Superlows and 17's

[b2tf]

Age old question, can it be done.

The LBT is being dropped ASAP and i am thinking "bugger it ill go lowest legal". Rules me out of my own driveway but thems the breaks.

I have 17" rims, so can I whack in some superlows and still be able to turn? Also dont want it bottoming out if the car is full, but it rarely is.

[orsest170]

I think it would work (there seems to be a heap of US cars with very low suspension and big rims) but I would advise against it. I’m pretty sure the springs (superlows) you are considering provide over 40mm of drop and sure it will look great but you will lose almost all your suspension travel and any semblance of ride quality along with it. Are you sure superlows are legal? I’d be surprised if you could get over ‘the pits’ with them??

My Eibach springs make my car sit around 20mm lower than it used to (which amounts to just over 30mm for non ST170 owners) and I think the ride height is spot on. You also asked about Tom’s car on the other thread. Tom has the H&R springs that provide around the same drop as the Eibach’s that I have, and again, at that ride height, I think Tom’s car looks fantastic.

You won't need your car to be full in order for it to bottom out either. I bottom out quite frequently (if I’m driving my car the way it was engineered to be driven : ) on a few of the not so smooth back roads, and remember this is with only a 30mm drop.

I don’t regret lowering my car because it improved the look and the handling of the car, but sometimes on those aforementioned back roads, I end up thinking well what's the point in the improved handling if I can't actually push the car any harder because it will bottom out like crazy?

So I guess what I’m saying is, by all means lower it, but don’t go the superlows.

[b2tf]

Thats what I wanted to hear.

A 30mm drop sounds like more than enough for me, the gap between wheels and guards is a bit more than that but obviously i dont want the wheels scrubbing on them etc.
I want to lower but like you I dont want to lose all practicality through doing it.

It sounds like a 25-30mm drop will be more than enough.

[zetec]

Eibachs are your friend, avoid KW's coz they're damn low (and I LOVE'em!!) nut with all my highway k's, I am regretting not getting upgraded dampers too. I'd recommend not sticking to factory shocks.

[b2tf]

Ill get prices on all of the usual brands, Im still wondering whats wrong with the good old Kings cos that leaves a bit of change to go towards a nice big swaybar.

We'll see. Once this exhaust is done (soon hopefully), we'll be set to go.

[st_boi]

hey orsest170, i also drive an st and wana get some springs. how much were ur Eibach springs?

[zetec]

st_boi if ur keen I'll swap my KW's for your ST stockers...

[b2tf]

Had a look at the Eibach website today and it has to be one of the worst ive ever seen. Just impossible to get info out of.

Anybody got some prices for me, not neccesarily just Eibachs either. If youve got lower springs, tell me how much you paid for them (please) !

[orsest170]

Originally Posted by st_boi

hey orsest170, i also drive an st and wana get some springs. how much were ur Eibach springs?

I got my Eibach prokit springs from Central Florida Motorsports (c-f-m.com) for $205 + $125 shipping USD which was about $430 Aus (exchange rate was a tad better at the time). I then paid $200 for fitting and alignments which meant I was $630 out of pocket.

Unfortunately I had to spend a further $150 for a rear camber kit and fitting. So in the end it was a $780 exercise. However Tom and Nick, who have similar negative camber to what I had before I got the kit, didn’t bother with a rear camber kit and reckon they have experienced no ill effects.

You could probably get locally made springs fitted and aligned for around $500 but I would pay the extra and get the Eibach’s. When I asked the guy at the suspension centre if the local springs would be as good and would I just be ‘paying for the name’, he laughed and said “mate there’s no comparison, the Eibach’s are in a different class”.

The looks and handling of the car will improve without your ride quality suffering. The only drawback is that your car may ‘bottom out’ on rough back roads if you’re driving enthusiastically.

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by zetec

st_boi if ur keen I'll swap my KW's for your ST stockers...

Matt are yours adjustable? Or are they forever stupidly low? :P

[chevaps]

Originally Posted by orsest170

I got my Eibach prokit springs from Central Florida Motorsports (c-f-m.com) for $205 + $125 shipping USD which was about $430 Aus (exchange rate was a tad better at the time). I then paid $200 for fitting and alignments which meant I was $630 out of pocket.

Hmmmm, lol. Im gona be askin questions at WA Suspensions if he wants my business to fit sway bars n camber kit. I paid $300 to fit mine, and thats within a week of fitting yours AND he initially wanted to charge me $370.... go figure. The car's suspension is essentially identical in design.

I think its time for me to move on somewhere else haha

Tom

Sounds the goods, but hows your insurance like it (or will they not know?) cause I tried with mine, and was barely allowed to lower it at all...

[orsest170]

Originally Posted by chevaps

Hmmmm, lol. Im gona be askin questions at WA Suspensions if he wants my business to fit sway bars n camber kit. I paid $300 to fit mine, and thats within a week of fitting yours AND he initially wanted to charge me $370.... go figure. The car's suspension is essentially identical in design.

I think its time for me to move on somewhere else haha

Tom

Tom sorry I should have been more clear. I actually had the springs fitted at APE (at least I think that's what they were called) up in Landsdale. I made my initial enquiries regarding the Eibach's at WA suspensions and after being quoted $920 (which included $300 odd for the fitting) I decided to buy them online and get them fitted elsewhere.

I had my second wheel alignment (the one your supposed to get 1000km after fiting the springs) done at WA suspensions and also the rear camber kit. They are a good bunch of guys there and know their stuff, but their prices are a wee bit too much imo.

[orsest170]

Originally Posted by hambo_12

Sounds the goods, but hows your insurance like it (or will they not know?) cause I tried with mine, and was barely allowed to lower it at all...

Hmmmm very good question indeed....They (Western QBE) know about all my engine mods and they were cool with those, but I honestly can't remember if I told them about the springs....should check I suppose

[b2tf]

Ok, got an answer from Eibach today, sounds alright to me:

Eibach Pro-Kit (4 springs) suit DAW, DBW, DFW 1.8 2.0 and ST 170 1999 to 11/2004, # 3588.140 lowering 30mm from new car height except ST170 this will lower approx 20mm from new car height. Price; 530.00 plus GST freight and handling. Ex Stock

So around $600 + handling I guess. A bit more than I wanted to pay and I will still check out some other options but its not too bad. Sends it down 30mm which is what I want.

[st_boi]

thanks for all the info, but i wana drop it by about 30-35mm if possible. does any one know of a decent setup that will do that?
excuse my ignorance but what are kw?

[zetec]

http://www.kw-gmbh.de/en/index.php

Big name in Europe, only recently actively marketing in Australia.

[zetec]

Since I can only Edit for 10 minutes, I have to make another post.

They quote 40mm drop front and rear HERE on the data page. I believe Sedans are the same as hatches in Germany (by name) so that website only says sedan and Turnier (Wagon) but I believe they don't have a word for Hatch in Germany unlike us.

Here's some pics...

Mk I Zetec


Mk 1.5 ST170 (Ignore the rice and German style fat rims YUCK)






Mk 1.5 RS





The BEAST

[b2tf]

Matt, PM me about your springs. I would love to see mine as low as that RS. Ill make some enquiries about fitting them with 17's.

[zetec2.0]

I have King Spring SuperLows on mine http://www.kingsprings.com/kings_master_catalogue.pdf the drop is meant to be between 40 and 60mm. I have 17" ford rims. I paid less that approx $200 for the springs adn got a friend who owns a garage to fit them. I then just got Bob Jane T-Mart to do a front and rear alignment for about $70. Total of less that $300.
The car now handles like it is on rails when I go around corners. Can feel it going over speed humps a bit more but nothing too bad. Anything less than this drop is not worth doing.

[b2tf]

pics?