Yes it is cheap running lowering springs on stock shocks, but over time your stock shocks are going to go out and your ride is going to be worse then before. Puting lowering springs on isn't going to really help your ride quality, puting shocks on is going to stiffen up the ride so your quality is better. The best way to do all of this is try and find a used set of springs/shocks or coilovers so you don't have to spend as much. You're going to waste money and time doing only springs IMO.

 

i feel ya man. im in college and i am the same way
if u wana go real cheap.... just uhhh
cut ur stock springs. if you know someone that KNOWS exactly how low they can be cut then this could workout for your budget.
i have also heard vmaxx coilovers are good. u can get them 650 new.
or you can ride stock till u have enough money for shocks and springs together
good luck

 

What year is your car and what is the milage?

 

I put a Pro-Kit on stock new KYB's for a 1.3" drop and the kyb's had no rebound control. So every bump larger than maybe 2-3 inches would slam the bumpstops and then they would launch the rear up in the air. I switched to Koni FSD's wich control the rear nicely, although the back end still bounces too much for these NY roads. But the stock rear suspension was no picnic either IMO. If I lived in the sun belt or a state that actually paved their roads properly I probably wouldn't mind.

I'm also on 18's and that don't help much either.

 

i have a 2000 1.8t thats about to break 100k, i already have neuspeed sport springs, i'm just wondering if i should lookf for some decent used shocks so i dont have to pay thie install twice when my stock shocks go 10k down the road. i wouldnt really mind buying a cheap combo, i guess i could always sell the neuspeeds. thanks for your imput guys.

 

Your stock shocks are gonna die real soon, that's the pitfall. Just hold off and only pay for labor once.

 

In reality this may only apply to high mile cars .. I could find no evedence to this in low mile cars .. eg 10K . I did a survey on this prior on Vortex and PW and no one that actually did this on low mile cars had any indication of failure up to 60K etc.

I then did it on my 03 at 13K and at 55K it was still the same as day 1.

With the miles on the OPs car I wouldn't do it.

 

Another con I discovered. When the rebound rates are wrong on the front end the control arms and sway bar links take a beating (more so than when composed correctly).
Another point that I think people over look is that when you do lowering springs be sure to adjust the upper control arms to accommodate for the change in ride height. Not doing so will also prematurely ruin your upper CA's.

 

Another point that I think people over look is that when you do lowering springs be sure to adjust the upper control arms to accommodate for the change in ride height. Not doing so will also prematurely ruin your upper CA's.

One thing I didn't verbally specify to my indie mech...hope he did it :icon_eek:

 

here's the most definitive con to lowering with the original and more likely SHOT, shocks.

you're going forward....
there's a bump in the road...
you're still going forward...
your wheels contact the bump...
the wheels go upward slightly...
the car goes forward slightly...

SCRAPE.

on a side note, it is slightly coincidental as this basically rapes the underside of your vehicle...
i'm punny...

 

So wait...is this only for if you're running stock shocks with lowering springs? Or if lowered with appropriate Koni shocks? Great info...didn't realize the CA's would be bearing the whole load.

 

i've gotten into the habbit of disconnecting the sway bar link before removing the strut, as it's gotta get unhooked regardless for the CA setting.

 

My sway bar is removed

 

have fun making tight turns oke:

 

I did it with KYBs and they didn't "die" per se, but you could definitely tell they were on their way out. Nothing to back it up though.

Sipes.....yeah I know....I like the removed sway bar with lower tie bar and upper strut brace combo.....more neutral steering to me. Gotta love butt dyno

 

Loading the front suspension in "neutral" with no weight on them? That's what I'm envisioning if the car is in the air, off the stands, being held up by a hydraulic jack.

Does this jack up alignment?

 

The car is in the air. Off the stands. Being held up by 2 hydraulic jacks. The jacks are positioned on the hubs. Under the outboard side of the lower control arms. This way you are mimicking the suspension being under load, sitting on the ground with wheels on. This way you are forcing the springs to bear ALL the downward forces in the same manner they do when you are driving around. if you tighten up your inboard CA's while it is in this position you are setting them to a neutral position when the suspension is fully loaded.

You shouldn't have any alignment issues.

 

alright thanks guys, i have neuspeed sport springs already and their are bilstein sport shocks on flebay for 299 so i guess i'll do that. thanks again!

 

Thanks Spirare....much obliged and good description :thumbup:

 

You got it! I'll have to do a write up this spring.

 

Please do as I will be lowering my car this summer and having this info would be a god send! I went through 5 control arms on my audi and after reading your description, I have a feeling that the previous owner (he installed the koni coilovers, not me) didn't adjust the CA's. I don't want that to happen on my passat!

:bowdown:

 

I'm sitting here trying to figure out how to relay this information to my mechanics...

I can see them reading a printout of it and totally not understanding what I need. And I just had springs, shocks AND front control arms put in in the last 6000 miles. I guess it's time to find a new mechanic. Preferably one that speaks fluent english.

How much do you guys think this adjustment should cost?

 

I wouldn't pay a dime but that's me. It shouldn't take more than an hour with no parts.