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Lowering springs ruining the car?

Okay sweet! Why is progressive not what i want? When i put in my ABP's at 30mm all round the geometry was out a good bit! Ill be getting it done again anyway, it did make a big difference to how the car handled.
 
Standard rear springs are progressive. Nothing wrong with a progressive spring either. It's like having 2 spring rates in one.
 
Because of the suspension design you need to keep the lower control arms below horizontal, progressive springs are soft at the start of travel and get progressively stiffer as they compress which is good for comfort but bad for our car, you want it to be stiff at the start of travel to keep the lower control arm else horizontal.

Standard geometry and dropping the car does knock it out a lot but coming back up didn't change much, it obviously changed but it was like this, 2mm toe out to 0mm toe, - 1 camber front to - 0.5 front. It is better to get it done for sure I only said it if you were short on cash that it isn't as big of a problem as when you lower the car
 
Go as low or high as you like. Done properly won't give you any handling issues.
Dropping 15mm max from standard you'll just about get away with doing nothing other than set up the geometry. Any lower and you'll start to need extended ball joints, a rack raiser bracket and shorter shocks/coilovers.
 
Lewisgame said:
Go as low or high as you like. Done properly won't give you any handling issues.
Dropping 15mm max from standard you'll just about get away with doing nothing other than set up the geometry. Any lower and you'll start to need extended ball joints, a rack raiser bracket and shorter shocks/coilovers.
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This is wrong, but feel free to follow it.

Progressive springs are better, but not on this car.

Progressive springs on the rear is fine, but ask yourself why aren't they on the front?

I do recommend standard springs or coilovers while keeping the standard height, the height is critical. Bit if you want lowering springs then your only option is pro-kit since the rest are too low.
 
Right. So if you lower a car, but then correct the lower arm angle with extended ball joints back to standard angle, then fit a rack raiser bracket to bring the steering arms back to standard angle, still wrong?
 
Lewisgame said:
Right. So if you lower a car, but then correct the lower arm angle with extended ball joints back to standard angle, then fit a rack raiser bracket to bring the steering arms back to standard angle, still wrong?
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With all of the above it will work, but the mere fact you need to do all that should be ringing alarm bells. This work is needed for ALL lowering after 25mm, not just excessive like you say. Then you get to deal with the small suspension travel and bouncy ride.

There is no reason to lower the civic other than looks and if that's the only reason then who cares about handling.
 
Obviously lowering for a lower centre of gravity to reduce roll plays no part. You best go tell all the thousands of race teams that they've wasted their time going lower
 
Lewisgame said:
Obviously lowering for a lower centre of gravity to reduce roll plays no part. You best go tell all the thousands of race teams that they've wasted their time going lower
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Race teams aren't but you certainly are.

There are many reasons race cars go lower, centre of gravity is only one of them, aerodynamics is another. Do not forget that race cars are purpose built machines and share very little with your civic, just go look at a BTCC car. I've seen a mondeo one with a v6 engine where the engine was mounted so low that it had a driveshaft coming through the V shape in the block. The suspension towers and everything are all redesigned to allow it to go low, they haven't just lowered a road car like you want to do.
 
There's many race classes where you can't modify in the likes of say a BTCC car. Although I've been under a DC5 BTCC and it wasn't as redesigned as you may think.
The Civic Cup is a good example. They're all on coilovers, lowered height, extended ball joints and that's about the limit they're allowed.
No I'm not competing in the Civic Cup. But the car has been designed to handle better than standard for track use.
To say that there's no point in modifying the standard suspension design for better handling unless you completely redesign it is ridiculous.
 
All of the answers you need have been posted in this topic so I don't see the need to repeat myself, comparing to race cars is a bottomless hole, you can run a good set of coilovers and improve the handling. The car can be dropped slightly and still be fine, but I mean slightly, having to fit extended ball joints and a steering rack raiser is a poor solution to have to resort to. And comparing these principles to other cars is also pointless as this does not apply to most, where lowering will improve handling like in an s2000.
 
Wow.

Just.....wow.

I'm going to throw something into the mix here; not everybody is looking for ultimate cornering performance. I love my Eibach springs. I love the way the car looks, responds and copes with the roads that I enjoy.

It's not necessary to drive the EP3 to it's limits to enjoy the experience. Certain people may consider myself as being a softcore petrolhead; but I enjoy my car everyday, around town AND on the rare days when I get to play with others on the truly joyous roads.

If you want to improve lap times, then by all means experiment with the perfect suspension geometry. For the majority of us a nice drop and increased spring rate is ample entertainment and satisfaction.

We all have our own opinions and preferences, if you disagree with somebody else then respect their decision. Live and let lower FFS.
 
jimbothemagnificent said:
I'll tell you what he doesn't do: Void warranties.

Sorry, that was a cheap shot.....
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I dont get that.

Im a Mechanical Engineer, you guys make it out as if Im preaching this to the masses, I have answered questions directed at me in MY thread. I have provided evidence to support my position, read it and decide for yourself if you agree with it.
 
Why ask the original bloody question then if you're not going to accept anybodies opinion, view or more importantly, experience!!?

Only spout regurgitated, plagiarised toss.

Surely it's a statement?
 
Mechanical engineer. Asks for advice on his car. Doesn't like what he hears. Claims to know it all.
Ps. Your toe settings would've been part of your problem.
 
I started the thread because after hearing the opinions of people on this forum claiming a lowered car and a FRSU made a day and night improvement, doing it and finding it ruined the car I wanted to see if anyone else had a similar experience. After posting I continued researching into it and found my own answers.

Also lewis, Im not after advice, Im after similar experiences.

I wont be joining in with this pathetic forum arguement.
 
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