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Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: Deefadog on 22 July 2005, 20:20

Title: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: Deefadog on 22 July 2005, 20:20: When i got mine it has been lowered. but i have no idea how low.

I measured from the bottom of the side trim (below the door) and the gap to the floor is 16.5cm, can anyone tell me form this how low it has been lowered?
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: golfgti818 on 22 July 2005, 22:39: You measured in the right place but you need to compare measurement with a standard height gti. Cant help you there because mine is lowered 60mm. But i think most gtis get lowered 40mm on average.
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: Deefadog on 23 July 2005, 08:55: Cheers, just thought aswell, i have 16" alloys and 40mm profile tyres, so that's going to add to the calculation :)
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: Dizzie on 23 July 2005, 17:19: the 40 in your tyre size isn't 40mm, it's 40% of the width...
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: Deefadog on 23 July 2005, 21:02: Now i am confused!
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: mix on 23 July 2005, 21:26: OIf you have to jack the car up to do an oil change, then you know its looooowwwww :cool:
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: theviper on 24 July 2005, 08:32: what Dizzie means the numbers on the tyre are ie 205/40/17 is 205 is the width of the tyre the 40 is 40% of 205 which is 82mm high of the side wheel and the 17 is the size of the wheel
Pete :evil:
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: jase555 on 24 July 2005, 09:12: hi all
just got my Mk2 f reg gti its not lowered yet. it measures 230mm from the bottom of the sill to the floor.
hope this helps
Jase555
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: jase555 on 24 July 2005, 09:14: oh yeah forgot to say that also on standard wheels and tyres
Jase555
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: Deefadog on 24 July 2005, 11:46: Thanks guyz,

Jase, what is the size of the tyre you have? if i can have this i.e 185/50/15 then i can calculate mine :)

So does this sound like the right calculation -

Standard - 230mm

Mine - 165mm - 25mm (for the 16" to 15" alloy) = 140mm + standard tyre difference to 86mm (my tyre height) = My lowered amount?

Sound right?
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: the.little.fox on 24 July 2005, 12:27: you could just measure the distance from the top of the arch to the centre of the wheel, then it makes no difference the size of the wheels or tyres.....

compare the measurement you make with that of a non lowered car..
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: ...joe on 24 July 2005, 20:25: Quote from: the.little.fox on 24 July 2005, 12:27
you could just measure the distance from the top of the arch to the centre of the wheel, then it makes no difference the size of the wheels or tyres.....

compare the measurement you make with that of a non lowered car..

this is the exact way you tell how low your car is, i'm not sure what the standard ride height using that method is but thats how you calculate it.
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: Deefadog on 24 July 2005, 22:46: Will measure it tomorrow!

Cheers

can someone with standard ride do theirs so i can compare please?

cheers
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: jase555 on 25 July 2005, 11:49: Mine are 185/60/14's if it helps
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: workhorse '90 8v on 25 July 2005, 11:59: I have a standard ride, but it's in for its mot :cry: :cry: i'll measure it later for you (if it comes back :undecided:)
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: Organisys on 25 July 2005, 12:42: Dont forget springs 'sag' a bit with age, so a standard ride height car could bit a fair bit lower than the golf was from the factory. The rears seem to go especially.
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: Judderi on 25 July 2005, 12:44: Quote from: gtijoe on 24 July 2005, 20:25
Quote from: the.little.fox on 24 July 2005, 12:27
you could just measure the distance from the top of the arch to the centre of the wheel, then it makes no difference the size of the wheels or tyres.....

compare the measurement you make with that of a non lowered car..

this is the exact way you tell how low your car is, i'm not sure what the standard ride height using that method is but thats how you calculate it.

Ah but what if you have different arches? i.e trim/no trim/g60 ???? :grin:
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: Deefadog on 25 July 2005, 12:51: :grin:

Thanks guyz, will do the measurment after work
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: ...joe on 25 July 2005, 18:02: here we go.....

the 8 valves measure at 340mm from the bottom of the metal arch to the centre of the wheel.
the 16 valves measure 330mm.
and carb models run at 360mm.

most manufacturers use the measurement drop calculated from the carb model so a 40mm drop for a 16v is actually a 20mm drop on that car, as the measurement is 40mm from 360mm.

make sense?

so to measure you're cars drop, measure the distance from the centre of your wheels to the bottom of the metal arch, compare it to either the carb model or to find out how much lower than standard compare it to the measurement of 330mm for a standard 16v.
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: Deefadog on 25 July 2005, 19:52: Cheers Joe!

Mine measures 230mm from the centre to the bottom of the plastic trim (i obviously can't get to the metal) :)

so call it 5mm for the plastic....

Compared to a stadard 16V mine has been lowered 95mm (seems very low)?

And to the standard carb 75mm

Cheers, finally i know how much she has been dropped :)
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: knobby on 25 July 2005, 23:40: What happens if you have attacked your arches with an angle grinder??? :grin:

Knobby!
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: ...joe on 25 July 2005, 23:47: ^^well your f**ked really then aren't you!!! :laugh:
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: knobby on 25 July 2005, 23:49: Joe... i got some coilovers... he he... Ride height and damper adjustable... cant wait to fit them.. Can drop it a max of 75mm.. is that alot??
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: ...joe on 25 July 2005, 23:51: its enough, you might have to get the angle grinder out again!!! :laugh:
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: Deefadog on 26 July 2005, 08:16: So is mine low? i have not done anything to the arches, and there is no rubbing of the tyres?

Knobby, may need your services with that grinder :grin:
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: ...joe on 26 July 2005, 18:28: i just measured mine and they measure 260mm on the rear and 280mm on the front, thats enough, the rears rub but thats because my wheels are pretty wide, taking it somewhere on saturday to have a look at them amongst other things....
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: ...joe on 26 July 2005, 18:33: deefa, just looked back at some pics of yours..... are you sure you measured 230mm? your doesn't look alot lower than mine?
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: Deefadog on 26 July 2005, 19:20: Your right mate! :)

I lied, it's 295mm + 5mm for the plastic so 300mm (god know's how i measured it, must have been the stella) :)

so a drop of 30mm compared to a stadard valver and 60mm to the carb

So officialy what can i say my car has been lowered by? 30mm or 60mm
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: ...joe on 26 July 2005, 21:03: ooh now thats a question for the purests to answer!!! i'd say 60mm as thats where manufacturers measure the lowering rate from. wow that means mines lowered 100mm!!! still go down a bit though, i actually raised the front a while ago......
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: Deefadog on 26 July 2005, 21:37: I'll go with 60mm :)

I do have adjustable dampers all round, but that's just for the ride ain't it? i am rubish with all this lowering lark :)
Title: Re: How do you tell how low your car is?
Post by: Organisys on 27 July 2005, 13:40: Mine's dropped erm some amount on the lower drop Eibach Springs, the ride quality and height are spot on for me since it's a daily driver.

How about a new measure, look at the car and decide hmm..is it low enough.!Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â :tongue: (if your wishbones hit speed bumps, that's too low!) :shocked: