How low is your car?

[kevboost7]

Like the title says, how lowered is your car? And how does it handle on the street? Mine is really low (came like this from japan). I can barely fit a finger between the tire and the fender. It looks good, but is a pain in the ass to get a jack under the car and it does not ride good on the street. 

[joshuaho96]

6 minutes ago, kevboost7 said:

Like the title says, how lowered is your car? And how does it handle on the street? Mine is really low (came like this from japan). I can barely fit a finger between the tire and the fender. It looks good, but is a pain in the ass to get a jack under the car and it does not ride good on the street. 

I run factory ride height + suspension. The car already barely fits the floor jack under it and my local roads are not good enough to lower it any more. It's not aesthetically pleasing but that's life.

[GTSBoy]

Mine sits at the minimum height recommended for good lower control arm geometry, which is also effectively the same number for the minimum eyebrow height required for road legality (which is about 345/355 mm).

[soviet_merlin]

Holy shit, this is the first time I see you post a photo of your car @GTSBoy. It's looking great! You should do that more often.

[kevboost7]

10 hours ago, GTSBoy said:

Mine sits at the minimum height recommended for good lower control arm geometry, which is also effectively the same number for the minimum eyebrow height required for road legality (which is about 345/355 mm).

345mm from the ground to the top of the fender?

[GTSBoy]

4 hours ago, soviet_merlin said:

Holy shit, It's looking great!

Thanks.

2 hours ago, kevboost7 said:

345mm from the ground to the top of the fender?

Eyebrow height is defined as from centre of wheel to top of guard arch.

[GTSBoy]

14 hours ago, soviet_merlin said:

You should do that more often.

Also, on further thought, that is one of about 7 photos I have taken of my car over the last 10 years. I wouldn't have taken more than 50 of the car in the ~24 years that I have owned it, and the majority of those would have been of the empty engine bay during the transplant surgery.

In terms of shots of the whole car, I have 2 in that location and one in my carport at home. And....I think nothing else.

So don't hold your breath!

[kevboost7]

12 hours ago, GTSBoy said:

Thanks.

Eyebrow height is defined as from centre of wheel to top of guard arch.

why do they measure it from the centre of the wheel? it seems inaccurate

[Duncan]

It takes tyre height out of the measurement (as it can vary with tyre size, pressure etc)

[GTSBoy]

Not just tyre height. Total wheel height. You put a 13" rim on with 165/65 tyres and the car will sit hella low, but the eyebrow height would be the same as it would be with an 18" wheel with 245/45, even though the 18" wheeled car would be ~30mm further off the ground. The eyebrow height is totally a function of the loaded spring length, and a real and relatively reliable indication of whether the car has been lowered excessively. The cops and road authorities have tables of the stock and minimum eyebrow heights for (presumably all) cars in the market. Although possibly just for Bogandores, Foulcans, imports, Lancers and Hondas.

The other "too low" measurement, being the poking of a 100mm ball on a stick under the car to check clearance is a bit harder to do and needs to be done on a perfectly flat surface to avoid arguments from the (well informed) driver/owner of the car. The eyebrow height takes 30s and a tape measure to do.

[niZmO_Man]

Raise your car, it'll handle better.

I know from first hand experience 💀 (currently running too-low HKS struts, very stiff but works great at Eastern Creek circuits)