roger1984

Hello! i have a stock Pontiac Trans Am 2002 WS6 with 20" Foose Nitrious Rims and 255/35 tires both front and rear.

My "problem" is now that the car is much higher now from the ground and it does not look good.

Now to my question: what is the best way to lower my car without changing rims so it is at least as low as stock, lower than stock would be even better! but not as low so the tires scratch the wheelhouse.

Suggestions are welcome! i have been looking at eibach lowering springs and lowering kits but im not so sure how low i can go and what is the best to go with?

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

With those rims, you gained a little more than a half an inch of overall height and at the same time filled the wheel well with the same amount. With most of the aftermarket springs out there around 1.2 to 1.5 inch drops, you can get lower than stock. Your tire will fill your wheel well more than the average person lowering their car. I'm not sure how the fitment will go with that. You might have to see how well the clearance works with the car lowered.

What is your wheel width? 255/30, 245/30, 265/25, or 275/25 would put you back in stock tire diameter range.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

This site is good to determine a proper tire size when changing wheel sizes but want to retain stock overall tire diameter: http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

BMR Tech2

iTrader: (5)

You're running a 27-inch tall tire. This can create a couple clearance issues in the front when you turn, and at the back bumper where the tire could potentially rub it. If these problems aren't already apparent, they shouldn't be something exacerbated by lowering it. Our lowering springs will lower your car 1.25 inches from it's current ride height and shouldn't create any problems and should actually give the illusion the car is lowered even further because the tires will rest deeper in the wheel well since they're taller.

If you want to go lower there are a couple more options. We offer 1-inch lowering A-arms that will drop it down another inch or can be combined with spacers to be a .5-inch total drop instead. Out back you can perform the heater hose mod and lower the car approximately .5-.75 inches more in the rear. Hope this helps, let me know if there is anything I can do for you.

- Kevin

roger1984

Will i be able to go lower than 1.25 inches without any problems?

chaman

iTrader: (5)

^^Unlikely, unless you go lowering A-arms route.

BMR Tech2

iTrader: (5)

In the back, you shouldn't have a problem. It is possible you may in the front. Go out to your car and measure the height to the fender from the ground and then from the tire to the fender. If it looks like it's going to come in contact with the fender, you may have a problem there. But in the back there is a lot more room and the fact it doesn't STEER! haha Let me know and possibly take some pictures and I can walk you through it.

- Kevin

roger1984

I have taken images and measured the amount of space between the tire and "wheel well" i also took some images to show you, my car is much higher in the back than the front! what springs do you think i should use?

JD_AMG

This is normal stock height. These cars come with a rake stance from the factory and most lowering springs keep that same rake.
Use the search function, there are some good ones out there but also some bad ones (like sportlines and ebay no-names).
When you see pics of cars take in consideration that not all cars sit the same, some have more/less weight, and different wheels/tires.
Check out the stickies:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspensio...e-newbies.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspensio...eal-world.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspensio...up-review.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspensio...r-springs.html

roger1984

Thanks for the reply! ok i will stick to known brands of springs, how much would you say i could lower the car without having the tires scraping the wheel well? i dont want it to hide the top of the tires inside the wheel well either. i want it to look a little lower than original.

Jorgens

a skinnier tire (245 or even 235) may help rubbing issues in front. As stated the back has more room. How wide are those rims? could you skinny up to help avoid rubbing?

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

That car must look like a truck with those giant rims and tires. Have you considered going to a stock diameter tire? (aka smaller sidewall)

roger1984

I did choose "thinner" tires, the stock tires where 275/45/17 and my new ones are 255/35/20 so they are thinner and less broad.

i could go for 255/30/20 tires next time i change tires but i dont know if it will make such a big difference.

this is why i want to lower the car with new springs so i can get a little more sporty look rather than jeep look

anyone have a suggestion on how much i could lower my car with lowering springs without any problems?

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

I'm not talking about the width.. I'm talking about the overall height/diameter, whatever you want to call it. Your problem isn't like most of our issues with the tire being wide.. you just have a really f*cking tall tire! Did you see the link I showed you? You're almost one and a half inches taller than stock "overall wheel/tire" height. So you fill in the wheel well quite a bit more than all of us front top and back of your wheel well.. not inner and outer.. does this make any sense?

Also the stock tire would have been 275/40/17. Just checking in case you might have already had a taller tire or if that's just a typo?

roger1984

No i missed that sorry! i just checked your link now! is it correct that if i choose 255/30/20 tires i will have almost same height of the car as stock? it looks like it on the link you sent me.

yes you are probably right that my stock tires are 275/40/17 and not 275/45/17.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

Yes and I think that will eliminate your issues, but I don't think making what you have work is out of the question. People have added taller tires before. I've seen recommendations to use adjustable LCA's and adjust them to make it work... but really someone with more experience should fill me in here.