Lowering my car - talk to me guys

Berty

What is involved in lowering a car?

How much work is involved?
Parts other than springs?

I want to go down enough for style really and improved handling would be a benefit also.

How much on average?

Ta

Neilw

What type of car do you have?

There are a few ways to go about it.

1. Lowering springs with standard dampers, the cheapest option.
2. Lowering springs and matched shorter stroke dampers.
3. Coilover's.

Stick with a good brand, eibach, kw, koni, h&r, bilstein.

Mr. darragh

what type of car have you got
if you go too low you car will be uncomfortable to drive,maybe your tyres will rub the arches,you can also upset the camber which will mean your tyres will ware out super fast

f you do it right your car will look better and be nicer to drive

bazz26

The easiest way imo to achieve this is to get a new set of lowered springs fitted. Eibach are a very good brand for aftermarket suspension springs, your probably looking at the bones of €400 to €500 to buy and have them fitted but it's been a good few years since I enquired about them so I could be way out.

Just becareful with how low you go for, make sure that the wheels are not rubbing against the arches when loaded down especially the rear if you ferry around rear passengers alot.

Should look nice on the A4 with the S-Line exterior bumpers and skirts.

CreepingDeath

Berty wrote: »

What is involved in lowering a car?

How much work is involved?

Just let the tyres down

Gary ITR

Berty wrote: »

What is involved in lowering a car?

How much work is involved?
Parts other than springs?

I want to go down enough for style really and improved handling would be a benefit also.

How much on average?

Ta

I went down 50mm on matched dampers and springs. The handling was greatly improved and it looked a million times better

Rocher

I've actually decided to do the same recently.

I've got a 3 door Golf 1.6 Highline. And I'd Like to lower it to somewhere in the region of a standard GTI (I've said this on another forum and been accused of wanting to impersonate a GTI.. this isnt the idea. Just like the Height of the GTI)

I reckon 30mm should be enough to achieve this.

If anyone knows any diferent let me know.

I'd have the same questions. How hard is it to do? And would you change the springs yourself or get a pro to do it?

mickdw

Dont go any lower than the lowest factory option for your car. If you do, your wheel camber will be wrong and handling will be poor too.
If you stick to a factory setting, you could get the proper alignment specs for that ride height and so you would be aboe to keep everything spot on.

david

mickdw wrote: »

Dont go any lower than the lowest factory option for your car. If you do, your wheel camber will be wrong and handling will be poor too.
If you stick to a factory setting, you could get the proper alignment specs for that ride height and so you would be aboe to keep everything spot on.

S-Line is the lowest factory option AFAIK

vectra

If I remember correctly when I was getting a new set of alloys fitted to a vectra i had I enquired about it and the guy that owned the place said never go more than 40mm.
Correct me if I am wrong

mickdw

vectra wrote: »

If I remember correctly when I was getting a new set of alloys fitted to a vectra i had I enquired about it and the guy that owned the place said never go more than 40mm.
Correct me if I am wrong

Generally that would be about right but be careful, Audi have various ride height ex factory. For example, the sport suspension option is different between here and uk and then S Line offers a different drop so if your car had any level of drop from new, it might only be possible to go another 10 - 15mm

tossy

You can go as low as you want as long as you do it right,but there is a line where it no longer enhances performance and would only be for looks alone.Alot of show cars would be on air suspension to drop them to the floor to look the dogs.

My car is way lower than any factory option,on premium brand coilovers,no uprated ARB or anything else.It handles superbly and i never get uneven tyre wear or any other adverse effects (apart from having to crawl over speed ramps )

mondeo

It's easy putting lowering springs in,, check out the speed bumps around your area though before you do it or you may end up see sawing over them...
Does make your car look so much better, lowered my 320i several months back and it looks great. coilovers would be a good thing other then just springs..

vectra

mickdw wrote: »

Generally that would be about right but be careful, Audi have various ride height ex factory. For example, the sport suspension option is different between here and uk and then S Line offers a different drop so if your car had any level of drop from new, it might only be possible to go another 10 - 15mm

I did mean to stress 40mm from Standard height
Sorry

legend365

Would you not need after-market shocks aswell?

Berty

david wrote: »

S-Line is the lowest factory option AFAIK

My S-line is not a real S-line in the sense that its only pack 4 which is only cosmetic. So, body-kit, alloys nothing else at all.

Gumbo

a good quality set of springs ie eibach, koni, etc etc will propably set you back about €150-€200. a set of eibach springs for my 320d is around the €170 mark.

then maybe add on €100 for a decent mechanic, my mate used to charge me €50 to fit springs but im sure that was mates rates.

about €300 should see you sorted give or take.

Dabko

quick question:

Why do folks lower cars? If performance wise, do people really drive at such greater speeds than normal folks that they need much better wind resistance and aerodynamic capability's?

Or is it all for the cool factor?

Never understood. I drive a factory spec 01 mondeo at 75 - 95mph everywhere and it handles better than anything ive ever driven. Thats in the country too not motor/dual carriage ways

cpoh1

Dabko wrote: »

quick question:

Why do folks lower cars? If performance wise, do people really drive at such greater speeds than normal folks that they need much better wind resistance and aerodynamic capability's?

Or is it all for the cool factor?

Never understood. I drive a factory spec 01 mondeo at 75 - 95mph everywhere and it handles better than anything ive ever driven. Thats in the country too not motor/dual carriage ways

There's a lot more going on when "lowering" a car than just making the car look lower. Ive got tein type flex coilovers on my dc5 and the mono flex's on the skyline, recently setup the suspension on the dc5, lowered it to 35mm front 40mm back, 3 degrees negative camber front, 2 degrees back, toe out 1mm front. The car is unrecognisable handling wise. Typically when you lower the car with a brand like eibach you are getting a stiffer spring rate improving handling, combined with a good performance road setup and the car will be vastly improved over standard.

Having been a regular driver of a mondeo myself for a few years you really dont know what you're missing motoring wise. Its like eating quorn and finally discovering sirloin steak!

Dabko

Fair enough.
I think i understand there are people who do it beacause they want to see how mechanically perfect they can get their motor to be. Its not about speed or the cool factor but a need for perfection, kinda the same way a precision engine builder will strip down a prodcution model just to see what he can make it do.

I suppose there are plenty of cool dude cocks out there lowering cars who still live with mammy and so they can impress 15 year old girls in pink track suits! They know swfa about what they are actually doing.

su_dios

vectra wrote: »

If I remember correctly when I was getting a new set of alloys fitted to a vectra i had I enquired about it and the guy that owned the place said never go more than 40mm.
Correct me if I am wrong

This would mostly apply to springs only. Any lower than 40mm and you'd need to get matched shocks as well as the factory ones won't be able to handle them for long.

I picked up the H&R Cup Kit a while ago which lowers it quite a bit but has matched shocks to deal with the drop. It no longer feels bouncy but if you're on a low profile tyre you need to make sure they're good tyres otherwise you'll be in for a rough ride.

tossy

Dabko wrote: »

quick question:

Why do folks lower cars? If performance wise, do people really drive at such greater speeds than normal folks that they need much better wind resistance and aerodynamic capability's?

Or is it all for the cool factor?

Never understood. I drive a factory spec 01 mondeo at 75 - 95mph everywhere and it handles better than anything ive ever driven. Thats in the country too not motor/dual carriage ways

I've just had a factory spec mondeo as a rental for a few days and its handling characteristics inspired zero confidence in me,the steering is wooly and the body roll was ship like.Its not the worse handling car i've ever been in though i will grant you that,the base model of my own car is 10 times worse.

I lower my cars for handling simple as,its not all about high speed corners,a lowered car will handle better at slow speeds too,you reduce the body roll so the car doesn't nose dive on braking,nor does it do the opposite on acceleration,the feed back from the road is improved 10 fold and overall it makes the driving experience more pure and enjoyable,i love driving!

The fact a car looks better lowered is only a nice bonus.

niceirishfella

Grrrrrrrrrrrrreat, its all fantastic lowering cars.............until your back hurts,your cars ride is ruined and you bottom out somewhere damaging the bodywork or undercarriage of your car.
Lowering cars on Irish Roads is mad (to me anyways).

tossy

You have a lot of experience lowering cars you do?

You are actually less likely to bottom out if you lower a car properly than you are in a standard set up,unless of course you are driving around like an idiot thinking you are a rally driver trying to get air of bridges!

My back never hurts,even after a long journey,i never even get out of the car with a cramp,nice figure hugging Recaros sort that one out.The couple of days i spent in the bog standard flat seats in the Mondeo was worse(again no offense to Mondeo drivers,its just the closest reference i have for comparison)

Like i said earlier the ride is not ruined far from it,improved no end.True i have to crawl over speed bumps and on certain rural roads i have to take it easy,but that's not a bad thing.

niceirishfella

tossy wrote: »

You have a lot of experience lowering cars you do?

You are actually less likely to bottom out if you lower a car properly than you are in a standard set up,unless of course you are driving around like an idiot thinking you are a rally driver trying to get air of bridges!

My back never hurts,even after a long journey,i never even get out of the car with a cramp,nice figure hugging Recaros sort that one out.The couple of days i spent in the bog standard flat seats in the Mondeo was worse(again no offense to Mondeo drivers,its just the closest reference i have for comparison)

Like i said earlier the ride is not ruined far from it,improved no end.True i have to crawl over speed bumps and on certain rural roads i have to take it easy,but that's not a bad thing.

Tossy,
I have oooooodles of experience:pac:
You're entitled to your opinion as you demonstrated.
Am I not entitled to mine? This is a discussion board surely?:rolleyes:

tossy

You are entitled to it,i never said you weren't.Am i not entitled to question it?

In my experience if you lower a car the right way you will improve it,if you lower it the wrong way or scrimp on costs you will make it worse.

cpoh1

niceirishfella wrote: »

Grrrrrrrrrrrrreat, its all fantastic lowering cars.............until your back hurts,your cars ride is ruined and you bottom out somewhere damaging the bodywork or undercarriage of your car.
Lowering cars on Irish Roads is mad (to me anyways).

Wow! 30mm lower and all these things happen with your car. To say lowering a car ruins the ride in your car and causes back complaints is as big a sweeping statement as they come. Ask most car owners who go for aftermarket suspension and they'll tell you the ride can actually be improved as well as handling. It certainly did when I installed my tein monoflex's over the standard spring/shock combo from nissan.

There's a big difference between lowering your car 30-40mm with a better set of shocks/springs and get her set up for fast road use and someone buying cheap springs and dropping their car 80mm on standard shocks. And ive never heard of 3cm lower cars with aftermarkets springs causing back complaints either. Eibach springs are well known for improving both ride comfort and handling while using standard shocks. I would venture to say you dont have half as much "experience" as you like to make out!

niceirishfella

tossy wrote: »

You are entitled to it,i never said you weren't.Am i not entitled to question it?

In my experience if you lower a car the right way you will improve it,if you lower it the wrong way or scrimp on costs you will make it worse.

@CPOH, lots of bitter experience. But, here (amongst the experts like you),shure, you're not going to listen!
It don't matter if you spend shed loads or take an angle grinder to the springs, Irish Road surfaces are not suited to lowering cars.
On the upside, Cars look good lowered,handle better on good surfaces etc etc.

Ferris

Are Eibach, H&R, Tein etc springs generally progressive rate, i.e. their K-value or springyness increases the more they're compressed?

cashmni1

Berty wrote: »

My S-line is not a real S-line in the sense that its only pack 4 which is only cosmetic. So, body-kit, alloys nothing else at all.

koni gas fully adjustable shocks and standard Audi S-line springs for your car is the right job for you Berty. (AFAIK you have an A4..correct me if I am wrong)
I have a passat sport and the height of the car sets it apart from other Passats in my view. The handling is better but not by much. It's just a little stiffer than an ordinary passat, which is woeful.
The above combo should allow you to adjust the stiffness of the shocks and the height will be just like an s-line, if that's what you want.
Other than that you will be talking big money to lower it any more.
good luck with it. (Its worth it BTW)