HOW MUCH SHOULD I LOWER MY CAR.

[james1988]

Hi,

Ive got a Mk II Ph II black dynamique and im going to get some springs for it.
Its got 15's on there at the mo, and i intend to leave them on there. Keep it strictly Renault. LOL.

So, two questions, how much should i lower it, and what springs?

Any other advice on the mods i should do would be greatly appreciated, i want to keep it simple, with nice lines, and NOT A MOTORWORLD CAR.

Many thanks.

 

[Whiteley]

35/40mm should do the trick mate, and is generally cheaper as far as insurance goes when compared to a 60mm drop.

I'll be doing the same before too long.

 

[C.slicker]

If you are keeping the car and want to look after the shocks no lower than 40mm

If you care less about the long term welfare and don't mind a harder ride - 60mm.

Could go down the coiley route - about 400 delivered.

Sam

 

[DougClio16v]

My insurance:

Lower 35mm drop - £14.50
Lower 60mm drop - £82.90

I've just recieved some KTR 35 mm Apex springs, so will be fitting them soon.

 

[Simon_172]

My insurance:

Lower 35mm drop - £14.50
Lower 60mm drop - £82.90

I've just recieved some KTR 35 mm Apex springs, so will be fitting them soon.

whoa whoa whoa!! lol how old are you to get it that cheep? mine want £82 for 35mm!!

well when i rang i was 20 and now im 21 will it make a difference?

 

[DougClio16v]

I'm 21 now as well. I don't know! I haven't made a claim with my insurer (touches wood) so they must love me. And yes 21 should make a tiny bit of difference, but you won't get good discounts until you hit 25! :approve: (and as long as you keep a clean license and no claims).

 

[Simon_172]

ahh cool yeah i have 2 nearly 3 years no claims , ill ring them up and see what they say now lol

 

[black kro]

40K miles on standard shocks with 40mm drop - no probs.

I pay £60 insurance premium for non-standards alloys and lowered suspension

 

[Simon_172]

lol i have to pay £110 if i want non standard alloys!! well that was when i was 20 but still its a lot!!

 

[TeZ]

i did mine 40mm on eibach pros on standerd shocks done 50k miles still sweet as a nut, 40mm makes it look great just above the tyre on 15's (wheel arch height)..

 

[Simon_172]

have you got a pic of your clio with the 40mm on? tez180 is there much difference between 35mm and 40mm?

 

[DougClio16v]

have you got a pic of your clio with the 40mm on? tez180 is there much difference between 35mm and 40mm?

Errr the clue is in the name :S ... 5mm?? Usually after the springs have bedded in, it sinks to about 40mm and stays there. The same with 40mm, it will probably go lower to 45mm.

 

[TeZ]

YEA MINES MORE ABOUT 45 NOW ITS DONE ABOUT 500MILES ON THE SPRINGS

 

[Kneel]

60mm look the nuts, if you do it on coilies you can tell them any height drop as they are adjustable, so say 30mm then wind it down.

 

[TeZ]

take the suspension right out and replace it with a stale sandwich? be about as a nice ride as 60mm

 

[jamesp24]

Is it really that bad, im planning on getting the apex kit and going to 60mm.

 

[TeZ]

be prepared for a broken arsehole over your bumps my friend.. na its upto u Apex are better for look but for a progressive good handeling spring eibach Pro or the slightly cheaper sport ones will be better for handling

 

[Clio_Craig]

lol tez

 

[TeZ]

u no its true lol

 

[jamesp24]

Il be getting the shocks also not just the springs .

 

[Clio_Craig]

ive got a stale sarnie here if u want it

 

[jamesp24]

Still a no no then , whats in it lol.

 

[TeZ]

lol ya i got a old tomato will prob be better at absorbing those bumps

 

[Clio_Craig]

a rotten tomato for tez and some skanky ham lol, that shud be just as comfy as a 60mm drop

 

[TeZ]

HEHE, yea thats would be sweet im emailing Apex now on my future plsns to patent the idea

 

[jamesp24]

Haha.

 

[TeZ]

funny stuff guys tho seriously u going for APEX

 

[DougClio16v]

Like I said - I have 35mm Apex springs, I will let you know what the ride is like and post pics up once they have been fitted.

 

[N!CK R]

please do Doug! thinking of dropping mine about 35mm-40mm.
Wasnt sure whether to just do springs or suspension kit.
Cant really afford coileys and dont see the point on this car.

 

[DougClio16v]

On a 1.2 mate, springs will do the job just fine. Not worth breaking the bank on a suspension set up unless you're going to do a decent job tuning the car (also pointless unless you change the engine for a 2.0ltr). Like I said, I shall try and get some pics up once it's lowered.

 

[james1988]

Cheers all for the advice i think i will go for 40mm. will look nice i rekon.
Anything else i should do. its a nice car and i take good care of it, 19k miles, 04 plate, black, (will be posting some pics soon). one thing i am doing is getting the front, back, sides, door handles, and wing mirrors colour coded. £170.

So yeah wot else do u think i should do?

 

[DougClio16v]

Exhaust. Powerflow are making a stealth cat-back for me. Can't wait!

 

[DamoWales]

Whats SPAX suspension like? got a 60mm kit on the way!

Shocks and springs

 

[DougClio16v]

^ They are a good make - expensive like Eibach as well! I only thought they did full suspension kits for the 1.2? I couldn't find just springs for the 1.2 where I looked.

 

[DamoWales]

Awesom!! Suppose this job is coming in handy after all lol! These are paid for now so just need some sport alloys and a colourcode!

 

[ClioMatt]

just a quick question... anyone know what p.i springs are like because they are pretty cheap and wondered bout getting them for my car

 

[Kneel]

take the suspension right out and replace it with a stale sandwich? be about as a nice ride as 60mm

The FK coilovers are actually really really comfy :rasp:
When I had just springs its was bearable but not great, especially when you see a pothole. The bilstein fixed suspension kit (streetline) was like some-one had glued it all stiff, properly back breaking but fooking stuck round corners, and that was in a '98 1.4 astra which any-one will tell you were pretty shocking handling wise

 

[edde]

On a 1.2 mate, springs will do the job just fine. Not worth breaking the bank on a suspension set up unless you're going to do a decent job tuning the car (also pointless unless you change the engine for a 2.0ltr).

Its worth spening on proper dampers all the way never mind what engine you have.

Whats SPAX suspension like? got a 60mm kit on the way!

Shocks and springs

Its junk. Wouldn't recomend it to anyone dampers fail way to much and the setups to hard.

^ They are a good make - expensive like Eibach as well! I only thought they did full suspension kits for the 1.2? I couldn't find just springs for the 1.2 where I looked.

There laods of 1.2 kits out there just got to look and more mportantly paydecient money for decient stuff.

just a quick question... anyone know what p.i springs are like because they are pretty cheap and wondered bout getting them for my car

There rubish IMO.

IMO if your going to lower a car then do it properly springs and dampers there no decinet realy replacement dampers so get coilovers H and R or so £750. FK's are good for the money though.

Renault spent a fortune making the car handle no cheap springs will beat it and springs and dampers should be matched.

 

[DougClio16v]

^ F*ck that mate. Loads of people have just lowering springs on thier car and it does the job just fine. You dont need dampers at all. It's entirely down to how much the person is prepared to pay. Also im sure most of the 1.2 owners, such as me aren't going to make thier car for track purposes - so what does it matter? lol.

 

[edde]

^ F*ck that mate. Loads of people have just lowering springs on thier car and it does the job just fine. You dont need dampers at all. It's entirely down to how much the person is prepared to pay. Also im sure most of the 1.2 owners, such as me aren't going to make thier car for track purposes - so what does it matter? lol.

It matters trust me.

You don't ned them but then again you don't need to have the correct pressurse in your car tyres can have them at 60 to 15psi and the car still goes.