Lowering spring height recommendation?

[b2theenneh]

Hi guys,
So I got some 16' Rims on a 45 profile for my car, but it certainly doesn't look right on standard suspension.

So the question is, how low do I go, I'd like to pretty much get rid of the arch gap, but not by ridiculous amounts.
Do you think 40mm would cover it?

Thanks for any info.

 

[goba]

Hi Ben, wheels are a perfect match for the car, hope you're happy with your purchase from Gary?

Im taking a guess here but I dont think youve driven the car after having it jacked up and fitting the wheels, you'll find it will drop a bit more after driving it some distance.

On 16" wheels a 40mm drop will look much better how reduce the gap between the tyre and the arch.

Personally I think you'd be best buying a quality set of height/bounce/rebound adjustable coilovers you'll only want these at a later date either because you want to take the car on a track day or would like to reduce the ride height some more or even raise it up over winter.

The advantage of 16" wheels is you can go low and the car is still relatively drivable because of the larger rolling radius, there's also less sidewall compression with the lower profile tire wall, all this ultimately give you more ground clearance something you'll be thankful for.

 

[b2theenneh]

Hi, I love the wheels man, thanks for setting me up with Gary and getting them off him. Don't see many Civics like it around here.

I do believe this was after taking it for a good country lane drive, noticed straight away after taking the handbrake of the car lowered itself a little, but pretty much looks like that still. Yeah I'd like a little arch gap, but not moon buggy style, any springs you'd recommend?

I'd love to get coilovers, but my budget has gone to nil pretty much since getting the wheels, i'll save over time to get a decent set of coilovers (no doubt Meisters).

Yeah, if anything my car has got higher since putting the wheels on, but my god... it sticks to roads well at the moment, would like to see what improvement it will have when it's not in "moon buggy" mode.

Cheers.

 

[goba]

Tahitian green is a really nice colour, good choice on the gunmetal rims, contrasted with the paintwork nicely.

Although they're relatively expensive the Eibach springs would be a good buy and should hold their price well when you come to sell them on (come coilover time).

You'll need a spring compressor to fit them to the OE shocks, if there's a garage you use regularly they'll probably let you borrow their's, you'll need it for half an hour max.

Obviously running shortened springs on OE dampers will reduce the live span of the shock absorber but as you're planning coilovers this isn't a concern.

A cheaper option which would give minimal drop (~15mm?) would be a low mileage set of EK9 dampers/springs. You'll notice and improvement in the way the car handles, probably not a great deal difference to OE dampers with Eibach springs.

 

[Wiskimike]

but ek9 suspension is **** on a ej9 because the front of the car will be higher than the rear caused by less weight on the front than a ek9 has (differneces between tiny d14 and heavy b16b).

On my daily Ej9 I use Koni Yellow dampers and Eibach springs. A really really good thing. Handling is very very well and you can set the high to around 40/20 40/40 60/60 and around 80/60.
This is mine with the lowest setup of 80/60, but I will go for 60/60 this year, because in some cases it looks ugly with a higher rear =/

Mix

here you can see it better

http://wiskimike.de/html/zittow_07_05_2008_7.html

 

[goba]

but ek9 suspension is **** on a ej9 because the front of the car will be higher than the rear caused by less weight on the front than a ek9 has (differneces between tiny d14 and heavy b16b).

For the 6th gen Civic, d-series is like b-series there's little in the way of weight increase when you up the capacity.

I calculate engine/transmission to be 30KG difference for B-series. If I put a 30KG parcel in the back of my car directly over the rear axle there's very little change in ride height.

 

[goba]

Handling is very very well and you can set the high to around 40/20 40/40 60/60 and around 80/60.
This is mine with the lowest setup of 80/60, but I will go for 60/60 this year, because in some cases it looks ugly with a higher rear =/

This is fitting the circlip into the different damper grooves to adjust the ride height (when the suspension is off the car)?

By the time you've shelled out for Koni sport dampers and Eibach springs you're not far off a decent set of adjustable coilovers.

 

[b2theenneh]

Cheers Goba, yeah I was tempted with Eibach, I just hope I can get some at some point.

I've got springs compressors of sorts in our garage and all the stuff I've done on my previous cars (driveshafts, lower arms, handbrake cables) I've done on the drive or at a slight squeeze in the garage. I'd ask if I could get it on a two poster at college but at the moment they are having a hissy fit about letting us work on our own cars, even when it's on the related subject we are being taught!