How low do I go?

[Jonny Chee 0]

Hi,

 

My Corrado is booked in to have new shocks and be lowered in a week or so (I believe they recommend SPAX). The question is how low do I / can I go?

 

My C is currently at standard height and runs on 16" wheels. I am also planning on get an RS style front bumper at some point in the near future....

 

I also live in an area that was the guinea pig for speed humps some time ago!

 

Thanks in advance!

 

:)

[stevemac 0]

For the best ride & handling - set it so that the top of the wheelarches are approx 1" above the tyres.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

If you want your C to handle instead of skipping through corners, the question you should be asking is "How low can I go without compromising suspension travel?" and the answer to that is 40mm.

 

Slammed on coillies may look cool but a moderaltely lowered C with good quality springs and dampers will p1ss all over it on bumpy and undulating B roads.

[Neil VR6 0]

You may wish to reconsider your choice of kit too. The most popular damper and spring combo's are the Koni's assuming you don't want to go coilover. They are top adjustable for compression damping so you can adjust their "hardness". Spax stuff is not generally recommended as it tend to be quite harsh and I 've heard of a few cases of leaking shocks.

[stel g60 0]

mines quite low and i love the way it looks, BUT it does piss me off cos it is very very bumpy, even on the motorway. the only roads it likes is flat roads, and i mean completely flat. my car thinks the m25 is too bumpy, same with the m1. i got weitec coilovers on it so maybe thats why as theyre a really hard setup.

[Bally 0]

myns low & wouldnt have it any other way! :D

[G60Dan 0]

Mines low, & doesn't skip at all. When I was running faulkens on the rear is used to slide out in the wet, but since I've had f1's all round it sticks like glue

[Dennis.be 0]

Lowring your car is a personal matter, I'd like a stiff suspension to drive with. Others want more comfort, some like something between those two.

 

I've got standard dampers with H&R lowered springs, 60/40 if I'm correct, I've also installed an Eibacht anti roll kit to improve the handling of the car. The car doesn't roll over anymore when taking a curve.

 

I'm running 15"s (uniroyal Rainsport2) this winter, but normal I'm running 17"s with Pirelli P zero Nero on it.

[Jonny Chee 0]

So 40mm would be the best drop from standard height?

 

I was told 60mm would be better?!

[stevemac 0]

For the best ride & handling - set it so that the top of the wheelarches are approx 1" above the tyres.

[flusted 0]

myns low & wouldnt have it any other way! :D

 

you know this!!!!!

[Bally 0]

myns low & wouldnt have it any other way! :D

 

you know this!!!!!

 

:D :D :D

[flusted 0]

BALLY,you havent told me how low yours is yet...

measure from center of hubnut to your wing lip and let me know what it is, standard is 360mm

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Bally is seriously low. You have to crouch down to open the door!

[Jim 1]

Indeed... on the way back from a meet last time, I went to take a picture of his motor as he drove past me. Propped the camera on the window sill and when I took the picture, all I got was the aerial! ;) :D

 

Na seriously, its a low car.. i've heard people say things about mega low cars altering handling characteristics and not being true to VW's original spec etc etc ad infinitum - but theres no doubting that the ride height and wheels combination makes it a seriously nice looking car when on the move! Hard to describe, but it just looks right - low, squat and purposeful.

[ben16v 0]

mine`s on koni`s and H&R`s it doesn`t look how i`d like it ( to the floor ) but it drives like a dream,

it all depends on what you want from your car, driving or showing!!!??

 

you`ve gotta make your own mind up!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

driving or showing!!!??

 

Driving :wink:

[flusted 0]

Indeed... on the way back from a meet last time, I went to take a picture of his motor as he drove past me. Propped the camera on the window sill and when I took the picture, all I got was the aerial! ;) :D

 

Na seriously, its a low car.. i've heard people say things about mega low cars altering handling characteristics and not being true to VW's original spec etc etc ad infinitum - but theres no doubting that the ride height and wheels combination makes it a seriously nice looking car when on the move! Hard to describe, but it just looks right - low, squat and purposeful.

 

Cant wait to compare ride heights! :lol:

[Bally 0]

Hey guys, thanks for the replies guys, didnt expect that at all..

 

Hey Jimbo, it would be good to get some vids of myn on the move, I'd like to see it!!!

 

I'll have to get the measuring tape out Addie.. the rear coilovers are wound down as low as they'll go on the rear & I reckon the fronts lowered around 100mm.. to compare heights all i can say is bros lexus is dropped 100mm on 17's & my roof height is still lower than his :D

[flusted 0]

mine are down as far on back aswell and i presumed mine was down 100mm BUT when i measured from hubnut to arch it measured 280mm and standard is sopposed to be 360mm meaning mines lowered 80mm. so much for coilovers giving 120mm drop :|

[Henny 0]

that could be 120mm drop on a late VR6 (the ones with the 4x4 stance... ;) )

[dinkus 10]

that could be 120mm drop on a late VR6 (the ones with the 4x4 stance... ;) )

 

And it looks even more 8) when you have new VAG at the rear and saggy VAG at the front (approx 40mm drop) 8)8)

 

Even then I still scrape my (90mm) splitter on the floor every time I go over a speed bump.

 

Also, the lower you make the car, the more bump steer you will get because you're altering the angle between the wishbone and the track rod.

 

40mm seems to be OK, although even with my saggy VAG stuff I get a fair bit of bump steer, so even lower will just make it worse.

 

You also need to consider how much you like your dentist, as lowering by a lot will mean that you need stiffer springs/shocks to stop the car bottoming out...;)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

And it looks even more 8) when you have new VAG at the rear and saggy VAG at the front (approx 40mm drop) 8)8)

 

Even then I still scrape my (90mm) splitter on the floor every time I go over a speed bump.

 

Also, the lower you make the car, the more bump steer you will get because you're altering the angle between the wishbone and the track rod.

 

40mm seems to be OK, although even with my saggy VAG stuff I get a fair bit of bump steer, so even lower will just make it worse.

 

You also need to consider how much you like your dentist, as lowering by a lot will mean that you need stiffer springs/shocks to stop the car bottoming out...;)

 

All very true but a 40mm drop onto some quality stuff gives a ride quality barely distinguishable from standard to be honest. Most tramlining and bumpsteer tendencies can be ironed out with geometry tweaking and using an appropriate wheel offsets, but huge wheels *cough* 8 x 17s *cough* will always cause some pretty drastic tramlining :lol:

[dinkus 10]

All very true but a 40mm drop onto some quality stuff gives a ride quality barely distinguishable from standard to be honest. Most tramlining and bumpsteer tendencies can be ironed out with geometry tweaking and using an appropriate wheel offsets

 

Which is why I'll be getting me some Konis with H&R springs when I can afford it... 8)

 

but huge wheels *cough* 8 x 17s *cough* will always cause some pretty drastic tramlining :lol:

 

Yeah, I guess you gotta compensate somehow Kev ;) :lol:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

What's your Dad compensating for with his 18s then? And father like son? :wink: