New to lowering. Lots of questions

[edoc]

Now that this semester is almost over I'm going to be able to have time to lower my car. Need some clarification. Basically, I don't know all of the parts I will need. After looking around, from my understanding you don't need to buy shocks with coil overs, correct? Open to springs too, but I don't know what else I would need. Could somebody tell me the parts I would have to buy with a coil over setup and a spring set up? My budget is 500, absolute max. I now realize that's not a lot, but I'd like to go as low as possible. Thanks

[Oolop]

Lowering springs and cut them. Do you want to go as low as possible because you want it to look cool or are you looking for performance/cornering ability?

[MPLFoster]

Lowering springs and cut them...

For the love of god... DON'T do this.




If you upgrade the springs you need to upgrade the shocks, or you'll be left with something bouncy and dangerous if you ever attempt to take a corner at speed or need to make an evasive maneuver...more so if you cut said springs.

Save up, do it right. It's not just your safety at risk, it's the people you share the road with as well.

[edoc]

Okay and how about coil overs? I'm not lowering it to do track days or anything, simply for looks, but I don't want anything unsafe. Are you saying $500 isn't enough to lower my car? That's kind of hard to believe. I have a lot of friends in the honda and VW scene who lowered theirs properly for much less than $500. Yeah different cars cost less, but $500 seems reasonable.

[mtech325]

I have to agree with the other guys, save a few more bucks and do it correctly the first time. For what you want, probably 800 bucks is what you realistically need to spend. Bilsteins Sports and H&R springs are solid start for a quality lowered suspension. I'd advise getting heavier duty rear shock mounts and new front strut mounts as well (no point putting 20+ year old parts back on with fresh shocks/springs).

I know it sucks seeing Hondas and VWs being able to have coilovers for chump change, but those aren't always quality coilovers either. For many of those cars, the strut itself has a flange (e36) or uses a clamp type setup (like the VW or e46) which allows for more interchangeability. On e30s, you are left with a strut tube that requires the insert to be removed. That's why there aren't as many off the shelf coilovers like you might see for other makes, namely because the e30 requires the strut housing to be used as a core.

Long story short, save a little more money and DO IT ONCE and DO IT RIGHT. Check the classifieds, you might be able to piece your suspension together for a little cheaper because someone is selling their setup.

--Joey

[TiMPower]

just get joms. i dont get why almost every member on this forum refers everyone to get premium race quality parts when most just want stance..

[Andy.B]

Ok. I will state up front that you shouldn't buy these (or JOM's). They are lousy, and honestly, your car probably needs $500 of maintenance in other areas more than it needs to be JOMG FLUSH HELLA LOWZZZ!!!111!!, but IF you are bound and determined to lower your car for the looks, Racelands or JOM's are a better/safer option than cutting springs.

However, I would recommend searching around for a set of decent used springs and bilsteins to get a reasonable drop with reasonable comfort instead of the raceland/JOM chinese 'built to fail' coilovers just to get 'flush'.

Or better yet, if you are more concerned with the look of your car than the performance, get a different car. I don't mean that as an insult, but you are doing no one a favor by chasing 'the look' with an e30. You will have a terrible handling uncomfortable car that lost its resale value after your mods, Honda/VW stance bro's don't care about or appreciate the merits of a properly maintained e30, and would probably give you more respect in a fwd stancemobile, and other e30 drivers will just think you are an idiot.

[mitchlikesbikes]

when most just want stance..

this gave me cancer.

[MPLFoster]

Ok. I will state up front that you shouldn't buy these (or JOM's). They are lousy, and honestly, your car probably needs $500 of maintenance in other areas more than it needs to be JOMG FLUSH HELLA LOWZZZ!!!111!!....

^ that's not terrible advice. use the 5hundo and do some maintenance.

your life literally rides on the suspension...why cheap out on it? for a few hundred more you can get coilovers with ridiculous spring rates and improperly valved shocks and achieve the stance look but it will require modification of the strut housings for max lowzzz.

Or work hard and save up for the Ground Control coilover conversion kit for a grand with a LIFETIME guarantee. Plus made in 'Merica...

[edoc]

If you don't like the look of a lowered e30, that's your opinion. I'm not out to impress anybody. Don't care what honda and vw guys think. Stock ride height looks like shit in my opinion and I want to go low. It's a 4 cylinder. I'm not going to get performance out of it unless I do a swap, no thanks. I have an R1 for track days. This is just for cruisin around. It's actually in near perfect shape, low miles, garage kept and that's why I bought it. Got it cheap too. The street bike is for track days, wouldn't have bought a 4cyl if that was my intention. Just want a clean look. I'll probably check out the JOMs.

[oliver.r]

just remove you springs, total slamage for free

[edoc]

Btw, I found like a 5 page thread on this site with people who own JOMs talking about them and posting pics. Cars look good, and the majority agree they ride good. I just want it to look good, be safe, and ride well. JOMs meet that criteria. Like I said it's not a track car.

[MPLFoster]

If you don't like the look of a lowered e30, that's your opinion. I'm not out to impress anybody. Don't care what honda and vw guys think. Stock ride height looks like shit in my opinion and I want to go low. ...

Where, in any of the previous posts, does anyone say they don't like the look of a lowered E30? i'll save you the time and tell you no one here mentions that they do or do not like a lowered E30.... the only point most of us have been trying to make is that it needs to be done properly. Sure there are cheap options out there that will get you low and be relatively safe, but you get what you pay for. i'd rather spend money on something that is quality and that will last.

Btw, I found like a 5 page thread on this site with people who own JOMs talking about them and posting pics. Cars look good, and the majority agree they ride good..

lol

[edoc]

Ok. I will state up front that you shouldn't buy these (or JOM's). They are lousy, and honestly, your car probably needs $500 of maintenance in other areas more than it needs to be JOMG FLUSH HELLA LOWZZZ!!!111!!, but IF you are bound and determined to lower your car for the looks, Racelands or JOM's are a better/safer option than cutting springs.

However, I would recommend searching around for a set of decent used springs and bilsteins to get a reasonable drop with reasonable comfort instead of the raceland/JOM chinese 'built to fail' coilovers just to get 'flush'.

Or better yet, if you are more concerned with the look of your car than the performance, get a different car. I don't mean that as an insult, but you are doing no one a favor by chasing 'the look' with an e30. You will have a terrible handling uncomfortable car that lost its resale value after your mods, Honda/VW stance bro's don't care about or appreciate the merits of a properly maintained e30, and would probably give you more respect in a fwd stancemobile, and other e30 drivers will just think you are an idiot.

This guy did..

[edoc]

Stop talking to me like I came here asking how to cut my springs lol