On Lowering and Bodykit Heighths

illapino · Post by **illapino** » July 22nd, 2006, 5:28 pm

In terms of my plans for styling (front bumper specifically):
I am considering either Corksport's simple MazdaSpeed style
I am also considering Pakfeifer's Blitz
Sideskirts and back bumpers I may plan to mismatch...

As my suspension is clunking, I have been plotting on replacing my struts and also lowering my car because I recently got seventeen inch wheels. So I have to lower it. I must. Could someone please advise me what is a proper drop in inches if I am considering on wearing a bodykit in the future? One shop has sourced out KYB struts and Eibach springs to lower my front by 1.5" and my rear by 1.2". After the suspension is done, the bodykit will come months later. Please advise me on how to put the ride heighth into consideration so that I don't drag my bodykit across the asphalt.

(Also, I don't know if it's me or the stock rear height of my fenders seems higher than my front fenders. So why 1.5" drop in the front and 1.2" in the back?)

Arigatu

lakersfan1 · Post by **lakersfan1** » July 22nd, 2006, 8:48 pm

My springs lowered enough that my stock front is a consideration when pulling into driveways.

The kits I've seen installed are close enough to the ground on stock suspension. Mixing lowering with fiberglass front end is just a bad idea IMO.

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » July 22nd, 2006, 11:48 pm

I agree, you will have to !!EXTRA!! careful and keep a stock of money in the cookie jar for fixing the bumper. IT will get broken by a parking curb, new speed bump (when they are still super high) or some steep incline.
Eibach makes a great product, but I suggest the Ground Controlls just b/c you can adjust the heigth. They are a bit more expensive, but in the end you can set your heigth so that the bumper is not so much of an issue and thus it will save you money in the end.

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » July 22nd, 2006, 11:49 pm

PS, when looking at suspension don't forget maintenance also. You will need to consider new upper strut mounts, thrust bearings and ball joints.

illapino · Post by **illapino** » July 23rd, 2006, 2:12 am

thanks for the replies
but no details on inches?
the car looks kinda ridiculous having 17" motegi's at stock height
the body is way too high up, it's so obvious.
if you're telling me that stock height with a bodykit is just shy of the ground and that i shouldn't try lowering it at all...
then it'll still look kinda ridiculous

lakersfan1 · Post by **lakersfan1** » July 23rd, 2006, 11:07 am

illapino wrote: if you're telling me that stock height with a bodykit is just shy of the ground and that i shouldn't try lowering it at all...
then it'll still look kinda ridiculous

That's exactly what I'm telling you. If you're lowering your car, the only front kit I'd look at would be the J-spec one with the add on J-spec lips, and only then because it's about stock height and also polyurethane. But it's $750 just for the front on that kit.

I've got the stock GS bumper/lip with H&R lowering springs. I can't even pull into my Walmart the normal way. I have to go around the side where there's less incline on the entrance driveway. If my bumper was fiberglass instead of urethane, I would have cracked it several times in the last couple months even being careful.

illapino · Post by **illapino** » July 23rd, 2006, 12:53 pm

dreams shatter and prophecies die, asunder . . . . .

Vanished · Post by **Vanished** » July 23rd, 2006, 2:31 pm

ok well I'll tell from experiance here..

I have eibach springs and zx2 tokico struts. Rides great, quiet, no clunking. Alittle bumpier, but not bad at all. As for the lowring deal. My front end ONLY hits when i go directly backwards off a driveway with no angle what so ever. For parking, i make sure i don't hit the parking block..thats all there is to it.

I have a stock front, and i'm sure it woudl be ok if i had a ms front, as i plan on doing this in the future.

Mazda sides and front, and you'll be looking mighty fine, and if you lower it, it will be awsome.

ryanlindenberg · Post by **ryanlindenberg** » July 23rd, 2006, 9:27 pm

i have tokicos with H&R springs. i also have the MS front. i've only had it lowered for about a week but i don't see any problems in the future. i have a pretty steep driveway, i just angle the car and it is no problem. also watch out for the curb when you park but that's about it.

my only concern is winter with the snow...but it would have to snow/drift quite a bit to pose a problem i think.

just for reference H&Rs have a 1.5 front and 1.3 rear drop. if you go with zx2 struts they are another .5 inch drop.

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » July 23rd, 2006, 11:32 pm

Lets hear from ANYONE with a F/G bumper other than the MS knockoffs.
I've owned 3 FX bumpers and ruined them in less than 2 years each. IMO, it is not worth the cost to fix just to look cool. I now use the stock bumper and J-Spec lip.

Bling Bling · Post by **Bling Bling** » July 24th, 2006, 12:16 am

I'm running the Drift front, which is considerably lower than other kits. I haven't lowered my ride yet...but would also like to. I have scraped the bottom once or twice but it really is the angle I approach or back off with. I also have 17's with 215/40 rubber. I was thinking of using KYB struts and a 1" spring for the drop

Bling Bling · Post by **Bling Bling** » July 24th, 2006, 12:32 am

So I had a look at MX-3.com's aftermarket parts list for suspension and found the the Eibach springs are 25mm drop. But after going to the "Eibach" site, they say 1.5" and 1.2". Anyone know if this is the best kit for the least amount of lowering???

Eibach Springs 1992-1998 Both 5521.140 25mm

illapino · Post by **illapino** » July 24th, 2006, 1:54 am

the thing is that many new cars are already "bodykitted". permanently
so if cars are coming out of the factory already hovering over the ground,
then lowering the mx-3 in concordance to bodykit heighths couldn't possibly that far off from acceptance... wouldn't those new cars that come "bodykitted" (underbody built) scrape as well anyway?..

I hope we're all talking about the same "MazdaSpeed" front

is this what we're all talking about?
(often made by Erebuni and Corksport)

Well, this is the one I like (also seen up up top as this forum's title graphic). So why is it called the MazdaSpeed one anyway? Was it originated by Mazda themselves?

lakersfan1 · Post by **lakersfan1** » July 24th, 2006, 9:51 am

The problem is not lowering. The problem is lowering with FIBERGLASS front ends. No car comes with a fiberglass front end just for that reason. The Insurance Institute would NEVER let car manufacturers put fiberglass front ends on from the factory, because they'd be paying to replace new front ends on a regular basis. Also, these cars that come with lowering from the factory also design in the ability to approach normally. I don't know about you, but I don't like the idea of having to worry when I pull into a store parking lot if I can even get in or not.

illapino · Post by **illapino** » July 24th, 2006, 3:24 pm

Well, I mean come on!
You've steered this topic towards Fiberglass!
Then talk about Polyurethane then!
Come on!
I wasn't going to get Fiberglass anyway!

"On Lowering and Bodykit Heighths"
not "Fiberglass"