Lowered Car + Winter Driving =???
 

Any thoughts by members who have lowered their car and drive through winter, I really want to drop an inch or so but am concerned about ground clearance. Has anyone had any issues?

Just gotta watch for the ice chunks that fall from wheel wells.

Any particular reason I'd have to watch for that more with my car lowered?

Like Berg said except you that you have to watch for them at stock height anyway so lowered just means you have to watch for even smaller chunks. I did take a nasty hit on the side of my bumper from an ice chunk frozen to the ground and hidden by fresh snow. Would have had the same thing happen if at stock height though it just would have been an inch lower on the bumper.
I am lowered more than an inch and had zero driving issues all winter even with a couple of falls of 14 inches or so. This is with 2 trips a week from London to Windsor on the 401.
Just make sure you have good snows on it and play snow plow!
Worth it just to see the look and people face when you blast by the AWD with all seasons on it that is stuck in the deep snow!!!!

to be honest no, i have to dodge them as in and im at stock height...

if anything with a lower car, you have more of a chance to damage your front bumper

Is this a serious question?

lol. nahhhhh.

Nope...Bought a 4 x 4....

Well, I'm lowered almost 2". Just freaks me out more than before I was lowered because I see my front bumper exploding in a blaze of glory whenever I go over a large looking ice chunk.

Post snow roads around me have left humongous pot holes around my area. I'm at stock height and despite my best efforts at dodging pot holes routinely hit a 1-2 of them every couple of days. It sounds and feels like you your bumper just came off. The situation is especially worse with might driving because many times you notice the crater when it's too late.

Personal opinion, I wouldn't lower the car esp if pot holes is a concern. It's low enough as it is.

And that noise as they bounce under the whole length of the car!

Thanks for the tips, I haven't had any issues in 2 seasons so far driving at stock ride height, I watch for ice an large objects anyways since the car is low even at stock height.

LOL this is my winter height
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8669/...14277a14_c.jpg

I live in Maryland and my FR-S that is lowered (1.4" Eibach) and on snow tires (Blizzak WS70 215 R17) continues to sit in my driveway because I can't back out. I don't even see snow under my tire. I mean look, you can even see the rocks where the tire dug in so its obviously contacting my driveway. my driveway is flat by the way. I am absolutely baffled at how others are able to drive in the snow. I wasted a lot of money on tires and rims. Thinking about trading the snow tires in for R compound for HPDE if I can find someone to do it. As far as ride height, I can't help you because ride height is not the problem, its traction. I purchased my parents 2009 4Runner before winter and its an absolute beast. That 9" we just had? No problem.


It just occurred to me that I would have more traction pushing the car.... -_-


https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...FRS%20Snow.jpg

You're on blizzaks and you can't get traction? Something doesn't add up. It's probably the ride height.

Hard to tell from the pics, but, are those alloys or hubcabs on steelies? Either way, I like the look.

ride height has nothing to do with traction. unless theres 6"+ of snow on the ground. than nothing but suv's and trucks are moving

hubcaps on steelies. Tcoat likes to show off his winter setup since winter is 11 months a year where he lives :party0030:

I am at 1.3" lowered (usually just round off to the 1/2 inch though) and have plowed through snow at every depth up to 14 inches without even a pause so ride height doesn't account for it.
I also have the cheapest snows known to man on it (long story) which gives me zero performance abilities but absolutely rock in deep snow and on ice.

Ya since I got it in August and the snows went on in October I don't even really know what the summer tires are like any more!
And the hub caps were a Christmas present from the wife so I am not near brave enough to say I am not using them!

LOL, I'm not that far away (Breslau is about an hour away near Kitchener/Waterloo/Guelph/ Cambridge), I'm on steelies as well and was curious where he got them.

They actually don't look bad - better than bare steel.


I wish that I could get my wife to buy car parts. I guess she would figure that she is an enabler then.

Cheap Canadian Tire caps. They actually sort of grew on me and don't look tooooo horrid when they are clean. Must admit I have considered having them all "stolen" while at work a few times but wife would just surprise me with new ones so why bother.

Maybe someday both of us will get summer upgrades and then turn the OEM wheels into the winter rims.

Nah. I am running 16 inch to give a little more sidewall. Know it isn't a lot of difference but I have never had a single problem so not going to mess with the set up.
Had more then one of my twice a week trips to Windsor on the 401 that it was just me and the transports (and not even all of them made it) that were still moving. I could almost hear the AWD guys with their "all seasons" stuck on the side of the highway cursing me as I motored on past them.

Running 16" as well for winter for the same reason, but, I keep thinking that I might upgrade to 18 inchers for the summer and then at least make use of the OEM rims. The only limiting factor is $$$$, so, it really isn't an option for the foreseeable future.

I have changed my mind on rims so many times that I just know that as soon as I get some I will see different ones I like better.
So... I am just going to stick to stock and maybe just plastidip them to get rid of the silver. I really don't mind them on the lowered car and a set of spacers to bring them out a bit should make me happy enough.

I'm well aware. But I do not see any other reason for why he wouldn't be able to pull out of his driveway on blizzaks. I got some cheap dunlop winters and I've plowed through 6'+ of snow

he's probably exaggerating/ scared to drive his car in the snow to be honest since many of us have done it/ do it all winter long

How am I scared if you can clearly tell my tires have been spinning in place? I made every effort to get out without resorting to a shovel or salt (Because I don't believe I should have to with these tires). On a side note, It's been 62 degrees in Maryland for a couple days now and my driveway melted. Was able to pull out this morning and drive to work in the FR-S for the first time in a month which feels amazing. Putting my Michelin Super Sports on this weekend.

Not trying to imply that you don't know what you are doing so please bare with me on this!
Did you turn your traction control off when you started spinning?
I have had a pile of guys ask how I drive with no issues in deep snow and they keep getting stuck and almost every one of them was trying to drive with the traction control on. That is a sure recipe for not getting moving in snow or on ice. I do of course turn it back on once I am free of the deep stuff.

I am a huge believer in turning traction control off when stuck in snow. I've gotten stuck on a hill twice and both times had to turn TC off to get going (That was on stock tires too >.>). But yea I turned TC off trying to get out.

First thing I do when I start the car (year round) is turn TC off......

I had no issue as long as I had snow tires on:
https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...6f&oe=55BCB643

https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...fd&oe=5576297A