Lowering

Crapweasel · Postby **Crapweasel** » Sat Feb 19, 2011 9:59 pm

I'm thinking about lowering the SE - it's just in the pipe dream phase currently, but I've researched and know that the minimum clearance on the lowest part of the car in QLD is 100mm, and according to the specs I've found, ground clearance, fully laden with stock suspension is 101.6mm (4" on the US Spec page).

Does anyone know if the car can legally be lowered to look like the below pics, which is about enough to close the clearance between the rear wheel and rear guard somewhat, and give a better stance, and still comply with the 100mm clearance rule?

Any ridicule, ricer calls and friendly digs etc most welcome, and if there's any pieces of good advice in there, I'll appreciate it!

What I'm thiinking of aiming for - maybe a tad higher, but not much:

mr bender · Postby **mr bender** » Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:15 pm

just do it!

Lokiel · Postby **Lokiel** » Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:34 pm

Be very wary of going too low.

When I got my BC coilovers installed I used the default height which was Front: 315mm(12.4"), Rear:310mm(12.2"). This was too low and I dragged my arse over every speed hump.

Keith Tanner from FM recommends that the rear be 0.5" higher than the front (Goodwin recommends 0.25") since that's how the car was designed. He also recommends a ride height ranging from 12" front and 12.5" rear to 12.5" front and 13" rear for NA/NBs.

Since I was happy with the front, I adjusted the rears to 327mm(12.7") - or damn close to that. Now there are still a couple of speed humps I still need to be aware of and I have to approach driveways with dips or humps very slowly.

Brisbane is very hilly and some of the roads aren't that great so my advice is NOT to go too low.

Uncle Arthur · Postby **Uncle Arthur** » Sun Feb 20, 2011 10:59 am

To get a really good looking (lowered) ride height where the wheels sit nicely in the line of the guards like the photo, you will end up lower than the required 100mm. Your biggest challenge will be the chassis rails. However, in 10 years I've been challenged on it once - so I had my Koni's tweaked with coil height adjustable sleeves.

But, if you like the look, then just do it.

zossy1 · Postby **zossy1** » Sun Feb 20, 2011 12:57 pm

No ricer calls - only a *high five* from me

Can't agree more with what my erstwhile colleagues above have said.

Obviously the best option is hight-adjustable coilovers so that you can control the height you end up at. Find the nastiest speed bump you commonly traverse and measure the clearance you have there (remember to do this with someone your weight sitting in the car - and maybe a passenger too if you want to be really careful). This will then give you an idea of how low you can safely go.

Good luck!

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Sun Feb 20, 2011 9:11 pm

As Lokiel said, the limit for best handling is about 12". The US and Oz track brigades tend to agree that around 12.5" front with rear 0.25" higher works best.

Below 12" you'll be compromising handling and convenience for looks but, hey, it's your car. It won't be undriveable until the belly is almost dragging on the ground and the body is resting on the tyres.

jerrah · Postby **jerrah** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 2:01 am

Where are the ride height measurements taken from? I'd be interested in raising my car if more performance is there to be had.

My konis are on the middle perch with king springs & my frame rails take a beating...

MINX · Postby **MINX** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 8:21 am

Hey Pete.
I have my oem 17 racing harts back on atm , to use up my tyres at Lakeside next Monday.
Catch up with me sometime and check out my height and handling.

Stu

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 11:56 am

The ride height measurement is the vertical distance from the centre of the wheel hub to the inside of the fender lip.

29OCC · Postby **29OCC** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 10:50 pm

I live in Brisbane and have been looking at buying coilovers for my nb8b for quite some time now...

BC and Tein SS seem to be popular choices, I'm lost for choice however... any light to be shed on good coilovers?

Hammer · Postby **Hammer** » Tue Feb 22, 2011 8:17 am

I'd love to lower my NB just a tad, but as it is, it's already bottoming out if I'm not careful on certain roads that I drive on regularly (not to mention the local shopping centres). :frown:

Tezzax5 · Postby **Tezzax5** » Tue Feb 22, 2011 8:19 am

24OGL wrote:I live in Brisbane and have been looking at buying coilovers for my nb8b for quite some time now...

BC and Tein SS seem to be popular choices, I'm lost for choice however... any light to be shed on good coilovers?

Happy to take you for a run in the SP on saturday if your around

australian spec Tein SS + edfc

t

Lokiel · Postby **Lokiel** » Tue Feb 22, 2011 10:29 am

Tezza, what's your opinion on the Tein EDFC option? Is it worthwhile?

When I was looking into coilovers I dismissed the option since I figured that in practice you'd only end up using two dampening settings, one for the track and one for the road so the cost wasn't worth it (plus there's additional effort routing the controller from within the cabin to the EDFC motors). The BC coilovers can be adjused via a knob at the top of the strut so it's not a big drama to adjust these prior to getting in the car.

ie. Do you find yourself adjusting the dampening much?

Tezzax5 · Postby **Tezzax5** » Tue Feb 22, 2011 11:33 am

Lokiel wrote:Tezza, what's your opinion on the Tein EDFC option? Is it worthwhile?

When I was looking into coilovers I dismissed the option since I figured that in practice you'd only end up using two dampening settings, one for the track and one for the road so the cost wasn't worth it (plus there's additional effort routing the controller from within the cabin to the EDFC motors). The BC coilovers can be adjused via a knob at the top of the strut so it's not a big drama to adjust these prior to getting in the car.

ie. Do you find yourself adjusting the dampening much?

Absolutely love the ability of adjusting on the fly..
Routing the wires took maybe 20 minutes?
I had this setup in my old NA8 so it just made sense to fit it.
As most people know track days aren't my thing but travelling down the M1 just getting a nice supple ride out of the car and then when a set of bends or hills appear.. :wink:

Skid pans where you need to adjust balance can be done in real time while your on the move is another positive.
It also comes in handy in traffic light derbies..being able to set up weight transfer helps for a clean getaway when you are still running the original open diff (Not that i would ever participate in such things :lol:

)
We also have adaptive suspension on the VW gti but for the way i use cars my personal preference would have to be the Tein system
VW's is just too firm on the hard setting for road use.