Budget lowering - Am I doing this stupid?

[2drx4]

I want to lower my car a bit. I'm not sure exactly how much yet because I ordered new wheels/tires and will check how things fit before then. But 2" all around likely is what will work. This will be for appearance only for the time being, although going to a slightly higher spring rate seems like it won't be detrimental.

I am in Canada, and a somewhat remote part of it, so sourcing some things is either difficult, expensive, takes a long time, or some combination of those three.

The front seems easy, pull your stock coil, trim 1/2 to 3/4 of a coil off, maybe 1 whole coil if you're being adventurous, reinstall. 1 whole coil might be too much, 1/2 almost certainly would be less than 2" drop. Or, measure, remove, do the math, and cut accordingly. Obviously cut it with a thin cut off wheel, wrap the good side of the spring in a wet rag to avoid heating it. Cost of this is basically zero.

The rear is far more problematic with the stock springs being tapered on both ends. The option that keeps coming up in research is to buy some F-Body rear coils (Moog P/N CC635 I can get to my door for $100~ CAD), get F-body coil isolators, cut about 1.5 coils off (or see above, do the math or trial and error). The issue with this is that the F-Body isolator is NLA from GM. There is somebody making new ones and selling them on eBay for $70 USD/pair + shipping/fees, this works out to about $100 USD to my door. Looking through Energy Suspension's catalog there is no coil isolator of this style that is big enough. I'm not sure if going this route is then throwing good money after bad.

Is there some other rear spring option that is extremely cheap?

Or, just buy an actual lowering spring kit?

 

[565bbchevy]

Put a big block in the front then lower the rear to match

 

[2drx4]

Put a big block in the front then lower the rear to match

I'm more into trying to make the car lighter... An LSx would be more my style. In which case my ride height problem would get even worse.

 

[2drx4]

It turns out I can get the Umi 3051 2" drop spring kit (front and rear) to my door for $420 CAD tax in. Honestly it does seem stupid to mess with random springs and unobtanium parts based on that.

 

[Streetbu]

If you have original springs currently, plan on the 2" drop springs leaving you right about where you currently sit. Old springs sag. New drop springs will probably match that. I got tired of playing the game searching for the ride height I wanted. Ended up getting coilovers and can adjust it at any time to whatever I want... Just a thought.

 

[JAMCAR223]

You may not be happy with the amount of drop those UMI springs provide. Many people have complained in the past. Reason being, your old springs have collapsed a little over time, and may already be sitting a couple inches lower than when the car was new. You might want to search this site for Moog 5660 coils with a 1/2 coil cut. They are cheap, and most people are happy with the results. Your results may vary.

 

[2drx4]

You may not be happy with the amount of drop those UMI springs provide. Many people have complained in the past. Reason being, your old springs have collapsed a little over time, and may already be sitting a couple inches lower than when the car was new. You might want to search this site for Moog 5660 coils with a 1/2 coil cut. They are cheap, and most people are happy with the results. Your results may vary.

I was going to put that option in my first post, but it seemed pointless if I can't solve the issue of the rear. Unless tracking down the F-body coil isolators is really worth it because those are a better spring to run.

Is there wheel hub to fender lip, axle to frame, or some other sort of measurement one can take to determine what the current ride height is versus stock?

 

[2drx4]

If you have original springs currently, plan on the 2" drop springs leaving you right about where you currently sit. Old springs sag. New drop springs will probably match that. I got tired of playing the game searching for the ride height I wanted. Ended up getting coilovers and can adjust it at any time to whatever I want... Just a thought.

I've read that's an issue a lot.

Coilovers are too spendy unless I decide I'm married to this.

 

[motorheadmike]

Some cheap drop spindles and MOOG 5660s will get you down to 26" ground to lip on most cars.

The rears can be matched with any open ended spring that you chose to chop. Or longer coil over springs. Or... well any creative solution really. My wagon and MCSS have variations of all of these with the wagon's being adjustable.

Define "remote" Canada.

 

[2drx4]

Some cheap drop spindles and MOOG 5660s will get you down to 26" ground to lip on most cars.

The rears can be matched with any open ended spring that you chose to chop. Or longer coil over springs. Or... well any creative solution really. My wagon and MCSS have variations of all of these with the wagon's being adjustable.

Define "remote" Canada.

I saw the cheap drop spindle option. Amazon.ca has a set that work out to under $300 CAD to my door. Summit has some that work out to a little more than that. I'm not sure if there's anything cheaper than that without buying a seacan full of them from China. Guys also seem to be pretty horny about the taller lower balljoint, which is something I know nothing about, other than I guess it will help a little with giving you some camber. Do I care? Probably not.

When you cut/use an open ended spring for the rear, are you cutting the top or the bottom? And if so, are you doing anything about the coil bucket/isolator being wrong for a spring like that, or just ramming it in there and not giving a fawk? I could just pull the rear end out of the car and rework the coil buckets to accept a normal open ended configuration, in fact I'm sure I have a set of half made buckets lying around from a Jeep. I don't want to do this though, as I was hoping to do something quick and dirty.

I'm in PG. It's not remote, it's "somewhat remote", in that to drive to the great big bald eagle in the south it will take you a whole day one way. There also isn't much good used stuff around here, population density level is low, poverty level is high.


Edit, also I looked through the first 8 or so pages of your build thread. Very nice. I'll have to read the rest of it when I get a chance.