Dropping a Car?
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Dropping a Car?
Most people drop cars for looks more than anything correct? also i hear that it can help with handling as well. If you drop a car can you mess with the suspension and how the car is meant to drive? can it be bad for a car if u drop it?
Some care more about one than the other. As for adversely affecting the performance of the car, if it's too low, then yeah, it will hurt more than help. What's too low is going to be your next question. Not sure if there is an actual answer for that.
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From: Aurora, CO
Lowering a car can have several negative byproducts, among them:
-loss of suspension travel
-altering the car's optimum camber
-changing the toe settings for either front or rear
-overload the shocks function and shorten their useful life
-wear out tires and bearings if not realigned properly
While lowering the car's center of gravity might help handling, the truth is that cutting springs, or using too stiff a spring, can make the car handle WORSE.
-loss of suspension travel
-altering the car's optimum camber
-changing the toe settings for either front or rear
-overload the shocks function and shorten their useful life
-wear out tires and bearings if not realigned properly
While lowering the car's center of gravity might help handling, the truth is that cutting springs, or using too stiff a spring, can make the car handle WORSE.
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From: Doha, Qatar
Lowering a car can have several negative byproducts, among them:
-loss of suspension travel Depends on how low you go, many of the lowering kits for the G37 out there maintain a simiar driving feel though for the modest drops
-altering the car's optimum camber
-changing the toe settings for either front or rear
And that is why an alignment is done after the drop, bring all the those settings back to OEM spec
-overload the shocks function and shorten their useful life Again, with a modest 1" drop, it's nothing serious, once you go really low it is advisable to go for coilovers (aftermarket shocks)
-wear out tires and bearings if not realigned properly Again, an alignment should help
While lowering the car's center of gravity might help handling, the truth is that cutting springs, or using too stiff a spring, can make the car handle WORSE.
-loss of suspension travel Depends on how low you go, many of the lowering kits for the G37 out there maintain a simiar driving feel though for the modest drops
-altering the car's optimum camber
-changing the toe settings for either front or rear
And that is why an alignment is done after the drop, bring all the those settings back to OEM spec
-overload the shocks function and shorten their useful life Again, with a modest 1" drop, it's nothing serious, once you go really low it is advisable to go for coilovers (aftermarket shocks)
-wear out tires and bearings if not realigned properly Again, an alignment should help
While lowering the car's center of gravity might help handling, the truth is that cutting springs, or using too stiff a spring, can make the car handle WORSE.
With one of the first V36 to be lowered, I can say there are no issues as long as you get the alignment back into factory spec (assuming a "reasonable" drop?). I'm still on my original factory shocks too.
In my opinion, you should also get front and rear camber kits if you do not want to deal with premature tire wear.
The only thing you obviously have to deal with is less ground clearance.
In my opinion, you should also get front and rear camber kits if you do not want to deal with premature tire wear.
The only thing you obviously have to deal with is less ground clearance.
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From: G-Dale, CA
All good answers. One thing no one mentioned is that if you go with springs you limit the life of your shocks due to reduced suspension travel. But overall I definately agree that it's worth it.
All the mentioned negatives can be corrected with the right equipment. (i.e. Camber/ good allignment)
All the mentioned negatives can be corrected with the right equipment. (i.e. Camber/ good allignment)
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 745
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From: Aurora, CO
All good answers. One thing no one mentioned is that if you go with springs you limit the life of your shocks due to reduced suspension travel. But overall I definately agree that it's worth it.
All the mentioned negatives can be corrected with the right equipment. (i.e. Camber/ good allignment)
All the mentioned negatives can be corrected with the right equipment. (i.e. Camber/ good allignment)
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