to drop or not to drop

[armykyle1]

To drop my Car to this hieght its going to cost me upwards of 600 to 700
The struts are roughly 100 each and the springs are 200-230. I'm considering just saving a bit and just putting new struts on the rear sense they're the most funked up lol. I just don't know if 600-700 is worth 1.6", i mean if that was 1.6" to my dick hell yea it'd be worth it lol.

Pics
stock height


what it should look like dropped

[dumpy]

I personally love the look of slammed cars so I would do it. But its your money

[armykyle1]

Originally Posted by dumpy

I personally love the look of slammed cars so I would do it. But its your money

i found a full strut bag kit for 2300, FB,SS switches, lines, tank, strut bags

nice looking kit too, but 2300.....

[perfect_prefect]

a 1.6" drop sounds like a performance drop not a looks based drop to me. i would drop it and put a new pair of shoes on it to fill the wheel well

[armykyle1]

Originally Posted by perfect_prefect

a 1.6" drop sounds like a performance drop not a looks based drop to me. i would drop it and put a new pair of shoes on it to fill the wheel well

I'm 99% sure if I went to 18s they'd rub, and those are new wheels lol.

yea they're H&R sport springs and another brand but I can't remember

[666WMD]

Why don't you get your existing springs compressed? If you aren't after performance then it's the cheap option.

[armykyle1]

Originally Posted by 666WMD

Why don't you get your existing springs compressed? If you aren't after performance then it's the cheap option.

I've heard alot of bad things about doing this. Plus I would like better handling. I've got cross drill/slotted rotors, ceramic pads, really good kumho tires, putting diff sway bar links on this weekend, beefier control arms in the front. I've found some SS braided brake lines that I can make work. I'd really like to find some strut tower braces.

[666WMD]

Originally Posted by armykyle1

I've heard alot of bad things about doing this. Plus I would like better handling. I've got cross drill/slotted rotors, ceramic pads, really good kumho tires, putting diff sway bar links on this weekend, beefier control arms in the front. I've found some SS braided brake lines that I can make work. I'd really like to find some strut tower braces.

I'm sort of confused about the point of this thread then. If you want better performance, then dropping it will give better handling due to a lower center of gravity. Thus you'll have to pay for it.

Also, putting it on 18's won't make it rub if you put the appropriate profile tires on it. Increase the rim, decrease the tire profile. The diameter and width will stay much the same. Some say lower profile tires make the handling worse, which is a valid point, but I think it's all dependent on the road surfaces you drive on.
Personal experience tells me going from 15's to 18's and dropping the profile from 65 to 45 my handling increased no end on good flat roads. The less tire wall there is the less movement there is. Therefore you Car doesn't "lurch" while cornering. However on a bumpy road the lower profile tires don't absorb as much of the impact and make the suspension do all the work, which can adversely affect the performance.

In the end you set your car up for the majority of the driving conditions you'll encounter and adjust your driving accordingly when on the minority.

[sturg]

Drop that biznitch. Look around though for a little, I'm sure you could do it for 400 or so... you just have to shop around.

[Tremonic]

I would personally bag it that way your not stuck at one height. I know it's more expensive but not scraping and such is worth it IMO. I don't think lowriders are practical at all when they just slam em and leave them down there but the bags allow you to do that when you want to and bring it back up for normal driving.

But again it's quite a bit more money and in the end it's your pocket brotha.

[lanman31337]

Originally Posted by 666WMD

Why don't you get your existing springs compressed? If you aren't after performance then it's the cheap option.

Very bad idea, almost as bad as cutting springs. Most Car springs are a progressive compression and it screws it all up.

[666WMD]

Originally Posted by lanman31337

Very bad idea, almost as bad as cutting springs. Most car springs are a progressive compression and it screws it all up.

I didn't say it was a good idea. If he wanted to save money (which he was complaining about) and get the dropped look, then it's an option. But it's purely ornamental and definitely not the best route to take.

[Speedcult]

Actually cutting springs is not as bad as people make it out to be. IF it's just looks, there is a way to drop your car by cutting coils. A good rule of thumb is 1 coil = 1 inch, IF you cut it right. A grinder or sawzall is easiest. From the bottom of the coil, NOT the top side that goes into the upper strut perch... make a mark on the coil right above where it ends. This will ensure the coil lines back up. Make sure to touch up the new cut with some rust preventer spray paint. Do not cut more then 2 coils as this will be too soft of a "drop" spring for that height. There is one other ghetto-fab way to stiffen the coil, but is pretty inaccurate as far as spring rates goes. With the coil OUT OF THE CAR, take your cut coil, strip off any coating (if there is any) from the lower 3 coils. You will need a torch of some type, plumbers torch bottles can work but take awhile. Get a water bucket ready, heat the coil from the cut end to a soft glow, try to keep track of the amount of time this takes. Slowly "chase" the glow up the coil ONE TIME... to the same spot on the coil above your cut.

Once you get there, carefully submerge the coil in water. It can steam up pretty good and steam can burn obviously. This helps harden the steel coil. Since you just did one coil and the residual heat travels up the others, basically making the coil act the same as it normally would, just a bit stiffer. Repeat this for the others, trying to keep in the same heating time range. Usually once is all that is needed, you CAN do a second heat cycle but then they start to really stiffen up. How I learned to do this? Old school hot rodders and rat rodders. They don't make aftermarket springs for every car, so dropping a car has to involve some creativity and common sense.

Total cost to drop using this... about $10 (if you have a torch already).
Just make sure you remove the coils from the struts in a safe manner... they are under some serious tension and I've had one pop loose from the spring compressor and take a chuck of a brick wall.

I can try to find pics to help show where to cut if you want to do this this way. Just keep in mind, this method is for those that don't or can't get drop kits, don't care if spring rates are all the same and don't mind trying something people don't always understand. You can also get a set of springs for your car from the junk yard and do those so you have your originals if you don't like it.

As a minitrucker at heart, I love trying to do my own stuff as much as possible, so hope this helps and happy modding.

[armykyle1]

Originally Posted by Speedcult

Actually cutting springs is not as bad as people make it out to be. IF it's just looks, there is a way to drop your car by cutting coils. A good rule of thumb is 1 coil = 1 inch, IF you cut it right. A grinder or sawzall is easiest. From the bottom of the coil, NOT the top side that goes into the upper strut perch... make a mark on the coil right above where it ends. This will ensure the coil lines back up. Make sure to touch up the new cut with some rust preventer spray paint. Do not cut more then 2 coils as this will be too soft of a "drop" spring for that height. There is one other ghetto-fab way to stiffen the coil, but is pretty inaccurate as far as spring rates goes. With the coil OUT OF THE CAR, take your cut coil, strip off any coating (if there is any) from the lower 3 coils. You will need a torch of some type, plumbers torch bottles can work but take awhile. Get a water bucket ready, heat the coil from the cut end to a soft glow, try to keep track of the amount of time this takes. Slowly "chase" the glow up the coil ONE TIME... to the same spot on the coil above your cut.

Once you get there, carefully submerge the coil in water. It can steam up pretty good and steam can burn obviously. This helps harden the steel coil. Since you just did one coil and the residual heat travels up the others, basically making the coil act the same as it normally would, just a bit stiffer. Repeat this for the others, trying to keep in the same heating time range. Usually once is all that is needed, you CAN do a second heat cycle but then they start to really stiffen up. How I learned to do this? Old school hot rodders and rat rodders. They don't make aftermarket springs for every car, so dropping a car has to involve some creativity and common sense.

Total cost to drop using this... about $10 (if you have a torch already).
Just make sure you remove the coils from the struts in a safe manner... they are under some serious tension and I've had one pop loose from the spring compressor and take a chuck of a brick wall.

I can try to find pics to help show where to cut if you want to do this this way. Just keep in mind, this method is for those that don't or can't get drop kits, don't care if spring rates are all the same and don't mind trying something people don't always understand. You can also get a set of springs for your car from the junk yard and do those so you have your originals if you don't like it.

As a minitrucker at heart, I love trying to do my own stuff as much as possible, so hope this helps and happy modding.

what you're saying seems logical. now are you talking about following up the coil in a spiral fashion? I think you are but I'd rather not assume lol. I've already considered getting some junk yard springs but they're going to be close to the same price I think as the sport springs. but if I can just do the front I'll be ok since I can just take the 1" spring helpers out of the back. which my car still sits low in the back due to the extra weight lol. I just I had a torsion beam, I beam w/e instead of a multi link in the back because of camber issues. But I know its easier to make multi link/independent lay out. I think I may try this on the front

[666WMD]

What Tre said, this is exactly what we'd get metal fab shops to do for us. Cost $40 for their time and oxyacetylene, but was a cheap way of doing it and had decent results. Wasn't the best way but it didn't harm the handling of the car.

[xseveredveganx]

Why is it going to cost so much to lower your car? What is it? Like a Mitsubishi Mirage or a Hyundai or something?

Springs shouldn't be that much. Hell, my coilovers were $750.

[armykyle1]

its a daewoo lol and the coilovers are 1,700 lol

[666WMD]

Oh my god, I just lost what little respect I had for you Kyle. A Daewoo? Honestly? *shakes head*

[armykyle1]

Originally Posted by 666WMD

Oh my god, I just lost what little respect I had for you Kyle. A Daewoo? Honestly? *shakes head*

did you not see the picture of the car? LOL shakes head

[Speedcult]

Originally Posted by armykyle1

what you're saying seems logical. now are you talking about following up the coil in a spiral fashion?

Winner winner chicken dinner!!

I have done both lowering and even heat-cycling springs and had good results. Growing up, most of us had minimum wage jobs so everything had to done cheap as possible. Having some good ol' boys that could make tractors out of scrap didn't hurt either.

Like I said, just use some common sense and don't get crazy with the cutting or heat cycle the springs a ton.

The reason you want to go for a soft glow and chase it up is because concentrated heat spots in just one area can distort the spring making it sit funny... kinda like this:



^^THAT is how you do it WRONG^^

vvvvvv THIS is how it SHOULD look vvvvv


Another good one

[666WMD]

Originally Posted by armykyle1

did you not see the picture of the car? LOL shakes head

I glanced at it and thought it looked vaguely like a Volvo or maybe a Honda. Couldn't see the badge on the back.

[armykyle1]

Originally Posted by 666WMD

I glanced at it and thought it looked vaguely like a Volvo or maybe a Honda. Couldn't see the badge on the back.

Then don't hate lol. It's honestly a good car. Everyone can say what they want. I use to be a tech and was ASE certified. Most ppl have no idea what the car is. I like that lol. Ppl are like wow that's a clean little car, what is it? A daewoo I respond. A dae what? Lol.


Thank you for the heads up on the soft glow things. I like learning new things. But I'm going to still have to buy struts. These have 244xxx miles in it.

[Speedcult]

Originally Posted by armykyle1

Then don't hate lol. It's honestly a good car. Everyone can say what they want. I use to be a tech and was ASE certified. Most ppl have no idea what the car is. I like that lol. Ppl are like wow that's a clean little car, what is it? A daewoo I respond. A dae what? Lol.


Thank you for the heads up on the soft glow things. I like learning new things. But I'm going to still have to buy struts. These have 244xxx miles in it.

Haters gonna hate and a clean running set of wheels is better then none.
At least you're saving some dino juice for me and my 5400lb, 5.7 liter, 11mpg sled.

As far as struts go, the first pic I posted, you can see strut juice all over lol. Long strut+short spring=slamming the strut. I call it "riding bumpers" since that's about how low some will sit out here in AZ... that and watching them bounce down the road. Swear there's a few riding around with no springs. Looks like it hurts to ride.
Tuckin' 15's biatch! (DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT MY CIVIC, DRIVING LIKE THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS!)

If I wanted to get that kinda ride, I'd call the IRS back lol.

Although I could tuck 15's better then SeveredVegan AND still drive in the snow! (DISCLAIMER: This IS my truck and driving like this was called dragging lol)

Difference was I was bagged lol, but at least you can see I kinda know what I'm doing

I also don't baby ANY of my rides, I build them to have fun. AWD daily driver/track/rally, yes the bumper was off on purpose due to my bent intercooler, but that's what happens when you land nose first a little too much Still held 30 psi lol


Seriously though, try it out with your old struts and just see if you like it. They're heading for the trash anyway. 200k you ASE loco? LOL! Just playin', seriously, just try it. As long as you don't go more then 2", it won't kill them. I don't think you're going lower or plan on beating on it, so you should be good. Just thought I'd "drop" a few pics to show what you can do on a budget with a little common sense. Neither my truck, nor my Talon cost me much, the trucks parts were like $1200. If it's gonna cost you $1700, just throw in some air-struts, etc. Then you can lay it out when you want and believe it or not, can ride really nice!

[sventz]

it looks like a daewoo nubira...i don't think that it would cost that much to lower it.a set of KYB Excel-G with H&R lowering springs would cost about 600 euro here in greece(with other springs like G&M,Ventura etc.it would cost less)and that in us dollars is way less than 1000...do research on other brands too.don't stick to one and only one name.there are awesome suspensions out there.i had Weitec 40mm lowering suspension on my toy rolla(struts/springs)and it costed me 750 only...then after they went bye byeon me from the excessive increase of weight and abuse i got a great deal on KYB Excel G's and G&M springs for 400.

[gpgtp]

How long do you intend to keep it the car? Years? Do it. 6 months? No.