Lowering in relation to lip spoiler clearance?

Rad Hatter · 05-03-2006, 06:02 AM

I'm seriously considering lowering my car.

There are 2 very steep ramps at the entrance to the car park.

I measured the clearance today when the car was at the steepest point parallel to the road, there was half an inch clearance or one index finger

My question is:

If I lower the car one inch at the front and one and a half at the rear, should I assume it's going to drop the lip spoiler exactly one inch and thus touch the road?

Is lowering going to have a directly proportionate effect on the lip height?

Since I have been quoted 300 US for lowering and aligning and I don't want to find out the hard way.

Thanks for your assistance

Craig 930 RS · 05-03-2006, 06:04 AM

Your car is mighty high as is.

Stop, take a pic or two of your car navigating the steep drive(s) and we can go from there.

Rad Hatter · 05-03-2006, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Craig911
Your car is mighty high as is.

Stop, take a pic or two of your car navigating the steep drive(s) and we can go from there.

Here fiest are some pics of the current height set up - Car was imported from the UK and is stock never touched so Euro spec,,,
Rear

Front

Lip from ground on level surface 5 3/4 inches

Rear clearance

Front Fender clearance

the slope pics in Part 2

wcc · 05-03-2006, 08:02 AM

Your car does look high, but measurements don't lie. I wonder if it's the size of your tires. Cause they don't look like the fill the wheel wells.

But to answer your question: Yes, if you lower your car 1in your front lip will be lower by 1in.

Rad Hatter · 05-03-2006, 08:11 AM

By the way I got some strange looks from the Car Park security lying under the front of the car taking pics on the slope !
First slope

Second slope

So Craig appreciate what you can recommend and what can you deduce from all that...
Heres the odometer by the way about to turn 38,000 Kilometers

ZOA NOM · ZOA NOM's Garage

There's no way that is already at Euro height, unless those tires are not the size that shows on the sidewalls. You can lower the car significantly, but you will almost always need to drive up abrupt inclines at an angle to prevent scrubbing the chin spoiler.

Rad Hatter · 09:03 AM

Well the pics dont lie and I used the tape measure - the tyres are Yoko AD-07's 205 front and 225 rears as you can see on the tire wall !
Any other suggestions guys ?
I know go back to the Cups 17 inch !that I just took off!

tsuter · 05-03-2006, 09:04 AM

Go ahead and lower it then bolt a couple of these things on.

It takes a really hard hit to break your tow mount. I know.

They bend but they don't break very easy.

And the skids are semi adjustable in that you can mount them in a coupe of positions.

Takes the fancy epozy paint right off those car park floors!!!!

Rad Hatter · 05-03-2006, 09:09 AM

Great stuff looks like a snow plough

tsuter · 05-03-2006, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rad Hatter
Great stuff looks like a snow plough

Well you got to be careful with those, but they will keep your front lip off the ground!

RANDY P · RANDY P's Garage

Learn to drive in and out at angles. Mine is on flat ground about 3" and I'm still able to go most places, even getting out of my brother's driveway. When I switched from a factory chin to the RUF I lost at least 1" right there. Drive slow and at slight angles

Now with that said, mine's going to the shop shortly to fix some damage from being dragged.

rjp

javadog · 05-03-2006, 10:09 AM

A couple of things you'll want to think about....You need to measure the car with a full tank of fuel. The picture you showed of the car on the ramp has the front tires about a foot up on the ramp from where the angle changes. The clearance will be the lowest when the front tires are at the very bottom of the ramp, so you need to measure the clearance with the car placed there. Lastly, when you drive down the ramp, you will lose a little bit of clearance when the tires hit the flat part, so don't use up all your clearance. I think you're close, as it is.

Please don't put the old wheels back on; the Fuchs look so much better.

JR

Craig 930 RS · 05-03-2006, 10:38 AM

I agree - bolt on the protector dealies and lower bya n inch all around and enjoy -

rnln · 05-04-2006, 12:09 AM

If you drive like that, don't lower your car, even 1/2 inch. When you lower your car, you will have to drive side way on road surface like that, payment, entrance. At most of the payment/entrance of any business plaza, I have to take the whole width of the entrance. Think about bring your car in almost complete side way.
I akn thinking of raising it up a bit.

Rad Hatter · 05-04-2006, 12:41 AM

Well I took the snow plow skid plate thingymajigs and the gap pics and showed the garage Mr Wong who said he would make something....hmmmm !

There happened to be a 3.2 Targa same year as mine but with 120,000 miles on it (there too) so we measured his front fender to ground and it was exactly one inch lower than mine, his lip had huge chunks missing like a shark attack:-((

The rear end spacing was the same measurement as my car's and his gap was the same as mine - so were his tyres.

Will see how it goes ...getting it back tomorrow hopefully and will take some pics before and after...

There was a mint red 1989 speedster lurking in the corner of the garage under some plastic sheets / !!!!!....before you ask it is Not for sale !
Cheers and many thanks again for the advice and warnings - suggestions

Jack Gresham · Jack Gresham's Garage

That is euro\org height, it looks fine, you will need a new alignment if you lower, with your parking garage I would leave it alone, you will have a higher tire rub potential on the front if lowered, streets are rough.

Jack 87 Carrera