Fender Gap
 

So Im looking to lower my car here soon, but the question how much do I need to lower it if im on stock rims and tires?

I tried to search the forum but was unable to find what I was looking for.

Will an inch all around be enough? Or should I shoot for more in the rear?

Im just looking to get rid of most of the gap on the stock springs.

Personally, I think your car sits just fine the way it is .......:popcorn:

If you lower it:

That will cost money.

It will ride rougher.

You will have to be more careful about clearing things in the road (like speed bumps).

It will scrape going up and down some driveways.

If you lower your car, when you run into a parking stop, you will damage the front ..... instead of just scratching it.


Old humfrz has spoke ....... ;)

If I were you I'd spend some time in the suspension section as well as just flip through people's build threads. You'll find the info best suited to your needs that way.

Off the top of my head I'd recommend an Eibach spring set up, Pro or Sportline depending on just how much gap you really want to get rid of.

RS*R Superlow springs.
1.2 in front 1.4 in rear.
Could use some spacers still but not bad without them.
Rides a little rougher but not horrid.
Like the handling a bit better than stock.
Don't have any issues except with the highest speed bumps or really steep angled laneways.
Daily driver all year round.

lol my original post is poorly worded but you just told me what I needed to know. I blame it being late. >.>

Yours looks perfect. Im not trying to slam this thing.. I just want to get rid of that huge gap between my tire and the car.

Thanks Tcoat!! YOU DA MAN!

@Tcoat how bout them alignment specs

I've been kinda mia lately lol.

Fender Gap
 

I'm more interested in how much older humfrz is compare to Tcoat!


Back to topic check out Tein Flex Z or Flex A.
There is a review on the Z by CSG guys.
It's coming out soon & A is basically Z + hydraulic bump stopper so it will be a bit more comfy over the bumps/pothole compare to the most in that price range.

Goes in on Friday. Good thing you spoke up though because when I booked it I was wracking my brain as to who exactly wanted the info. I will sub this thread and throw them on here once I get the alignment done.

Hum is pink arrow I am blue


http://evolutionissues.com/images/ev...-of-humans.jpg

Well now, humfrz is 72 ...... don't know bout Tcoat ...... :D

About this lowering thing.

I have two reasons why I can't lower my car (even if I wanted to....;)).

One is my driveway, as shown below, ..... the other is that I have a hard enough time getting in and out of it the way that it is ..... :(

Nothing impresses the girls up at the shopping center, any more than to watch ol humfrz pull up and ...... "fall" out of his FR-S ..... :sigh:


Yep, lower em if ya can ..... :w00t:


humfrz

What did you buy to make it align-able? Did you get camber bolts for the front and LCAs for the rear?

It was all done at the dealer before I bought it but I understand that it was just the springs. Long story but for the first 4 months I had it I thought it was on TRD springs because that what the dealer wrote on the spec sheet. Wasn't until I noticed they were black and pulled the box with the stock ones in it out of my TRD exhaust box that I discovered what they really were.
From the research I did it seems that the amount of front and rear drop the RS*Rs give is the maximum that you should go without having to add bolts or LCAs. That would explain the weird heights since I doubt they randomly picked 1.2 and 1.4 inches. (why not just 1 and 1.5?)
So far all the non scientific indicators for poor alignment have been good. I am pushing 30K miles after 9 moths of driving and my tire wear is perfectly even all around, I have zero pull and the car tracks as straight as an arrow and there are no visual or audible signs of miss alignment.
I haven't been to worried but wanted to confirm that bolts or LCAs are still not needed so will have it checked at my next service visit this week.

Tcoat is a fit and still spry 56 years and has zero issue getting in and out of his lowered car. His not so fit 35 year old son-in-law however puts on a humfrz like show every single time he gets out.

I'll be interested to hear what you find - I've recently added TRD springs that have slightly less drop than your RS*Rs and am trying to decide if I should get a proper alignment.

LOL join the group! There seems to be a few. I find it funny because we are 3 years into these cars and we are still not sure about some basic things like safe drop heights. My previous research was pretty clear that TRD springs did not require any additional changes when running the stock wheels and tires. It did however get a little gray if changing tire sizes.

I think its a little undecided because while you don't absoulutely need camber adjustment with that little of a drop, it is likely necessary to get your camber even. Kind of a case by case basis and really depends on how picky you are about having matching camber on each side, and how much camber you wan't to begin with. For a DD it shouldn't matter.

You do however at least want an alignment to make sure your toe is good after any change. Each car ends up with different specs after dropping, so you can't really assume your specs are the same as someone elses on the same springs unless you get it aligned.

Just a rule of thumb for any vehicle. Anytime you lift or lower a vehicle get an alignment done. You'd be surprised how far off your toe can get from such a small drop.

Yes.
They did align mine after installing the springs (it was months before I bought it) and the records showed that it was done. What they didn't have was the sheet saying exactly what the numbers were after the alignment and this is what I am curious about. Not to mention that after driving on the snows for 4 months and through the winter conditions I would like to verify that I am indeed in as good position as it appears to be.

Heck, I was lowering cars, like my 1948 Chevy, (with 2" lowering blocks), when @Tcoat was still looking for his pacifier in his crib ....... :popcorn:


humfrz

My first lowered car was the wife's 76 Pacer. When the rear shocks blew and the springs both broke I just bolted a 4x4 between the axle and frame and called it a day. And people complain about a rough ride with coil overs!

Instead of lowering it, you can do what I did and put on 18x8.5 wheels to fill out the gap a bit more. I live in a town with some awful roads so I didn't want to lower it.

Pics in my sig.

I'm running TRD springs -- had it aligned about a week after install, added camber bolts up front + the oem 'crash bolt.' I asked to straighten out the toe and max out the camber up front, car feels amazing after alignment! I'm was able to get -1.9 for camber up front.


W/ the toe straightened out (at minimum, made equal on both sides), the car feels tighter going in a straight line. And w/ the added camber up front, grip feels improved in corner. Definitely worth it, imo.

I have the Eibach Pro Kit with 235/45/17 Conti's. It's not that low but this urethane bumper-bumper thing has saved my front end many times. I got it on ebay for like 79 bucks. Probably my most practical mod to date. Note what the bottom looks like.