Lowering the '01 Protege Sedan
 

I know some of you guys have lowered your cars.

What inch drop would make the car look the best with 17" wheels. Not to mention the better handling that would come with it?

I don't want the car to look stupid by lowering it to much, and I don't want the tires to rub. Would .875" to an 1" be the best or 1.3"?

oh just 'some guys' have lowered on here. ha.

I liked the drop of the EiBach springs. I thought there was also a great ride with these. I was using a 205/40 tire.

And they are pretty strong. Survived a total write-off and lived to be resold :D

Kincaid, What is the drop on your car?

That was EiBach springs. 1.4" front, 1.8" rear. Perfectly level. We measured. I thought the drop looked good.

I would like to understand this better.

I measured my cars height, from the middle of the fender wheel well edge to the floor on the front and back.

It is both 25" to the floor, front and back. Even though it looks like the back is slightly higher.

Now you say that the rear is lowered 1.8" and the front 1.4", that would make the rear lower then the front. It might look like it is level at the window to door lines, but it is really not.

Do you have bottoming out problems going over bumps?

No I never did.

Measurements should be taken from the top of the tire to the fender. That should give you an accurate measurement.

You mentioned that the Eibachs evened things out by lowering the car more in the rear. Can you actually feel the difference while sitting in the car and driving? Also, I've heard that the rear should be up a little higher than the front to improve handling? Is this true? TIA

My 17' S-08 fit right in when I dropped it with H&R springs, lowering it 2' from stock, check out my www to see some pics. Tires are also 205/40.

I have the same also. The drop is pretty even all the way around too. Looks good and clean also.

If you look at the '01 MP3, and the new '03 Mazdaspeed, they are only dropped about .895" or 1".

With the 17" on them the car really looks good. I think dropping more then that would be to much. But, to each his own.

The MP3 is lowered .75 and it doesn't look a bit lowered to me. It still sits way to high for 17inch rims, but thats a matter of opinion.

The MSP is dropped fairly well. Not to high and not to low for most ppl, but I wouldn't mind if the MSP was lower.

What is a good drop then, any pics with different drops.

Look at Kincaid's sig. He has eibachs and so does this ride
http://images.cardomain.com/installs...480_2_full.jpg

The MSP, which I think is a 1inch drop
http://www.protegemp3.com/members/Ja...t%20static.jpg

These are with H&R springs
http://images.cardomain.com/installs...347_2_full.jpg

the pics in my sig show my car dropped 3" with ground controls.

The Eibachs claim to lower the front more than the rear to balance the higher front stock wheel gap...

That MSP appears to be "raised" from stock not dropped at all. It may be the stock ride height, which is around 1" lower from an ES, if thats what you meant...