I'm getting ready to order some suspension stuff and am kind of stuck on how much I want to drop the suspension. I'm thinking about 1.5". I intend to run 17" Speedy Racing wheels with 45 or 50 series tires (205 front, 225 rear)in the near future and don't want a problem there. I intend to buy shocks, struts, springs, swaybars and poly bushings.
Here are my choices but I am not limited to these:
1.) Fiero Store KYB/Eibach 1" drop kit (they say .75 to 1", hmm)
2.) Fiero Store KYB/Intrax 1.8" drop kit (seems pretty low)
3.) Fiero Store KYB handling kit AND HMS coilovers and front springs.
Sorry for the length. While I would like a little technical advice, mainly I am looking for personal opinion and of course, PICS.
What do ya'll think?
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10:14 AM
PFF
System Bot
$Rich$ Member
Posts: 14575 From: Sioux Falls SD Registered: Dec 2002
2" is my preferance , it just looks bad ass!! right now on my V8 car i have the Eibach's that are about an inch drop, and its just NOT enough, im gonna cut another 1- 1-1/4 rungs off each spring which will pit it at about 2- 2-1/4 drop total , plus i plan to run 18's in the back, and 17 up front
"All... my... friends... drive a lowrider. And a Low - Ri - Der is a little lower...
I'm really not entirely sure how much of a "drop" my suspension is now... I had one full loop cut from the front springs, and have (Koni Adjustable) coilovers in the rear.
Here's a "before" photo:
And here's one from a couple of days ago:
It currently has 2 3/8" up front and about 2 1/4" in the rear (measured from the top of the tire to the edge of the fender).
Yeah, I'm thinking I should go with about the 2" drop. MinnGreen has about the ride height I'm looking form aybe a hair lower. I've read somewhere that one full coil is good for over an inch of drop, but I'm not sure. I do think I will go with the coilover conversion from HMS. I just feel good about the extra room at the strut towers. Thanks guys.
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11:50 AM
rynelson85 Member
Posts: 2178 From: Wichita, KS Registered: Aug 2002
Your tire to fender gap is going to depend on what tire size(s) you go with. If you use lower profile tires, your gap will look bigger, but your ride height will be lower. And just the opposite if you go with a little taller tire. When I installed my Eibach springs, the back lowered just a little over an inch, and the front went down about an inch and a half.
Your tire to fender gap is going to depend on what tire size(s) you go with. If you use lower profile tires, your gap will look bigger, but your ride height will be lower. And just the opposite if you go with a little taller tire. When I installed my Eibach springs, the back lowered just a little over an inch, and the front went down about an inch and a half.
Yes, and no. If you increase the wheel size, and decrease the tire profile proportionally... the gap should remain nearly the same because the tire's outside diameter (and it's radius length from the spindle) will not have changed.
On the other hand, if you do not make the wheel/tire change proportionally, then you've got a whole different situation on your hands (your speedometer calibration being a major one).
Yes, and no. If you increase the wheel size, and decrease the tire profile proportionally... the gap should remain nearly the same because the tire's outside diameter (and it's radius length from the spindle) will not have changed.
On the other hand, if you do not make the wheel/tire change proportionally, then you've got a whole different situation on your hands (your speedometer calibration being a major one).
Yeah, that tire size calculator is pretty cool! It looks like I'm gonna have to go with 225/50/17 rear and 205/50/17 front. I am currently running 225/60/15 (rear) and 205/60/15 (front). I like the "wider in back" look and feel. According to the tire calculator, the overall diameter is VERY close between a 17" 50 series and a 15" 60 series. My main concern was rear strut tower rub with the 17" 225s but after a call to HMS, I'm not worried about that anymore! Yep, I'm ordering The KYB coilovers and shorter front springs. Close that out with poly bushings and a rear swaybar and I'm on the road again!....Dang, forgot about brakes. Oh well, what is a couple more weeks to a Fiero owner.
Yeah, that tire size calculator is pretty cool! It looks like I'm gonna have to go with 225/50/17 rear and 205/50/17 front. I am currently running 225/60/15 (rear) and 205/60/15 (front). I like the "wider in back" look and feel. According to the tire calculator, the overall diameter is VERY close between a 17" 50 series and a 15" 60 series. My main concern was rear strut tower rub with the 17" 225s but after a call to HMS, I'm not worried about that anymore! Yep, I'm ordering The KYB coilovers and shorter front springs. Close that out with poly bushings and a rear swaybar and I'm on the road again!....Dang, forgot about brakes. Oh well, what is a couple more weeks to a Fiero owner.
Just a suggestion. You might be better off with a 45 series 205 front 225 rear. Those are closer to the original 205/60 215/60 front rear combo, but a bit smaller. And if you go too big, and the springs lower too much, you might be very close to the fender, and possibly rub on front when you hit the brakes. Also, there's probably a lot more tire choices with the 45 profile instead of the 50. Of course the choice is yours. Just something else to think about
Just a suggestion. You might be better off with a 45 series 205 front 225 rear. Those are closer to the original 205/60 215/60 front rear combo, but a bit smaller. And if you go too big, and the springs lower too much, you might be very close to the fender, and possibly rub on front when you hit the brakes. Also, there's probably a lot more tire choices with the 45 profile instead of the 50. Of course the choice is yours. Just something else to think about
I would probably agree... I believe that most people who run 17s, run 45 series rubber. (Keep in mind that the calculator is probably more precise than your speedometer )
Just a suggestion. You might be better off with a 45 series 205 front 225 rear. Those are closer to the original 205/60 215/60 front rear combo, but a bit smaller. And if you go too big, and the springs lower too much, you might be very close to the fender, and possibly rub on front when you hit the brakes. Also, there's probably a lot more tire choices with the 45 profile instead of the 50. Of course the choice is yours. Just something else to think about
quote
Originally posted by MinnGreenGT: I would probably agree... I believe that most people who run 17s, run 45 series rubber. (Keep in mind that the calculator is probably more precise than your speedometer )
I agree with sqoach and MinnGreen. I'm running 215/45R17's on the front, and 235/45R17's on the rear of my 86GT with stock suspension. I have 17X7 Konig Monsoons with a 40mm offset. The rear tire is very close to the spring perch on the rear strut, but as they both move in relation to each other, it's not a problem. I went with these tires sizes as the calculator I used showed these to be the closest to the original 205/215/60R15's that the car came with.
------------------ Mike...86 GT 4 Speed "Sucks to be me..."
[This message has been edited by litespd (edited 06-11-2003).]
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02:39 PM
Sophia Nova Member
Posts: 747 From: the 4th dimension Registered: Oct 2001
Ill say im not stopping till I have ZERO fender gap i dont care how impractical it is. Heres a before shot w/ stock rims.
Heres a shot I took last thursday. I have Helds coilovers in the rear and ST springs up front. Im going to get 1 1/4" drop spindles as well, and the back can be lowered as desired
Sorry about the pics, my cameras downstairs, and I dont have any others of it in stock form.
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04:04 PM
derangedsheep Member
Posts: 3089 From: Myerstown, PA Registered: Mar 2003
If you lower the rear more than 3 close to four inches you will make your axles into springs and mess up the seals. Also you'll start to get a bumping of the cv joints, like when raise a vehicle to high.
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05:08 PM
wpgfiero Member
Posts: 1099 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Oct 2002
I'm also in the process of lowering the GT. I'm just not satisfied with the Eibachs. I bought my own coil-over parts and am going to go with Street Dreams drop spindles, though I'm worried about build quality. I've been warned away from HMS by several members. Street Dreams seems to be the only option left. Anyone know of another source for spindles? This is what my ride looks like now. Hope to get the stance right once and for all!
------------------
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08:46 PM
Capt Fiero Member
Posts: 7657 From: British Columbia, Canada Registered: Feb 2000
My 88 Gt is lowered 2.5 inches all the way around with 300 lb springs front 350 lbs rear. It is a coilover setup. I raised my front this past weekend to 2.5 inches from 3 because of ride problems. I would suggest not ever going below 3 inches. The ride sucked, mechanics whine about how the car cannot be aligned any better than -3 degrees camber in front, and you will bottom out often. I cut the bump stops, and still had problems even with 300 lb springs up front. Save yourself the hassles and go about 2.5 maybe 2.75 inches in front. By the way I don't have pictures, but my car "looks" lower than everyones I have seen post so far. I only point this out to give you an idea that the car is still very, very low.
------------------ Help, Someone has lit a Fiero in my a#@!
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12:18 AM
Philphine Member
Posts: 6136 From: louisville,ky. usa Registered: Feb 2000
i'm letting it depend on other things i do to the car. my 87 coupe has a pretty low chin spoiler on it that has me wary of lowering it at all but i got some eibachs for the front that are supposed to only drop it about an inch. another project car has a fairly low chin planned for it but i don't see it being driven much. i got 2" drop spindles for it. both cars get rear coilovers so they can be adjusted to match. a couple of other cars fall bettween these and i got 1.5" lowering springs for them. last is a car i play with to see how cheap i can fix it up so i'll probaly just cut the stock spring down an inch or two.
The answer can not be based on looks alone. My God, how can I say that? Find a major street under repair before the rough or final coat of asphalt is put down. Somewhere on that road will be a manhole cover sticking up 2 or 3inches. You car with a passenger has to be no closer than 1" to the top of that manhole cover.
Find a major street under repair before the rough or final coat of asphalt is put down. Somewhere on that road will be a manhole cover sticking up 2 or 3inches. You car with a passenger has to be no closer than 1" to the top of that manhole cover.
Which is why you don't drive certain places with a car that low! My '87 GT is dropped 3" PLUS I have the FOCOA front spoiler which is 4" extension on the front. From the front I have approxiamtely 2" of clearance.Yes, and I get around without breaking it, generally.
It's a matter of opinion, do you want a car that looks tight as hell (low)? Do you want a better handling car? Both can be had with the proper lowering job, but your probably going to sacrifice some ride comfort (smoothness) doing so.
------------------ '87GT 5" Drop on 17's, Can you say "Bagged"? -on air- (Custom paint, interior, stereo, exhaust, intake, spoiler)
'95 Eclipse GSX, Black, T-25 Turbo, Autometer Pro gauge, Razo shift knob, Intake, MBC
I just finished cutting my springs (1 coil from front, 1/2 coil from back) and installed all poly bushings, i still have to get an alignment and the springs have to settle, but it looks a lot nicer with a small fender gap, i cant wait for an alignment, i want to feel the handling.
With the car lowered, I've only "hit" one thing (a deer carcas if you must know, it was unavoidable at 80mph, coming over the crest of a hill, with a car in the next lane) with the bottom of the car (and even at stock height it still would've hit). I had to power wash all the chunks that were wedged in the rear swaybar... and it still has a bit of a "venison jerky" smell sometimes (bleah).
I'll have to use the front Eibach springs with drop spindles as I no longer have the stockers. That is my dilema. I don't know how much of a drop to get. The rear Eibachs will be replaced by coil-overs.
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08:36 PM
Jun 15th, 2003
G-Nasty Member
Posts: 2099 From: woodlands,TX,USA Registered: Jan 2001
It no longer rubs...handles great @ over 135mph! I have the Konis set at maximum. BEL-TEC spindles on ST springs. Theres no such thing as too low bro- OUT>
[This message has been edited by G-Nasty (edited 06-15-2003).]
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03:56 AM
SplineZ Member
Posts: 952 From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Registered: Nov 2002
It no longer rubs...handles great @ over 135mph! I have the Konis set at maximum. BEL-TEC spindles on ST springs. Theres no such thing as too low bro- OUT>
------------------ - 2.8v6, 5spd - no cat, msd ignition/coil, K&N
Bell-Tech Fiero spindles are no longer being produced, and haven't been for awhile. A set recently was sold on e-bay for over 400 bucks. Had I know they were going to be worth gold (bought mine in 89/90), I would have purchased another set. I'm running these on my 85GT, with 16inch, 225s, 50s. They also supplied me with rear lowering springs. I'm running the stock front springs, and even with those I managed to rub completly through the top portion of my wheel liners during aggressive cornering. In fact when I bought these spindles I think the company name was Super Bell, they changed their name to Bell Tech in the mid 90s I think. I think they still supply drop spindles to the truck enthusiast crowd.
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07:55 PM
2birds Member
Posts: 1685 From: Ottumwa, Iowa USA Registered: Nov 1999
I have a 1" front gap, and 1.5" in the rear, measured from the top of the tread. I have 225/60/15 in back, and 215/60/15 in front, on stock GT rims. Slight rub in front at full lock, when the tires were new. It's settled at about a 1.5" drop, over the past 8 years. Suspension Techniques springs. My floor jack won't go under the rear crossmember without lifting the car an inch manually first (not that dificult). The front is even more fun. Rides like a go-kart, but then it handles like one, too. I'm happy. Large dips in the highway upset it easily, so you learn to watch for them, just like sewer manhole covers.
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08:43 PM
AusFiero Member
Posts: 11513 From: Dapto NSW Australia Registered: Feb 2001
Yep, I'm ordering The KYB coilovers and shorter front springs. Close that out with poly bushings and a rear swaybar and I'm on the road again!....Dang, forgot about brakes. Oh well, what is a couple more weeks to a Fiero owner. 
