Lowering a 3rd gen. Advice please.

[fefelarue]

Hey folks, I'm looking to lower my 89 lude by about 50mm.

First of all, I'm NOT a car expert, so please dumb it down for me I've never lowered a car myself.

I am doing this purely for aesthetics, I couldn't really give a bum droppings about handling yet.

What are my options?

I can't seem to find any coilovers in the UK without spending silly money, all I can find are 30 and 35mm lowering springs on ebay. Has anyone cut springs? (either aftermarket or standard springs)? Do they still fit well into the bottom/top (don't know the word sorry - but the bit that sandwiches the tops and bottoms of the springs - yes i'm a massive noob).

Also, shocks: Could anyone tell me some good cheap shocks to go for? (I'm on a student's budget) And has anyone lowered theirs on standard shocks? Does it work or is it just a no?

Thanks in advance,

Felix

[3rd_gen_Aaron]

The reason you don't get springs dropping any more is because they will work so badly with the shocks.

By cutting springs you make the springs stiffer and you may struggle to get them to seat safely.

I saw a spring snap and go through the side wall of the tyre. If that happened at speed

[fefelarue]

Haha thanks for that mate, won't be cutting standard springs then.

Lowering springs would be safer to cut i guess? Cos there are none that are -50mm, and I don't have £600 to spend on coilovers

[3rd_gen_Aaron]

You may be able to have some made its just a coil after all. I found some where before but I just don't think your shocks will last.

[NafemanNathan]

I posted some ideas for coilovers in your profile thread bud, but if you want to for lowering springs then look into H&R Race springs. They'll drop you 40mm. I had a set on my '89 Accord (Although they weren't "Race") and when the car isn't jacked up (so just sat) the top 4 or 5 coils were completely compressed. Therefore it actually looked like I could remove a coil or two without causing any issues. Almost as if the additional top coils were acting as spacers. This could be the same case with the Prelude ones, but you'd have to look into it.

[RattyMcClelland]

As the crossdresser above says. Get some H&R springs. You can put them on Tokico shocks and they will be good.

Or if you care for handling contact 1funryd on Preludepower and he will sort you out on some K-Sport coilovers on any spring rate and shock body you wish.

[fefelarue]

Thanks folks

Are there any cheaper options than the tokico shocks? It's really hard to google this stuff without knowing what to look for already, so i'm relying on you lot haha.

[fefelarue]

sorry, also is the spring seat and shock all one piece like this:


I.E. If the springs are too short, the shock will not physically be able to go down far enough to compress the spring from both ends, so the spring could be rattling around?

sorry if that's a silly question

[NafemanNathan]

If the spring is too short it will always compress, but if you jack up the car the spring will rattle around and you'd have to be careful and guide the spring back into it's seat when you lowered it back down. So needless to say this is incredibly dangerous when driving in case you go over a bump or even corner too hard.

[honda-hardy]

when i lowered my 3g using eibach springs and tokico dampers, but u couldnt remove one of the rear shocks, so as i had already fitted 3 of the 4 i had to cut one of the springs so the ride was correct untill i had the time the next day to fit the other. on full upward travel the spring didnt sit in the seat and just wobbled about till compressed. so if i were you, i wouldnt bother.