How low is too low?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by swaggingprius, Nov 7, 2011.

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  1. swaggingprius

    swaggingprius Member

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    Hello,

    I used to post under another tag, but my email got hacked. I am back. As a quick recap of what I have done to my car since I bought it in Feb is:
    Homelink Mirror
    Pioneer Nav/DVD
    Weathertech mats
    PC Foglights
    HIDs for headlights
    Five Axis
    Kyowa Racing Wheels
    and most recently, Tanabe Coilovers:cheer2:

    It is low, really, really low. Even at the shop they were like; "I didn't know a Prius could look this awesome." :)

    In any event, I took it for a spin and oh, oh. I am rubbing! It happens at the parkways, when I am doing over 65 as the surface becomes more jumpy. I spoke to the shop and they said they will readjust and bring back up a bit. Hopefully, you can tell from the pics, but I believe that front is lower than the back. You can tell since the gap in the front practically is zero between the tire and the fender, while in the back the gap is even around the tire and fender.

    You be the judge

    Thanks!
     

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    #1 swaggingprius, Nov 7, 2011
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  2. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Are you rubbing the inner fender liner or your front lip?

    After removing my front bumper cover I failed to screw the mounting clips correctly so it caused my inner fender to pop out a bit. When I would hit the corners hard or hit a bump on the freeway the tire would rub the liner. It eventually wore a hole in the liner before I could fix the problem. Get yours fixed before you end up with a hole or broken front lip. :)
     
    #2 F8L, Nov 7, 2011
  3. swaggingprius

    swaggingprius Member

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    I believe that the rubbing is the tire with the inner fender liner. :(

    Even though it has only been a few miles and a few rubs, I think that the damage to the front lip would be much harder if the rubbing was with front lip. So, far the damage to the front lip is no different from previous pre-coilover boo-boos

    Oh, and yes rubbing also occurs with hard cornering (as expected).
     
    #3 swaggingprius, Nov 7, 2011
  4. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Either way, raising the front end a little bit should fix the problem. The car looks good. :)
     
    #4 F8L, Nov 7, 2011
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  5. swaggingprius

    swaggingprius Member

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    For those with front lips, especially with Five Axis, what is the clearance between the ground and the lowest point of the lip? :confused:

    What did you use to drop the car? :p
     
    #5 swaggingprius, Nov 7, 2011
  6. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    It doesn't look that low, I would switch to LP tires.
     
    #6 macmaster05, Nov 7, 2011
  7. andino

    andino Senior Member

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    Too low is relative. Personally, I don't think your car is low at all yet. I feel like my car sits like a monster truck on htechs.
     
    #7 andino, Nov 7, 2011
  8. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Yes, low is relative. My stock version is almost too low to visit dad, and did scrape on rocks several times on the way to a local trailhead.
     
    #8 fuzzy1, Nov 7, 2011
  9. DumbMike

    DumbMike Active Member

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    I gotta add something here: My Prius II, stock, rubs the ground whenever I enter my garage at home and leave my garage at the office. It's that plastic cover under the car and it is really beat up. And now you lower the car even further? I think lowering the car looks nice. But I'd be looking for car parts along the road if I lowered my Prius.

    Mike
     
    #9 DumbMike, Nov 7, 2011
  10. Pinto Girl

    Pinto Girl New Member

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    Your car looks good, I think lowered looks good generally. And like you said, with coilovers, just bring it up a bit.

    How is it in and out of driveways, ramps, etc.?
     
    #10 Pinto Girl, Nov 7, 2011
  11. sc24vr6

    sc24vr6 Member

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    from your pics I dont think you will having rubbing problem, maybe adjust your front shocks a little more stiffer?? my riding heights is lower then yours and I dont have any rubbing issue from tires only lip keeps kissing ground :)

    BR

    Robert
     
    #11 sc24vr6, Nov 7, 2011
  12. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    The rubbing could be a result of wheel offset which is why yours don't rub. Just an idea.
     
    #12 F8L, Nov 7, 2011
  13. sc24vr6

    sc24vr6 Member

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    But from his pic wheels look not aggressive at all, thats why I guess is his shocks not stiff enough :)

    Maybe OP should post his rims spec with tires size

    Robert
     
    #13 sc24vr6, Nov 7, 2011
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  14. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    ouch. diss.

    Reminds me of the time I went swimming with my friends once. It was the end of summer and I wanted to show off my abs. When I got there though, they were not impressed.
     
    #14 macmaster05, Nov 7, 2011
  15. swaggingprius

    swaggingprius Member

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    View attachment 33121 Wow! So many variables. Choosing lowering springs only makes a stiffer ride and wears the shocks quicker. Going for coilovers still gives you smoother ride or less stiff ride, approximately less wear and tear on shocks, but now it might not be stiff enough to hold up.

    So, the wheels and tires are 17 in 206 Kyowa Racing with 215x45x17 Goodyear tires. I don't know about offsets.

    For driveways and ramps even before the coilovers I had to come in an angle or I would get some type of contact lip with ground. Especially true with my driveway, so since then I park on the street.

    Hopefully these before and after pics provide better detail

    Thanks for the comments

    BTW, what makes wheels look more aggressive?:confused:
     

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    #15 swaggingprius, Nov 8, 2011
  16. swaggingprius

    swaggingprius Member

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    Do you have pics of your car?
     
    #16 swaggingprius, Nov 8, 2011
  17. swaggingprius

    swaggingprius Member

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    Never mind, 5 min later I remembered your car is that black awesomeness and it's huge thread.
     
    #17 swaggingprius, Nov 8, 2011
  18. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Have you located the spot they are rubbing on?

    I 'mgoing to guess they are rubbing on the inner fender liner, in front top outside edge. :)
     
    #18 F8L, Nov 8, 2011
  19. swaggingprius

    swaggingprius Member

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    I do think it is the fender, but here is a pic before the readjustment of the coilovers. Later tonight, I will take for a spin and hopefully it will look cool and no rubs.

    Next step will be to make it look more aggressive, still need to figure out how. :D
     

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    #19 swaggingprius, Nov 9, 2011
  20. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Sometimes people use the word aggressive to describe how low a car sites or how the wheels sit within the wheel wells. Your wheel offset looks good. Some prefer to have the wheels poke out a bit but from an aerodynamic standpoint this is not what you want. Having the wheels poke out will disrupt the side airflow and increase coefficient drag as well as frontal area. Better to keep them ever so slightly tucked behind the fender.
     
    #20 F8L, Nov 9, 2011
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