Some Lowering Advice

[Darius]

The time is fast approaching to drop my car

I am budget conscious but want to do the right thing.

So I need to choose out the following 3;

- Just springs on standard shocks 60/40mm

- Springs and new shocks front and rear (again 60/40mm)

- TA Technix coilovers

At the moment Im favouring the top because its the cheapest at £60 compared to £250 for the coilies. Im not too bothered about the ride as long as its not absolutely awful.
Fred@BTM got any thoughts mate as you'll be fitting whatever I decide on ;-)

Regards

 

[MonacoDan]

I can't comment on the springs but I had TA technix on my old 1.2 and honestly it was like driving with welded up shocks, there was absolutely no play in the coilovers at all.

 

[JAMason]

Having just fixed a massively bodged lowering job on my 172 I would say don't skimp on this area!

If you go option 1: don't buy the cheap A-Max £60 springs off eBay/euro car parts/CP4L. I have spoken to a few guys about my options to fix my bodged job and they all advised against these springs. Same as the Apex ones. They ruin the handling of the car and are far too harsh and will lessen the life of your shocks. If you go down this road, spend a little more and get the cooksport or eibach springs instead.

If you go option 2: look for a kit, bilstines or something. failing that, Koni do some brilliant adjustable dampers, but they cost a fair packet and you and couple those up with some cooksports or eibach springs again.

If you go option 3: coilovers are only good if you spend big. Cheap coils will be terrible and you might as well have just got cheap lowering springs.

My advise is option 1 using cooksport springs and then get your hands on a good set Clio cup dampers that are in good condition! it's a tried and tested setup that loads of people on here run for day to day driving.

Personally, being old and boring, I fixed my car with a full set of 182 cup springs, I'm looking for some 172 cup dampers to pair them with now and have ordered new top mounts and bearings to finish it all off properly. Function over form in my opinion! But like I have said, if you are lowering it, cooksport or eibach are your best shot.

Jack

 

[RenMatt]

Hello ,I have a koni kit on my dci ,not bad and quite stiff, & if Larkspeed have any left they are on special offer at the moment so might be worth a look :lolup:

 

[Steven103]

Cheap springs & current dampers will be cheap until you have to replace the knackered dampers at MOT.

Put simply coilovers are the only option that is designed to not break at -60mm LOL. For comfort they will all be between "bad" (best) and "horrible."


Unfortunately Clios are horrendous at transferring vibrations through the cabin. Every interior panel seems to have been designed with a resonant frequency occurring at 20-40mph so the whole thing will probably buzz and rattle as well as being overly firm

 

[sarge64]

I have just recently brought a 53 plate 172 that has been stood for 3 years.
I have put it back on the road but it is rock hard, if your driving at any speed over say 35mph and the road undulates the back feels like its skipping left to right. The lad didn't change the springs so cant tell me whats on there. The only thing i can tell you is that they are red!
Any ideas as i have given the car to my wife and i dont want it to bite her, what about reverting to standard springs.
Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Darius]

I've gone for TA-technic coilovers now - got some used fairly cheap, when they arrive what should I be checking to ensure they are in working order??

 

[JAMason]

I have just recently brought a 53 plate 172 that has been stood for 3 years.
I have put it back on the road but it is rock hard, if your driving at any speed over say 35mph and the road undulates the back feels like its skipping left to right. The lad didn't change the springs so cant tell me whats on there. The only thing i can tell you is that they are red!
Any ideas as i have given the car to my wife and i dont want it to bite her, what about reverting to standard springs.
Any help would be appreciated!

thread hijack!! iv just changed mine back to standard. It's not a hard job if you are handy with the spanners and you can get a full set of secondhand standard springs from the forum for about £30-40. Just post a wanted message in te sale section. Took me about 2.5 hours to change all my springs. I was fortunate enough to have an impact gun to get all the bolts off, they might be seized on your car so will take some effort to crack them off.

Jack

 

[ThomasBrentnall]

I have just recently brought a 53 plate 172 that has been stood for 3 years.
I have put it back on the road but it is rock hard, if your driving at any speed over say 35mph and the road undulates the back feels like its skipping left to right. The lad didn't change the springs so cant tell me whats on there. The only thing i can tell you is that they are red!
Any ideas as i have given the car to my wife and i dont want it to bite her, what about reverting to standard springs.
Any help would be appreciated!

Sounds like your shocks are knackered! Eibach usually colour their springs red.

 

[sarge64]

Thanks guys, sorry for hijacking the post!