Help!? Car too low
07-Apr-2011, 05:53 PM
#1
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 57
Help!? Car too low
Hello,
So I just recently bought a 01 civic coupe and we have been just fixing all the little things wrong with it at the moment. The car is currently sitting on 17"s and has aftermarket springs. Honestly, I don't know the brand of the springs because I think the previous owner before the one I got the car from put them on and the guy I got it from doesn't know what it is. The rears were kinda slanted, so I got some SPC camber kits for it and its now straight. But, the problem now is that its straight, the tires are hitting the edge of the quarter panel which is really bad. Plus for the rears, I can barely put my fingers in and my fingers are pretty thin, while for the front, I can put at least three fingers into the gap between the tires and the wheel well.
Below are some pictures of the drop and the tires:
These for first two are rears =>
These are for the fronts =>
I was thinking the only solution was to get other aftermarket springs for the the rears would would be a tad higher than the ones I have now. Are there any other solutions? And if they are not, is anybody selling some rear springs that will hopefully fix this problem?
Thanks,
Marvin
So I just recently bought a 01 civic coupe and we have been just fixing all the little things wrong with it at the moment. The car is currently sitting on 17"s and has aftermarket springs. Honestly, I don't know the brand of the springs because I think the previous owner before the one I got the car from put them on and the guy I got it from doesn't know what it is. The rears were kinda slanted, so I got some SPC camber kits for it and its now straight. But, the problem now is that its straight, the tires are hitting the edge of the quarter panel which is really bad. Plus for the rears, I can barely put my fingers in and my fingers are pretty thin, while for the front, I can put at least three fingers into the gap between the tires and the wheel well.
Below are some pictures of the drop and the tires:
These for first two are rears =>
These are for the fronts =>
I was thinking the only solution was to get other aftermarket springs for the the rears would would be a tad higher than the ones I have now. Are there any other solutions? And if they are not, is anybody selling some rear springs that will hopefully fix this problem?
Thanks,
Marvin
07-Apr-2011, 09:34 PM
#8
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mississauga
Posts: 1,672
you could sell your 17s and get 16s.
Maybe even trade your 17s for 16s.
Raising your car may be expensive. Im not even sure how much it would cost you to chance the two rear springs.
Honestly , i would just trade or sell those rims with tires for smaller ones.
Maybe even trade your 17s for 16s.
Raising your car may be expensive. Im not even sure how much it would cost you to chance the two rear springs.
Honestly , i would just trade or sell those rims with tires for smaller ones.
08-Apr-2011, 12:08 AM
#9
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Where my car is.
Posts: 5,460
^changing the rims size won't make much of a difference since you need to keep the tires the same diameter as the stock tire size.
Raising the car is as simple as re-installing stock springs, if you can find a set.
If the current setup has ride height adjustable threaded collars, you can always crank them up an inch or so...
Raising the car is as simple as re-installing stock springs, if you can find a set.
If the current setup has ride height adjustable threaded collars, you can always crank them up an inch or so...
08-Apr-2011, 10:42 AM
#11
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Location: Where my car is.
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^Most aftermatket suspension kits are fairly low, but some come with the ride height adjustability so you can have it setup a little higher.
My car actually has eibach sportline lowering springs on it, yet it sits about an inch higher than stock via a set of threaded ride height collars from a miata set to their maximum height...
You could possibly adapt a set of helper springs to bump up your ride height about 3/4 to 1 inch without the need to change the springs or shocks. That would work.
My car actually has eibach sportline lowering springs on it, yet it sits about an inch higher than stock via a set of threaded ride height collars from a miata set to their maximum height...
You could possibly adapt a set of helper springs to bump up your ride height about 3/4 to 1 inch without the need to change the springs or shocks. That would work.
Last edited by MPR; 08-Apr-2011 at 10:46 AM.
09-Apr-2011, 12:13 PM
#13
I do agree with Mike, raise it but then honestly, I'd roll and pull the fenders and drop the front instead. I have the same size tires on my 93 civic as you do. They came from a civic like yours. I just have them to get my car rolling for now till I get it back from BC here to T.O. so I can sell them and get 15's but they were fine on the car they came from, My guess is that the lowering springs on your car have sagged in the rear. Very common on cheaper springs. Save some coin and get a good set of coils and set your car up properly. Your stance will be better and ride quality improved. I screwed around with cheap springs and had this issue for years. Bought a good setup and have had no regrets. It's usefull also, I can lift the car up in winter and put it back down a bit for the summer. Better yet, if you are a guy who like me usually has a trunk full of stuff, you can lift the rear a bit if needed - you can set the car to sit how you like, for your car and not what someone else decided your type of car should sit, maybe they designed the springs with a gutted car meant for track and then you drive around with a huge sub and amps in the back and end up with a stance like what you got.
10-Apr-2011, 12:28 AM
#15
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 57
Yeah, most likely in the long run I will end up getting some coilovers, but I'll have to save up for that. For now, I'm just going to try and deal with the clearance between the rears and the fenders and later on, when I have the money get some coilovers and just enjoy the ride 
I've been looking around the internet, but couldn't really find anything specific in regards to helper springs for Civics. Most of the helper springs I found were for trucks. I'm guessing I would just get those and throw them on my car? If that's not the case, are you able to point me in some kind of direction MPR (like a website)?
I've been looking around the internet, but couldn't really find anything specific in regards to helper springs for Civics. Most of the helper springs I found were for trucks. I'm guessing I would just get those and throw them on my car? If that's not the case, are you able to point me in some kind of direction MPR (like a website)?
12-Apr-2011, 11:27 PM
#16
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Join Date: Feb 2011
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SO, what I've done for the moment are just put some new stock springs and new monroe sensa-tracs for the rears. YEAH, I know it looks kinda weird now with my car in a diving kind of position with the back high and the front low, but at least I can drive my car for the moment and my tires won't be wearing out anymore.
I was wondering if I was to get some eibach sportlines for the whole car and replace my front struts as well with the monroes (since my fronts are pretty much almost gone), would the clearance for the rear and the fronts be okay with my 17s? This is pretty much just going to be temporary, since I'm trying to save up for coilovers which might take a few months. I'm only considering the sportlines, because I've found a few deals on them
I was wondering if I was to get some eibach sportlines for the whole car and replace my front struts as well with the monroes (since my fronts are pretty much almost gone), would the clearance for the rear and the fronts be okay with my 17s? This is pretty much just going to be temporary, since I'm trying to save up for coilovers which might take a few months. I'm only considering the sportlines, because I've found a few deals on them
13-Apr-2011, 09:46 AM
#17
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I had (and still have) sportlines on my car and they were pretty low. (Don't go by my sig picture, I've changed the setup).
I suggest the eibach pro kit springs. They are a bit softer and not as low as the sportlines. They will work well with stock shocks.
These are helper springs: http://www.stance-usa.com/sus/images...persprings.jpg
They are actually ment to take up slack in setups where the main spring is shorter than the full travel of the shock so that the spring does not become loose or limp. When this happens it can do a lot of damage should the suspension come down with the spring "out of position". They install like this: http://nebbs.com/Nebbs/legacy/helpers.jpg (the short blue spring at the top)
They have a very low spring rate which does not affect the overall spring rate, so handling remains the same. They are fully compressed with the weight of the vehicle and add about 3/4" to 1" of ride height. They can be had in many different sizes and diameters to suit your setup. You need the alignment ring and the spring itself in the same diameter as your main spring.
I think the best thing to do for your situation is to just change the springs all together.
I suggest the eibach pro kit springs. They are a bit softer and not as low as the sportlines. They will work well with stock shocks.
These are helper springs: http://www.stance-usa.com/sus/images...persprings.jpg
They are actually ment to take up slack in setups where the main spring is shorter than the full travel of the shock so that the spring does not become loose or limp. When this happens it can do a lot of damage should the suspension come down with the spring "out of position". They install like this: http://nebbs.com/Nebbs/legacy/helpers.jpg (the short blue spring at the top)
They have a very low spring rate which does not affect the overall spring rate, so handling remains the same. They are fully compressed with the weight of the vehicle and add about 3/4" to 1" of ride height. They can be had in many different sizes and diameters to suit your setup. You need the alignment ring and the spring itself in the same diameter as your main spring.
I think the best thing to do for your situation is to just change the springs all together.
Last edited by MPR; 13-Apr-2011 at 09:58 AM.
13-Apr-2011, 11:35 AM
#18
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Scarborough
Posts: 94
I'm pretty sure you just need to roll your fenders. 2001 and up civic's came with a bigger tire size from factory than previous models (ek and eg). I worked at a custom wheel n tire shop for 2 years and 17"s are an easy fit on a civic... even for a slightly lowered civic like yours... Roll the rear fenders. that little innter wheel arch lip is what causes the problem. Make sure if your paint chips when rolling the fender to seal it back up with paint or something... If you like the way your car looks lowered with those wheels then you should make it work.
Personally, ppl hate on me all the time just because I have 18's on my car but f-them I've driven 70K Km on 18's and never dented a rim or busted a tire or any of that bs. I've driven my civic on 18's all the way from Toronto to Ft. Lauderdale florida and back. No problem... 16's and 15's will fit but so will 17's or 18's if you want them to...
Personally, ppl hate on me all the time just because I have 18's on my car but f-them I've driven 70K Km on 18's and never dented a rim or busted a tire or any of that bs. I've driven my civic on 18's all the way from Toronto to Ft. Lauderdale florida and back. No problem... 16's and 15's will fit but so will 17's or 18's if you want them to...
13-Apr-2011, 12:21 PM
#19
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What ever floats your boat. If you want 18's, run 18's.
Imo, the cons FAR out-weight the pros for running rims this large on a small car. The only real pro is the looks, and imo looks have nothing to do with performance or practicality. That's why I don't like huge rims. I prefer function, performance and practicality over looks.
But again, it's a matter of preference and what you want your car to be/look like. To each his/her own. If someone loves the look of 18" rims, I respect that and they can do what they want with their own car.
Imo, the cons FAR out-weight the pros for running rims this large on a small car. The only real pro is the looks, and imo looks have nothing to do with performance or practicality. That's why I don't like huge rims. I prefer function, performance and practicality over looks.
But again, it's a matter of preference and what you want your car to be/look like. To each his/her own. If someone loves the look of 18" rims, I respect that and they can do what they want with their own car.
Last edited by MPR; 13-Apr-2011 at 12:22 PM.
