lowered = better handling?

BFD83 · 30-12-2006, 03:01 AM

hey guys, i was just wondering if by getting my car lowered, will it make the handling any better when cornering? mine is only a HP so i didnt get the extras u get with the VCT :(

**Mechan1k** · 30-12-2006, 07:19 AM

Yes it will benefit handling ... if done properly.

Although you can get standard height springs that are stiffer mated to a set of gas shocks ... this will also aid in handling will corner just as well as a lowered vehicle (due to higher spring rate and matched shocks).

If you like the look of a lowered vehicle ... then deck it (not too much though ... then you start damaging bits and pieces while driving).

fmc351 · 30-12-2006, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

Yes it will benefit handling ... if done properly.

Although you can get standard height springs that are stiffer mated to a set of gas shocks ... this will also aid in handling will corner just as well as a lowered vehicle (due to higher spring rate and matched shocks).

If you like the look of a lowered vehicle ... then deck it (not too much though ... then you start damaging bits and pieces while driving).

Lowering aids in dropping the centre of gravity too, always handy if you dont like driving on the roof.

sbutler · 30-12-2006, 09:06 AM

Lowering will always make a car feel better while cornering.
The live axle falcon is still a good set up which can be tuned for great handleing, thats why they used to use them for production racing.

If you can get hold of some Tickford shock & get some King SL springs that would improve the 10 fold. We have found the Tickford shock tuning is overall one of the best. Remember to get the shorter bumpstop for the diff though, it can be bought through any ford dealer.

If you look on Ebay, there is a dealer selling the full Tickford suspenion package which includes springs,shocks, bushers& bumpstop.. Got one for the young fellas car for less than $400 !

v8snerlo · 30-12-2006, 09:19 AM

Mate, to tell you the truth, in my experience I would have to say I went backwards when I lowered my XR8 (AUII). I had lows all round. Tops of wheels were level with the guard. I was using the standard tickford shocks for a while before I put in a set of Koni adjustables. These helped a little. Anyhow, it looked really nice but it was a little painful getting around carparks and driveways etc. so I decided to put the standard tickford shocks back in. What a difference. Sure it sits a little higher but the ride quality is a million times better than the king springs I put in it. My advice would be to leave it and enjoy it. I'm sure tickford didnt spend alot of money developing these cars to handle nicely. Just my two thoughts, but of course its your car so good luck with your choice.
Leon.

BFD83 · 30-12-2006, 11:25 AM

Thanks for the advice guys, i really do wanna get her lowered so i'll just shop around. I heard pedders are one of the best?

GlennBA · 30-12-2006, 12:40 PM

I got my AU lowered down to superlows with monroe gt shocks, and it handles a lot better. Theres nowhere near as much bodyroll.

xr8ute · 30-12-2006, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlennAUII

I got my AU lowered down to superlows with monroe gt shocks, and it handles a lot better. Theres nowhere near as much bodyroll.

But yours is a Forte, right? So how much of the improvement is because it is lower, and how much is due to the stiffer springs and better shocks? (which the Tickford XR's had as standard)

JC · 30-12-2006, 05:51 PM

Lowering helps with handling, until you go too low and then it affects handling. From personal experience, even Super Lows start to adversely affect handling, compared to Lows/XR height.

If you want the car to stay flatter through corners, then upgrade swaybar link bushes and/or increase the swaybar diameter. The swaybars job is to retard the body roll of the car. Of course, by having lower springs, this also reduces body roll, as there is not the same distance available for the body to roll.

GlennBA · 30-12-2006, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xr8ute

But yours is a Forte, right? So how much of the improvement is because it is lower, and how much is due to the stiffer springs and better shocks? (which the Tickford XR's had as standard)

Hmm.. i'm not sure.. but in my case theres a definate improvement.

v8snerlo · 30-12-2006, 06:07 PM

One other thing that you guys should remember when lowering the cars is how much angle it places on the steering rack. Mine was shagged because the arms coming out either side were at a weird angle because of the car being lowered too much. Be prepared to replace steering components sometime in the future. The rear was along the same lines but not as bad (for those who have the IRS fitted). I would just lower to XR height or maybe a centimetre lower would be perfect in my opinion. Each to their own I guess. Have fun with it.
Leon.

Dark Horse · 30-12-2006, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brent83

hey guys, i was just wondering if by getting my car lowered, will it make the handling any better when cornering? mine is only a HP so i didnt get the extras u get with the VCT :(

It will handle better, but there's a fairly steep compromise with the ride quality on the XR6 HP in the back end.

Christopher.j · 30-12-2006, 11:28 PM

I was going to have my Suspension stiffened not lowered cause i like the way it looks but it rolls a little bit. =\

loxxr6 · 31-12-2006, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Horse

It will handle better, but there's a fairly steep compromise with the ride quality on the XR6 HP in the back end.

I agree. Mine is pretty rough at times.

I haven't changed the shocks tho.

DanXR6T · 31-12-2006, 08:00 PM

Larger diameter swaybars will have a more significant effect on handling than dropping the height.

The Mighty Red · 31-12-2006, 08:08 PM

I recently put a new lowered pedders Sports Ryder suspension in the XR6 and I am more than happy with the ride and the handling of the car,

I would recommend Pedders to anyone with an AU Falcon

crusher · 31-12-2006, 08:20 PM

I have the XR suspension in my ute as its an XLS and it handles bloody well. Bugger all body roll and its very nice to drive. can be a bit bumpy on some of the crap roads we have around here but on decent roads its very nice.

If I had a normal sedan I think thats what i would be going for. XR type ride or T series. Maybe t3 koni suspension or something?

Although in the middle of the city dumping it on its *** can look phat as

plext · 31-12-2006, 08:29 PM

Also always be aware that reluctance to roll alone does not handling make.

A road going vehicle needs suspension travel to absorb bumps and a degree of suppleness for same. Cars which are very low and have billy cart hard suspension are fabulous for smooth tracks, but in the real world of Aussie goat tracks, you'll find it gets very upset with mid corner bumps or corrugations.

I have lost count of the cars I have been in that the owner claims has ultimate handling, only to find that what it actually has is no suspension to speak of. They handle absolutely abysmally on anything other than the smoothest surfaces.

For our surfaces, I have always found that a healthy amount of suspension travel, usually no more than 25mm below standard type ride heights, supple springs and meaty anti roll bars to provide the best compromise. Cars set up in this manner, have in my experience always shown a clean set of heels on anything but tracks to the ubiquitous "it's set up like a racecar mate" aberrations that most seem intent upon making. As a bonus, they are worlds ahead in comfort.

**Mechan1k** · 31-12-2006, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fmc351

Lowering aids in dropping the centre of gravity too, always handy if you dont like driving on the roof.

yeah true ... but if you don't wish to lower a vehicle .... when you can to do aid in handling is stiffen up the springs and shocks.

I have a Territory ... it's stock ... and it outhandles many a lowered vehicle. Another guy in the Territory forum increased his ride height with stiffer springs ... and it handles better than standard ... albeit with a higher centre of gravity.

Lowering isn't the be-all and end-all of handling performance ... my next mod on the Territory to increase handling performance is changing the shocks in it to better gas items ... but not lowering it.

Sapper · 31-12-2006, 09:57 PM

Something to consider is that the suspension geometry changes troughout the suspension travel. Lowering the car will lower the centre of gravity and the stiffer springs will reduce body roll, but it will most likely change the camber and toe of the wheels. I'm not sure if this has a positive or negative effect on the handling in the case of AU's. A great example is in an old episode of top gear where lotus spent about $275,000 turning a Lada into a street-driven track weapon. If you see it, you will notice that it doesn't sit very low. This is because the suspension is most effective at a ride height that isn't that low. I would suspect that the XR height would be pretty close to optimum height for the suspension.

Unfortunately there's nothing we can really do to find out whether or not lowering has a positive or negative effect unless we map the geometry on a computer or speak to an appropriate Ford engineer. The bum-o-meter isn't a good gauge as it suffers from, among other things, the placebo effect.

fmc351 · 01-01-2007, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

yeah true ... but if you don't wish to lower a vehicle .... when you can to do aid in handling is stiffen up the springs and shocks.

I have a Territory ... it's stock ... and it outhandles many a lowered vehicle. Another guy in the Territory forum increased his ride height with stiffer springs ... and it handles better than standard ... albeit with a higher centre of gravity.

Lowering isn't the be-all and end-all of handling performance ... my next mod on the Territory to increase handling performance is changing the shocks in it to better gas items ... but not lowering it.

True, theres a whole package to consider. I was just stating the lowering portion as it was in question. Stiffer springs with correct travel and better quality shock was already covered by yourself.

Id dare say, that while it feels better at certain speeds, when push comes to shove, the taller one will flip before the lower one. Well, unless theres tons of body roll in the lower one, and starts running on the sidewalls.

i guess what I was saying (I can see not clearly, hows that for a non-sequitur?) is that two cars of the same model with same suspension/tyres etc barring height, the lower one will remain right side up longer.