Lowered 60mm and looks same still, HELP ME?!

[Rob]

have you measured beneath the subframe before and after? that doesn't look like a 60 mm drop on the front tbh.
GAZ said that their coilover kit which I have could go 60 or more mm lower but in real life if I tried to go 60 mm lower the car would be standing on the bump stops on the front leaving no shock travel at all. Maybe some of you guys are measuring the drop in other ways, I'm always taking measures under the subframe

That is a drop with no measurements, that's a drop with 60mm apex springs. Simple.

When measured it was near enough correct, sack all this subframe crap, if you measure to the highest point of the arch from the floor, you get (and can see) pretty much a 2" difference. Which is 60mm.

 

[Spinksy]

have you measured beneath the subframe before and after? that doesn't look like a 60 mm drop on the front tbh.
GAZ said that their coilover kit which I have could go 60 or more mm lower but in real life if I tried to go 60 mm lower the car would be standing on the bump stops on the front leaving no shock travel at all. Maybe some of you guys are measuring the drop in other ways, I'm always taking measures under the subframe

Distance from centre of centre cap to bottom of wheel arch iirc....

I had about 2cm to the floor at the end and only had 2cm left on the coilies (GAZ)

 

[ripp]

there are obviously more ways of measuring, but I wouldn't just rely on manufacturer's claims alone, as I said GAZ for example can't give a usable 60 mm drop on the front, and going beyond 60mm is also impossible (talking from my experience)
In a non sport yes, a 60mm drop is more achievable but I'd still take a measure after fitting, at least now when I know claims are not always true.

 

[Aston Hamer]

They're gmax exta low 60mm springs from larkspeed in Leeds

 

[DanEdser]

Hmm lark speed are quite reputable I think? I'm sure if you contact them or GMax they'll sort you out. I reckon they've sent you the wrong ones. I lowered my 1.2 by 40mm and didn't have to touch the bumpstops.

 

[ben lee]

mine at a 60mm drop.

you rears look ok. looks like the wrong front springs have been supplied or have been fitted wrong.

have you got a photo of the strut tops under the bonnet?

 

[DanEdser]

I'd say his rears are too low

 

[Kitson93]

In my opinion and from what I have read on here, anymore than a 40mm drop should be done on coilovers.
Ive got huge arch gap and siting it out until I get coilovers! Just playing it safe

 

[The Fatty]

In my opinion and from what I have read on here, anymore than a 40mm drop should be done on coilovers.
Ive got huge arch gap and siting it out until I get coilovers! Just playing it safe

not true. ride quality will be hard as hell but nothing un-safe about using springs. My mk1 is down on Apex -60mm and never had a problem.

@ OP, did you screw the top hat nuts down fully in refit?

 

[Spinksy]

not true. ride quality will be hard as hell but nothing un-safe about using springs. My mk1 is down on Apex -60mm and never had a problem.

@ OP, did you screw the top hat nuts down fully in refit?

Surely if he didn't the car would be sat lower as it wouldn't be supporting the spring position... So the spring wouldn't be limited as much by the top hat?

 

[The Fatty]

Surely if he didn't the car would be sat lower as it wouldn't be supporting the spring position... So the spring wouldn't be limited as much by the top hat?

i was thinking it could be bottoming out on the dampers thus making it higher. but i'm not sure you would get the top nut on if it wasn't put on right as there isn't much leftover thread.

 

[Aston Hamer]

All the nuts are fully on yes I just message larkspeed who supplied them me

 

[MartinR]

Yes imo anything over 40mm unless matched with uprated shocks should be done via coilovers. Stupid , pointless and dangerous going 60mm on standard shocks etc

 

[Aston Hamer]

I am getting uprated shocks in a couple of month but tbh standard are fine they're relatively new anyway and don't see how they can be dangerous?

 

[Aston Hamer]

By the way guys I have drove the car a litle more and they seem to be lowering already but not by much at the minute
Time will tell

 

[MartinR]

Bump steer

 

[Gorms]

I ordered spring from larkspeed for my 200 and they sent me Meg 250 springs that were boxed incorrectly. They do make mistakes so best check all the part numbers on the springs.

 

[Aston Hamer]

Haven't got a pic but actually I have noticed a small gap about the thicknes of a pound coin under the strut tops ????

 

[DanEdser]

Get some pics!

 

[ben lee]

Yes imo anything over 40mm unless matched with uprated shocks should be done via coilovers. Stupid , pointless and dangerous going 60mm on standard shocks etc

why would it be stupid pointless dangerous using standard shocks when going 60mm? no different using 30mm or 40mm with standard shocks if the springs are made at full length so don't come loose when the shock is at full length.

 

[DanEdser]

Stahp. Any lowering springs on standard shocks are bad tbh. I'm sure Renault didn't design these shocks to be paired with lowering springs. 40mm is just about acceptable, 60mm is just a bit too much IMO & I wouldn't trust it at all without aftermarket shocks that are designed to be that low.

 

[AlexW]

I always see this discussion on car forums, lowering springs and standard shocks. I have no issue with standard shocks, as they all work the same within their working area, only becomes an issue if they are bottoming out, which it shouldn't be if your springs are correctly matched for the vehicles weight.

I have standard shocks on my DCi atm, I'd like to change them, but its quite far down my list tbh.

 

[Aston Hamer]

Drove it again today as I'm not on the road yet as such in the Clio, drove it round private land and it feels absolutely fine tbh! It has lowered conciderably on the front now too and standard shocks feel awesome tbh no even that bumpy for how low it is and the shock is the same as a standard spring being on it it's just that the standard spring is more compressed under the tension of the top of the shock, where as the lowering spring is not as compressed but are designed to fit in the shock still and have enough tension in to hold the spring in place , and the bumpstops have been shortened there's no way it will bottom out by looks of travel on the shocks tbh , I don't even see the point in race shocks at the moment

 

[Loz H]

got any pics? strange they took this long to settle haha

 

[Aston Hamer]

I'll get some tomorrow if I remember and I've not drove it much though , it's been stood still mainly

 

[DanEdser]

Even if it has settled a little bit, it would still have mega negative rake though?

 

[Aston Hamer]

rake? i dont understand what that means lol

 

[Loz H]

rake? i dont understand what that means lol

Rake is the angle that the car sits at. so positive rake would mean the nose of the car will sit lower than the rear, negative rake means the rear of the car sits lower than the front

 

[Aston Hamer]

i ALWAYS! remember thing late at night aha not good pics at all but couple of very quick ones as its freezing, it has lowered but still way off at the minute it has only done about 7 mile though since they were fitted and larkspeed says they take around 50-100 mile to bed in and settle down.

 

[LaurenTayla33]

Rear springs almost definitely more than 60mm!
Check part numbers, the longer you leave them on the car, the less likely they will want to help you.
Mine is 60mm on apex springs & shocks..

 

[Loz H]

Is it still sitting higher at the front? still looks awkward :s

 

[DanEdser]

Yep still got a lot of negative rake. Looks like it's dragging it's arse. Definitely something up with those springs man. And yours is a sport Lauren, so they're lower than a non sport as standard, so would be even more than 60mm to get to the same height, no?

 

[Aston Hamer]

they did say "extra low" springs and it hasnt even moved at all much just around the block twice when it takes 100 mile to settle down they said

 

[Aston Hamer]

Yep still got a lot of negative rake. Looks like it's dragging it's arse. Definitely something up with those springs man. And yours is a sport Lauren, so they're lower than a non sport as standard, so would be even more than 60mm to get to the same height, no?

how can i check them? like to make sure they're the right ones, they were a lot smaller than standard springs off the car.

 

[McGherkin]

And yours is a sport Lauren, so they're lower than a non sport as standard, so would be even more than 60mm to get to the same height, no?

It's not a sport.

 

[DanEdser]

It's not a sport.

Oh, my bad.

LAWL just looked at the photo again. I just saw turinis's and thought sport.

 

[McGherkin]

I just saw turinis's and thought sport.

FLOL.

 

[rich-6]

The instructions tell you that you should be cutting 2" off the front springs.

 

[Aston Hamer]

Lol no chance not cutting them , they will break :/ aha

 

[MartinR]

Did you run that red squirrel over?