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Updated w/ pix: Neuspeed springs lowered more than usual?

1173 Views 17 Replies 13 Participants Last post by  gnosis
Is it just me, or does my car look lower than usual for Neuspeed Sports?

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The job:

Man, it was a hell of a lot harder to install suspension than I thought it would be. And it didn't help that the garage was 90 degrees the whole time :evil: My buddy helped out and provided the tools and garage, I'd say I did half of the work. It took two full days (took some long breaks) or about 10 working hours. It was just problem after problem... rusted bolts, missing tools, hard-to-fit shocks, slow air tool = manual compression AND de-compression of old AND new springs = 8 compression jobs and 8 de-compression jobs. But hey, it's all said and done now and I'm happy.

The drop:

I think it was already 1.75" lower as soon as all four tires touched the ground without jacks, and I'm kinda nervous right now b/c I know these springs will probably settle and lower a bit more. I didn't want two full inches :nervous: But hey, oh well! I'm sure as hell not going to spend another weekend on suspension work. I still have the stock Wellingtons and Conti tires so my car doesn't look too hot. I have yet to scrape over any speed humps or sudden inclines, so the lower than expected drop isn't that big a deal after all I guess. I'll probably be glad it's low as hell IMO once it's got some bigger wheels to set it all off.

The ride:

Holy shit the handling ROCKS. It feels more like a German luxury sports car now, exactly as I had hoped. My ass no longer lifts off my seat when I make a hard turn. The comfort is mostly still there at 1/2 turn from full soft on the front, full soft rears. I think this is b/c I still have the stock 195/65 tires. Too bad the stock Contis are crap and have no stick to them whatsoever, they squeal like a bitch on every aggressive turn. Over all I'm very satisfied with the handling.

The question:

For those who are lowered 1.5-2.0", did you need or get an alignment of any kind of adjustment afterward?
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Gnosis-

Get that mug aligned before you make any judgements...

My B5 looked waaay too low after installing HR's, but after an alignment looked quite nice.

MO
Newsflash . . . alignment doesn't change ride height or anything that can be visually detected . . . .

Its best to wait a little bit before doing the alignment so the suspension can fully settle.

Dave
How long is "a little bit"? How long does it take for a suspension to fully settle?
TIA

Thad. :D
i waited two weeks . . .

Dave
looks hot as hell dropped :thumbup:
Looks nice.
I doubt it will settle much more than it already has... don't worry about it.

Get the alignment done in a week or so.

Jimmy :)
you have bad winters in your area? good luck. My buddy has been a snowplow in the winter with that same setup.
That drop looks the same as I got. Be careful going over those speed bumps :nervous:
I wish I had your problem. I installed HR OE Sports and the drop is barely noticeable. I even had my car next to an identical one and compared . The front you can tell, the rear looks the same.
blakwag said:
Not too low at all. It looks perfect :thumbup:
Exactly, it looks great.
Looks almost identical (maybe slightly less drop) to my H&R Sports with Bilsteins.

You will have to watch the big speed bumps, but everyone else will admire your car as you poke over them. :D

"Whoever invented speed bumps, I'm pretty sure he wasn't German."

To your question: I was also advised by my pro installer (Fab in Long Beach, CA) to wait a couple weeks before alignment, and it didn't need much adjustment if any.

As someone told me, "enjoy your daily drive a little bit more." :thumbup:
Thank you all for the compliments. Still wondering if an alignment is really necessary for just a moderate drop like this. Isn't it more of a camber adjustment issue when you drop a car, not so much an alignment?

natskiboy-
The winters aren't too bad in the mid-Atlantic, so I'm not too worried about that. Just a few inches here and there for the most part.

hirschaj-
Oh I'll be careful. Don't you worry about MY paranoid ass!
gnosis said:
Thank you all for the compliments. Still wondering if an alignment is really necessary for just a moderate drop like this. !
15K miles and $700 in tires later, you will wish you did an alignment.
Gee, let me think about that one... yeah, okay I think an alignment in the near future is in order. :)
gee, wash those wheels!! yea that is kinda low, but with bigger wheels it will look amazing i'm sure. nice job on the diy! :thumbup:
LOL, I was waiting for someone to say something about the dirty wheels! I finally got around to cleaning them earlier today, so those photos no longer accurately depict my ride. :lol:
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