How to Lower a Car?
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Joined: May 2005
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From: Top of 4th Gear; Plano, TX
How to Lower a Car? Ever since I got my car I've wanted it lowered about 2" but the Long Tubes are an obvious clearance issue right now the bottom of my tubes sit 3-4" off the ground.
My question to all of you is what exactly do I need/need to do to drop my car? Total newbie here so I'm talking about all the steps and parts from scratch, is it something I could do myself on a weekend?
My question to all of you is what exactly do I need/need to do to drop my car? Total newbie here so I'm talking about all the steps and parts from scratch, is it something I could do myself on a weekend?
To do it RIGHT, you will need these (and here's why)...
Springs - Springs are what determine the ride height of the car. The Eibach Pro Kit and Hotchkis Sport springs are popular choices. For added flexibility, you can get a set of coilovers from a company like Ground Control, so you can adjust the height of the mounting perch, thus changing the ride height.
Shocks - If you don't change out your stock shocks, your car will explode and the demons of Hell will come spewing forth to eat your soul. Sound ridiculous? It is. Some people in this forum will have you believe that, but it's simply not true. A more pragmatic explanation is this: once you have the front shock/spring combo taken apart and put back together to replace the springs, you won't want to do it again. The stock deCarbon shocks aren't that great, so now is a good time to upgrade. The popular choices for shocks are Bilstein and Koni. I went with KYB GasAJust shocks and they work fine for a daily driver. Had I to do it over again, I would probably call Sam Strano (sponsor) and ask for his advise, because they're pretty soft.
Pandhard rod - Take a look under the rear of your car some time and see how it really works. The panhard rod bars make a sort of upside-down 7, and this is what keeps the rear wheels in line with the fronts. When you lower the ride height, it pushes the rear axle too far to the driver's side. Getting an adjustable panhard rod helps you "pull" the axle back under center. There is a huge debate over what type of ends to get (spherical rod end, urethane bushing, etc.), but the general consensus seems to be that spherical rod ends offer the best performance, but if the manufacturer uses lower-quality rod ends, they can lead to increased road noise.
Lower Control Arm relocation brackets - LCA relocation brackets, for short. At stock ride height, the lower control arms angle from the back of the subframe down to the axle. When you lower the rear end, they will likely end up angling UP instead of down, thus reducing their effectiveness. By installing LCA relocation brackets (either weld-in or bolt in), you give yourself a lower spot to mount the LCA's, bringing the control arms back to the correct downward position. Some people install these without lowering the car, as it helps eliminate wheel hop and increases rear traction.
If you do this yourself, I recommend some grease (WD-40 works fine), jackstands, cotter pins (I forget which size, but they're not huge), torx bits (for the upper shock tower bolts), wrenches, spring compressors, a friend, and lots of patience. Air tools REALLY make the job easier. It's not hard, but the front shock/spring setup is VERY time-consuming because of how the springs are mounted. I've done two sets (mine and a friend's) and it gets easier once you know what you're doing, so a friend with experience is helpful. www.ls1howto.com has an excellent write-up.
-Mike
Springs - Springs are what determine the ride height of the car. The Eibach Pro Kit and Hotchkis Sport springs are popular choices. For added flexibility, you can get a set of coilovers from a company like Ground Control, so you can adjust the height of the mounting perch, thus changing the ride height.
Shocks - If you don't change out your stock shocks, your car will explode and the demons of Hell will come spewing forth to eat your soul. Sound ridiculous? It is. Some people in this forum will have you believe that, but it's simply not true. A more pragmatic explanation is this: once you have the front shock/spring combo taken apart and put back together to replace the springs, you won't want to do it again. The stock deCarbon shocks aren't that great, so now is a good time to upgrade. The popular choices for shocks are Bilstein and Koni. I went with KYB GasAJust shocks and they work fine for a daily driver. Had I to do it over again, I would probably call Sam Strano (sponsor) and ask for his advise, because they're pretty soft.
Pandhard rod - Take a look under the rear of your car some time and see how it really works. The panhard rod bars make a sort of upside-down 7, and this is what keeps the rear wheels in line with the fronts. When you lower the ride height, it pushes the rear axle too far to the driver's side. Getting an adjustable panhard rod helps you "pull" the axle back under center. There is a huge debate over what type of ends to get (spherical rod end, urethane bushing, etc.), but the general consensus seems to be that spherical rod ends offer the best performance, but if the manufacturer uses lower-quality rod ends, they can lead to increased road noise.
Lower Control Arm relocation brackets - LCA relocation brackets, for short. At stock ride height, the lower control arms angle from the back of the subframe down to the axle. When you lower the rear end, they will likely end up angling UP instead of down, thus reducing their effectiveness. By installing LCA relocation brackets (either weld-in or bolt in), you give yourself a lower spot to mount the LCA's, bringing the control arms back to the correct downward position. Some people install these without lowering the car, as it helps eliminate wheel hop and increases rear traction.
If you do this yourself, I recommend some grease (WD-40 works fine), jackstands, cotter pins (I forget which size, but they're not huge), torx bits (for the upper shock tower bolts), wrenches, spring compressors, a friend, and lots of patience. Air tools REALLY make the job easier. It's not hard, but the front shock/spring setup is VERY time-consuming because of how the springs are mounted. I've done two sets (mine and a friend's) and it gets easier once you know what you're doing, so a friend with experience is helpful. www.ls1howto.com has an excellent write-up.
-Mike
