Lowering a 900 Dollar car - Suspension and Brake Forum

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Lowering a 900 Dollar car
Monday, July 30, 2007 7:06 AM
Hello everyone as most of you know by now I bought a 99 z24 cavalier for 900 bucks a couple days back.

To be honest im not going to be racing, competing etc etc. I also dont want to spend like 400 bucks to lower a 900 dollar car.

Not to be cheap or anything but it just doesnt feel right and we wil prolly keep the car a year at the max.

I want to drop the car at least 2" so what do you guys recomend. The ride can be a bit harsh that doesnt matter.

I dont even mind cutting the springs...

Re: Lowering a 900 Dollar car
Monday, July 30, 2007 7:16 AM
if your not going to do it right, then dont do it.



Re: Lowering a 900 Dollar car
Monday, July 30, 2007 7:34 AM
StrippedCav98 (Now Quotable) wrote:if your not going to do it right, then dont do it.


cheaping out on suspension and risking your life and the lives of your passengers isn't worth it IMO, even if the car was only $900.


Desert Tuners

“When you come across a big kettle of crazy, it’s best not to stir it.”


Re: Lowering a 900 Dollar car
Monday, July 30, 2007 8:35 AM
you gotta pay to play.

hit a curve with a dip, or a really bad road, you'll loose control and hurt yourself and possibly others

(on cut/ebay springs)


1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
5-spd


Re: Lowering a 900 Dollar car
Monday, July 30, 2007 3:54 PM
get some canuck motorsports springs. They are $175 shipped (in canada).



ive had them for almost a year now on my stock struts and no problems. i havent lost control, i havent bottomed out, even hitting potholes. people act like its the end of the world. just dont cut your springs, it needs to be done PERFECT in order to be safe. thats what they used to do back in the old days and it was considered safe.

dont listen to the BS all around this site just do it and you will find out its not as bad as people say. i can really feel it when i hit potholes. as soon as i can afford it im buying struts. you get used to the @!#$ty ride though. half the people who bitch about stock struts and lowering are @!#$in tools who used to drive on stock struts themselves.



I want to share something with you - the three sentences that will get you through life. Number one, 'cover for me', Number two, 'oh, good idea, boss', Number three, 'it was like that when I got here.'
Re: Lowering a 900 Dollar car
Monday, July 30, 2007 6:57 PM
if you cut the springs you have to be 100% certain that you cut the exact amount off of all the springs...its not going to be life threatening to cut them.....its what was done before there was lowering springs for various model cars...
Re: Lowering a 900 Dollar car
Monday, July 30, 2007 7:17 PM
Shaggy wrote:if you cut the springs you have to be 100% certain that you cut the exact amount off of all the springs...its not going to be life threatening to cut them.....its what was done before there was lowering springs for various model cars...


even ness has nothing to do with it. when you cut springs you destroy the suspesion travel and the over all strenght of the spring. they may just look like coiled mettal but there is a lot of engineering in those things



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Re: Lowering a 900 Dollar car
Monday, July 30, 2007 7:38 PM
Jcavi wrote:
Shaggy wrote:if you cut the springs you have to be 100% certain that you cut the exact amount off of all the springs...its not going to be life threatening to cut them.....its what was done before there was lowering springs for various model cars...


even ness has nothing to do with it. when you cut springs you destroy the suspesion travel and the over all strenght of the spring. they may just look like coiled mettal but there is a lot of engineering in those things


The only important word missing out of this is "Spring Rate" but suspension travel is acceptable, nicely done Jcavi


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Re: Lowering a 900 Dollar car
Monday, July 30, 2007 8:24 PM
I would agree, 900 dollar car, you don't seem to care about it... why not just bank the money and put it towards a house or something.



" To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous. "
Re: Lowering a 900 Dollar car
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 3:27 AM
cavmania(Keeper of da Sleeper) wrote:
Jcavi wrote:
Shaggy wrote:if you cut the springs you have to be 100% certain that you cut the exact amount off of all the springs...its not going to be life threatening to cut them.....its what was done before there was lowering springs for various model cars...


even ness has nothing to do with it. when you cut springs you destroy the suspesion travel and the over all strenght of the spring. they may just look like coiled mettal but there is a lot of engineering in those things


The only important word missing out of this is "Spring Rate" but suspension travel is acceptable, nicely done Jcavi


agreed 100%. what people dont realize is that cutting the springs will change the spring rate. you cant compare other cars suspensions to a cavaliers suspension. thats like saying ecotec and v-tec are the same thing. with older cars you were able to cut the springs because they were using a different kind of spring (progressive) where as our cars are (lineral)



Re: Lowering a 900 Dollar car
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 6:08 AM
StrippedCav98 (Now Quotable) wrote:
cavmania(Keeper of da Sleeper) wrote:
Jcavi wrote:
Shaggy wrote:if you cut the springs you have to be 100% certain that you cut the exact amount off of all the springs...its not going to be life threatening to cut them.....its what was done before there was lowering springs for various model cars...


even ness has nothing to do with it. when you cut springs you destroy the suspesion travel and the over all strenght of the spring. they may just look like coiled mettal but there is a lot of engineering in those things


The only important word missing out of this is "Spring Rate" but suspension travel is acceptable, nicely done Jcavi


agreed 100%. what people dont realize is that cutting the springs will change the spring rate. you cant compare other cars suspensions to a cavaliers suspension. thats like saying ecotec and v-tec are the same thing. with older cars you were able to cut the springs because they were using a different kind of spring (progressive) where as our cars are (lineral)


I actually think it's the other way around. Today's cars are progressive, and older cars are linear, thats why it was ok to cut a coil out of say, a Camaro. A progressive springs has one soft side, and one hard, so no matter which side you're cutting out of, you're basically fooking something up. I've seen people lower on stock struts, it looks dumb everytime they hit a pothole and bounce all over the place.

Do it right, or don't do it at all.


There will always be someone faster than you, but thousands slower and dumber than you.

Re: Lowering a 900 Dollar car
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 6:28 AM
If I bought a $900 Cavy I would leave it stock and use it as a daily driver. Take it from me, I lowered on stock struts on my '99 Z and it was a harsh ride.

Rob




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Re: Lowering a 900 Dollar car
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 6:32 AM
F-body Guy wrote:
StrippedCav98 (Now Quotable) wrote:
cavmania(Keeper of da Sleeper) wrote:
Jcavi wrote:
Shaggy wrote:if you cut the springs you have to be 100% certain that you cut the exact amount off of all the springs...its not going to be life threatening to cut them.....its what was done before there was lowering springs for various model cars...


even ness has nothing to do with it. when you cut springs you destroy the suspesion travel and the over all strenght of the spring. they may just look like coiled mettal but there is a lot of engineering in those things


The only important word missing out of this is "Spring Rate" but suspension travel is acceptable, nicely done Jcavi


agreed 100%. what people dont realize is that cutting the springs will change the spring rate. you cant compare other cars suspensions to a cavaliers suspension. thats like saying ecotec and v-tec are the same thing. with older cars you were able to cut the springs because they were using a different kind of spring (progressive) where as our cars are (lineral)


I actually think it's the other way around. Today's cars are progressive, and older cars are linear, thats why it was ok to cut a coil out of say, a Camaro. A progressive springs has one soft side, and one hard, so no matter which side you're cutting out of, you're basically fooking something up. I've seen people lower on stock struts, it looks dumb everytime they hit a pothole and bounce all over the place.

Do it right, or don't do it at all.


your probably right. i always get confused on the 2.



Re: Lowering a 900 Dollar car
Wednesday, August 01, 2007 9:34 AM
Dave Dunsmoor wrote:I would agree, 900 dollar car, you don't seem to care about it... why not just bank the money and put it towards a house or something.


*shock*

Wow....logic on the JBO. Who knew?




1989 Z24 Convertible - Dust Covered
2006 tC - Dust Covered, but driven more
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