Lowering help, please?

kaxgeo

New Member
Hey Guys, im fairly new to the scene. but im looking at dropping my 98' Civic EX about 2". im not trying to lose oil pans on speed bumps, i just wanna have the tire fill out the wheel well.
the car is pretty much stock (for now). i have some Buddy Club P2+ wheels, 17x7.5. with Nitto Neo-gen tires.
the problem im noticing is that im gonna rub fender if i drop it down. i know that if i were to drop it, it would camber in and probably fix that. but im worried that ill be going through tires like gas! an i would lose all handling. am i correct on this? please advise, thank you in advance!
 

RealRabbit

New Member
Registered VIP
No, you wouldn't have enough camber to make a significant difference on tire wear. Also, negative camber actually helps with cornering. Again, unless you go with a significant amount.

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civexspeedy

New Member
Registered VIP
5+ Year Member
Wheel offset plays an important role in determining whether or not you'll rub. Without any camber adjustment with the stock arms, you cannot rely on the static camber gain to help reduce any rubbing. With only a 2" drop, simply getting an alignment(setting the toe within spec) should be enough to extend the life of your tires. Just keep up with rotating your tires on a regular basis. If you're lowering your car, the springs should be stiffer and with a good alignment, your car will handle at least a little better than stock.
 

kaxgeo

New Member
cool! yea I'm not wanting anymore camber than would automaticly happen when dropping it.
would a camber kit be of any assistance for me? or is it just for superior stancing? and did I read correctly that the drop will actually help stiffen the ride. and I forgot to mention I'll be doing it right, probably get Skunk2 struts and coilovers.
 


rustycivic2000

New Member
Registered VIP
Like civicexspeedy said, as long as you don't drop the car too much, a camber kit isn't needed, Just get it aligned, and have the toe set to zero. You could buy a kit, but you'd probably be correcting the camber a degree or two, so its not really worth it. And since you have 17s, the little bit of camber you'll get by dropping the car will allow for a little extra room to fit your wheels.You didn't list the offset of the wheels, so I can't say for certain. Also, depending on the offset and tire size, it might be a good idea to roll your fenders as well.

And yes, when you drop the car, it is stiffer. Most coilovers/lowering springs have higher spring rates than stock to increase the handling of the car, and because the car is lower, as stiffer spring is needed to ensure the car will not bottom out.

And personally, I wouldn't run Skunk2 coilover sleeves and shocks......they have a reputation for being bumpy and overly stiff. A friend of mine bought a set new, and they rode bumpy from day one. Also, the front shocks blew within 6 months, and the rears followed shortly after.

You'd be better off spending a bit more money on a better quality setup. Just my 2 cents.


Give this thread a good read, it will answer pretty much all your questions about different coilover setups:

http://www.clubcivic.com/board/showthread.php?t=206087
 


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