Lowering Springs Effects

A drop can be made comfortable, though not by springs alone. The harshness owners report comes from two sources: the higher spring rate, and the lost bump travel that puts the car on its bumpstops over ordinary road inputs. Deal with the second and most of the complaint disappears. Fit dampers valved for the new rate with a stroke suited to the lower ride height, and use progressive bumpstops rather than the standard items cut down. Keep the drop near 30 mm on a road car. Car suspension lowering springs effects turn unpleasant mainly when a 50 mm drop is asked of standard dampers.

Camber goes negative and toe usually moves out on a strut front end, while a multi-link rear commonly gains both negative camber and toe-in. Either change wears the inner shoulders of the tires quickly if left alone. Wait until the springs have settled, which takes roughly 300 to 500 kilometers, then measure and correct with camber bolts, adjustable top mounts or rear arms as the design allows. Check toe change through travel at the same visit, since car suspension lowering springs effects include bump steer on many front-wheel-drive platforms where the rack sits high relative to the lower arm. Record the figures so the next check has something to compare against.

Dampers fail first. A standard unit controlling a spring 30 percent stiffer works harder through a shorter stroke, runs hotter, and commonly loses damping within 20,000 to 30,000 kilometers. Top mounts follow, because the bearing takes more load and more frequent bumpstop impacts. Control arm bushings and droplinks wear faster for the same reason. Budget for matched dampers at the time of fitting rather than after the first failure, and inspect the top mounts whenever a knock appears over speed bumps. The durability side of car suspension lowering springs effects is the part most often left out of the original calculation.