Lowering VE Ute

[livewildcard]

I've looked through the threads and people have been talking about what springs, suspension etc they have on their cars but as my car came already lowered and never actually done it to a car myself just wanted an insight can you lower a car with just springs but is that basically sh@#house or do you need a full set up? Generally is it expensive?

[TIR33D]

If you lower by just one step you can get away with standard struts, even 2 steps you can leave your struts, but the ride quality suffers badly. It is not till you get in a car with short shocks to match the springs that you will realise how much better it can be.

Oh and it doubles the cost at least.

[livewildcard]

Thanks TIR33D that makes sense. Yea thats what I thought I'd just read a few people saying they were chucking springs on etc didn't know if you needed anything else.

Looks like for good ride comfort you do. But like you said double the price!

[Luke_]

I've looked through the threads and people have been talking about what springs, suspension etc they have on their cars but as my car came already lowered and never actually done it to a car myself just wanted an insight can you lower a car with just springs but is that basically sh@#house or do you need a full set up? Generally is it expensive?


Firstly, welcome to the forums!

We lower VE's on a daily basis, we use our King Springs to bring them down to earth.

Depending on the springs you have will help to determine whether you can improve the ride just with coils. Our King Springs are the most advanced, and the best possible springs you can purchase for the VE range. They are class-leading in their build technology, as well as the materials used in the manufacture process.

One clear factor that makes Kings the best is the variable rate coil achieved by tapered-wire technology. No other manufacturer has tapered-wire progressive-rate springs, this gives a true progressive-rate spring rather than a coil-binding design. This basically means the first inch or so of travel is on a softer section of the spring, as the coil compresses it becomes firmer - floating over small bumps and imperfections, and firming up as the shock travels through its stroke.

Shorter shocks will also improve the ride by giving the suspension more travel.

Feel free to give me a call at any time, or if you're in the Sydney area drop by and see our workshop.

Regards,
Luke

[livewildcard]

Thanks Luke thats awesome information. If I was in the Sydney area would definetly drop by to look it all over but I'm in Newcastle but the info was great.

Looks like King Springs are the way to go.

[Boganspeed]

I have a lowered V6 VE Berlina using King Springs, its still a bit of a boat and feels pretty softly sprung. The rebound damping in the rear struts won't keep up with the springs sometimes and back end sometimes gets flung up a bit before the struts can catch it over some kicking bumps.
I also have to be very wary over speed humps and driveways as it does scrape(like most lowered cars).

To be honest, I was a little dissapointed that they didnt firm the ride up as much as I expected, having had them in an SS Crewman previously and that felt fine at the front.
In both cars though, they bottom reasonably easily at the front.

At the time, I was offered the option of the full race supsension set up that was the same as what is used in the V8 ute racing apparently (Bilstien everything from memory) but wasnt prepared to spend the $2.5k so I just went with the cheaper King Springs.
So I got the look which I'm happy with, but not the sporty ride i was expecting. Basically it just rides like a Berlina but lower.

I'll defer to Luke's obviously far greater experience with King Springs about variable rates but I've never noticed it. Having said that, i drive very easy in this car, using it as a cruisy car and getting my speed jollies on two wheels and the car I had right before this was a BA XR6 which was far firmer in the ride so I was used to something much harder.

Overall, I'd say get them. They do look good.

[Wonky]

I've got King SSSL all round on my ute with Monroe short body shocks on 20" rims with low profile tyres and the ride is very good considering. Had an SSV sedan with SSLs all round for 12 months before Monroe released their short body shocks and when I could finally put them in the ride and handling improved markedly.

Due to my disabilities I don't drive it hard through corners or on bumpy roads and have never bottomed out in the ute and only once bottomed the front out on the sedan.

[bladerunner]

the monroe gt sport short travel shocks have been developed with king springs and for what they are and for the $ factor they are good value, keeping your standard shocks and just doing the springs only is not ideal because the standard shocks are not firm enough (valved) and will be way too soft, they will make your car float all over the place when you hit bumps at high speed for example, most guys i know that have done this only are usually back getting the shocks a week or too later.

[Boganspeed]

the monroe gt sport short travel shocks have been developed with king springs and for what they are and for the $ factor they are good value, keeping your standard shocks and just doing the springs only is not ideal because the standard shocks are not firm enough (valved) and will be way too soft, they will make your car float all over the place when you hit bumps at high speed for example, most guys i know that have done this only are usually back getting the shocks a week or too later.


This could be my issue.
Odd the suspension place didn't offer this to me, it was either the full expensive package or just springs alone.
They're a pretty competent shop from what I believe(d).
Are the shocks something I can buy and do at home without special tools besides maybe a spring compressor ?

[livewildcard]

After a bit of asking some mates finally found someone that is going to fit some king springs to the rear of the ute. He said he's done it to quite a few utes and no complaints (i.e personal preference I know).

They are getting done first thing tomorrow morning so will let you know what its like. If its sh@# i will be going straight back to get some shocks like Wonky said hopefully will increase a lot.

[Ron SS]

Advice from Luke is spot on. Please note that Kings themselves realised that just using their springs on std shocks would mean that the car would bottom out easily ... simple really, lower it 25mm and you have 25mm less bump travel. Hence Kings rang up Monroe and suggested they get together and result being a shorter shocker tube ( about 20mm shorter) combined with the progressive Kings springs means bump travel is restored and the shockers have a greatly increased rebound setting meaning the shockers have a better chance of controlling the stiffer springs. Kings clearly say on their web site that SL springs are for road use and SSL and Wonky's SSSL springs are for show cars only. Any lower than the SL springs and you risk hitting the bump stops too much and Kings do not recommend it. Pedders have been slack in not producing the equivalent shorter shock as they worry about the consequence of the wheel going further up into the wheel well on compression and hitting things if non std wheels are used. Lowered springs on std shockers is asking for trouble, and lowering a car too much is just plain silly.

[livewildcard]

Good info Ron,

I'm not lowering mine too much just bringing the back down slightly on SL's. I'll advise of any ride change/comfort/pro's/con's tomorrow for anyone that might be interested.

[Wonky]

I'm not lowering mine too much just bringing the back down slightly on SL's. I'll advise of any ride change/comfort/pro's/con's tomorrow for anyone that might be interested.

I was under the impression that SLs would make little difference to the ride height compared to FE2???

[livewildcard]

Sorry Wonky may have missed an S or something in my description. Basically bringing the back down so looking at side of car it looks pretty even.

As stated never really lowered one before but guy thats doing it this morning knows what he's doing so I'll leave in his hand. Will post pics when done so yea ignore my description chances are i'm way off.

[bladerunner]

ive got ssl front, sssl rear, thats a nice flat look and i have NO bumpstop dramas or bottoming out probs, to give you an idea - tyre to guard lip, front about 1.5 inch, rear about half inch above tyre, thats with monroe short body shocks as i mentioned earlier, ride suffers a tad more because of springs but not bone jarring, handles a shitload better too

[cnnonyx]

I have no idea how my car was lowered - I just had it done through the dealer.

I just hate the fact that a standard roll kerb in NSW suburbia is a challenge for me - scrapage every time.

Otherwise the ride is fine.

Sometimes I wish I didnt do the mods through the dealer, simply to see what the car is like standard for a while ..... my only SSV experience is in a modified beast!

[livewildcard]

Did you get front and rear lowered or just the rear? I know the front of the utes only have a 100mm clearance to begin with (sedans ve's have 110mm).

[Boss Hogg]

I have done a lot of ringing around this week in regards to lowering my VE SSV Ute. I have decided to go the King Springs and the Monroe short shocks.
I am quite happy to pay the little extra to get the short shocks fitted even though I am only bringing the ute down to around 370mm (centre of rim to guard) all round.

[afmss]

just a note on kings springs ,they also do a HD version,[50lb stiffer]i just had them fitted 2 weeks ago at the kings factory,chalk and cheese compared to the standard sssl spring and still progerssive rate so not too choppy over the bumps,imop the only way to go unless you go coil overs.

[townsville_sv6]

After a bit of asking some mates finally found someone that is going to fit some king springs to the rear of the ute. He said he's done it to quite a few utes and no complaints (i.e personal preference I know).

They are getting done first thing tomorrow morning so will let you know what its like. If its sh@# i will be going straight back to get some shocks like Wonky said hopefully will increase a lot.
hey mate how did the lowering go? are you happy?
i am in the same boat as you, just bought a my10 sv6 ute and i want to lower the rear suspension down abit so it sits level.

i dont know much about suspension as this will be the first car i will have lowered, but from wat i have heard on here king springs are the way to go, and deff get the HD springs.

post up some before and after pics when your done pls

cheers
ben

[chris_vu2ss]

I was under the impression that SLs would make little difference to the ride height compared to FE2???

Not at all, I put the first stage king springs in my VE SSV, the SL's, and it brought the back down 40mm and front 10mm, my ute now sits even and I'm very happy with it

[nthnbeachesguy]

Did you get front and rear lowered or just the rear? I know the front of the utes only have a 100mm clearance to begin with (sedans ve's have 110mm).
Not sure where you got that info from. 100mm clearance to what? The tyre to the guard? My ute was dealer lowered before I picked it up, has about a finger distance between top of tyre and guard front and back. I was pulled over by hwy patrol a while back as he thought my car might have been to low. His 100mm wheel thing fit under the car everywhere he rolled it.