lowering?

[lewis_willy2]

ok think ive asked this before, but need to be certain, i want to lower my car, a 1.4rt its got 17s on it? how low can i go??

bear in mind i need to be able to get over speed bumps?

lewis

[lewis_willy2]

and i havent got 16v front arches? yet and just bought 55mm spring?????

[Rich]

will catch unless you put 45 profile tyres on and might still catch on full lock

[Coops]

i'd go no lower than 35 mate, n even then on 17's ur gonna have fun with scrubbin!

[craig100]

if you put 40s on n lower 35 it should be ok :D

[lewis_willy2]

ive just brought the springs, brand new and rear dampers from our friend naples_16v

cheers fella

will it catch on outside of front arch?

how low would be recomended on the rear?

gna sell the 17's soon anyway

but in the mean time?

[Gav]

i lowered my back on my 1.2 rn 45mm and it rubbed real real bad! started cutting into my tyre then popped it. raised it 5mm and still rubbed but only slightly

that was on 15's rear

lowered it 45mm at the front with 16v arches and no rubbing at all

[Coops]

had my 1.4 down 35 all round on standard shocks n just front lowering springs so i reset rear torsion bar to match n that was on 15's with 45 profile tyres, not one problem atall with that set up! if they do catch tends to be on inside of wheelarch lining more than anything!

[u33db]

My 1.2 is down -35mm on 16v suspension...that equates to -55mm using non-16v gear and has no problems....loads more room to go and i will be going lower...no 16v front arches either...but that is on 185/55/14's.

TBH I think you should get away with a similar drop as long as you're wheels are a max of 7" wide and tyre is no more than 195 wide. Good you're selling them tho...

[Daz]

195/50/15's caught on the back of my 1.2 lowered 35mm.
195/45/15 were fine.

[arj256]

On my 1.2 that was lowered 55mm front and rear that was on 195/45/15 and that was allright driving about and didnt rub on full lock etc, but i found if you was on full lock and hit a big hole or something the wheel could come in contact with the standard arches.

I once put on some 185/55/15's and these where right in the arch, they was drivable but wouldnt want to do manouvers with them on.

[u33db]

A lot of 195/50's balloon like mad over the rim once moving tho...it all depends what you've got - obviously, the lower profile you've got the less the tyre is going to suffer from this.

As i said, I reckon you'll get away with -55mm but i'd leave the rear a bit higher than the front than say you'd have on 16v (better for handling anyway)...if you've still got problems, you'll be able to cut/grind away some of the arch lip and gain about 5-10mm clearance.