Am I the only one who wants to raise their car?

[ClubManic]

I just got my HSV VT II Clubsport. Had a great cruise from Sydney to Hobart. No drama's apart from a bit of a shudder when going 100km/h or more which I soon found out was a tie rod end with some play in it. Got home and before I had even stepped out of the car I had ripped the front spoiler off the side. Happened two more times that day.

Severely disappointed, to say the least.

The car has been lowered and as much as it looks great like it is, my driveway is just too horrible to keep it this way. Even if I get it raised I won't be able to use my carport as I have to reverse out up hill and if I go too slowly the car gets stuck with little traction and just wheel spins. Even my old VH did this so I used to get a bit of momentum up to avoid it. However, with the spoiler on the clubby I fear going up too fast will cause it to bottom out as it drops over the lip at the top.

I plan to get it raised to the standard FE2 height but keep the current springs so if my circumstances change I can lower it again. Although Tassie roads suck big time so I may not. Will just have to see how it goes I guess.

I currently feel like the only person that buys a HSV and gets it raised rather than lowered.

So I was wondering if you guys have any horror stories of ripping off spoilers, hitting exhausts, etc, etc.

[macca33]

Don't fear mate - I, too, live in a country area where the roads are shite. I have left both of my HSVs (VX Senator / VX Senator 300)at standard HSV height and even then, they still slightly scrape in some places.

The standard HSV ride height is okay IMO.

cheers

[Dijm8]

im only 21 and im over the SSSL etc ive got Fe2 in my vz ss now and i wont be taking them out anytime soon, i dont mind the height at all

your not the only 1 :)

[brentonsav]

i lowered my first commodore and wouldn't lower one again by more than 25mm.

my standard ride high scrapes on my own driveway if i'm not careful.

[GOT-307]

Same here, I've only got about 2cm clearance at stock height on a normal driveway with rolled kerbs.

[VXSS346]

Its all part of growing up.

A lot of us go through this. :yup:

I've never had a very low car (and never will) as I have seen other peoples experiences with them. Sometimes it pays to be the baby in the family. :lol:

The same goes for obscenely big and expensive rims, and ridiculously loud exhausts.

:goodjob: OP

[Grommz]

I put superlows in my Calais a couple of weeks ago.. pretty much perfect height.

Doesn't scrape and still practical.

[A PSYCHO]

Mine was lowered in the rear when I bought it and I had it put back to standard height. So you aren't the only one mate.

+1 for HSV standard height being basically perfect.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy SII using tapatalk

[ClubManic]

I put superlows in my Calais a couple of weeks ago.. pretty much perfect height.

Doesn't scrape and still practical.

Is a Calais higher than a Clubsport when standard?

The problem I have is the front spoiler makes it even lower where as a standard car doesn't have that to contend with. I've been looking at various SS's around town and noticed the front spoiler is no where near as low as mine.

If it comes to selling the car or moving house, I've already made my decision.

[Grommz]

Id say it'd come close to being a similar height due to the front and rear lips..

[BOBGEN111]

My new family hack, vt ls1, is way too low and am in the process of raising.
Cars too low are a pain.

[godsvt2]

i bumped the back of mine up 6mm with a nolathane spacers $40 and front will come up 8 to 10mm with a nolathane strut top mount when you have to replace them, which you will have to do one day they crack
my car is clear and the 3in cats never scrape now even in HJs or Maccas

[brasher]

my rear tyre is in line with the guard, front a bit higher. It's a pain in the ass.

Got to do the "lebo shuffle" to get into the work carpark, have to park in the street at a lot of mates places as it won't get up the driveway, have to drive 0.05kph to get into gym carpark.

But it's all worth it when I hop out and see how sleek it looks :woot:

Plus I have coil-overs, so if i get the shits, up it goes.

[jfp]

What is the height difference between FE2 and HSV?

[steve_t]

I'm sure the standard E1 HSV front bar was lower than any other. I have stock suspension and it still scrapes in heaps of places :( I don't like the side view but prefer it not to scrape

[ClubManic]

i bumped the back of mine up 6mm with a nolathane spacers $40 and front will come up 8 to 10mm with a nolathane strut top mount when you have to replace them, which you will have to do one day they crack
my car is clear and the 3in cats never scrape now even in HJs or Maccas

I thought there was some sort of spacer I could get to raise it but Pedders just quoted based on spring replacements.

Are there any consequences to using spacers rather than proper springs?

[Smashfist]

I have a VY Clubsport at stock height. It doesn't clear some gutters, and I have about 5mm of clearance when backing out of my garage - basically I end up crawling out of the garage, and leaving huge gaps when parking near larger gutters because I'd rather not rip off a 2k bumper bar. Not a chance in hell I'll be lowering it.

[lukemcg]

Ive just bought a VUII SS and its standard height (FE2) and I love it, comfortable, doesn't scrape on anything, and it still looks great due to the standard skirt kit, I was considering going 15-20mm lower but have decided against it, just rides to nice to play around with it.

My first car had ultra lows, horrible. second car, supers, still horrible.

I am also over the stage of huge rims, biggest I will go on this car is 18".

[gottacalais]

Its all part of growing up.

A lot of us go through this. :yup:

I've never had a very low car (and never will) as I have seen other peoples experiences with them. Sometimes it pays to be the baby in the family. :lol:

The same goes for obscenely big and expensive rims, and ridiculously loud exhausts.

:goodjob: OP

you sound a lot like me and my thoughts? must be nearly 50 too?

[surfwagon]

After years of lowered cars I have left the Senator std height and even then I still have to watch the front spoiler sometimes.
Quite happy with the way it handles especially with bigger Whiteline sway bars and Koni shocks fitted.
I love the way I can just drive normally over most speed humps, not like my old wagon where you had to crawl over so as not to rip off the exhaust which had plenty of dents and scrapes from the wagon being too low.



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senator http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=121025
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p266/surfwagon/senatorbarbadosblue.jpg

[Ausmartin1]

Its all part of growing up.

A lot of us go through this. :yup:

I've never had a very low car (and never will) as I have seen other peoples experiences with them. Sometimes it pays to be the baby in the family. :lol:

The same goes for obscenely big and expensive rims, and ridiculously loud exhausts.

:goodjob: OP

Well said,
One thing is dressing up a show car that looks nice vs one that is drivable!

My VXII is standard height and with a full tank and people load it's got scrapes on it's front bumber from driveways exiting onto humped up roads.
Exhaust just managed to tap once - no damage.
Had I lowered it I'm sure I would have left the bumpers and exhaust behind on those occassions.

Yes the rims, at work I see cars with all those huge polished - now damaged rims, man that got to hurt in the back pocket!

Reminds me of seeing those wacky LA type lowered Toyota Hi lux utes, One day it was memorable.... driving next to me I could see the couple shaking around that the skin on their face around their jaws was jittery, meanwhile I was smoothly comfortable but not as cool looking :-)

The problem is that as you lower the car, you loose suspension travel and increase spring stiffness adding oversize wheels and you reach a point where you have ingredients for a case of being undersprung. If all roads were smooth it wouldn't be an issue, but the current public goat tracks we call roads can cause rigid vehicle setups to get the tyres to skip on the surface instead of following it - is not good when trying to corner hard / emergency braking.

I'm Very Happy with Holdens standard set up, however they could make our cars look lower / cooler just by rearanging the sheetmetal to make it appear lowered when it's not? Thoughts?

[VXSS346]

you sound a lot like me and my thoughts? must be nearly 50 too?

:lmao: Far from it. :doh: But way older than 18. :)

[Timson]

The problem is that as you lower the car, you loose suspension travel and increase spring stiffness adding oversize wheels and you reach a point where you have ingredients for a case of being undersprung. If all roads were smooth it wouldn't be an issue, but the current public goat tracks we call roads can cause rigid vehicle setups to get the tyres to skip on the surface instead of following it - is not good when trying to corner hard / emergency braking.

With certain coilovers you can have the car lowered and keep the suspension travel without affecting the spring stiffness. The ride in my car is not far off the standard MRC suspension. The Pedders XA's allow me to set the ride height at any level I want and they don't affect the spring rate.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb125/allpaw/DSC_0190.jpg
I have to admit that at the current ride height I have to go slower over a few speed humps around town and the exhaust has hit the road twice after going over a decent hump in the road. But both times I was carrying a bit of speed. But it's a small price to pay to have the car looking the way I like it.
Cheers, Tim.

[VX2VESS]

LOL this is a change from slammed on here.

maybe the wagon wheels will start going down in size now too, to get more comfortable tyre heights?

(wheels 20" and over)

[godsvt2]

no there is no consequences to using a spacer cause most ssl springs are far to low for sports shocks even sl springs can be a bit short
remember each shock has a perfect ride high that the spring should be and a sl spring should be with a shorten shock like koni's

[dazzrael]

I got my airbags in my Statesman for this very reason. Want it to be low when its parked, but be able to jack it up when driving. I never have to worry about speed bumps, potholes, bumps in the road now. Ride height is 120mm which is higher than it was on the pedders sports ryders that were in it before.

[jfp]

Some people say they like the standard height of their HSV and others standard FE2 height. Is there a difference?

[ClubManic]

Some people say they like the standard height of their HSV and others standard FE2 height. Is there a difference?

I was wondering the same. When I rang Pedders for a quote I asked for the car to be put back to standard HSV height and he said that was FE2.

anyone know for sure if these are the same?

[kangavxss]

On my vxss I lowered the rear 15mm and left the front standard FE2. Sits
level and clears almost everything so a good compromise.

[clubbie]

So I was wondering if you guys have any horror stories of ripping off spoilers, hitting exhausts, etc, etc.


Not so much on the exhaust, but the spoiler has been off my car so many times I could not count them. Driveways, yellow parking cement thingos that stop you from going onto the kerb that have the bolts sitting proud and gutters.

Now I usually stay a couple of feet away but sooner or later it happens. Thats why I spent $40 and keep two Left and right plastic clips in the glovebox with a phillips head screw driver. Purchased from Motor Traders (Coventry). 10 mins tops new clip installed pushed/clipped into place, problem solved. The scrathces on the bottom of the spoiler and the vent thingo's not so easy to fix.

[Ausmartin1]

With certain coilovers you can have the car lowered and keep the suspension travel without affecting the spring stiffness. The ride in my car is not far off the standard MRC suspension. The Pedders XA's allow me to set the ride height at any level I want and they don't affect the spring rate.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb125/allpaw/DSC_0190.jpg
I have to admit that at the current ride height I have to go slower over a few speed humps around town and the exhaust has hit the road twice after going over a decent hump in the road. But both times I was carrying a bit of speed. But it's a small price to pay to have the car looking the way I like it.
Cheers, Tim.

Nice Set up Tim & looks fantastic !

Cheers,
Martin