Do you scrape a lot? Is it worth it?

[Will BRZ]

Hello everyone. Recently got a 2015 BRZ Limited in white and I love it more with every mile I put on it. Couldn't ask for a better daily honestly. I plan to keep it mechanically stock for many reasons,(maybe an exhaust lol), but I do want to lower it a bit, put some aftermarket wheels and maybe a lip or something. A couple days ago, I scraped pretty bad for the first time. Nothing crazy but I did cringe pretty bad. I want a meaner stance and better handling but I don't want to be scraping everywhere. Do you guys have similar issues? Is it worth it or should I just keep it at stock height with aftermarket wheels and tires? Sorry if I'm beating a dead horse kinda new here Any opinions would be highly appreciated.

-Will

[Clipdat]

[Brink]

I'm stock height with a front lip and I can usually avoid scraping the lip if I'm careful, but it's always close - I feel like the length of the front overhang is more of a problem than just the height. As much as I like the appearance of the lip it definitely does take away from the ease of dailying the car - have to be careful with which driveways I go up and down, how I approach them, which way I'm turning when exiting a driveway to angle the exit properly etc. or I will scrape. Pretty sure if I was lowered even 3/4" or so I'd have torn off the front lip by now. It's working for me so far but just remember you're going to have to plan your approach every time you go up or down a driveway.

[Mr.ac]

It's really up to you.
Can you live with scraping your lip?
Or will you freak out, cry and moan and ask how to repair road scraps.

[86MLR]

My car is lowered 20mm, it scrapes the mid pipe (2.5") on the rare occasion.

[extrashaky]

Just lower the suspension but swap in 18" rims with tires the right height to bring it back to stock height. That'll give you the more aggressive look you want without actually making you more likely to scrape. If you use a light enough rim you won't increase your rotational mass to affect acceleration enough to notice.

[Leonardo]

I'm lowered 1.25 inch. I don't scrape... Much.

I used to have a few cars that were Slammed though. I can drive a lowered car with a kit.... An old school Fiberglass kit.

[8RZ]

Yes and yes.

[Gunman]

The "value" of being lower, is 100% up to you.

Coming from the minitruck scene, scraping is a badge of honor!! LOL My wife says I had a big grin on my face, the first time I scraped over a speed bump, after I lowered the car.

[bcj]

Lowering will reduce handling parameters.
Who told you it would make handling better.

You need to get new friends. Immediately.

[Sasquachulator]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

Just lower the suspension but swap in 18" rims with tires the right height to bring it back to stock height. That'll give you the more aggressive look you want without actually making you more likely to scrape. If you use a light enough rim you won't increase your rotational mass to affect acceleration enough to notice.

I don't think it works that way unless you don't care if your speedometer is out of whack.

The car is low enough as it is, I dunno if I would want to lower it due to that factor. Theres curbs and speedbumps I wouldn't want to get stuck on.
But at the same time the wheel gap is pretty big at stock height. I just find that all the available springs and stuff drops it too much.

[JeremyR]

Originally Posted by bcj

Lowering will reduce handling parameters.
Who told you it would make handling better.

You need to get new friends. Immediately.

It's bad to give out misinformation. A lowered twin with the correct suspension mods will out handle a stock twin.



As for scraping; don't go up steep driveways, take things at an angle if possible. avoid speed bumps. Park on the street when you can. Avoid places where you know the roads/driveways/speed bumps will damage your car. There's a kind of art form to driving a low car and not scraping it.

I'm on 18s and don't scrape. I also drive around town slowly and take all driveways at an almost 90* angle. I can make it over most speed bumps fine, but it it looks to be high than I avoid it. I also don't have a front lip yet though so that helps with ground clearance. Anything less than 3" will give you trouble if you're not cautious.

[bcj]

Originally Posted by JeremyR

It's bad to give out misinformation. A lowered twin with the correct suspension mods will out handle a stock twin.

Ditto.

Under specific track conditions, three times until the mis-aligned CV joints explode.
Lowering reduces suspension travel.

[re-animator]

Originally Posted by bcj

Lowering will reduce handling parameters.
Who told you it would make handling better.

You need to get new friends. Immediately.

it depends how low you go. i think anyone who has driven a before/after on lowering springs will tell you the handling improves on a ~1 inch drop. most performance coilover kits have a max height that is still around .75" lower than stock. i would say if you have proper damping ~.75-1.25" below stock is probably the ideal from a pure handling standpoint, but but scraping is an issue and it costs $$$ to get good damping with that level of suspension travel.