pros and cons of lowering the lude - Honda Prelude Forum

jimbo24 · 01-29-2009, 09:42 AM

first of all, i would like to state that i tried to search! the only thing i found was a thread about this one guy's bad wheel choice...

anyway, i would like to get some feedback from fellow 5th genners regarding the pros and cons of lowering the lude. tis the season for TAX RETURNS so hopefully i end up with some spare change that i can spend on my lude

please let me know your opinions and experiences. thanks in advance!

Twiggz · 01-29-2009, 10:16 AM

Pros:
handles better,
looks better IMO,
feels more sporty.

cons:
Ride isn't as nice,
depending how low you go, you will have issues going into driveways, or over speed bumps.

All of my cars have been lowered at least 1.5" The lude is the only one I went over 2" with.

Don't forget camber correction kit, and full alignment or you will be wearing out tires quick.

lilbill97 · 01-29-2009, 10:20 AM

Pros: looks better and handles better

Cons- weakens stock shocks unless you spend the money to upgrade and probly weakens a lot of of other suspension components.

Personally my car has been dropped 2 inches for a couple years and as long as I dodge pot holes the ride isn't that bad

SiccLude99 · 01-29-2009, 11:19 AM

Pros: sexy and attractive

Cons: Expensive and Speed bumps.

BBYlude · 01-29-2009, 11:47 AM

cons: what was already mentioned

pros: BAM! FINGERS IN THE PUSSY!

jmd471 · 01-29-2009, 01:54 PM

Pros: Arguably looks better (I definately think so to an extent), handles better when pushing the limits (I really don't think it is noticeable in street driving conditions, what you make up for in ride stiffness you seem to lose in shock travel, as well as performance over bumps/cracks in the road in bends)..
Cons: Choppy ride, bottoming out on stuff, possibly more stress on other suspension components (ball joints/bushings), adults will think you are immature, girls over 18 will think you are immature.

Experience: Lowered 95 accord (Tein HA coilovers), lowered 97 M3 (GC coilovers), stock height Prelude. Looking back on it, I would have left the Accord stock and lowered teh m3, as it is more of a sports car, sees less commuting travel, was low to begin with, and is perceived differently than a Honda.

Solid · 01-29-2009, 01:56 PM

Pros : Looks nice
Cons: Hits on everything and less comfy

I don't but the handling arguments. Simply lowering a car doesn't make it handle better.

preludejtstyle · 01-29-2009, 01:57 PM

My lowered lude wasn't able to get into a lot of parking garages. My old job required me to park on the street, or on the third floor of the building, which I couldn't get to, because I scraped too much.

Blah. It looked 100% better though.

techalude · 01-29-2009, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by preludejtstyle

My lowered lude wasn't able to get into a lot of parking garages. My old job required me to park on the street, or on the third floor of the building, which I couldn't get to, because I scraped too much.

Blah. It looked 100% better though.

I hate when that happens, ya man lowered is way nicer lookin even know the 5th gen is pretty low for stock

ThatPreludeGuy · 01-29-2009, 07:00 PM

I went through a number of CV boots when I was dropped, the angle increases the amount the boot ribs rub on each other.

On a side note my TEIN HA's on their softest settings were 10x more uncomfortable then driving on OEM S2k suspension. If I had another Prelude I'd probably drop it on the Mugen Showas or the Honda Access, mild drop and supposedly only slightly firmer then stock.

rhangman · 01-30-2009, 01:04 AM

I have Honda Access suspension. Still scrapes sometimes if you aren't careful.

jimbo24 · 02-01-2009, 01:33 PM

and the best answer goes to...

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBYlude

cons: what was already mentioned

pros: BAM! FINGERS IN THE PUSSY!

haha thanks for all the input and opinions about a drop. so far on my lude i have an exhaust and planning on getting a header. for people with these bolt-ons, how much of a drop should i go for without worrying too much about bottoming out often?

i plan on getting some tein basic coilovers by the way.

lude4lifeh22 · 02-01-2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solid

Pros : Looks nice
Cons: Hits on everything and less comfy

I don't but the handling arguments. Simply lowering a car doesn't make it handle better.

Lowered center of gravity... ?

True, just chopping the springs probably isnt going to improve anything. But lowering on a good set up can definitely improve handling. Even if some of that "improvement" comes from the added mental confidence behind the wheel.

Solid · 02-01-2009, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lude4lifeh22

Lowered center of gravity... ?

True, just chopping the springs probably isnt going to improve anything. But lowering on a good set up can definitely improve handling. Even if some of that "improvement" comes from the added mental confidence behind the wheel.

Lowered center doesn't translate into better handling.

I could slam a hard with a super stiff setup, but constantly under steer. While some stock suspension could take more G on a skid pad.

I've played the the gmeter in a car a lot, and I think handling is a poor excuse for lowering. Konis + GCs, sure it will handle better, but also remember the lower you go the less vertical play for weight to shift.

lude4lifeh22 · 02-01-2009, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solid

Lowered center doesn't translate into better handling.

I could slam a hard with a super stiff setup, but constantly under steer. While some stock suspension could take more G on a skid pad.

I've played the the gmeter in a car a lot, and I think handling is a poor excuse for lowering. Konis + GCs, sure it will handle better, but also remember the lower you go the less vertical play for weight to shift.

maybe "better handling" isnt the right term. IMO a lowered suspension and stiffer set up is more about the feel than the improved handling. Its about going around the turn without the car having massive body roll.

The cars suspension dynamics are ultimately what decipher its handling ability. However, stiffening the suspension can certainly add more confidence for the driver.

Ultimately tires are the key to adding "handling" ability.

rathdaddy · 02-02-2009, 09:35 PM

if you are drag racing then go for it.

if you are driving in the city, forget it.

jimbo24 · 02-02-2009, 10:08 PM

thanks for all the responses guys but i would like some feedback regarding how much of a drop i should go for without having to worry about bottoming out. so far, i have an exhaust and a header will soon be in the picture. for those of you with these bolt-ons, what are your experiences with a dropped lude and bottoming out? please let me know, thanks.

techalude · 02-02-2009, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo24

thanks for all the responses guys but i would like some feedback regarding how much of a drop i should go for without having to worry about bottoming out. so far, i have an exhaust and a header will soon be in the picture. for those of you with these bolt-ons, what are your experiences with a dropped lude and bottoming out? please let me know, thanks.

hey man, maybe 1"-2" drop if for daliy driver

lude4lifeh22 · 02-03-2009, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo24

thanks for all the responses guys but i would like some feedback regarding how much of a drop i should go for without having to worry about bottoming out. so far, i have an exhaust and a header will soon be in the picture. for those of you with these bolt-ons, what are your experiences with a dropped lude and bottoming out? please let me know, thanks.

I daily drove my lude for about 3 years lowered at 1.5". I did this while in college so there was a lot of campus driving. I even drove it in the largest Blizzard our state has seen in 30 years. IMO, with a little experience/practice you can pretty easily get around on a 1.5' drop. There maybe a few times you scrape here and there, its just life of being lower than the average car. Learning how to angle the car on inclines/bumps etc will get you far.

That being said, our recent snow storm has left some of the downtown back streets so bad with ice that even my (now daily driver) Integra bottom out. And I do know that I would have never even attempted those roads in the lude because how bad they were.

So, IMO, at 1.5" inches or less you will be fine, but you wont be "care" free.

silver5g · 02-03-2009, 09:27 PM

depending on the suspension set up, lowering your car can either increase or decrease it's handling agility. cars with mcpherson struts will improve on handling up until the angle of the strut reaches 90 degrees. double wishbone set ups as the prelude has will benefit from lowering as low as you can possibly go. lowering your center of gravity IS real, this is just basic physics.. do you want to drive around your semi with 10 tons on top of the trailor or inside? obviously this is extreme but its the same principle. also when the car is lowered the springs (typically) become stiffer, decreasing suspension travel, allowing for the inside wheels to remain planted while cornering swiftly, increasing traction. this may make you say "well stiffer springs will just make the car have the tendancy to flip" but this is where the whole lowered C-O-G thing comes in. in short, lowering your car to be more agile in the twisties is real.