Low
ground clearance has been a constant source of stress for all late
model Corvette owners. The front end ground clearance of a Corvette
varies from generation to generation but typicality falls somewhere
between four and six inches. This abbreviated clearance space has been
the source of many a four letter word uttered from Corvette owners when
they have the misfortune to encounter a steep incline.
The
new generation C8 Corvette will have a front end lift system that can
elevate the front end by over two inches when conditions demand it. The
rest of us have to endure the ungodly scraping sounds and possible
damage whenever we encounter a poorly design driveway approach. Or do
we?
A
company called Sliplo has come up with an innovative solution for the
front end scraping problem. The have developed a very high density
rubber like protective strips that easily install over the vulnerable
front underside of your vehicle.
Sliplo install on 2016 C7 Z06
The
protective strips are easily installed through the use of super strong
3M double sided tape. All you have to do is properly clean the
installation location with some supplied alcohol preps, then apply some
3M adhesive promoter, also supplied. After prepping the
installation surface simply peel off the tape backing from the Silplo
strips and firmly press the strips into place.
The Sliplo kit
comes with and ample supply of protective strips. We were able to do
two cars with one kit. The first car was a C7 Z06. The many hex head
bolts under the front fascia presented a challenge. We managed to get
around the bolts with some minor surgery to the rubber strips. The
second car was a C5 coupe, the underside of the C5 has a smooth surface
and presented no problems whatsoever. Install time for both vehicles
took approximately fifteen minutes. Sliplo install on a C5
We
performed a scraping test on the C5 by purposely driving up an incline
that had previously presented us with the dreaded grinding noise. To
our surprise there was no noise even though we knew that the underside
of the car had been molested. Inspection of the undercarriage revealed
that the Sliplo had performed as advertised. It had taken the beating
not the fascia.
The C7 Z06 is equipped with a very expensive
Stage 3 front spoiler. The Sliplo will absorb scraping due to close
encounters with inclines. We tested the C7's low front end on the
same incline and yes the Sliplo buffered the impact. The only
noticeable scraping came from the outermost front edge of the spoiler
as it encountered the apex of the incline. A direct hit with something
like a concrete parking stop is another story and should be avoided at
all costs, and the costs can be extreme.
The Sliplo system is
a very good product and can save the underside of your front fascia
from incline damage. You can get more info at: www.sliplo.com
