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      02-01-2007, 07:38 PM   #1
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Tips for running a lowered car?

I think this would be a great sticky.

I, personally, have never run a car that's been lowered, but it will be one of the first things I do after my car's wheels get here. Being a total noob, I was hoping you guys could post tips and things to avoid when running a lowered car - I don't care how mundane or common sense the tips are, I'd rather waste a little bit of time reading something I already knew than not be warned.

One of the things I'm specifically afraid of is not making it up my driveway. I'll post pics later and maybe you guys could give me your opinions. (I'd be lowered on H&R sport)
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      02-01-2007, 07:55 PM   #2
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angle the wheels when approaching a raised entrance..like this

/ ------/ and not |------|

avoid potholes..well at least you dont have snow
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      02-01-2007, 08:19 PM   #3
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make sure you get alignment after lowering the car, dont park so close to the curb when you are front in stall parking, and last but not least....drive around corners FASTER!
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      02-01-2007, 11:42 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ctgazer View Post
angle the wheels when approaching a raised entrance..like this

/ ------/ and not |------|

avoid potholes..well at least you dont have snow
I've always been told to never take a driveway head on, never really understood it. I always figured if you can clear it, you can clear it otherwise it'll hit either way. How much extra clearance do you get by going one wheel up first? I don't disagree with it, I just don't udnerstand haha.
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      02-01-2007, 11:42 PM   #5
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thanks for everyone's contribution, keep them coming
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      02-02-2007, 12:26 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ehhhwik View Post
make sure you get alignment after lowering the car, dont park so close to the curb when you are front in stall parking, and last but not least....drive around corners FASTER!
Why???
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      02-02-2007, 12:32 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tissot View Post
Why???
Enjoy the improved handling.
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      02-02-2007, 12:41 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tissot View Post
Why???

Quote:
Originally Posted by ThreeThirtyEye View Post
Enjoy the improved handling.
haha doh!

any word on those TPMS sensors threethirtyeye?
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      02-02-2007, 12:47 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ThreeThirtyEye View Post
Enjoy the improved handling.
ohhhh..... i thought it might've been that. But he was so serious in the first part of his post.
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      02-02-2007, 12:54 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ironic View Post
I've always been told to never take a driveway head on, never really understood it. I always figured if you can clear it, you can clear it otherwise it'll hit either way. How much extra clearance do you get by going one wheel up first? I don't disagree with it, I just don't udnerstand haha.

You probably will not have much of a problem with the front of the car with HnR sport unless you add a front lip or change the bumper. THen definitely...never go up or down head on..you will scrape the front of your bumper. If you go at a diagonal...it gives your car chance to adjust to height. Go more slowly than usual. Sometimes your stock oem bumper will clear no problem going on driveways, but you can still scrape the sideskirt area...so definitely go diagonal. (you will scrape those jack points!!!)

Take it easy on road dips, speed bumps.

Be very careful in parking lots...you will scrape on those concrete blocks (wheel stops)!!!
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      02-02-2007, 01:02 AM   #11
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i've actaully already scraped my front bumper going up a driveway on my stock sport suspension (damn driveways in the sunset)

thanks for the great tips tho magmd and the explanation
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      02-02-2007, 01:09 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ironic View Post
i've actaully already scraped my front bumper going up a driveway on my stock sport suspension (damn driveways in the sunset)

thanks for the great tips tho magmd and the explanation

Really??? with ZSP!! Man...then you really need to be careful with HnR on those driveways!! LOL....wow. I don't think I ever scraped with OEM bumper and ZSP.

Ok then...last tip------go buy some touch up paint at local dealer. They give you paint canister and clear coat canister! LOL!
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      02-02-2007, 01:10 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ironic View Post
I've always been told to never take a driveway head on, never really understood it. I always figured if you can clear it, you can clear it otherwise it'll hit either way. How much extra clearance do you get by going one wheel up first?
Entering a driveway at an angle (one wheel at a time) will increase clearance dramatically. When approaching at an angle, you minimize the chance that you undercarriage has to contact the driveway. And the clearance is improved dramatically.

The length between the front of your car's bumper and the axle is long enough to concern the driver when entering a slope. However, if you allow one wheel to contact the driveway instead of both wheels, you reduce the potential of contacting it. The goal of this method is to prevent the longest section of the front of your car from impacting the angle of the driveway.

Other Tips:
-Reduce speed during the following situations:
a) unfirmiliar roads
b) after long periods of rain fall; you will notice an abundance of potholes

-When parking in a perpendicular space, stop before your tires hit the curb/indicator
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      02-02-2007, 01:40 AM   #14
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when you are cruising at regular to fast speed...and you see a bump or pothole on the road...and you know it's too late to stop before you hit it...don't brake...accelerate....braking will cause you to bottom out harder...accelerating will hopefully create enough speed to just "jump" over the pothole or bump...your momentum will prevent your car from completely going down into the pothole....or forcing the car down harder from the up and down of the bump..braking forces the car to squat down harder......

now..if it's huge dip on the ground....pray to all the gods....braking might destroy your front bumper or scrape most of the bottom part of the front bumper..say good bye to any lips or aggressive bumpers...when you brake your front pushes down couple inches..especially on hard braking....if you accelerate...you may clear the front...but bottom out and hit the center/bottom of your car HARD.....
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      02-02-2007, 01:43 AM   #15
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i was going to buy splitters in the front...but realized..i live in san francisco...i need the most clearance in the front as possible...
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      02-02-2007, 09:10 AM   #16
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yeah man. If I had to drive on those hilly San Francisco streets I don't think I'd be dropping the car at all.
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      02-02-2007, 09:38 AM   #17
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Dont lower the car..load it up to the max and try to drive normally. It is not a good idea to drive a lowered car full of 5 adults.
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      02-02-2007, 10:08 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tissot View Post
Why???
Quote:
Originally Posted by ThreeThirtyEye View Post
Entering a driveway at an angle (one wheel at a time) will increase clearance dramatically. When approaching at an angle, you minimize the chance that you undercarriage has to contact the driveway. And the clearance is improved dramatically.

The length between the front of your car's bumper and the axle is long enough to concern the driver when entering a slope. However, if you allow one wheel to contact the driveway instead of both wheels, you reduce the potential of contacting it. The goal of this method is to prevent the longest section of the front of your car from impacting the angle of the driveway.

Other Tips:
-Reduce speed during the following situations:
a) unfirmiliar roads
b) after long periods of rain fall; you will notice an abundance of potholes

-When parking in a perpendicular space, stop before your tires hit the curb/indicator
Quote:
Originally Posted by ahnh77 View Post
when you are cruising at regular to fast speed...and you see a bump or pothole on the road...and you know it's too late to stop before you hit it...don't brake...accelerate....braking will cause you to bottom out harder...accelerating will hopefully create enough speed to just "jump" over the pothole or bump...your momentum will prevent your car from completely going down into the pothole....or forcing the car down harder from the up and down of the bump..braking forces the car to squat down harder......

now..if it's huge dip on the ground....pray to all the gods....braking might destroy your front bumper or scrape most of the bottom part of the front bumper..say good bye to any lips or aggressive bumpers...when you brake your front pushes down couple inches..especially on hard braking....if you accelerate...you may clear the front...but bottom out and hit the center/bottom of your car HARD.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by brocken View Post
yeah man. If I had to drive on those hilly San Francisco streets I don't think I'd be dropping the car at all.
Thanks for the port threethirtyeye.

ahnh77, I'm going to be getting a pair of nice rims w/ the car haha, so iono if accelerating would be better, I'd rather get a new bumper than a new rim - economics wse neways haha.

brocken, the hills in sf are what have always made me worried about lowering the car. I was acutally contemplating airbags, not so i an slam the car (though I probably would ) but so i had on the fly adjustbility.

I've been driving around in the new car lately and i feel pretty confident i can avoid most steep hills and bumpy roads, albeit after the rain ill still have to be extra careful.

I know some people here run lowered cars in San Francisco, any advice from you gys?
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      02-02-2007, 11:58 AM   #19
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- always approach driveways and dips at an angle and slow. you may have to angle the car more for those sf driveways.

- go very slow over speed bumps. you may have to angle it at times.

- leave a liberal amount of space between your car and parking block or curb when parking your car in a lot.

- avoid roads you know are really crappy (some times hard in sf).

- be on the look out for pot holes (should do this if your car is lowered or not).

- when going down a steep slope, slow down and be careful when it flattens out. you may need to angle the car at times. this is true too for steep ramps. my gf's underground parking garage has a very steep ramp, and i have to go slow and angle my car like a mofo.

that's all i can really think of for the time being. once you learn how to drive a lowered car, you'll find you drive all cars that way, lowered or not.

my ex lived in the city, and i never had issues driving a lowered car there. just be careful and use common sense. with your car lowered on h&r sport, i think you'll do fine. if your car was super slammed, then you might have some major issues.
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      02-02-2007, 12:59 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shragon View Post
once you learn how to drive a lowered car, you'll find you drive all cars that way, lowered or not.
Very true, Rob.
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      02-02-2007, 05:57 PM   #21
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thanks for the great advice everyone. i can't wait to put this thing on some springs once my wheels get here (~ a week and a half hopefully)
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      02-02-2007, 06:42 PM   #22
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here are some shots of my driveway, i think i should be ok, but i think when i get my springs i'm going to always approah from the other directio, what do you guys think? Will i make it?
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