Technical Would lowering my car upset the ride?

[roadster1_98]

I'm thinking of lowering my 500. Not so it's scraping off the ground I just think It would look a little better dropping it a few mm. However having never had a car thats been lowered I want to know if doing this will effect the comfort?

thanks

 

[JimMagill]

I'm thinking of lowering my 500. I want to know if doing this will effect the comfort?

Yup!

Jim

 

[John R Smith]

Well, Jim has certainly given you the short, sharp reply

And he is absolutely right, of course. You never get something for nothing. By lowering the car you have inevitably reduced the suspension travel, because the bump stops are still in the same place, and they will therefore activate sooner. Usually, stiffer springs go with a mod of this sort, which makes the ride harder again. Racing cars which live their lives on a circuit are fine with extreme lowering, because race circuits are very, very smooth. Our cars have to live in the real world of speed bumps, manhole covers and (down here) rough farm lanes with no tarmac. The 500 already has very little ground clearance at the front.

So the trade-off is up to you - lower = stiffer+harder ride.

John

 

[Peco]

You may even prefer the ride, from a comfort as well as handling persective. There are a few example 500s out there, so do your forum research to establish what the diferent lowering kits are doing dynamically.

They do look quite nice lowered also!!

 

[Nuova500]

As with anything, buy the best kit you can afford and remember, always fit shockers to match the springs. If you use the std ones they may well bottom out if you lower it too much. Dont buy cheap, stick with well known makes like Eibach, Koni and the like.

 

[jnoiles]

I've got a 1.4 lounge on 16" wheels and I found it the ride to be a bit jittery at speed on the standard suspension. On a whim I bought the HK spring set from Nuovo500 shop and had them fitted last weekend. They only lower the car by about 30mm but its enough to feel like a whole new car. It feels like the way it should have been from the factory. The jumpy, jittery, wandering feeling at speed has completely disappeared. A lot of the body roll has gone as well. It's a bit crashy if you hit a bump but then so were the standard ones so its not any worse.

Every morning I have to negotiate a large sweeping roundabout that goes downhill towards the exit I take. On standard springs she always felt like a plane diving sideways and into a turn, that feeling that you could look out the passenger window and see tarmac from the lean angle. With the new springs on, thats gone completely. She doesn't squeal the tyres around corners, just holds on a lot better. You don't have that here-we-go rollercoaster feeling in the pit of your stomach.

So, that's been my experience of lowering on the cheap. I'm still considering what to do with the suspension eventually but for the moment the springs alone solved the immediate problem of the car feeling like a stork.

 

[Pheonix 500]

I've got a 1.4 lounge on 16" wheels and I found it the ride to be a bit jittery at speed on the standard suspension. On a whim I bought the HK spring set from Nuovo500 shop and had them fitted last weekend. They only lower the car by about 30mm but its enough to feel like a whole new car. It feels like the way it should have been from the factory. The jumpy, jittery, wandering feeling at speed has completely disappeared. A lot of the body roll has gone as well. It's a bit crashy if you hit a bump but then so were the standard ones so its not any worse.

Every morning I have to negotiate a large sweeping roundabout that goes downhill towards the exit I take. On standard springs she always felt like a plane diving sideways and into a turn, that feeling that you could look out the passenger window and see tarmac from the lean angle. With the new springs on, thats gone completely. She doesn't squeal the tyres around corners, just holds on a lot better. You don't have that here-we-go rollercoaster feeling in the pit of your stomach.

So, that's been my experience of lowering on the cheap. I'm still considering what to do with the suspension eventually but for the moment the springs alone solved the immediate problem of the car feeling like a stork.

Very interesting comments...I too have had that....ahh I'm not feeling 100% in control feeling whilst nailing it around fast corners. OK, granted I haven't gone and bought a sports car, its a fun car with a small engine, but it does beg to be caned.......everywhere :slayer:

I may well try a set ov HK's. Can I ask, do your 16's rub at all on full lock ?

 

[Peco]

Jnoiles, thanks for the post.

So, comparing KWs and Eibachs basic kit (-30mm all round both kits), has anyone got experience of the two and can comment on the ride. Which is the stiffer? Do they offer the same stiffness all round? How does the two compare with standard(s)?

Thanks

 

[jnoiles]

Very interesting comments...I too have had that....ahh I'm not feeling 100% in control feeling whilst nailing it around fast corners. OK, granted I haven't gone and bought a sports car, its a fun car with a small engine, but it does beg to be caned.......everywhere :slayer:

I may well try a set ov HK's. Can I ask, do your 16's rub at all on full lock ?

Nope. I get the full range of motion with the HK springs.

 

[306maxi]

Well, Jim has certainly given you the short, sharp reply

And he is absolutely right, of course. You never get something for nothing. By lowering the car you have inevitably reduced the suspension travel, because the bump stops are still in the same place, and they will therefore activate sooner. Usually, stiffer springs go with a mod of this sort, which makes the ride harder again. Racing cars which live their lives on a circuit are fine with extreme lowering, because race circuits are very, very smooth. Our cars have to live in the real world of speed bumps, manhole covers and (down here) rough farm lanes with no tarmac. The 500 already has very little ground clearance at the front.

So the trade-off is up to you - lower = stiffer+harder ride.

John

Not strictly true. Ride comfort is a function of the damping and the spring rates. Keep the spring rates the same and the comfort levels will be the same. It's not very often you'll even hit the bump stops which will of course not be a good thing for comfort. The tradeoff is that if you keep the spring rates the same yet get shorter springs you're more likely to hit the bump stops and of course that's not good. As you say if you lower you usually get stiffer springs which means less ride comfort.

Confusing but I hope it makes sense.