I thought as i have been receiving a few PM's about lowering 380's i should start a thread on this very topic.

First up i have to say that the 380's equipped with sports suspension standard (SX, VRX, LX, GT, Platinum and the series 3 ES Sports) are very fine handling cars to begin with. They are very adjustable on the limit with a little bit of transitioning oversteer on corner exit and very nice and linear turn in response with minimal body roll. I haven't sampled a 380 with the standard suspension which i imagine would be set up more for ride comfort but i have read that these handle well to but without the fine precision of the sports equipped variants.

With my car i really wanted to keep the ride comfort but enhance the handling and improve its looks. So i was advised to go Kings Superlows all around. I will post a pic to show you how it sits with S/L springs all around. Well i can tell you not to go that route if you want to keep your ride comfort. The car really hit bumps hard at the rear. But the front was not too bad. Looking back at it now it may have been the less than expert installation and the binding of the bushes that caused this. But that is another story.

So with the harsh ride comfort in mind i thought to have the standard VRX springs compressed (2 inches at the front and 1.5 for the rear) and had those installed. The rear improved beyond belief but the front with a too soft spring rate and no where near enough travel bottomed harshly. So basically i swapped the problem from the back to the front. Also i noticed that even though the fronts were compressed 2 inches it sat a lot lower than that, due to the weight of the car and a softer than ideal spring.

As i was happy with the S/L springs in the front i decided to have them fitted again and ordered a set of Kings Lows for the rear. I am taking a gamble on this as i have no idea how form or soft these will be. But i like to have matching springs all around as that is just me but if this doesn't work as i intend it to i will re fit the compressed rears as these are remarkably good.

Now, i have no experience with other brands of spring for the 380 whether they be Pedders or Lovells etc... But my advice to you is that while the front suspension seems more than capable to handle a super low spring the rear seems to put a lot of stress on its bushings due to the angles that the control arms have to obtain. That said i do have a pair of S/L springs for sale if anyone is interested! lol

I started this thread so we can all have a banter about this, throw ideas around and see whats the best way to go with 380's through other people's experiences. I can tell you that i'm almost happy! I will keep you all posted how i go when i get the lows fitted this week.

Here is a pic of my car with the Kings S/L springs all around...
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/davepax982/IMG_0300.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/davepax982/IMG_0301.jpg

Awesome and great write up!

Bout time you got ur ass into gear, Dave :P

Awesome and great write up!

Bout time you got ur ass into gear, Dave :P
And i did it just for you Rich! lol

Bah!

Just an excuse to post more pics of ur car! :bowrofl:

Molten looks the goods BTW.

Mine is booked in to get lowered on Wednesday however I'm only going 30mm Kings all round. I'm kinda hoping it wont make that much difference to the ride comfort but either way, I'll keep everyone posted.

Bah!

Just an excuse to post more pics of ur car! :bowrofl:

Molten looks the goods BTW.Much better than that awful green.:D

I'm assuming I'm going to have to mix things up a bit with the springs for the wagon too when I can afford it, even though it is only a TF.:redface:

I went with pedders on my car, my previous ride was a 99 vt ''s'' pack and it had $2200 worth of pedders goodies in it, and ive driven many nice car's wrx's, clubsports and xr8's and nothin even came close to handling as well as that car so I highly recommend pedders gear.

Mine is lowerd 40mm all round and when driving it looks sweet as, but lately ive been thinking about the king spring super low's, as the pedders springs have a maximum drop of 40mm. I wouldnt mind if it was a bit lower...:cool:

Just went to pick my car up after getting lowered & I nearly had a heart attack when I drove in and saw it in the carpark......the rear wheel arches are level with the top of the tyre yet I gave strict instructions I only wanted it dropped 30mm all round!!! I said to the guy thats way lower than where he indicated it would be. I had a look at the receipt & they have put King Super Lows all round!!! The guy could tell I wasnt happy as I made it blatantly obvious on 3 differnent ocassions that I only wanted it dropped 30mm so he said to give it a while & if we dont like it, take it back & they will replace the rears with normal Kings but he said it may only drop 15 or 20mm from where it was orginally (which is pretty much what I wanted anyway).

First Type 40 had lowering problems, now its my turn. I hope others can learn from our experiences before going ahead. I just hate it when you clearly ask for something & they go ahead & do pretty much the opposite.

First Type 40 had lowering problems, now its my turn. I hope others can learn from our experiences before going ahead. I just hate it when you clearly ask for something & they go ahead & do pretty much the opposite.

Argh! Not good mate.

That is one area now that I hesitate to go. Does the tail sit up a little like standard, or has the rear now squatted to the same level as the front?

First Type 40 had lowering problems, now its my turn. I hope others can learn from our experiences before going ahead. I just hate it when you clearly ask for something & they go ahead & do pretty much the opposite.
Well i got mine back from getting the back springs changed from the compressed ones to Kings low... I didn't have any noise with the compressed springs but the noise that i had with the original S/L springs i had is back. Not as bad but its definitely there. I will be going back to the place i had them fitted and if i have no joy there than i am going back to standard ride height. I swear that this car has something against me. Nothing is going right. I might sell it and buy a Commodore... :cry:

I'm confused now because when I measured the space between the tops of my tyres and a "comfortable" distance to wheel arches (1 finger space), I found 2 inches (50mm) in the rears and 2.5 inches (63mm) in the front. Mine is not a VRX and I don't know if VRXs (which everyone else seems to have here) are lower standard, but I am assuming that they are. (I'm confused because a 30mm drop definately would not/could not lower my car to that appearance).
I'm also assuming you have/had problems with driveways/ramps, etc for that drop to be a problem. I'd be chuffed if my drop brought the tyres within hugging distance of the wheel arches. But fair enough that is not what you asked for, and of course you should have gotten what you paid for. But 1) does it scrape anywhere now? (either along exhaust system or front bar), and 2) how much higher does the front sit? As Knotched asked, would you raise the rear to match the front? That would look good.

The rear sits way lower than the front which is not what I wanted because IMO it looks crap. Now, the gap between the tyre & wheel arch is about 30mm front (which is exactly what I asked for) however the rear arch sits flush with the top of the tyre.

I'm not sure if the VRX sits lower than other models but prior to lowering, the gap between tyre & front arch was approx 70mm (I have 18' rims) and 60mm rear. I will ring him tommorrow & book it in again to get the rear brought up level with the front.

It hasnt scraped on anything yet but will when I try to get in my driveway. The only good news is that I didnt really think the ride was particularly firm in the 10 min drive from the shop to my place. I will try & get some pics up tommorrow so you guys can see what I'm talking about.

looks awesome Dave....

love the 380's and that looks real nice.... but when are you going to lower it?

;)



:bowrofl:

The rear sits way lower than the front which is not what I wanted because IMO it looks crap. Now, the gap between the tyre & wheel arch is about 30mm front (which is exactly what I asked for) however the rear arch sits flush with the top of the tyre.

I'm not sure if the VRX sits lower than other models but prior to lowering, the gap between tyre & front arch was approx 70mm (I have 18' rims) and 60mm rear. I will ring him tommorrow & book it in again to get the rear brought up level with the front.

It hasnt scraped on anything yet but will when I try to get in my driveway. The only good news is that I didnt really think the ride was particularly firm in the 10 min drive from the shop to my place. I will try & get some pics up tommorrow so you guys can see what I'm talking about.
Sounds like your heights are about the same as mine (currently with only standard 16s). Agreed, a low rear/high front does look crappy... like a reverse hot rod!

Sounds like your heights are about the same as mine (currently with only standard 16s). Agreed, a low rear/high front does look crappy... like a reverse hot rod!

but it evens out the car.
So instead of it looking like a door wedge (High back, Low front) it doesnt look half bad. My opnion anyway. Think it looks way better like that

I would rather see the car with the same attitude horizontally but just lower. It doesn't seem that happens when you fit Kings springs.

Dave, is it worth going to Pedders and getting them to do their suspension check for $14 or whatever it is now? At least you'd know what's making the noise and you could go back to whoever fit the springs and tell them.

Spoke to the suspension guy...it goes back tommorrow to replace the rear S/lows with lows at no cost to me so I'm pretty happy.

I know the rear of the 380's do go up like a wedge but I still think it looks right when the gap between tyres & arch is the same front & rear.

Dave, is it worth going to Pedders and getting them to do their suspension check for $14 or whatever it is now? At least you'd know what's making the noise and you could go back to whoever fit the springs and tell them.
I think i have sussed the problem... I reckon i am getting "coil clash" from short/sharp bumps in the road. The noise sounds like a resonance is being set up through the spring. So this weekend i will make up some isolators to try and dampen the harmonics that may be occurring. Mind you i am only guessing at this stage! We shall see how i go and if this fixes the problem.


I know the rear of the 380's do go up like a wedge but I still think it looks right when the gap between tyres & arch is the same front & rear.
Sitting a little down at the front is better for aerodynamics and high speed handling. Who wants their car to become a bloody great parachute trapping air under the front? "Gee, isnt the steering nice and feather light at 140 kmh!" lol

I've been trying to post some before/after lowering pics but I'm struggling to compress the images on this damn computer. It will have to wait til tommorrow when I'm at work. By that time, the rear will hopefully be back up level with the front so I can put up before/after & after again photos & you guys can have your say on what looked best.

Had another chance to drive it today & theres certainly no strange noise coming from beneath as Type 40 is encountering. For others considering lowering, the ride is not that bad on superlows & after the rears get changed to lows tommorrow, I'm guessing it will be even better!!

host them at www.imageshack.us and it gives you a resize option :)

I think i have sussed the problem... I reckon i am getting "coil clash" from short/sharp bumps in the road. The noise sounds like a resonance is being set up through the spring. So this weekend i will make up some isolators to try and dampen the harmonics that may be occurring. Mind you i am only guessing at this stage! We shall see how i go and if this fixes the problem.
Sitting a little down at the front is better for aerodynamics and high speed handling. Who wants their car to become a bloody great parachute trapping air under the front? "Gee, isnt the steering nice and feather light at 140 kmh!" lol
Sounds like you know your way around the cars suspension Dave!! I wouldnt have the faintest idea how to fix noisy springs.

Thats for the imageshack link Spackbace but it will have to wait - I'm going to bed.

Sounds like you know your way around the cars suspension Dave!! I wouldnt have the faintest idea how to fix noisy springs.
lol Lets not be hasty! I havent fixed it yet! It may not even be the problem. :cry:

Check out before & after lowering pics...so much for 30mm at the rear!!!!

Doesn't look too bad at all, but yeah, I think just Lows on the back would look better.
Either that or drop the front more :D

hey blue380, that looks great mine looks pretty similar. Just watch u dont lower the front too much more, mine already just get's over speed humps.

hey blue380, that looks great mine looks pretty similar. Just watch u dont lower the front too much more, mine already just get's over speed humps.
Theres no chance the front will be going any lower - in fact in went back today to replace the rears with King Lows and its brought it back up nicely...still sits a fraction lower at the rear but nothing to worry about!!! When I get a chance, I will put up some more pics of what it looks like now.

Theres no chance the front will be going any lower - in fact in went back today to replace the rears with King Lows and its brought it back up nicely...still sits a fraction lower at the rear but nothing to worry about!!! When I get a chance, I will put up some more pics of what it looks like now.
Looks great Pete! How have you found the handling? Im pretty happy with mine bar the noise...

jees the 380s really sit high, i dont know why they have so much in the wheel arches! superlows all the way for those imo, but now u've ruined it with lows on the back :P lol jk

Looks great Pete! How have you found the handling? Im pretty happy with mine bar the noise...
I only drove the car for 10mins after it was lowered & didnt get a chance to push the handling issue. The ride didnt appear to be particularly firm which is good. No strange noises, also good (hope you get yours soughted Dave).

I'm not really sure either why they sit em up so high standard but I can assure you even with the lows on the rear, its only brought it up about 10mm so it still sits pretty low. You have to realise the car is a family vehicle used by my wife & kids about 90% of the time so the ride height has to be reasonable. I still havent had an opportunity to drive it since they replaced the s/lows today.

The ride didnt appear to be particularly firm which is good.


Can you let us know your impressions after a week re how comfortable it is?

So what happens with super Lows on the front and Lows on the rear in regard to handling? The front would be stiffer and increase understeer? Or does it balance out compared to the standard springs?
I'd like to know what happens now on the limit - whether the car will still oversteer when provoked hard.

Can you let us know your impressions after a week re how comfortable it is?

So what happens with super Lows on the front and Lows on the rear in regard to handling? The front would be stiffer and increase understeer? Or does it balance out compared to the standard springs?
I'd like to know what happens now on the limit - whether the car will still oversteer when provoked hard.
I will certainly let you know how the ride comfort goes after a week or so...regarding oversteer/understeer, I dont drive hard enough around corners anymore to find its limits so you could be waiting a while for that - I only use the power ocassionally in a straight line. I really only lowered it for looks.

The noise is still there... I ran my finger up and down the spring whilst i was "attempting" to fix the problem and i could re create the sound but all the foam on the world isn't fixing it.... I need a Bex and a good lie down i think..... :angry:

The noise is still there... I ran my finger up and down the spring whilst i was "attempting" to fix the problem and i could re create the sound but all the foam on the world isn't fixing it.... I need a Bex and a good lie down i think..... :angry:

I reckon everyone on this forum can relate to the situation your in Dave....having problems with a car & not being able to fix it - very frustrating!!! Just to rub it in a bit, my suspension is quiet as a mouse since lowering LOL.

Whats the latest with the muffler?

I thought i would post up a pic showing the reset standard VRX spring next to the King S/Low spring. Notice how the Kings spring has very closely wound coils at one end. When the cars weight is on the spring these coils compress and sit on one another. This is where i believe the noise is coming from. With the reset spring you can see it is about an inch taller than the other one but the actual ride height is less than 1/2 an inch different. The reset spring made no noise whatsoever, this is one of the reasons why i came to the conclusion that the coils are "clashing" against each other on compression. If anyone else can offer any different ideas i am more than willing to listen!

The Kings spring is the yellow one! Sorry about the pic quality. I will probably have to take another one to show a clearer view.

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/davepax982/Photo0026.jpg

I thought i would post up a pic showing the reset standard VRX spring next to the King S/Low spring. Notice how the Kings spring has very closely wound coils at one end. When the cars weight is on the spring these coils compress and sit on one another. This is where i believe the noise is coming from. With the reset spring you can see it is about an inch taller than the other one but the actual ride height is less than 1/2 an inch different. The reset spring made no noise whatsoever, this is one of the reasons why i came to the conclusion that the coils are "clashing" against each other on compression. If anyone else can offer any different ideas i am more than willing to listen!

The Kings spring is the yellow one! Sorry about the pic quality. I will probably have to take another one to show a clearer view.

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff320/davepax982/Photo0026.jpg
Those are what my rear king lows look like, and I've developed a similar metal clashing noise at the rear, and I'd say you've just solved my dilemma! I think it is the coil clashing now... Cheers for the info :D

quite a few LOWERED springs are like you mention, where the coils touch... and you'll find they are also a very soft spring rate where the coils touch...

i had pedders that were like that but i never noticed any noise to be honest, and the rears on my magna have a little coil bind at the top but again no noise!

you can get a coil wrap to stop the clanging, it may help... but i havent heard the noise your getting

the factory springs look better to me than the kings anyway.... unusual how they are a tapered spring (i hate that, harder to chop lol) suspension set up much different to the magna?

I spoke to the guys downstairs here, and they suggested going to Jaycar or Dick Smith and getting the spiral wrap they use for keeping electrical cables neat and wrapping that around the spring. Make sure you get the spring size before you go. The stuff comes in 6mm,12mm,15 and 20mm. We have a set of springs here from a Pajero that has it on them.
I love high tech stuff......:gtfo:

I spoke to the guys downstairs here, and they suggested going to Jaycar or Dick Smith and getting the spiral wrap they use for keeping electrical cables neat and wrapping that around the spring. Make sure you get the spring size before you go. The stuff comes in 6mm,12mm,15 and 20mm. We have a set of springs here from a Pajero that has it on them.
I love high tech stuff......:gtfo:
Funny you mention this MBD. I called King springs in QLD just earlier today to ask advice and they suggested the exact same thing! The person i spoke to was very helpful and had never heard of a 380 doing this (as Blue380 can vouch for) and gave me a number for a suspension shop in Melb for me to take the car to. I have it booked in for this Saturday so hopefully i get some joy with that. :pray:

I had the car looked at by the guys at Suspension City in Nth Melbourne today and guess what... Coil clash!!! So they applied the magical tape around a single loop of the coils each side and presto, she is a fixed! :bowrofl: All i can say is that after all the dicking around i have been through it was great to deal with people who actually have a clue and know what they are on about. I was in and out in a 1/2 an hour (with no charge i might add) and was a very happy man! :D

I had the car looked at by the guys at Suspension City in Nth Melbourne today and guess what... Coil clash!!! So they applied the magical tape around a single loop of the coils each side and presto, she is a fixed! :bowrofl: All i can say is that after all the dicking around i have been through it was great to deal with people who actually have a clue and know what they are on about. I was in and out in a 1/2 an hour (with no charge i might add) and was a very happy man! :D

Awesome, good to see old fashioned service, and a happy Type40

Awesome, good to see old fashioned service, and a happy Type40
They were great to deal with, no BS and genuine. If anyone from Melb wants their car lowered i would thoroughly recommend them. I dealt with John and Damian and i really cant speak highly enough of their service. Also, i might add, it was King springs in Qld who put me onto Suspension City (who are one of their Vic reps) and they have been great too. Little things like returning phone calls and genuinely listening to my concerns. Great stuff! :D

That's really good, Dave.
Great you found someone who could deal with it.

Check out before & after lowering pics...so much for 30mm at the rear!!!!

I actually quite like the back, but it definitely looks unbalanced with the front in those photos.

Just thought I'd put up some before/after pics of my car now the rears have been changed from superlows to low. Front still s/low.

Now I've had a week or so of driving, as you'd expect the ride is firmer but certainly not overly hard - just in case any one else is considering it.

Looks good. You didn't change the front set up at all? Could be the pic, but front looks a little lower in the second/after shot.

Looks good. You didn't change the front set up at all? Could be the pic, but front looks a little lower in the second/after shot.

Yeah, you're right, it does look lower but the front remained s/lows. I was standing slightly higher when taking the 2nd shot so perhaps its just the camera angle.

Do you have the part Number for those springs please, I want to check the parts against previous Magna Parts, Thanx in advance, if you don't read this,
I'll take the thanks backlol

Coming home from the Byron Bay hinterland and saw a mustard 380 SX lowered on what must have been Kings S/L as it was very low. Jeez it looked really good.
I was scrabbling for an AMC flyer which I have a few in the passenger seat rear pocket but he turned off.

Do you have the part Number for those springs please, I want to check the parts against previous Magna Parts, Thanx in advance, if you don't read this,
I'll take the thanks backlol
Hey Shoot...which springs are you after the part number for?

I was Lookin at slightly Lower springs and wondering if previous generation Magna's and 380's had any thing in common. I have since found out they don't. Cheers

I was scrabbling for an AMC flyer which I have a few in the passenger seat rear pocket but he turned off.
There is an AMC flyer? What does it look like?