Lowered Car + Winter Driving =??? - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

aghuman · 03-08-2015, 10:46 AM

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?

Bergen23 · 03-08-2015, 11:20 AM

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

aghuman · 03-08-2015, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bergen23

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?

Tcoat · 03-08-2015, 11:45 AM

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!!!!

WhiteFRS69 · 03-08-2015, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aghuman

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

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

pushrod · 03-08-2015, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aghuman

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?

Is this a serious question?

Brndn704 · 03-08-2015, 12:14 PM

lol. nahhhhh.

ntron1 · 03-08-2015, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aghuman

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?

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

Bergen23 · 03-08-2015, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aghuman

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

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.

dentalprodigy · 03-08-2015, 03:21 PM

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.

Tcoat · 03-08-2015, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bergen23

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.

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

aghuman · 03-08-2015, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tcoat

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!!!!

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.

adamg · 03-08-2015, 09:18 PM

LOL this is my winter height

Felix7007 · 03-11-2015, 02:30 PM

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.... -_-

03-08-2015, 10:46 AM	#1
aghuman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Drives: 2013 Asphalt FR-S Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 222 Thanks: 116 Thanked 53 Times in 30 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	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?

03-08-2015, 11:45 AM	#4
Tcoat Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Drives: 2020 Hakone Location: London, Ont Posts: 69,841 Thanks: 61,656 Thanked 108,295 Times in 46,456 Posts Mentioned: 2499 Post(s) Tagged: 50 Thread(s)	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!!!! Attached Images __________________ Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar, because Racecar.

03-08-2015, 03:21 PM	#10
dentalprodigy Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Drives: 00 Accord LX, 14 FRS Location: NJ Posts: 150 Thanks: 126 Thanked 24 Times in 20 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	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. __________________

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03-08-2015, 11:20 AM	#2
Bergen23 Banned Join Date: Dec 2014 Drives: '15 Halo FR-S Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,317 Thanks: 922 Thanked 950 Times in 492 Posts Mentioned: 22 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Just gotta watch for the ice chunks that fall from wheel wells.

03-08-2015, 12:14 PM	#7
Brndn704 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Drives: 2013 Scion FR-S Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 622 Thanks: 72 Thanked 564 Times in 271 Posts Mentioned: 6 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	lol. nahhhhh.

03-08-2015, 09:18 PM	#13
adamg Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Drives: brz Location: United States Posts: 780 Thanks: 194 Thanked 405 Times in 212 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	LOL this is my winter height

03-11-2015, 02:30 PM	#14
Felix7007 Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Drives: Scion FR-S Black Location: Maryland Posts: 50 Thanks: 1 Thanked 11 Times in 9 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	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.... -_-

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