Lower, wider - faster? Everything you need to know about lowering your car's suspension!

When the first wave of tuning swept the country in the 80s, "lowering the car" was the magic formula. It would seem that simple lowering of the suspension has turned standard family cars, cheap coupes, and even vans and station wagons into sports racing cars. However, it soon became clear that lowering the car was anything but simple.

Rehearsal is a recipe for disaster

It's immediately clear: simply cutting the coils of the spring is prohibited. Shortening the suspension springs on your own to lower the car is not only illegal, but also makes the car unsafe on the road. .

More specific: the car is likely to hit a tree . If the police get him out of the way beforehand, you, like many innocent road users, are in luck.

Lowering the car: useful or practical? Not really

In addition to changing the appearance of the car, little practical advantage of lowering the car . Neither faster nor more economical, he will not. Professional adaptation using approved and tested components can lead to improved traction as the vehicle's center of gravity is lower.

Therefore, the car sways less when driving along a curve. Lowering the car slightly improves dynamics. However, other components must also be configured, for example:

- tires
- wheel disks
- brakes
- additions to the body

Thus, lowering the vehicle is part of an overall concept that should be carefully planned and considered. Otherwise, the wrong decision will lead to an inadequate and unsatisfactory solution .

Don't Ignore Flaws

Before diving into adventure tuning suspension , you should be aware that this means a deep alteration of your car. Downward price is high:

- inconvenient access to the car
- reduced suspension
- degraded view
- lower ground clearance
– increased repair costs

Getting into a car with swaying hips and a tense spine is not for everyone . Depending on the model, getting into a lowered car will be completely inconvenient. As soon as you sit down, even more discomfort awaits you: every manhole cover, pothole, every pebble will make itself felt to the driver . Back pain is most often unavoidable after long trips in a low car.

You go low, you will only see the wings of other road users. You hardly have a clear idea around . On country roads, this may allow you to move faster; in urban areas, you should drive even more carefully.
Every bump in the road makes itself felt, but also audible. Lowering down may damage the exhaust pipe and oil pan. Shorter suspension struts wear out faster, which ultimately causes loud knock .

All this does not contribute to the long service life of many components. . Broken exhaust pipes, destroyed catalytic converters, worn out strut bearings, and even leaking oil pans are a common part of driving a low car.

Expertise will help you

Suspension tuning is more likely to go wrong if done without the necessary experience. Therefore, this change should always be made with detailed professional advice . A competent sales consultant can provide you with the right combination of suspension struts, tires and rims specifically for your vehicle. Always take advice into account; otherwise, you will only lose money without achieving the desired result, and you may even end up with an illegal car . Therefore, careful planning of the setup is highly recommended, taking into account all necessary measures.

Various lowering methods

There are three different ways to lower the car:- shortening coil springs — installation of a sports suspension — installation of an adaptive suspension with electronic control

Cheap and fast: shortening coil springs

Shorter coil springs are a cheap solution for lowering a car . Their installation is legal and relatively simple. With the right tools, sport coil springs can even be installed in the home garage.

Carefully: Broken coil springs due to the use of incorrect tools can cause serious injury or even death.
A coil spring tensioned with unsuitable tools can release extremely high forces when it breaks.
Therefore: always work with a professional coil spring tensioner!

Replacing the standard coil springs with approved shorter versions requires the removal of the damper. This is a reason to check this part. It is also recommended to install new thrust bearings. These components are subjected to a higher load when the vehicle is lowered. New strut bearings will last much longer after the car is lowered.

After replacement, the car must be re-equipped . This can only be done in a professional garage with the appropriate equipment. The coil spring kit for lowering the vehicle is available from 300 euro.

Package deal for adequate results

If you are planning to invest a little more, sports suspension - right choice. This suspension consists of shock absorbers and suspension struts. . As a rule, these kits include bearings and other installation components.

Installing a sports suspension is just as hard or simple as installing a new shock strut. Also applicable here: always work with professional tools and don't skip necessary readjustments .

Do-it-yourself suspension work requires sufficient qualifications . This may look easy; however, a lot can go wrong. If you do not have the necessary knowledge and experience, it is better to entrust the installation of a sports suspension to professionals.

Luxury version: adaptive suspension

Adaptive suspension delivers maximum sportiness while largely maintaining original driving comfort . This is possible thanks to electronically controlled shock absorbers. Damping is adjustable and applied every millisecond thanks to electromagnets and a highly sensitive control unit.

Moreover, the adaptive suspension offers adjustment options for softer or harder rebound .

However, the modified adaptive suspension comes at a price: it will cost you at least 3 euros. There is very little you can do here. Installation, programming and adjustment is a job for a professional car service.

Conclusion: Recommended for optimal results

Lowering the car is an integral part of tuning . A lot has happened since the 1980s, and even cheap solutions can produce interesting results. An understated car nowadays does not necessarily translate into a user-unfriendly car with hard bouncing.

However, lowering the vehicle is part of a general set of measures that should be taken into account. . Only after careful consideration of costs and profits should the lowering of the vehicle be commissioned.

Thanks to the optimal combination of tires, rims, lowering kit and body kit with matching paintwork, you will ensure that your car gets the attention it deserves. .