bigmatt57

Good afternoon,

I just got a free pair of BMR rear lowering springs for my 02 camaro. I was initially going to wait until I got the fronts as well to lower it, but then I realized I actually really like the wheel fitment I have on the front. Maybe I could get away with only installing rear springs for now? I’m running 275/40r18s on all four.

Has anyone tried this? How did it turn out?

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Well, just doing the heater hose mod on the rear left me with a reverse rake, which looked pretty bad. I got Koni Sports on the lower perch up front to get the stance right. My guess is that it would be worse in your case with lowering springs. But changing rear springs is not a big deal, so you could try it and switch back if you don't like it.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

This will cause the car to handle poorly. Perhaps dangerously.

Lowering the rear will cause the car to catch air underneath and lift the front wheels (the ones you need downforce in order to steer with). The car already has an understeer problem and I would expect this would really accentuate it and/or make it unmanagable at speed.

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

The car will look very stupid 🙄 like a jet trying to take off with only the rear end dropped. ​​​​​​​

I had a mismatched front & rear springs on my 3rd Gen Camaro for a while that's how I know from first hand experience it will look very stupid. Folks laughed at the stance and so did I.

BMR lowering springs drop the rear of car an average about 1.25 inches. BMR makes a spacer so that might fix the issue.

BTW - What shocks are on the car?

​​​​​​​The stock rear shocks are pretty lame even when new and steadily get worse. Good shocks really help.

bigmatt57

stock as far as I’m concerned

bigmatt57

Well I swapped an LQ4 into it which added about 90lbs to the front, and the fitment on the front is already pretty good on stock springs…still a no go?

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

That's just 45 lbs. per spring. The forces they see under driving conditions are hundreds or thousands of lbs., so I wouldn't think the new engine is a significant load.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Per wssix99, live dangerously. Try it. As I said, changing rear springs is pretty easy. Try it and see how you like it. Report back.

2JAWZ

iTrader: (1)

I highly advise against that

bbond105

Why not? If he doesn't like it he can always put it back.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Not if the car ends up wrapped up around a telephone pole first....

Nathan C

I also just lowered the rear on my 1999 TA last summer. BMR 1.25 inch lowering springs with koni srt shocks. I didn't like the big gap in the back, and since the front's are compressed, i left them stock. It doesn't look too bad and I haven't gone airborne yet. Give it a try.

bbond105

Lowering the car an inch in the rear is not going to create an unstable condition.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

It makes the car "less than" stock. (The one inch difference also grows as the front of the car scoops air.) Stability and control depens on conditions, the rest of thethe car, and the driver.

bbond105

You are way over thing this. If the car squats like a stinkbug, you just change it back. This is what this hobby is all about, trying things. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't, but you don't know until you try. No one here is saying to go and try to set a land speed record with the nose of the car 4" in the air.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

I agree, but don't think the OP is building a hoby car. Sounds like long term changes to a DD.

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

Squatted looks stupid but it won't look this stupid:


*****


In fact the car may due to age & wear tear sit ~1/2 inch lower already in front. So the BMR rear springs might just drop 3/4 inch lower than front.

bigmatt57

Only lowered the rear today. Stance is pretty solid. I think it would look better with front springs too, but it still looks better than stock. No handling problems thus far.

Chris Paveglio

iTrader: (2)

Did you have a look before after when you, or someone of equal weight, is sitting in the driver seat? Because you'll get maybe 1/2 inch of droop when you sit inside anyways. So, I'd think actual ride height would be more important than unladen height.

bigmatt57

Oh wow good point. I’ll have to go do that and see if that changes anything