Opinions on lowering?

[Force1stiptoppe]

I just purchased some new 17 inch rims (205/40/17 tires) and am looking to get it lowered, ive heard a "caster camber" can be an issue if its not done right, but im also looking for a price that isnt TOO out of this world. ide like to get it lowered around 1.5 inches, and was wondering what is the best way to go about this?, ive seen springs on ebay for 100$ or so, that people have said worked, or have messed with their "caster camber." and ive seen lowering kits for 400-800$ which is WAY more then i am looking to pay. ide like to get opinions from any of u guys that have had this before and what has worked for u? is it worth paying that $400-800, or can i find something with just as good of quality that will last, and not mess things up for cheaper? thanks, any help appreciated

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[TheOtherDave™]

Originally Posted by Force1stiptoppe

I just purchased some new 17 inch rims (205/40/17 tires) and am looking to get it lowered, ive heard a "caster camber" can be an issue if its not done right, but im also looking for a price that isnt TOO out of this world. ide like to get it lowered around 1.5 inches, and was wondering what is the best way to go about this?, ive seen springs on ebay for 100$ or so, that people have said worked, or have messed with their "caster camber." and ive seen lowering kits for 400-800$ which is WAY more then i am looking to pay.


ide like to get opinions from any of u guys that have had this before and what has worked for u? is it worth paying that $400-800, or can i find something with just as good of quality that will last, and not mess things up for cheaper?

thanks, any help appreciated

First off, welcome to the board.

Suspension tuning is something that cannot be done half-assed.
The springs and shocks must be tuned to work with one another.

The stiffness of a spring must take the weight of the car into account as well as it's suspension design and chassis clearances. Furthermore, that springs "rate" (the rate at which the spring compresses - usually measured in lbs/inch or kg/mm) must be matched to the correct shock damping rate.

If a low-rate, softer spring is paired with a stiff damper, the damper will wear out rapidly. You'll have a jarring ride at first, followed by utter mush.
Conversely, if a high-rate, stiffer spring is used with a softer damper, the ride will be choppy at best as the damper is unable to dampen the cyclical compression-rebound cycle of the spring.

This fundamental concept is why 99% of the eBay "no-name" bargain springs are total and utter crap.

They are not designed with a specific damper in mind and are usually made from substandard steel. Unless you luck out and find a damper that works with these "no-name" springs, you're pissing your money away, IMHO.
The eBay coilover "sleeves" are even worse. The spring perches often corrode and jam, leaving you with reduced suspension travel and blown dampers.

In short, you get what you pay for if you try to do this cheaply.
---

Now that I'm done with the cautionary tale of suspension woes, let me offer a few bargain solutions.

1) KYB GR2 dampers, H&R SportLine Springs:
The dampers are non-adjustable, but they are designed with shorter pistons to allow for about 1.5" of lowering. The H&R SportLine Springs are about 20% stiffer than OEM, so they'll make a difference, without being overly harsh.
Budget: $500 - 650

2) Ground Control Coilover Sleeves, KONI Yellow Dampers.
In this setup, the dampers are adjustable (compression and rebound simulataneously), as is the ride height. Ground Control is one of the firms that is very concious about matching their springs to a specific model of damper, taking the guess-work out of the equation. The additional benefit of the coilover sleeves is the ability to "corner-weight" the car.
[It's a process of equalizing the weight transfer rate between the corners of the car, but that's for another time. If you're not planning to auto-cross the car, it's probably overkill.]
Budget: $700-800

3) Threaded body, adjustable coilover dampers- E.g; TEIN Super Street
These pair the versatility of the #2 setup with a greater range of tuning adjustablity. The SS damper still adjusts rebound and compression rates together, but the degree of adjustability is more precise. TEIN also markets the EDFC, a computer controlled set of stepper motors that allow in-car adjustment of the damping rates on the move. Also, the majority of these dampers are capable of being fully overhauled by the manfuacturer.
Budget: $900-up
---

I know I've ignored the camber & caster adjustment issue.
I'll get to it in a bit.
Yes, I'll be brief.

[Provocateur]

The camber kits will probably be needed for a drop of that height. For the front, I recommend Omnipower or Skunk2 because they completely replace the upper control arm and are easier to adjust. The Omnipower is a little cheaper, so you may want to look into that first. For the rear, I recommend the Ingalls kit. It is a good build quality and is simple to adjust. These camber kits will run you around $250, so you need to consider this expense on top of the springs/struts/coilovers.

Also, keep in mind that the car will most likely need to be aligned afterwards regardless of whether you buy a camber kit or not.

[rugsr]

spend the cash! i paid i think 300 for full coilovers and shocks on EBAY. nice stance, but the ride is disgusting! Up here in NY we have pot holes all over the place. ive already dented the rim(on 40s). its just toooooooooo ruff. next goal is upgraded suspension. probably around 1300. should have just waited=(

[Ninj4r]

Just want to say that the write up T.O.Dave gave was a very generous layout of his knowledge. Appreciate it!

My friends teg has the ground control set up..
stance is intimidating, and the ride is fine... it's what i'm gonna be going with..

just tossing in my .02 I guess...

you'll learn real quick that a lotta ppl here are really informative, but Dave & Schmoo are real informative when it comes to getting an answer.

[Swisher]

If your getting 17 inch rims your car will look lower because most of yuor wheel well will be taken up by your rims/tires. Also you may not be able to lower the car much with the rims. Id get your rims first and see how it looks, then lower it if you want.