I have eibach sportline springs which is a 1.7" drop and a magnaflow exhaust and a magnaflow high flow cat converter and I tend to bottom out my car alot and its not like its dropped to the ground either. Is there anyway to fix the exhaust hangers so the exhaust doesnt hang as low? I want to drop the car more but right now im safer not to. Also my cat is cracked now from bottoming out at all of the speedbumps I go over everyday at college

 

The same exact thing happens to me. I scrape on almost everything!! I have mine lowered on Neuspeed springs with a Tanabe exhaust. I think you can change out the hangers to smaller ones. You know, ones that don't hang so low. But other than that, raise your car.

 

Raising the car is out of the question but im glad im not the only one..I think im going to go to custom exhaust shop and get it fixed somehow..

 

well i had a 3 inch drop on Goldline yellows, with struts and tie rods. lol i only bottommed out my canister shaped exhaust one time, that was when i first got it, but i did scrape my downpip all the time on speed bumps, get a scrape plate.

 

What the hell is a scrape plate? I never heard of anyone using one.....

 

shorten the hangers or learn how to drive lowered.

slow down, take inclines at an angle.

 

I agree or get rid of those springs and get a set of real coilovers with height adjustment and damper

 

I guess you all know my feelings about dropping a car way down. They lower race cars for obvious reasons, but race-tracks are super-smooth and even. I can't think of any freeways where I have ever lived (and especially city streets) that are anywhere near that smooth and even. And what if you live in an area where there is even low snowpack- say 3-4" packed around corners?

So you lower a car so it can kick-*** around a racetrak, but every bump/speedbump/pothole/swale/patch of 3" packed snow you run over you bottom the car out? Or slam the strut bumper-stops?

What did you get from lowering the car but looks? I know it handles and corners better, but how can you use that if you have to adjust your driving to avoid every single imperfection in the road?

Just some friendly joking.... I really hope the girls are impressed by the look of the car...

Recently finished the entire suspension/brakes on my 1994 Accord. Drove it to Denver and back last night. A cool, misty night, the perfect kind for engine performance, you know what I'm talking about. The first hard drive since I finished it up and had the alignment dialed in. Wanted to see what the suspension would do...

It's all designed for street/freeway use, real every day driving (I don't plan to race at the seeedway in the near future). Went only +1 on the tires/rims. Bridgestone "Pole" 960 205/60/15 (if I remember right, 140 rated) and lighweight forged Centerline 15" rims....

(I know- 15" 5-spoke polished aluminum forged rims with wide spokes that can hit a pothole at 70 and not bend... how uncool..)

Suspension to handle tight, but never to be harsh -ES bushings front/ all new stock balljoints/replaced new OEM controls arms rear but used Ingall upper control for camber-adjust/ Tokiko HP struts/ HR stock-height coil springs/ OEM bearings/ every suspension bushing in the car new. The HR springs state the car will sit only 1/4" lower at the frame, it actually "only" sits about 1/2" lower... way uncool...

Brakes slightly over OEM- stock Honda rotors front, Akebono calipers (rebuilt by Akebono) front, Honda OEM drums/ pistons rear/ new Honda master/ Russell SS brakelines. (In the future I plan to rebuild the rears to disc-assemblies, but stock size.) The finished product will put your face through the windshield, but no huge polished calipers to show off? uncool....

Let's see- I shopped for good prices on the parts, and replaced every single piece of hardware (nuts/bolts/washers/brake springs) that had any corrosion while I was doing it with Honda OEM. Almost every single part in the suspension and brakes is new and set for 10+ years (will have to replace tires, pads,shoes)

With all the hardware, and the machine-shop presswork I could not do, it all came to about $1600-$1700 to restore almost every single part in the brakes and suspension. Good for 10+ years... (maybe change the rear drums to disc brakes)..

Hit the freeway cloverleaf onramp (25mph) at about 75 MPH, punched into 4th and 5th, took the car to about 90, then over 100. Smoooooooth as a baby's ***. No vibration, no chop. Cruised 80-100 mph the whole way. Even hit some hard dips on the way- the car stayed nice and firm, but no hopping or deep bounce. A car lowered down would have lost the exhaust system.

Took the car back into town, and did some hard, fast cornering. It handled like a dream, but I guess I won't be able to take those same corners in the city at 130 mph.... damn....

Damn, I need to get under the hood and build the block/head/clutch this winter! I have an engine planned that should run at around 160-170 hp, cruise the freeways at 80-100 easy, get 25+ mph at 80 mph easy (already does better), accelerate like hell in the city, run quiet (a "sleeper") so I don't get stopped and hassled constantly by "officer friendly" (these cat-back systems are available on the market). If driven fast, but not abused, it should be good for 100,000 headache-free miles, if it's balanced right and not pushed to 8+K rpm. constantly. Clutch and all for about $3500 (porting and everything).

No- wait a minute, wrong engine! I really need a 400+ HP engine that can hit the quarter at 150 to get off those stoplights faster. I need boost for the street, so every time I cut loose every cop in two miles is looking for my ***.

And I need that huge turbo-muffler that breaks sound barriers so every cop around where I live is constantly trying to nail me, and I get to sit in court and pay $250 tickets 4-5 times a year, and lose my license, maybe go to jail for driving without insurance and a license....

I could do the block/head/boost/cat-back etc. for only around, lets say.... at least $7000! And blow parts off all the time, and get to spend my weekends under my car, and I could spend at least $1000/year to keep it running!

Some friendly ribbing... (God, I'm glad I'm past that age).. Sometimes too much IS too much, freeways and streets are not built like race-tracks...
NOW, why EXACTLY did you lower that car that much?? Wrenchy

 

wrenchy:
Your a f*cking *****.

Did he ask you to rant and rave forever about how awesome your overhauled and renewed stock brake system was? Did he ask you anything about a fully built motor and turbo'ing it? Did he ask you your opinion on lowering? Or how a race track is different than the street?

NO.

He asked a simple question, and doesn't deserve a rediculous answer such as yours. What could possibly help him with his problem that could be taken from your comments?

Nothing, just your useless opinion.
So unless you have something useful to add to this thread, stay out.


As for the problem at hand, a properly designed and made exhaust system will not drag and rub as often as you stated. Bring it to an exhaust shop and see if they can raise it up a bit for you.

I'm on the same drop as you (Eibach Sportlines) and am running 3" exhaust, with a cat. converter and muffler, and very rarely, if ever scrape or drag.

Best of luck getting it fixed.

 

buh hhahahhahah
that made me giggle


he just wanted to know what people were doing to fix the problem, not a tirade

I'm dumped on my car and love it

 

I had to laugh- got a rise on that one, didn't I?!

Actually, never did state an opinion, one way or the other-read it carefully..never once flat out stated an opinion... but I did ask a question, which was not addressed..

More than a few posts last 2-3 months RE problems with extreme lowering, and problems after that with clearance, so... Honestly, I was really wondering....

If tuners see other tuners (friends, etc.) lower their cars way down, then have problems later, why do they do the same thing? I think three said they all had the same problem, seems they all installed "kits". Dont' know how many times I have seen very low cars on the street bottom at speed bumps, all the other stuff. Don't know how many times I have pulled up beside a tuner on a rough stretch of freeway, and the car was really, really riding rough, you could see it.

So, as an honest answer, are lots of the kits crap, are they really not designed for street use, or are they being installed wrong? Before you stroke out, think about and answer the question. An honest answer for the problems obviously being seen has nothing to do with YOUR opinion for the stuff on your car.

It was a gag, more or less, but man did it get a rise! (Having problems with your lowered suspension? Maybe lost a few mufflers yourself? Car been up on stands a lot lately? Been blowing a lot of clutches and engines?)

Wasn't trying to needle the guy, I really hope a shop can fix it for him. But why do these guys all have to take their "kits" (seems to be the case) into shops because the parts aren't working as they should? This stuff is expensive, and is advertised as "street-use". Why isn't it working as advertised?

Not all gag. Went to court about 2 months ago for a minor speeding ticket. In Colorado, you have to appear for a mini-hearing for most offenses. Sat and watched while many were processed ahead of me. The judge processed about 150 cases ahead of me (a shotgun process). At least (no exaggeration) 1/4 of all were young guys paying stiff fines for "muffler noise".

Now I could care less RE "muffler noise", unless it gets way out of hand in residential areas. It is a FACT I KNOW you ARE an ******* if you are racing in areas where kids live/play on the streets. Take it to the track! And the laws here are stiff, and getting like here all over the US as time passes. SO-

If young guys KNOW this, why are they still installing uncorked cat-back systems they KNOW are going to get them busted, and cost $$$$ ? Seems like it may be the same for the extreme lowering- why drop the car very low, set up for racetrack use (NOT an OPINION-this stuff was all originally engineered for the track!) if you have to (as one guy said) "learn to re-drive"?

I DID offer up some ideas for mixed stock/aftermarket that work, never ever had any of these problems, and the car (fact) handles all you can throw at it on the street/freeway. Never DID state it was superior (read the post), only that it worked without all the headaches, you can read between the lines if you want.

I did state my opinion(?) that I really don't ever think I will ever corner on the streets or freeways (tight cornering) at 130 MPH, which is what this stuff is really designed to do (fact). And I did state I really don't think anytime soon I will need 400+ HP to get off a stoplight , I think this classifies as "fact". The problem MAY be all the mags/advertising have produced the idea it is a FACT you need these parts...

Sorry if you think I'm a ***** (actually, just a very dry sense of humor), but logic is logic, and here are two examples where I fail to get the logic. There IS logic if the main purpose is to drop the car like 5 million other cars in the US to look cool- but if that's the logic, then be honest and admit the design may not work well for daily street/ rougher freeway use, it's mainly for looks.

Peace! I try to get these guys to think about stuff, not just to blindly follow what everyone else is doing, spend $$$$ for a set-up, then have problems with it. Read, study, talk to techs before you spend money.

Lots of the stuff these companies are selling is hype for street use as far as daily driving goes, and may not even work. The manufacturers don't care, they want your money! It's a 3.5 billion annual industry in the U.S., fact, not opinion.

I always see a lot of these cars sitting on blocks in driveways (fact). Young guys start on projects and get into trouble, and fast. They overbuild one part and trash another, the design isn't balanced. They run out of money and start settling for cheaper parts that fail. They under-design, push the car way too hard, and it's constantly breaking. They buy stuff the mags push for looks, blow all their money, and end up with a car that looks alright, but is old and tired.

Talked to a tranney guy the other day. A kid comes in and wants to spend $1000 for a HP clutch/flywheel set for an older Civic. This guy (honest) tries his best to talk him out of it- the cluch will screw up the old hydraulics (can't handle it), but the kid doesn't have the $$$ to also do the hydraulics. The clutch is way too much for the older engine. The kid doesn't care- has to have this clutch, seems any expensive clutch setup is the new "must have" in this area. The stuff is installed (this guy is a GOOD mechanic), and the kid comes back a week later.

The hydraulics are leaking, and it seems the kid pushed the car so hard playing with his new 'fast car' he blew the main and other seals. I know a few good/honest mechanics, and they say the kids always want "the stuff in the mag".

Read. Study. Think. The pictures in the mags are of cars called "daily drivers" that cost $30,000+ to build (the money goes very, very fast). Movies like "Fast" are pure bullshit, the producer usually has 6-8 cars to make the movie, and all are "blown and dead" at the need of filming (maybe $500K- $1 million in cars!) Fun to watch, but not reality.

Building a streetable HP car, and using all the HP parts, balanced and matched for true performance, is very, very expensive (fact). Even well-built cars with good HP parts, if constantly pushed hard, will break often. This is why racing teams have full pit-crews and multi-million budgets (fact). Facts, not opinions. Wrenchy

 

YEA, I also am wondering why is his car dropped so low.
wrenchy you crack me up

 

hey, Wrenchy

State your facts on eibach springs (pro-kit)

 

Jmublez- Don't know. Read my posts- I'm not into lowering cars much, period. I design/ build more of what I call a "stealth" suspension, always have, always will.

Stay about "+1" on rims/tires so they work with the suspension and don't fight it. I also stay with forged rims that have "wider" spokes- I have never tweaked or bent a rim yet. And I keep the cost of the rims down (not "cheap") so I can spend the $$$ for top-grade high-speed freeway tires. Been driving for 36 years- top grade tires have saved my life more than once, this is the truth. If I used cheaper tires I would probably be dead now (REAL important for heavy rain areas!)

I usually upgrade slightly on struts/springs for better cornering but keep it so the car handles "reasonable" on even rough surfaces and is comfortable to drive for 8-10 hours. But this is probably the most important thing for suspensions- what I save in the springs/struts I spend to replace all the balljoints and bushings.

This is not too expensive, but the presswork does cost some money and time. ANY car over 75K miles or 7-8 years old has wear on these items, and the frame gets "loose" (TIME and SMOG (Ozone) break down rubber compounds as well as wear from driving). You can spend a fortune for any suspension, but if the balljoints and bushings are getting "loose" the car will never, ever perform well.

Same basic design as my "freeway-crusiser"/ my 2001 Avalon. A great freeway car, but it was a pig when I bought it, handled like crap. Spent a reasonable amount on good forged rims and tires, and tore out the stock mushy bushings/struts and put in ES and Tokiko. Now I get a nice smooth, even, ride but the car (for a large car) handles tight and firm.

If anyone wants to drop a car, I suggest they do the balljoints/bushings first. If they have to wait to get more $$$, at least the car will still handle well until they get the cash together for the coils and such, and this stuff will have to be done anyway.

Then talk to some good suspension/front-end guys. These guys will know what EXACTLY works the best for any given model. They can tell you how far you can drop before you start having problems. Do your homework, and buy what works for your car, not just what all the homies are doing. In the end you will be happier with the car, and it will, in the long run, end up costing much less.

But I think the MOST important thing to do is really THINK about what you really want. I you drop all the way for looks, you will have a harsher ride and may drag the "understuff". There are always trade-offs any time you start changing systems. I go sort of half way- I want my cars to handle tight on the freeway and on the streets, but I like to keep it a "sleeper" as far as cops go and ride reasonably smoothly/comfortably. Wrenchy

 

Damn wrenchy, you seem to know your stuff pretty well.

 

Wrenchy, I don't know you, so I will apologize for calling you a *****, but you came across very agressive and sarcastic, and against lowering a vehicle, even though the car in question isn't yours, you don't have to ride in it or be near it.

I agree with you that many people just buy kits and slap **** together half assed, ignoring routine maintenence and proper procedures. I have also replaced all ball joints, tie rods, bushings (Urethane as you did) and major brake compenents and it makes a world of difference.

The sportline springs that I'm using (And the original poster) are not that extreme. My car was sagging from old springs (Oem 1990) and wore out bushings, and after doing the full makeover, it maybe lowered my car an additional 1/2".

Alot of the aftermarket exhausts are also poorly put together (And who hear replaced there rubber hangers when doing such an install? As those will affect it as well), I made my own exhaust, fully mandrel bent 3", with a legal cat. converter, resonator and full sized muffler, and ground clearence is near the same as stock. The last time I remember scraping was on the way to the track, with three friends in the car, my race slicks and a small toolbox in the trunk, I hit a big swooper on the interstate and just barely nicked the exhaust.

I also have yet to be pulled over, even when hitting full boost, as it's a well designed system.


I hope that you are happy with your setup, and if hondaracin24 can get his exhaust sorted out, hopefully he will be as well. Were all here for one thing, our hobby, we all enjoy it in different ways, whether it be freeway cruising, or weekend racing.

L8r

 

No problem- I've been called worse a lot of times... I can come off as a *****, just a very dry sense of humor that sometimes rubs people the wrong way. I get force ful when I care about somehing, sort of "in your face".

For a long time I worked with youngsters (voluneer stuff), than I worked for many years in a place where young men were "doing time", as a teacher for high-school level studies, medium and maximum security. And these men were young- really had screwed their lives up young, bad decisions. Many times I wondered about all the crazy stuff I did when I was young.

I still regularly help my nephew and his friends work on their rides (I have two daughters) There are some of us "older folk" who know a thing or two,or three,or four.

Like I said, the aftermarket parts bizz is 3.5 billion/annual now. It's BIG money. All the hype, promo and advertising is way out there- claims that sit at fraud, and easy to fall for if you can't sort out truth from b.s.

And a big problem is lots of kids don't have a dad or brother (someone older) that can tell them what really will work, from experience. Lately I have noted more that a few parts sold with instructions for tightening the bolts without a torque-wrench. That's one of the first tools any young guy needs to get into his toolbox, but the parts makers are selling it and saying "use a torque wrench, but if you don't have one just turn the bolt down 1/3 turm past snug". What a crock-

I DID talk my nephew out of a set of loud packs for his 4WD, after watching all the kids paying thousands in fines. He wanted them BAD, but finally realized a quieter (not smaller!!) system would work (he already had 3-4 tickest the past year or so, cops around here are brutal...) The set he bought should work better than what he wanted, just won't be as loud.

So, as I said, I'm not against any kind of design. I just hate the fact kids spend money they don't have for stuff that really won't work, won't work with the other stuff on their car, or will fry what's already on the car.

The truth is most youngsters don't have enough $$$ to "do the whole thing" so they spend way too much for just certain stuff. Equipment to drop is the latest, biggest thing, but often won't work right w/o spending time/money to do other things, so the car ends up not working at all.

Like I said, it's about balance. You have to start with a budget (total) and work backwards to each part. If you can't afford one outrageously expensive part, maybe drop that down a bit, or do something else first that needs to be done and come back to it later.

It's all a cycle- fads for car designs come and go. I can almost guarantee dropping cars will go out of style some day, something else will be "in". Do it while you're young and have fun with it. But do it right, and this means studying what you're going to do, planning and having a budget, and doing what's the best thing for the car. And don't race around my street- you hurt or kill my kids, I'll make sure you go away for a long, long time.

I do what works for me (always have). I have the bucks to drive any SUV (the current adult "in" thing) I want, but could care less to "make an impression". I love the Accord because I like smaller, nimble, faster car (not real fast yet!) and appreciate fine, well made machinery.

Middle-age duffers in their SUV's can't figure the car out when I pull up at a light, and young tuners sure as hell cant figure it out. That's how I like it- Wrenchy

 

no there shouldnt be a problem