehicle and which one you use on the driver’s side instead.

Step 5 — Remove the Rear Springs

The rear springs are much safer to remove than the front ones, but they can still be dangerous. Lower the vehicle off of the stands and raise the back end up so that you can freely access the rear of the car. Remove the rear springs in the same manner as the front springs, once again being careful to decompress them to avoid injury and damage to the car. The rear springs are not interchangeable, so it may be helpful to keep track of which side belongs where in your vehicle for reference as you install the new springs.

Step 6 — Replace the Rear Springs

Using your assistant’s help to hold open the A-Arms in the back, mount the rear springs in their appropriate places on the top isolators. When every part is secure, double check and then remove the vehicle from the jack stands. You can then test out the feel and appearance of your newly lowered C3 Corvette.

If you have any additional questions or need advice along the way through this process, speak with a custom vehicle specialist or a Corvette professional for any other needs that you may have.