How much to lower the car so still handles good?

[Ryry_1]

Hi all I'm new to this and just bought myself a phase 1 306 1.6xs it's standard height atm on 205 gti wheels and want to lower it but been reading if go any lower than 60mm on front then will handle shit is this right? I want the car to handle aswell as look nice

[WiNgNuTz]

IMO i dont see why you'd need to go much lower than 60mm anyway, unless you're Sam. Mines 60mm on the front, and it handles like a dream when the rest of the car works properly.

[Ryry_1]

I only wanna go about 60mm on front as seen a few with 15s on and it looks good. What about back? Any ideas?

[WiNgNuTz]

Dont make the same mistake i did, the back wants to sit about 10-20mm higher than the front. According to the measurements we made the day we lowered it, my rear beam is 60mm lower than it was at standard height. But its on it arse, in fact im pretty sure its on the bumpstops all the time. Would look spot on raised up about 10-20 mm.

[Ryry_1]

The back does look pretty slammed if that's the one in the pic? So say drop the back about 40-50mm that correct?

[Piggy]

Check out some project threads...and other threads...there was a thread about a week ago asking almost same question, had lots of pics on it with cars at diff heights

Put it on cheap 30mm lowering springs on standard shocks and some D2s or AVOs at 80mm drop will handle better but then drop it on some saxo springs down to 80mm or put it on eibachs and bilsteins -40mm and the -40mm will be a better setup...

Its what you want and what your budget is.

This isnt allowing for improved ARBs and TBs and bushes ect

[Ryry_1]

Ok thanks will have a search for it. I kno roughly what I want. 60mm at front and about same at back or just so is sat level and to handle well

[welshpug]

30 maximum unless you run significantly higher spring rates.

also to handle you do not want it level.

[silverzx]

On subject of bump stops, I don't have any. Is that a problem if the arse gets slammed?

[Ryry_1]

Ok what would you want back lower or front lower then back

[welshpug]

front lower by a little bit, as per standard.


as for no bump stops on a 205, yes bad news, wheels will catch on the end of the sills and the fuel filler pipe.

[WiNgNuTz]

The back does look pretty slammed if that's the one in the pic? So say drop the back about 40-50mm that correct?

Yeah, thats mine. I did say it was on its arse! I don't really like it that low, im just too lazy/incompetent to do it at the moment.

Sounds like you've got the right idea though.

[Daniel306]

Gti6 shocks and good 60mm springs and some estate rear shocks with it lowers to suit, cheep and works well

[Kezzieboy]

*handles well.

Mines at 40mm and is spot on, but the height is less important than the quality of the parts you use to lower it, really.

[Eeyore]

60mm

[Ryry_1]

I'll be doin 60mm at the front but still unsure on back

[Daniel306]

10mm higher

[Ryry_1]

Ok thanks. Any one got pic of what will look like on 15s

[Daniel306]

If you type "lowered 306" into google images mine is the 5th one

[Ryry_1]

White one?

[Daniel306]

That was it 3 years ago, it now has fresh paint

[Ryry_1]

That's nice and much was the lowered by? Dunno why but I like them tyres with white writing ha

[Daniel306]

That was supposed to be 60mm springs but it was more like 90mm. Its now on 35mm and handles far better

[Piggy]

It is all relative though...

-90mm on some -60mm saxo springs will handle like a bus but -90 on Gaz Golds with thicker ARBs, roller bearing bushes, strut braces, thicker TBs etc will handle epic

[Ryry_1]

Ah okay. I want the car to handle aswell as look good. so trying get rough idea of front and back ride height

[Piggy]

Looking good at a certain height is subjective to opinion...

If your Irish you think that making your car look broken/got a fat bird in the boot, looks ace...obviously theyre wrong.

others feel if you only lower it 30mm its pointless....

its all opinion based.

However, handling well is budget based!

[Danny2009]

I always drop the back 50mm them deny as low as it will go

[Ryry_1]

Someone else said about 50mm on back. What and do front 60mm?

[Piggy]

Someone else said about 50mm on back. What and do front 60mm?

whatever YOU want...some will say 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 100, 110!

ask us all and we will all likely give a different opinion.

[Ryry_1]

Yeah that is true each to there own but just wanted to kno when handling starts to be shit.