NeverSatisfied02

iTrader: (12)

Well guys,
I made the drive up to Cypress this morning at 6:30am to meet Alex (A-Bomb) at 7:30 to drop my car. Matt (Maxpennmatt) stopped by to chill and gave us a big hand as well.

We decided to go 1 coil on the front and 1-1/8 on the rear. I was going to go 1-1/4 coil in the rear but wanted to be sure i didnt go too low to where i would have rubbing issues. Figured i could always cut more if needed.

Anyway, we did the front first and got them installed. We then did the rears and installed the spacers on the shocks and everything. We marked the springs the same and cut the exact same amount side to side. After we got the wheels and everything back on it and dropped it down, the car seemed to sit a little lower on the passenger side both front and rear. I drove the car home and then here to work where i took a second look to see if it had settled any better.

Results...

-Passenger side front is perfect. I can barely fit one finger between the tire and the fender.

-Drivers side front is slightly higher. I can fit my finger and maybe a little more between the tire and the fender.

-Passenger rear i can barely fit 2 fingers between the quarter panel and the rear tire.

-Drivers rear i can fit 2 fingers and a little more between the quarter panel and the tire.

We were careful to be sure we cut the springs the exact same side to side and we also made sure we installed them back evenly on both sides. Dont get me wrong, the car look great! Much better than stock height but im just one of those people that cant stand for something to not be perfect.

Why would it be slightly higher on the drivers side than the pass side?

I plan to cut at least another 1/8" off the rears to make them a full 1-1/4" but what should i do about the fronts? Is there anyway to level it out without cutting a little more off one side than the other? Or, should i just worry about the fender lip to ground distance on all 4 corners being the same as opposed to being worried about cutting the springs the exact same?

Thanks again Alex and Matt!

And sorry guys, no pics yet! Didnt have time but i will get some of both my car now and after we cut some more off the back and get it perfect...

tweeter81

I'm like you, I like to know that everything is perfect, but think of it this way. If the driver side is slightly higher now, when you sit in the car, it should be the perfect height with your weight slightly compressing the springs. When they corner balance a car, that is what they do.

A-Bomb

iTrader: (27)

its weird but we'll get it right or you can just take Maximum Penetration Matt's car. lol!!

NeverSatisfied02

iTrader: (12)

Thats a deal! LOL!!

Tweeter, that makes sense. I didnt think of it like that. I wonder if it is even when im in it? lol Either way i think we are going to cut the rears a little more next saturday so when we have it jacked up, ill take a 2nd look.

I know we made sure the cut part of the spring seated in the rubber perch at the top as close to the proper spot as possible (kind of a bitch cause it doesnt just sit in there as nicely as they do stock) which i think we got close enough for that not to be the issue. I know the shocks are all the right way with the stickers facing out but im not sure if we made sure that rubber perch on top was at the exact same spot on both sides... (meaning if the cut part of the spring is in the exact same position on both sides). Ill have to take a look at that and if its not, ill just twist it around to the right spot and drop it back down to see if that cures it. Either way, the spring was cut the same amount so regardless where the cut part is, as long as it seated in the perch properly, shouldnt be an issue.

Only other thing we could think of that i failed to mention in my original post is that i have 2 different brand tires up front. I bought the car this way. I have a good year on the drivers front and a falken on the passenger side. Both have equal tread and they are the same size but im wondering if the brand difference would make it a little off??

Im due for tires anyway and my rears are bald so ill be replacing the whole set this week.

CTSV_510

iTrader: (1)

Dude where are the pics?

maxspeed96ct

iTrader: (3)

Talk is cheap, I want to see pics

VeryWhiteDevil

iTrader: (9)

I'll have some stock springs in a week if you need back up. going ground control. they will be available in 1-2 weeks.

NeverSatisfied02

iTrader: (12)

Sweet! How many miles on em? Think they will be expensive to ship? Id like to grab an extra set just to have on the side should i ever want to go back to stock (which i doubt but the options is nice). lol

And sorry i havent posted pics guys. Let my buddy take it to tint the windows for me and the car is dirty anyway. Im at work again now (I have no life) and it will prob be tomorrow before i get some pics and even at that, they will be dirty... lol

egypt123

iTrader: (1)

All I need to do is cut the springs and then reinstall (ie., no spacers, or other parts required, etc.)?

NeverSatisfied02

iTrader: (12)

You need the spacers for the rear. I used some really nice aluminum spacers maxpennmatt & A-Bomb hooked me up with but other than that, its just cutting the springs and reinstalling.

Pretty simple job to be honest... just time consuming. We made pretty good time but between the 3 of us, it took us about 4.5 hours total with hand tools.

Air tools would make the job alot faster if you have them...

And UPDATE***

I think its my tires thats throwing the height off a little. I was looking closer today and noticed my drivers front tire shows a little more wear on the outer edge than the passenger front. Might be why my finger test wasnt super accurate.

-T-

iTrader: (2)

Why dont you use a tape measure from the ground to the fender lip while on a level surface to get a "super accurate" measurement?

NeverSatisfied02

iTrader: (12)

How accurate will that be if it is my tires throwing it off a little?

Il ordering all 4 new tires this week though.

xxrillixx

iTrader: (118)

NeverSatisfied02

iTrader: (12)

Its a black CTS-V that sits low... lol

Ill get pics asap! I promise!

JJSimon904

iTrader: (8)

I was thinking the same thing!

adanieljohnson1

iTrader: (1)

Hows the ride quality with the cut springs? I am looking into doing the same thing as an option but really love my ride quality to not be overly bumpy...

alan2000T/A

iTrader: (23)

did you measure before? I did and the driver's side was about 1/4" to 1/2" higher to start with bone stock. Tweeter is right, its like that to compensate for the driver. So if you did everything the same it would transfer to the lowered setup too.

STAGEUP

Maybe one of your rear nivomats is a little weak?

NeverSatisfied02

iTrader: (12)

Ride is def rougher. Not ridiculous but it changed more than I expected. The look is great though and so is the handling so it's a trade off.

What is a nivomat? Stock shock?

And no, I didn't measure before but that makes me feel better! I am 99.9% sure we did it perfect so it's prob just that tiny difference from the factory. Noone else even sees it. Lol I'm just ****!

A-Bomb

iTrader: (27)

that is true!