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+--- Thread: Lowering My Car? (/showthread.php?tid=3457)
Lowering My Car? - Canadian ST - 04-24-2008
Well like the title says im considering lowering my car but to be honest I don't know alot about the effects it will have on the car. First off its a daily driver (600km a week) So I don't want to be bounced all over the place. Ford racing has the dampers for the 08's and I heard Eibach is coming out with springs for the summer. What I want to do is get rid of the body roll, the car handles sharper in turn in and road feel is better but there is a ton more roll compared to my 07 ST.
If I could get some feedback on the pros and cons to lowering a car (Besides just looks). From what I've read its better to get dampers and spring that match each other. Also do I wait a couple of weeks to get an alignment after the install or get it done write away?
Thanks alot. :D
Lowering My Car? - ZTWsquared - 04-24-2008
Canadian ST,Apr 23 2008, 02:57 PM Wrote:Well like the title says im considering lowering my car but to be honest I don't know alot about the effects it will have on the car. First off its a daily driver (600km a week) So I don't want to be bounced all over the place. Ford racing has the dampers for the 08's and I heard Eibach is coming out with springs for the summer. What I want to do is get rid of the body roll, the car handles sharper in turn in and road feel is better but there is a ton more roll compared to my 07 ST.I did the Eibach pro-kit on my '07 wagon, which is my daily driver, and frankly I like it better than stock. It is certainly comfortable enough but the response is much sharper, the control is better (even with stock dampers) and of course it looks better - especially with 17s.
If I could get some feedback on the pros and cons to lowering a car (Besides just looks). From what I've read its better to get dampers and spring that match each other. Also do I wait a couple of weeks to get an alignment after the install or get it done write away?
Thanks alot. :D
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I wouldn't hesitate to do it again ... my setup remained within normal range for alignment purposes at the front, and I used the alignment kit at the back, so tire wear has not been an issue. I now have about 25k and I think the stock dampers are near the end of their life (so that would be premature wear but also includes time on the track) but I found a set of ST dampers for the front in the U.S. (made in Spain) for $110 for the pair. The only thing I think I would do differently next time is change out the sway bars at the same time ... and more for the track than on the road.
I got my alignment at the same time as the installation for convenience sake and because my installer gave me a deal ... I haven't felt that it has since gone out of alignment - tracks perfectly even at speeds up to 190, which is the top speed for my car at Mosport.
Lowering My Car? - naz - 04-24-2008
IMHO..
pros: car feels better (less body roll), car looks better
cons: cost, car potentially handles worse if you pick dumb parts (ie H&R race springs on stock dampers.. Tein S-tech springs), you prob weren't maxing out your stock car in the first place so you would have gotten more actual performance out of better tires, apparently weight transfer happens faster so you get less time to figure it out and its harder to learn
again IMHO, wrap the OE wheels in some stickies, get a performance alignment and maybe get a larger OE rear sway bar if available and call it a day until you have enough seat time / tech knowledge to pick parts yourself without asking the interweb
Lowering My Car? - Canadian ST - 04-24-2008
naz,Apr 23 2008, 06:12 PM Wrote:IMHO..
pros: car feels better (less body roll), car looks better
cons: cost, car potentially handles worse if you pick dumb parts (ie H&R race springs on stock dampers.. Tein S-tech springs), you prob weren't maxing out your stock car in the first place so you would have gotten more actual performance out of better tires, apparently weight transfer happens faster so you get less time to figure it out and its harder to learn
again IMHO, wrap the OE wheels in some stickies, get a performance alignment and maybe get a larger OE rear sway bar if available and call it a day until you have enough seat time / tech knowledge to pick parts yourself without asking the interweb
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I know seat time is a big thing, as far as tires go I'm going to keep the stock tires on the car until they wear out (by next summer). I have already put on 4'000km in the first month I had the car.
As far as a rear swaybar I was thinking of the 22mm Progress swaybar but I don't know if it will fit my car. I talked to the guys at Focusport and the H&R sway bars fit the 08 so I assume the other will too. :blink:
I have pushed the car on some familiar back roads and I hate how much body roll there is especially in the rear end, so maybe a swaybar would be a good starting point.
Lowering My Car? - naz - 04-24-2008
Canadian ST,Apr 23 2008, 10:44 PM Wrote:I have pushed the car on some familiar back roads and I hate how much body roll there is especially in the rear end, so maybe a swaybar would be a good starting point.
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yes the rear bar would help with the body lean in the rear of the vehicle.
i'm not sure how the '08 focus has changed from the '00 focus but my '00 zx3 rolled a LOT but it was clear the stock tires were very much the limiting factor to increased cornering speeds and not the stock suspension...
Lowering My Car? - NikiterZTS - 04-25-2008
get alignment asap after install........i did it in the same day
Lowering My Car? - AckermaNzx3 - 05-31-2008
if youre looking for better performance without ruining ride integrity get some good tires...stock ones suck
Lowering My Car? - Jmountney1 - 09-12-2008
I have coils overs in my 2000 zx3 with them all the down giving me like 5in of ground clearance and 195 50 r15 on it so it rides like a bag of s***. sooo stiff
I would stay a way from lower end coil overs and get struts