Thread: Want to lower your car? Look in here!!

Originally Posted by jcmonteman

after reading all the things that can go wrong with this, i really dont wanna do this...but i think eventually i will get some 1.25 inch drop springs...either that, or the highest you can get, because i just wanna put them in and not worry about it really...might get shortened dogbones, even with only a .8 or 1.25 inch drop

What do you mean things that can go wrong?

I've been riding lowered for 1.5 years now. Do it right with the right parts and you will be fine. Just throwing springs on some stock struts is just asking for trouble. I have about $4,000 into my suspension alone.

Originally Posted by jspangler22

I been looking into lowering my car now i want a 1.5 or 2 inch drop what is the biggest tire I can run and most recommened. I do know i will need shorter dogbones trans mounts done. How easy of an install for springs and struts

255 is about the widest.

Largest wheel I would ever do is 20" on these cars...as far as offset goes, you have decide your width of tire, I would say 40mm offset for anything up to a 8.5" wide wheel will clear fenders and you will never have to roll.

Shortened Dogbones are garbage and DO NOT DO THE JOB CORRECTLY!

Buy the Half set of Vinnie's Spacers, and DO IT RIGHT! Full set if you get on Intrax, and yes, you can fit a full set of spacers with 3" DP and headers, I did it.

http://www.grandprixforums.net/lower...cers-1107.html

If it goes over your head...keep reading until you get it...thats how we did it.

I lowered my car on Springtech's...I got new strut mounts and Anti-Pogo washers.

Done and done.

if you cant understand whats in this thread, dont mod ur car.

do yourself a favor and spend a few hours researching suspension theories on google. you'll pick up what we are all talking about with how everything is affected. it's not all that difficult, but there is more to it than just slapping drop springs on and driving off.

dont expect to understand everything the first time around.. like bio said research. and then when you are done researching.. research some more. slowly but surely youll start to understand more and more of what you read.

Originally Posted by Odi

if you cant understand whats in this thread, dont mod ur car.

dont be a dick dude

Originally Posted by DrunkieTheBear

Shortened Dogbones are garbage and DO NOT DO THE JOB CORRECTLY!

Buy the Half set of Vinnie's Spacers, and DO IT RIGHT! Full set if you get on Intrax, and yes, you can fit a full set of spacers with 3" DP and headers, I did it.

http://www.grandprixforums.net/lower...cers-1107.html

I've been trying to figure out how and where to buy intrax for a while. Are they retail only?

I don't think they sell intrax springs anymore

Originally Posted by realdiehl

I don't think they sell intrax springs anymore

you can still find them if youre resourceful. nick managed to find a set.

I found mine slightly used for $150.

If you want to do it right and this is just exactly what I did:
-Replace LCA Bushings, go to a good poly mount
-Replace the ball joints, go with Moog (In reality it might be better to just go with WBS LCA'S or Moog LCA's)
-New Struts (GR2's from some reading do well with SSC's, but ultimately going to Bilstein/AGX/Koni's would be the best option) OEM struts can not handle the task, including the Comp G struts they will give out.
-Replace all top mounts, especially the fronts. Monroe Top mounts are cheap and work well
-Pogo Washers are a must, unless you want to bounce like a ricer civic
-Vinnie Spacers, buy his full set, even if you only plan to use half, it never hurts to have the full set.
-New axles would be suggested especially if you have alot of miles on the them. (Optional, but suggested)
-Wheel bearings, Timken bearings are my suggestion. Good to do if you have alot of miles.
-Go to the solid rubber motor mounts, when installing Vinnie Spacers might as well get the oil filled ones out of there.
-Install a Shift kit (Intense/trans go), good time to change fluid and filter.
-New sway bar end links, get moogs all around, fresh rubber bushings is nice (Optional)
-Replace Tie rod outer links, I didn't do mine yet cause they are still good, but the angle does change and puts strain on those bushings where the knuckle is, Greasable bushings are nice to have


These are my suggestions to doing it right. Alot of our cars are now seeing 100k+ miles, its all worth doing it right the first time and spending the money because I believe in do it once and do it right.

We really need someone to make an LCA to eliminate the front Rubber mount. We don't have a replacement for the rubber and I think, they aren't worth **** after 50k miles. Ron Vogel made LCA's that got ride of them, but they were limited in numbers (I was lucky to score a set).

ZZP has this idea in the custom LCA's they have, but at $500 and the reliability issues they have is a bit of a problem.

Come on, someone make us some seriously nice custom LCA's that also eliminate bump steer too with adjustable balljoints...Then make us some Tie bars and Sub Frame Connectors

Eibach's are about the only springs I've heard that don't sag as bad, B&Gs aren't too bad for it.

Where to get the Vinnie spacers are here, it has a link with description on how to install them in the second link:
http://www.grandprixforums.net/lower...cers-1107.html

Everything else should work, just expect that over time you will have to replace other parts, bearings, axles and other parts. But you should be able to do a while depending on mileage of the car.