lower my VX

[jacobus]

I am thinking of having my VX lowered about 4 inches, the reason is mainly I am keeping this car on the main roads, no climbing, no off roads and I am getting older and feel the car looks better when the wheels and body are in closer proximity and form more of a unit,my questions are, is this a lot of work? how costly would this be ? are there other options ? thanks for any information you can give me

[nfpgasmask]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lifting is the only option!!!!!!!!!!

;) Bart

[transio]

I think 4" is a bit too much... you'll change the whole suspension geometry with a lot of camber causing uneven tire wear and performance loss, and you'll rub your fenders to boot.

Try a 1.5" drop up front by cranking down the torsion bars, and a 2.5" drop in back with some custom coils. You can get some made for you for abou $200.

I tried to do this with a set of springs from Valley Custom Springworks, but the coils they made for me didn't achieve any drop. Do a search on valley to find my drop threads. I suggest that if you want to pursue this, go with a local spring maker and have them test the fit of the springs before paying them.

[WyrreJ]

feel the car looks better when the wheels and body are in closer proximity and form more of a unit

Buy bigger tires. Go with the famous Nittos, they will get you as close to filling the wheel well as is practical without a lift.

[WormGod]

A LOT will go into making it happen. And a LOT of $$. Good luck....

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/515/medium/41spyhunter.jpg

[transio]

Buy bigger tires. Go with the famous Nittos, they will get you as close to filling the wheel well as is practical without a lift.You'll also get worse acceleration, worse gas mileage, and decreased handling due to heavier wheels and a higher center of gravity. Dropping 2" makes more sense for road driving.

[nfpgasmask]

MY EYES! OH GOD IT BURNS!

:O

Sorry,

Bart

[VehiX]

Frontal view of a lowered VX :)

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/dropped.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/dropped.jpg)

Not my cup O tea but to each their own.

[nfpgasmask]

Not my cup O tea but to each their own.

Indeed, variety IS the spice of life...

Bart

[transio]

MY EYES! OH GOD IT BURNS!
Indeed, variety IS the spice of life...In this case, variety seems to be a scotch bonnet pepper... right in your eyes. :D

[nfpgasmask]

In this case, variety seems to be a scotch bonnet pepper... right in your eyes. :D

Yeah, its absolutely heinous looking :)

THIS is the look:

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=66

*drooling*

Bart

[Navigator]

I wouldn't do it because nothing is more humiliating that scraping your T-fer case over a speed bump at the local super market, but then to each his own :smack: Enjoy...

[Tobert]

Yeah, its absolutely heinous looking :)

THIS is the look:

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=66

*drooling*

Bart

Did anybody ever find out where to get those wheels? Me want. The only thing better than black is MORE BLACK. I was even thinking about checking into replacement black seats & stuff for the inside of mine down the road.

But lowering? Never!

Variety Shchmiety. Trucks don't belong anywhere near the ground. Form should follow function. One of my favorite things about the VX is how its form follows function. My wife's Impreza is close to the ground if that's your thing ... AWD, auto, hatchback ... basically a mini-VX built for highway driving more than offroad.

But that's just my opinion ;)

[nfpgasmask]

I'm 100% with you dude :)

Those rims that Daver has are OZ Cronos, basically impossible to get in the US as they were only made in Japan I guess. Daver told me he had them imported ($$$$$$$$$$$$) so imo its just not worth it, however they are SWEET.

Speaking of more black, does anyone know positively if smoked headlight covers are ILLEGAL or just frowned upon? I suppose it might depend on where you live too...

Bart



Did anybody ever find out where to get those wheels? Me want. The only thing better than black is MORE BLACK. I was even thinking about checking into replacement black seats & stuff for the inside of mine down the road.

But lowering? Never!

Variety Shchmiety. Trucks don't belong anywhere near the ground. Form should follow function. One of my favorite things about the VX is how its form follows function. My wife's Impreza is close to the ground if that's your thing ... AWD, auto, hatchback ... basically a mini-VX built for highway driving more than offroad.

But that's just my opinion ;)

[MZ-N10]

I'm 100% with you dude :)

Those rims that Daver has are OZ Cronos, basically impossible to get in the US as they were only made in Japan I guess. Daver told me he had them imported ($$$$$$$$$$$$) so imo its just not worth it, however they are SWEET.

Speaking of more black, does anyone know positively if smoked headlight covers are ILLEGAL or just frowned upon? I suppose it might depend on where you live too...

Bart

depends on ur state.....since most aftermarket lights arent DOT theyre illegal here in CA.

[nfpgasmask]

depends on ur state.....since most aftermarket lights arent DOT theyre illegal here in CA.

Man, EVERYTHING is illegal in California!!! ;)

Bart

[mbeach]

One of my favorite things about the VX is how its form follows function.

Are we talking about the same VehiCross?


Back on topic though,
The rear coils could be worked. I'm certain that you could find a lowered Trooper on CarDomain to get you looking on the right track. Since it's a solid axle, you won't have to worry about any camber changes in the rear. You will be making close friends with your bumpstops though.
Now for the front, you could take a few notches off of your torsion bars. Custom t-bars are tough to find, and without some serious dampening would likely yield a wallowy ride. Expect to pick up some negative camber up front if you do this -an alignment shop might not be able to get you back into spec.

[WormGod]

Regardless, the undercarriage doesnt offer enough clearance. The best you could do "safely" is a couple of inches. Call me devil's advocate, but if I had another VX, might spend the $$ to lighten it up and make a 1/4 mile machine out of it. That PhotoChop pic I posted looks pretty sweet for a tubbed, big block V8 convert, drag-bastard, hehehe. You think people look at the VX now.... imagine what they would think when they saw a 10sec one, heh.

I am not into slammed street trucks at all though. To me, its a fad that came and went, and I get a good laugh when I see any truck slammed now.... even oldies. Just not my cup of tea, and when I want to sit lower to the ground, I will take out the Rex. :D

[Chopper]

See, Wormgod is thinking along my lines... You have a boxed frame to start with. Pull the body, get a grinder and welder, anything is possible. I want to scrap the entire drive line and running gear. The body is what I'm most interested in... just not enough to cut mine up. Looking at it in the shop, we decided it probably wouldn't be a HORRIBLE build up (the 350 Suzuki Samari comes to mind) Losing the front end in favor of a Ford style rack and pinion, light weight A arms, notch it and bag it, or a Coil over approach ( I like the bag solution it's easier) Drive line to be worked out yet...maybe Nissan, I like the French. wayne

[transio]

What about losing the back seats and going mid-engined? :D

[Tone]

I think you may have purchased the wrong vehicle for your tastes....

[mbeach]

What about losing the back seats and going mid-engined? :D


ala Fiesta SHOgun...?

[Chopper]

Backseats came out first day, five years ago. As for being the wrong vehicle, I like 0177 just fine as it is- I'm talking about one of the many bargain priced sleds out there. This vehicle being body on frame rather than a unibody design, makes major mods a relative snap, and running a large collision shop just facilitates this even further. My kid has a MR2 that scratches my occasional mid-ship itch. Three trips into the grass (and curve sign ) one visit to the frame machine, and 5 grand later, he finally understands NEVER lift to find grip! Think he is ready for the Porche driving school in Atlanta. B-day is comming. Panoz is right there too. You ought to check it out Steve. The Porche deal is a complete butt clinching blast. Wayne

[mbeach]

...ahhh the dreaded throttle-lift oversteer -bane of the 2nd gen MR2. I put an SW20 into the cones learning this phenomena. It scared me to death.

[transio]

The Elise has the same throttle-lift oversteer, but to the nth degree (it's got like 63% of it's weight in the back, so you can imagine!)

[MZ-N10]

Man, EVERYTHING is illegal in California!!! ;)

Bart

damn them uptight conservative bastards... :p