Hey guys,

Just curious... How low can you go before it becomes an issue? I want to reset or get custom rear springs made up before xmas and I'm curious as to what height I can go in the rear without it being a problem?

My front springs are approx 70mm lower (King SLs) and the rears about 45mm (King Lows). I am thinking of going 2-3 inches lower at the rear again. 3 inches lower would be approx 120mm lower then stock. Is this too low, or will it still be drivable?

My goal is a rear tyre tuck (with 18s).

Going 2 inches lower then current would be about 100mm lower then standard, I think this would also be acceptable, but I want it as low as possible :)

Cheers,
Dean

my front bar had clearance of about 100mm off the ground before the bags. I constantly had to repair the front bar (fibreglass) and everything had to be done on a massive angle. My rear used to sit 90mm off the ground and that was an issue too, especially when exiting driveways. With bags and 235/35/18 on my 18s I barely tucked. Once I get my car back I'll see how my 19s go (they have 215 tyres on them - off a lancer soon to be replaced with 235s). I wouldnt go anything lower than 130mm due to practicality and dont forget legality.

Why not hit up gongverada for his set up, its pretty darn low (you'd know) don't think he's tucks but still,

Mark's height is perfect, I believe his rear is 130mm lower then stock. I only want the rear lower, the front is perfect, it only has about an inch guard clearance with the flares on. It looks excellent.

Here in VIC the vehicle standards are as follows (RTA is probably similar):

Headlights - the bottom of the headlight is to be a minimum of 500mm from the road surface
Lowering - bump stop clearances are not to be reduced by more than 1/3 of the maunfacturers specs
Minimum chassis to road clearance is 100mm measured 1mtr from the axle

Check the RTA website. Either way too low = scraping, plastic surgery to your bars or defect notice

RTA guidelines are simple, the lowest point of the car must not be lower then 100mm off the ground. Considering how high the rear is at present, I don't think that will be an issue, if it is I will keep the lows and swap if I get a defect notice to clear it.

we used to use a coke can to check ride height. if u could drive slowly over it u should get over the pits

A coke can is actually 20.65mm higher then the legal requirement.
Coke Can = 120.65 millimeters :)

So any police officer whom uses one in NSW is doing it incorrectly.

well if u use it as a testing stick at home u will never have a trouble

anybody know the legislation for SA?

EDIT: found this in the sticky

When lowering a vehicle body, either front or rear, the limiting factor is the clearance between the rubber bump
stop and the corresponding metal stop. This dimension must not be reduced by more than one third of that
specified by the manufacturer.

Transport SA has a list of acceptable suspension and eyebrow heights (the measurement from the centre of the
wheel vertically upward to the edge of the mudguard) for most passenger vehicles and can be contacted to
verify if the ride height of a vehicle is within acceptable limits.

EDIT: more

Ground Clearance

Under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Standards) Rules 1999 ground clearance of a vehicle, with at least 4 wheels,
means the minimum distance to the ground from a point on the underside of the vehicle, except a point on a
tyre, wheel, wheel hub, brake backing plate or flexible mudguard or mudflap of the vehicle.
A motor vehicle or combination must have a ground clearance of:
a. For any point in the width of the vehicle which is within 1 metre fore and aft of any axle - 100
millimetres;
b. For the midpoint between the two axles - 0.033 times the distance (in millimetres) between the two
axles; and
c. For any other point – at least the distance that allows the vehicle or combination to pass over a peak in
the road with a gradient on either side of 1:15, if the wheels of 1 axle of the vehicle or combination are
on the slope on one side of the peak and the wheels of the next axle are on the slope on the other side.

A coke can is actually 20.65mm higher then the legal requirement.
Coke Can = 120.65 millimeters :)

So any police officer whom uses one in NSW is doing it incorrectly.


yeh my mate got off cause the cop used a can, it was quite funny at the court case

Hey guys,

Just curious... How low can you go before it becomes an issue? I want to reset or get custom rear springs made up before xmas and I'm curious as to what height I can go in the rear without it being a problem?

My front springs are approx 70mm lower (King SLs) and the rears about 45mm (King Lows). I am thinking of going 2-3 inches lower at the rear again. 3 inches lower would be approx 120mm lower then stock. Is this too low, or will it still be drivable?

My goal is a rear tyre tuck (with 18s).

Going 2 inches lower then current would be about 100mm lower then standard, I think this would also be acceptable, but I want it as low as possible :)

Cheers,
Dean
King SL's are 60mm drop give or take a few mm, not 70mm.

120mm lower than stock in the rear will give you a 43mm ground clearance, are sure that's what you want? You won't clear any form of a speed hump, or angled driveway that low, it'll probably be riding on the bump stops and it'll take a lot more than rolling the guards to keep 18" wheels clearing.

70mm are ultra lows 50mm are super lows...

if i got super lows in the rear and with 19" wheels will i be k?

70mm are ultra lows 50mm are super lows...

if i got super lows in the rear and with 19" wheels will i be k?
I don't think Ultra Lows exist in any brand for Magna's, but King Superlows are definitely 60mm, thats what their catalog says and mines actually measured to that.

What about that member Andrewd with the AWD. He was pretty low and had tuck, show try and find his AMC page-face-space-book thingo.

But he did have 20's too.

Didnt wanna make another thread so i thought id ask on a suspension thread. Wat handles better Super lows or lows.?

lows for sure

Surely if your front end is lowered 70mm you've already run out of ground clearance for the law's view on things. I doubt Magnas have over 170mm ground clearance under the sump?

What about that member Andrewd with the AWD. He was pretty low and had tuck, show try and find his AMC page-face-space-book thingo.

But he did have 20's too.
He had ~40mm ground clearance all round from memory and his car hit absolutely everything (only guy I know to have ruptured the fuel tank from hitting something on the ground when driving). Was about 60mm clearance when he had the 20"s from memory. He's banned now anyway, so getting in contact with him is unlikely.

King SL's are 60mm drop give or take a few mm, not 70mm.

120mm lower than stock in the rear will give you a 43mm ground clearance, are sure that's what you want? You won't clear any form of a speed hump, or angled driveway that low, it'll probably be riding on the bump stops and it'll take a lot more than rolling the guards to keep 18" wheels clearing.

Actually they are 65mm give for take, I measured mine at 70mm lower (So give 5mm).

Didnt wanna make another thread so i thought id ask on a suspension thread. Wat handles better Super lows or lows.?
Lows have a stiffer spring-rate and aren't quite as low, so they give better handling.


120mm lower than stock in the rear will give you a 43mm ground clearance, are sure that's what you want?
I was thinking the exact same thing.... Magnas are supposed to have a stock ground clearance of about 165mm. Lowering your car 100mm would give you SFA ground clearance - I know King Lows aren't *that* low (I have them and have considered going lower) but you have to draw the line somewhere :nuts:

Actually they are 65mm give for take, I measured mine at 70mm lower (So give 5mm).
King themselves say SP 30mm, Low 45mm, Superlow 60mm. Find something to prove me wrong and I'll believe you. If you've got a 70mm drop its likely because your springs have sagged a little, or your car sat unusually high to begin with.


Didnt wanna make another thread so i thought id ask on a suspension thread. Wat handles better Super lows or lows.?
Pretty sure generally speaking for road use Low's, because they handle the bumps and so fourth better. On a smooth road, like a track though, I believe Superlows are a bit better. SP's beat both though, so if you want handling over appearance, go SP's.

King themselves say SP 30mm, Low 45mm, Superlow 60mm. Find something to prove me wrong and I'll believe you. If you've got a 70mm drop its likely because your springs have sagged a little, or your car sat unusually high to begin with.

Springs were brand new, I measured them approx 15,000km after fitting. Maybe I was just lucky :)

Springs were brand new, I measured them approx 15,000km after fitting. Maybe I was just lucky :)
I reckon your stock springs were just a little higher than usual then, but your front end looks no lower than mine in any of your photos, and 10mm would be noticeable.

I just need a more balanced look, I took some pics of the height diff and its rediculous...

Take a look.

Front Skirt
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp271/db_newman/24062009001.jpg

Front Guard
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp271/db_newman/24062009002.jpg

Side Skirt Front
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp271/db_newman/24062009004.jpg

Front Stance
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp271/db_newman/24062009005.jpg

Side Skirts Rear
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp271/db_newman/24062009008.jpg

Rear Stance
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp271/db_newman/24062009007.jpg

Rear Arch
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp271/db_newman/24062009010.jpg

Rear Arch
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp271/db_newman/24062009011.jpg

Rear Bar
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp271/db_newman/24062009009.jpg

Overall stance is out of balance:

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp271/db_newman/24062009012.jpg

Note: The can is about 120mm, so its still legal...

Dont really understand why you want to, youre already a lowlife

Dont really understand why you want to, youre already a lowlife

Haha, I want the rear to be balanced like the front... From the rear bar to the ground there is like 200mm clearance, the front bar to the ground there is about 110mm...

compress the rear a bit.. ?

when u guna colour code ur car man

lovells super lows in the rear and put your rear flares on and it will look better...............

compress the rear a bit.. ?

when u guna colour code ur car man

Thinking custom springs instead. Will colour code it when I get a new door, drivers side mirror, go to newcastle and pick up my rear flares, put my rear pods on, and get a job.