OK, I apologize for the repetition, but once again it is a springs comment....I have read here SO MANY TIMES about how you must change this long list of items to lower your car or bad things will befall you! However, at a recent car show I ran across a guy that has a nice 620HP '05. The interesting thing about his car - he has lowered it WITHOUT the obligatory $800 strut change, yes that's right, just the springs and some odds and ends hardware, but NO STRUTS, and has had no complaints whatsoever. Important to mention here - the car has been lowered a while ago and he has since put on over 16,000 miles with no problems at all.

Just interested in comments and thoughts.

Although I can certainly appreciate all the advice from those that know - it is very hard to deny reality. This example has once again given me hope that I can lower my car for a reasonable price. if anyone else has had this type of time-proven success with just springs, (especially Ground Force), please let me know.

 

This really comes down to a subjective decision. If you are happy, than leave the stock struts/shocks in place . If you get into needs of more performance driving, track/autoX and such, you would find that your current set-up not ideal.

Jazzer

 

So-called "reality" in this case is only perception. Not everybody notices effects that indicate that shocks/struts are not quite up to the job of properly controlling the springs or that even driving straight down the highway could be made better.

In the case of this particular620 hp beast, its owner appears to be mainly interested in showing the car, with cruising and straight line acceleration being secondary possibilities. In none of these activities are shocks very high up on most people´s list of things to improve, and at a show, they do absolutely nothing and are not even particularly visible. With that many miles on them, the damping has started to fade away, so if anything it might ride a little softer (but overall with less suspension control).

Remember, it´s not like the car is going to fall off the road if you put short stiff springs with OE struts/shocks that already have some miles on them. Just that that is not the best way to go about doing this, and you would not be getting everything out of the springs that you could. It may ride OK -if you never hit bumps hard enough to get the bumpstops involved, but that tells you nothing about how good the control over the car and suspension motions is. There has been a night and day difference in this sensation of suspension control every time that I have installed new struts/shocks on any car, the latest such effort being for my wife´s car done only last Friday (hence it is really fresh in my mind).

FWIW, I´ve only got about 6000 miles on my 2008 GTand I can already feel the rebound damping starting to go away a little, particularly in the rear- and that´s with the OE springs.


Norm

 

The unfortunate thing you find on almost every forum is 'conventional wisdom' - somebody who seems to know a thing or two posts some information and then the masses who dont know much pick it up and treat it as gospal.

I find that to be the case with Lowering the car. Many, many folks seem to think, and will certainly tell you, that to lower a car takes springs, dampers, PHB, camber plates, LCAs, etc, etc.

Technically the only thing needed to lower a car is lower springs....thats it.

The need or desire for all those other parts depends on your goals and tolerance for how the car rides and looks, i.e. all the other parts *may* be needed either now or in the future. For instance, your 620HP friend may eventaully need new dampers because the stock ones prematurely wear out or over time become pogo sticks...only time will tell. But he seems to be happy right now so he doesnt need/want new dampers. Bully for him.

Note that a lot depends on how low you go - the more you lower the car, the more likely you will need/want some of the other parts.

I say go for the new springs and see how it works. You can always upgrade the other stuff in the future.

 

At the bare-bones minimum for appearance only, that is true.

However I cannot for the life of me understand why anybody would seek an appearance that is trying to say "better performance than OE lives here" but is at best a half done job that cannot fully deliver on what it suggests.


Norm

 

Norm,

In this case, the guy drives the hell out of that car, and was commenting on the quality of the ride as well. Now I don't know if these "Ground Force" springs have anything special, but I believe it is certainly worth a try.

And really, all I'm looking for is looks, not any additional handling. The gap in the wheel wells is ridiculous, so eliminating that, whether improving handling or not is important to me.

 

Further to Norm's comments in my case the horsepower level is much lower, only 445 HP, but I found driving the car with the SC installed and no other mods was a little unnerving. Under sharp acceleration the nose would rise and the rear squat and the axle would hop. It was not fun.

After making the rest of the planned mods, listed below, the car is a little stiff and noisy on the street and most people would probably not like it. On the track it goes like stink and handles predictably and safely.

It all depends on what you want and how much you want to spend.

 

I completely agree with you Norm. Springs only is not something I did nor would do. Handling and ride are important to me. But to some folks looks and money are the primary drivers. What my previous post tries to point out is - many folks seem to think that you must buy this, that and the other thing or your car will crash the first time you take a corner. Witness the wording of the OPs original post 'I have read here SO MANY TIMES about how you must change this long list of items to lower your car or bad things will befall you'. He got this impression because he has read it so many times on this and probably other forums. The bottom line is Springs are the only thing you MUST have to lower a car. Some of the other things you SHOULD have for various reasons and then some of the things are just BS (like the common statement that you need a bumpsteer kit when you lower a car).

 

i believe the main factor is price. if someone just wants to close the wheel gap like the gentleman above it would "seem" foolish to spend $1000.

 

Hey Ron,
All you need to lower the car is springs that is correct, when I first considered lowering my car I read alot of post that said you need this or that, I could not afford all these things that were mentioned but I really wanted to lower the stang so I went out and bought the Eibach pro kit only, this stang is my wifes daily driver she absolutley hated the car with the springs only it got to the point where she would not drive the car she said everytime she drove over a dip she said it sounded and felt like the frame was hitting the ground so I let her drive my suv (not a bad trade for me lol) I drove the car and the first day I drove it I thought it was fine untill I drove over a dip I finally knew what she was talking about the car was hitting the bump stops I dont know if you have ever felt this but it hurts everytime, so I saved up some money and purchased the Tokicos D-specs and had them set to the softest setting, I cannot even come close to explaining the difference in the ride then to say it rides better then when it was stock, now I only get to drive the stang when it needs a wash or gas she loves the new setup and my alignment is fine so I would say at the bare minimum do the springs and struts I learned the hard way, some people may say it rides ok with just the springs but I want them to feel the difference and then honestly tell you that it rides better with only springs I would say B.S to that. I hope this helps I dont plan on buying all the extra stuff because I dont feel I need it, it may be usefull but for now I feel 100% that I made the right choice.
By the way even with 4 of us in the stang I have yet to hit the bump stops.
Javier