31 replies to this topic

[Cooperman]

I often wonder how these lowered cars don't get chased off the road under safety rules (Construction & Use). In the main they are basically unsafe due to the lack of suspension travel and consequent loss of road-holding on the ordinary bumpy UK roads and gain nothing from this lowering. In the main they look very odd too.

However, if the desire is to reduce the road-holding and road performance for some reason or other, then be sure you reduce the loss of safety as much as possible.

[All-agroA+]

Lowering a car, if done right should improve the safety of a car, as you increase the road holding ability while cornering and reduce the pitching of the vehicle, all this has to be done in a way that it does not compromise the geometry of the suspension and have sufficient travel in the suspension for extreme events like potholes or speed bumps.

 

the problem is when people don't have this knowledge and make the car unsafe.

 

ive seen scary things with DIY lowered cars.

 

heated and squashed springs, chopped springs so short that they fall out when jacked up or took over rough roads, lowering springs too short for the shock absorber length, pieces of wood in rear axles. no springs at all just sat on the bump stops. 

 

theres many more. 

 

BBTC and high end sports cars aren't lower than they need to be and they corner like a train

[mini13]

Yeah Ive seen some horrors like that too, eg somone that warmed their springs up with a burner till they wilted and dropped the car 2"... and anopther classic was the chap that put the rear spring from his escort estate on the front.... and cut the front ones down and put them on the rear so he only had to cut two springs..... shakes head.

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

 

But they're lowered on springs for the most part, not a system which was specifically designed and engineered precisely to run at a certain PSI. Metros don't even have shocks, your entire rebound and compression is determined by the pressure of the hydragas system. 

 

 

Lowering as much the VW people do on just springs is outright dangerous. Changing just the springs is just part of the system, to lower a car correctly you don't just lower the hight the car sits at,this is all changing springs would do. 

 

To lower a car correctly the goal is to keep the suspension geometry as close to standard as possible but have the hight the car sits at lower than standard.

With a lot of engineering and thought it is possible. I managed to lower a 206 130mm all round and retain the standard geometry 100%, it was a nice ride and never bottomed out once.

 

 

I didnt mention anything about geometry... I'm comparing the way people lower the Metro hydragas system to people that lower a VW for exmaple, which is on springs... the rest follows. I'm just sick of seeing people letting all of the fluid out of a Metro and boshing on some stupid springs to a golf and thrashing around as though they've built some kind of amazing custom... it looks pathetic 

[All-agroA+]

then theres the people who have no idea about their cars suspension. i've had many people turn up at work with a metro and the exhaust front pipes blowing, get it on the ramp and show them the 7 shades of Sh*t they've knocked out of it cause the ride height is too low. we tell them to get the suspension pumped up and fit a new front pipe. two weeks later they come back and complain the exhaust blowing. sure enough the car is the same height as before  and the pipe battered. makes my blood boil !!!! 

 

 

you can almost guarantee that the metro you see driving past is snorting the white lines up off the road with its bum in the air

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

As always, nice and nose heavy and no individualising to the displacers to get rid of the nose dive. The downpipe on a Metro, especially the Mk3 and 4 is incredibly low at standard right height, lowering them just makes it even worse.

 

Anybody can stick a screwdriver in a valve and let fluid out... do the job properly and stand back at the end of the day looking at your car which actually sits equal from front to back and be confident that your car is safe as well as looking a hell of a lot better than otherwise

[krusher74]

then theres the people who have no idea about their cars suspension. i've had many people turn up at work with a metro and the exhaust front pipes blowing, get it on the ramp and show them the 7 shades of Sh*t they've knocked out of it cause the ride height is too low. we tell them to get the suspension pumped up and fit a new front pipe. two weeks later they come back and complain the exhaust blowing. sure enough the car is the same height as before  and the pipe battered. makes my blood boil !!!! 

 

 

you can almost guarantee that the metro you see driving past is snorting the white lines up off the road with its bum in the air

How many metros do you see driving past!

[All-agroA+]

there are several that tootle around here, albeit 100s but same thing 

[krusher74]

there are several that tootle around here, albeit 100s but same thing 

Apples and oranges.

[ryan22_lgm]

I have pumped it up now ! I did not intend on going all the way down a valve got stuck on 1 side and let all the fluid out so I had to do the other. I was just going to let a little out front and back!
But it's over now it's going scrapyard once I remove the engine.

[Ryang556]

I have pumped it up now ! I did not intend on going all the way down a valve got stuck on 1 side and let all the fluid out so I had to do the other. I was just going to let a little out front and back!
But it's over now it's going scrapyard once I remove the engine.

 

 

Where it belongs  

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Shame, another one gone because somebody destroys the suspension and then cant be bothered to fix it

[olds_kool_lews]

Is it a 3 door or 5? A series or k series?

[rally515]

Really shame to hear that ryan, can't it be saved ? id hve it ?

[ryan22_lgm]

The suspension is fixed? It's like a 4x4. I only bought it in the first place for the 1275 auto engine to upgrade my gfs 998 auto. And they are nothing compared to a mini.