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Old 06-11-2003, 09:06 PM   #1
preeman80
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Lowering an SP20

Hey Guys and Gals,

I have the 2003 SP20, now I am looking at lowering it, I don't want to loose the good handling that comes with the car. So, I was looking at King Springs fitted for around $500 or Pedders SportRyders (I think) same price.

Do I need new shocks as well? I was only thinking of dropping it say, 1.5 inches maybe 2. Try and stay a legal here.

Ideas, thoughts, I know you guys have done all this and more :wink: .. Thanks :!:
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Old 07-11-2003, 06:28 PM   #2
Critter
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OK. I have the Kings springs on my car which is something like 40mm drop from memory and looks and works fine, if a little under-damped compared to the ideal with stock shocks.

I would go the Kings rather than the Pedders, having had Pedders on my last car, the ride is better. Plus Mark King is a cool bloke and the Pedders family not my favourites.....

With stock rims, no clearance dramas, all good.

I am putting Koni Sport Yellow shocks on mine next week, I'll post up how that goes next weekend.
After 53k, the stock shocks are starting to lose it a bit with the firmer springs, but seriously new you would be happy enough. I was, and I give it enough in corners to scare people fairly often on my favourite roads........

I do have some nice 16x7 7-spoke Alt rims here that will fit and look a treat, going cheap. Thet were on the car before I put the 17s on.....pic by email on request.....and they fill out the guards nice, and are legal.
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Old 07-11-2003, 06:33 PM   #3
jcywong
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I have kings on my FP and i love them cost me only $260
I installed it myself so no rip off labour cost
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Old 08-11-2003, 11:54 AM   #4
kyra
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I also have king springs... mine are the 'low', not super low like I think Critter's are. It is a 30mm drop, something like that. I too had pedders on my old car, but the kings are a much nicer ride!
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Old 08-11-2003, 12:32 PM   #5
preeman80
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Cool, yeah, I am doing a 30mm drop, (insurance will only let me have that much (NRMA that is), maybe change insurance companies later, not now).

16x7? why did you go to 7?
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Old 09-11-2003, 08:37 AM   #6
Critter
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The 7s fill out the guards much better, heaps phatter looking and still legal

Western QBE are cool about any drop amount so long as the car still has its 100mm clearance underneath, which mine still has.
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Old 09-11-2003, 12:04 PM   #7
preeman80
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I do doubt that you have 100mm clearance :wink:

A fax from the Federal Bureau of Road Safety shows that the SP20s come with a clearance of 105mm stock.. so dropping 40mm, I think the overall clearance has dropped by 5mm?

Btw, I don't get the full picture on how things work, eg, dropping suspension, relating back to the overall car clearance, so if I am wrong, don't take it personally.

Also another thing I noted was the distance from center of wheel to top of wheel arch and the minimum acceptable distance form center of wheel to top of wheel arch only allowed 7mm movement I think. (I have the spec sheet at work, using numbers from the top of my head (Please don't sue me for false info ))
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Old 09-11-2003, 07:34 PM   #8
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Well a 100mm police wheel passes under it.....I have been in a police defect check and the car is clean as a whistle.

A stock SP20 looks a 4WD with the amount of space between top of wheel/tyre and the wheel arch.
Have a look at my avatar pic and you will see there is sufficient clearance there and the tyre sits nice and tight to the guard.....


Nothing taken personally, we are all here trying to learn from each other's experiences and it's all good.
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Old 09-11-2003, 08:02 PM   #9
wiredone
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i have dropped 2" and mine is fine... if anything its still too high... want another inch taken off.... needs a kit and some bigger wheels before then though...
trust me with stock kit and safe speed pump swerving its practically impossible to hit anything... and police have checked mine too down at the rock on a sat night... mobile cop show / EPA stations a bitch... butch "Harry's Cafe De Wheels" is worth the potential fine... for its pies and hot dogs as well as the cruise scene

luckily it wasn't recently though....
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Old 09-11-2003, 09:14 PM   #10
preeman80
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w00t... stop it! i own a 4WD :wink: ... go go ground clearance... :wink:
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Old 10-11-2003, 07:20 AM   #11
kyra
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Lowering your car 2" does not mean you drop from 105mm to below 100mm. It only lowers the body of the car, the centre of gravity will not drop much at all. The lowest point of the car will still be the underbody on a stock sp20, unless you drop it 2"+. Most of the cops/EPA are interested in centre of gravity clearance i.e rolling wheel under car.

People, correct me if I am wrong here!
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Old 11-11-2003, 05:22 PM   #12
dfvadr
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hi guys just reading ur interesting stories here an had to add my piece
king springs standard drop is 40-45mm depending how lucky u r [common 45mm] as for the hieght factor even with my kit on the lowest part off my car is 110mm from the ground [ i think the back is a bit lower now with the subs an amps in there
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