My car never had an air dam before today, judging by what was left of it (circles of black plastic held on by bolts) somebody broke it off long ago. Well, now that I have a new one on I can see why. This thing scrapes on EVERYTHING. Its rediculous, there is no way this thing is supposed to be like this. With the car sitting level there is literally about 2 inches of ground clearance below the air dam. It is so bad sometimes it will scrape on level ground just if I brake hard from the car nose diving.

I am a very careful driver and I am more than able to navigate around town with a low car, however most time the scraping is simply unavoidable as most bumps I hit are taller that the ground clearance I have and no matter how slow I go or how sideways I hit the bump it will hit.

My car has 170,000 on the clock, F41, and I have no idea if the springs and struts are original. Is this a sign that I need to do some serious suspension work?

 

i buttom out a lot too.

i drive very carefully when i know im going to buttom out,
but yeah kinda annoying
how i do buttom out no matter what.

i got almost 190k on my chassis too,
with stock springs.
i might get a new stock height springs soon
but i dont think it'll help out that much,
its probably just like that..

 

You would like GM added it to be a curb finder, but it is supposed to be like it.

It is flexable so if it does scrap, dont worry.

 

I used to scrape a lot too, but I swapped out coil springs. I bought brand new springs for front and rear. I don't scrape near as much, car rides better too.

Did you see a dramatic decrease in water temp when you installe your air dam?? I did, mine dropped about 50 degees.

 

Our cars bottom feed.

IF the air is allowed to pass underneatth the car it does no good cooling wise, hence the air dam.

Complaining about scraping out in Cali? Sounds like u need some time in frost heaved midwest.

later
Jeremy

 

Sounds like something isn't right, is shouldn't be that low. I scrape mine going in and out of my driveway but other than that it's fine. Maybe 4 or 5" of ground clearance on both of my cars. Both are lowered and one has skinnies up front so it's a big lower. My Sphohn crossmember hits before the air dam.

 

I agree it sounds like the springs on your car have compressed more with age or may have been cut or changed out by a PO.I installed a new airdam on my '83 Z28 because the old one was split completly up it's width.But the only scraping problems I have is driveway approaches and speedbumps.The replacement air dam is taller than the original one on my '83.I'm guessing the design change was for 2 reasons;1)the factory recognized the cooling problems on the highway and came out with the wider airdam and 2)with the '85 and later cars having more aggresive GFX required the wider airdam.And I noticed a difference that she runs somewhat cooler with the 2nd design airdam.

 

You're probably about due for a new setup. As an example: We just installed hotchkis 2" drop springs in to my vehicle, and the car has yet to bottom out. I was expecting it at first, but then realized that the increased stiffness from the springs is probably keeping the air dam from hitting the road. Just my two cents.

My old car with 200k on the clock used to bottom out everywhere, so you're probably due for at least some new struts, if not springs. Can you "bounce" the car at either front wheel easily?

 

Yeah, I dont want to sound like I am complaining about driving a low car, because I definitely know the drill when it comes to daily driving a thirdgen. However, I made the post because I am pretty sure something isnt right.

Whats a good place to get a good deal on struts and springs? Napa? Or is there some online warehouse that can give me better prices without sacrificing too much constomer service?

 

Heh, yeah, nothing like plowing snow with your air dam..

Sounds like time for new springs and struts/shocks.. You definately shouldn't have enough nose dive while braking to scrape the air dam...

 

I just replaced my airdam with a homemade peice, and got an incredible 30 degrees cooler in the 95+ SC sun. as for the scraping. Just installed new struts and that solved that problem all abet speed bumps and certain driveways.......but still the temp wants to climb up to ~240 with the a/c on in city driving. still gotta get that solved.

 

Whew..!!.... I came into this thread thinking I PO'd someone...

 

I have found that pulling into or out of a driveway streaight on, with both wheels at the same time going in/out of the driveway, causes scraping.
Taking the driveways with one wheel at a time is much better, with not much scraping.
So, try that.

Good luck,

George

 

Yeah, if you're scraping, it's time for new springs &/or shocks/struts

With this paycheck I plan on new springs and shocks and struts for front and rear (struts in front, shocks in rear i think). I assume mine are original because i can easily bounce either side of the front end of my car... put maybe 100 pounds of pressure (put hands down and push a little) and if i put my full way and jump a few times it rocks lol... But I usually don't bottom out too bad besides on dips, potholes, speedbumps, and driveways... and these crappy roads that I live on... who in the **** needs a 6" dip in the road??? wtf

-- ScottieB

 

I had to take a double take at the title.

 

You wouldn't believe the speed bumps they are laying down all over our ROADS. I love my town but I HATE what they are doing to the streets in an attempt to calm traffic. Thirdgen owner's worst nightmare.

 

i won't even take my car on streets i know have big dips/speed bumps i'd rather drive down the main roads and take the long way, it's not as bad as it used to be though. with the new swaybars/springs/ and struts the car sits and inch lower than stock and scrapes 1/2 much as it used to. stiff springs are very bueno when it comes to crappy roads

 

have fun if you go lowering springs... my front end is slammed and its so bad that its even messin up my trap speeds in the right lane at my drag strip! it scrapes alot.... and i gotta watch out for any thing on the road... from dead animals to garabage to dips and all in between

 

Haha dead animals... when i was driving home from camping, 3 seaguls were fighting above the highway in front of us,and one broke its wing and bombed onto the road in front of us, my friend's SUV cleared the stuggling animal, but my airdam put it outta its misery... 200 feet down the road it wasn't pretty.

 

I've been having a similiar problem but, I am not sure if I want to get my springs, shocks, and struts or wait till I get my new rims and tires.

Jay

 

The best place to start would be new struts & shocks. When I bought my car they were shot and I would drag the air dam on the slightest dip. After replacing the struts, the only time I hear it scrape is over speed bumps and steep driveways.

 

Here in Florida, without my airdam I constantly overheated. It looks bad, and scrapes all the time, but it keeps me cool.

 

air dam needed unless you get air from somewhere else

 

YEah, you definitely need the air dam for cooling. The car must be lowered or have old springs to be that low. I scrape on a pretty well inclined driveway. I usually look for another exit that is not so inclinded if posible.

Oh yeah, and watch out for those cement things in parking lots, you have to park with the nose no farther than over the cement barrier or ouch!

 

i agree, man my air dam scrapes a LOT, but i kinda use it as a "curb finder" sorta...

since i gto my brake setup from Ed Miller, on 2" drop spindles, the car is low.. 2" lower in front.. but i love it, completley


DOES ANYONE HAVE A LINK or catalogue, or manufacturer that sells STOCK RIDE HEIGHT/STIFF COIL SPINGS< and good struts/shocks. for a 1987 IROC ?

i've looked all over, classic industries, ebiach, hotchkis, all sorts of websites, but CANT FIND ANYHTING for an IROC, nor for STOCK RIDE HT. ... only drop springs,a nd i dont want those..

anybody got any coil sping links? parts? etc??

 

try yearone

 

you know what i thought was kinda funny/ironic, i saw a 3rd gen camaro a few days ago with a polished stainless steel air dam, looked friggin awesome but.... the thing was lowered as well.... wonder how long that'll last lol... i dont even care if mine scrapes, they are like 15-20 bucks to buy one, if it breaks off ill just pick up another one.... but these things are VERY durable, i scrape mine everyday pulling in/out my driveway, and its fine.....

 

yeah mine has been replaced with a camaro air dam and i have a firebird. I usually run about 160-185 driving with not so many stops. It helps alot to keep the temp down. Usually ( i live in michigan) I don't bottom out over speed bumps but there are alot of places out of businesses and gas stations that are very steep and the bottom of my nose does hit alot and it sucks.

 

yeah, you're gonna scrape it, bro. just listen to it. if its a light scraching sound, its the airdam. no harm, it's built to hit the ground. now, if you hear a thick-deep scraping sound ususaly accompanied by a plastic thud, you just removed paint off ur front spoiler.

 

what if you hear and feel a loud bang.. and see your oil pan tumbling behind you as you drive down the road

 

i think that means um... you're fukked