dope, slammed cars.

[cuco33]

I'm a VAG and Euro fan and do appreciate the look of a car slammed especially with some dish... but to be honest... it's stupid. ESPECIALLY when someone goes to the extent of cutting springs... ughhh... Stretched tire is a ballerina thing in my book. Looks nice, but I wouldn't trust it holding if I whipped my car at a corner doing 40mph. I've seen tires give out due to super stretch and it's not pretty when mated to an expensive wheel that just got rashed all over the place.

If you want the car to be on it's ass, then bag it. My Audi has coilovers on it and is set fairly low but not ridiculously low. I would never want something like that. Buddy of mine went through 6 oil pans last year and I told him why... he didn't have an answer, just 'look at my car bro, it's hot n super low' so i told him 'then bag it and you can go lower whenever you feel like it. Said it's too expensive... like going through 6 oilpans+ isn't??
I try to go every year to H20i and every year my friends say the same thing 'dude... you got like so many more threads left on your coils.. drop it!!' and I say no cuz it's low enough and it's able to drive and handle corners properly, and be able to have a trunk filled with crap + full capacity and not rub even once.

The dub scene these days... really baffles my freakin mind and I've been in the scene for over a decade now. Didn't get the blue painters tape thing, nor the ridiculous colored wheels that don't flow with the car at all thing.. I always like a car with a good stance on some nice wheels but overdoing it is what comes to mind these days. I'm just one of those who believes a car is meant to be driven first and looked at afterwards, not looked at first and barely driven. I mean... why bother spending the money on performance parts if you drive like grandma going 5mph over every little bump on the road?!

 

[Eric.]

Painters tape thing? I know people who do it when they're going on the interstate for longer trips to protect the paint, and a few people I autocross with put some around the (painted) splash guards to prevent rock chippage.

Some people get a little carried away/artsy with it when they're doing these things.

 

[Joey D]

I forgot one:

If sparks don't fly, you're riding too high. True fact!

 

[mustangGT90210]

If I ever see sparks behind me I will **** a brick, that is all.

 

[Zenith]

a MKV on Chrysler Crossfire wheels...

UM?!

I see body panels lying on the asphalt on the horizon, and by horizon I mean the nearest pothole.

 

[cuco33]

Painters tape thing? I know people who do it when they're going on the interstate for longer trips to protect the paint, and a few people I autocross with put some around the (painted) splash guards to prevent rock chippage.

Some people get a little carried away/artsy with it when they're doing these things.

I get the painter's tape going on long journeys especially with cars that just got fresh paint. It's that painter's tape found it's way so much in the dub scene most cars would have it, and some would have stupid messages in painter's tape. It became a stupid trend that everyone was using it.
I even know someone who put tape on their car and their car's paint was horrible, chipped and scratched and rust in some areas. I asked why and he said cuz everyone's doing it.. It got really ridiculous though. I even remember a Golf done up with multicolored tape to mimic the Harlequin Golf 3. Original yes but it's still tape.

 

[cuco33]

UM?!

I see body panels lying on the asphalt on the horizon, and by horizon I mean the nearest pothole.

That's most likely on bags. No way does that car drive like that especially daily. Looks nice but from a driving standpoint.. pointless.

 

[hemisport15]

UM?!

I see body panels lying on the asphalt on the horizon, and by horizon I mean the nearest pothole.

That's most likely on bags. No way does that car drive like that especially daily. Looks nice but from a driving standpoint.. pointless.

without a doubt it is on bags. I still can't get over the fact that people can't tell a car has bags. yes everybody drives really low, but none of them are dumb enough to try to drive with the fender in between the wheel and tire.

 

[HighSeasHoMastr]

... but none of them are dumb enough to try to drive with the fender in between the wheel and tire.

None?
Don't be so sure. I'm positive that somewhere, someone has done it. But that's a mistake you make once I suppose...

 

[Joey D]

without a doubt it is on bags. I still can't get over the fact that people can't tell a car has bags. yes everybody drives really low, but none of them are dumb enough to try to drive with the fender in between the wheel and tire.

Ya I never got that either. When I had my Blazer people would always ask guys in my truck club how they drove with the tires tucked way up in the fenders. I always wondered why people never assumed adjustable suspension?

 

[buickgnx88]

People do drive with them tucked, I actually saw one yesterday on the way home from the bank. It was a 90's Lexus LS and it was driving on the highway with the wheels tucked (it wasn't just lowered, because you could see the camber of the wheels).

 

[Perfect Balance]

People do drive with them tucked, I actually saw one yesterday on the way home from the bank. It was a 90's Lexus LS and it was driving on the highway with the wheels tucked (it wasn't just lowered, because you could see the camber of the wheels).

If the whole thing is tucked it's not so hard, not to mention a lot of people drive slammed on the highway because there's no turns.

Driving with the fender in between the rim and tire is a different story.

 

[buickgnx88]

Driving with the fender in between the rim and tire is a different story.

Well duh.

 

[Azuremen]

Well duh.

Well, that was kind of what they were talking about...

 

[buickgnx88]

Didn't read well enough then, thought they were just talking about regular 'ol driving with the tires tucked.

 

[CCXRacer]

Ya I never got that either. When I had my Blazer people would always ask guys in my truck club how they drove with the tires tucked way up in the fenders. I always wondered why people never assumed adjustable suspension?

Really...on a Blazer?

Thats how its done around here.

 

[Pupik]

Did you mean:

If sparks fly, you're going to get pasted by another owner for messing with his car's paint.

Fact!

 

[Carlos]

Driving slammed is really dangerous too, when my Honda was slammed, I hit a bump in a corner and I was everywhere and verry lucky that I did not hit another car.. With that experience in my mind, I dislike all those slammed cars. Really no fun to drive, avoiding every bump instead of really enjoying the ride with a good stanced ride. I like to go hard around a corner (Jay, if you read this, I know what you're thinking), and that's not going to work when slammed.

 

[Joey D]

Really...on a Blazer?

Yup, had a 7" static drop on it. Nothing too crazy compared to most of the guys in my club that were running around with bags and a body drop.

Did you mean:

Fact!

Sparks really don't mess with the paint, I rode behind several guys airred out and never had an issue. But only idiots would air out when there are a bunch of people around you don't know. The best place to do it is on the highway, late at night with your club members blocking the road so you don't mess with other motorist.

 

[CCXRacer]

Yup, had a 7" static drop on it. Nothing too crazy compared to most of the guys in my club that were running around with bags and a body drop.



Sparks really don't mess with the paint, I rode behind several guys airred out and never had an issue. But only idiots would air out when there are a bunch of people around you don't know. The best place to do it is on the highway, late at night with your club members blocking the road so you don't mess with other motorist.

I guess, I just wouldn't fit in with the city scene.

 

[Perfect Balance]

Driving slammed is really dangerous too, when my Honda was slammed, I hit a bump in a corner and I was everywhere and verry lucky that I did not hit another car.. With that experience in my mind, I dislike all those slammed cars. Really no fun to drive, avoiding every bump instead of really enjoying the ride with a good stanced ride. I like to go hard around a corner (Jay, if you read this, I know what you're thinking), and that's not going to work when slammed.

It can be done correctly. My car is "slammed" but I've still got more suspension travel than ground clearance, and the only other issue I had was my tie rods not having enough articulation for the upwards angle they were at, but I got aftermarket ones to take care of that. I also had to relocate the harness that normally runs in the fender well.

I don't dodge bumps in the road, only potholes, and I can take corners quickly just fine. It rubs sometimes, but no big deal.

 

[AOS-]

I still don't understand how going at speed bumps on a angle is required for slammed rides.... You're still going over them either way. If the reason is because it lessens the suspension travel, then can't you just hold the brakes to slow down when travelling down the bump?

 

[Keef]

I don't dodge bumps in the road, only potholes, and I can take corners quickly just fine. It rubs sometimes, but no big deal.

After I flared my front fenders, my plastic inner fender hangs a little lower than it used to. It has rubbed my tires a few tires over some fairly tremendous bumps and holes on our highways. A little trim should take care of that though.

 

[motortrend]

I still don't understand how going at speed bumps on a angle is required for slammed rides.... You're still going over them either way. If the reason is because it lessens the suspension travel, then can't you just hold the brakes to slow down when travelling down the bump?

The tire touches the bump first at an angle, that way there will be a tire on the bump most of the time, thus elevating the car. Also, less of the front bumper has to gro through the bump until the tire touches it. I don't really think it has to do with having less supension travel since if you go sideways one of the sides will travel more because it will be high off the ground

 

[Perfect Balance]

Yeah, it's just a matter of always having one tire on the speed bump, therefore lifting the car somewhat.

Also, Keef. What's these fender liners you speak of?

 

[Keef]

Yeah, I'm keeping them for the most part. Aerodynamics, yo.

 

[Carlos]

It can be done correctly. My car is "slammed" but I've still got more suspension travel than ground clearance, and the only other issue I had was my tie rods not having enough articulation for the upwards angle they were at, but I got aftermarket ones to take care of that. I also had to relocate the harness that normally runs in the fender well.

I don't dodge bumps in the road, only potholes, and I can take corners quickly just fine. It rubs sometimes, but no big deal.

How did you do that? When I was slammed I had zero suspension travel..

 

[Perfect Balance]

How did you do that? When I was slammed I had zero suspension travel..

Most coilovers nowadays adjust ride height separately from suspension travel.

Basically, you're just moving where you mount the shock to the car, while the actual assembly stays the same length.

 

[Carlos]

Could you explain that to me like I am 4 years old?

I don't see how my coils could have moved separately from my suspension..

 

[Keef]

Could you explain that to me like I am 4 years old?

I don't see how my coils could have moved separately from my suspension..

Picture for reference:

Refer to the one on the right side, the rear coilover, because it is oriented normally.

I'll start with the basics just because. The visible parts are as follows: Copper-anodized top mount, shiny silver piston shaft, yellow bump stop, spring, black threaded damper body, copper-anodized spring perch, copper-anodized spring perch locking collar, copper-anodized lower mount locking collar, and finally the black painted lower mount.

As you can see, the entire damper body is threaded. The spring perch and locking collars are also threaded, and are adjustable up and down the damper body. On some coilovers - no matter the quality or "legitness" - there is only one height-adjustment method, that being the spring perch, which you would thread up or down to your desired height and then lock it in place with the locking collar.

But there is a problem with the adjustable spring perch method. Because the spring is very stiff, its length never changes as you lower the car. But something has to give, right? As you thread the spring perch down the damper body, thereby lowering the car, the damper shaft with the valve attached inside the body sinks lower into the damper. You've just shortened the useful travel of your damper and placed the valve in a location where it was not designed to work properly. Good coilover makers know this, and that is why they don't allow much height adjustment with this type (for reference, Speed Junkie's Miata is on spring-perch adjustable Ohlins coilovers, and it is only moderately low even on the lowest setting). You'll also notice that the shock body on these types is not fully threaded.

So, for better height adjustment, they came up with this idea. They separated the damper body and lower mount, threaded the outside of the body fully, and threaded the inside of the lower mount. Viola, now you have a lower mount that can be threaded up and down the shock body. The spring perch is still necessary of course - it holds the spring up and keeps the spring pre-loaded very slightly so it doesn't jangle around. One that pre-load is set, however, you never touch the spring perch again. The way you adjust height is by threading the lower mount up and down the damper body. This means that the insides of the damper are never changed, the damper never gets shorter, and you always get optimal performance from the damper no matter your ride height. Then of course there is the collar with which you lock the lower mount in place so it can't spin.

Fun fact: The Stance coilover on the left, the front coilover, has an inverted damper. That keeps most of the fluid up at the top, further away from the heat of the brakes. The big shiny shaft isn't the shaft at all - that's the damper body. The black threads are a sleeve pressed over it. The adjuster is at the bottom. Th adjust it you lay on the dirty ground like a man and feel around until you find the knob.