jgajito

Makahvelli, there are really great technical experiences and advice here.

I guess if you're looking for the answer, you really need to return to the stock springs and shocks and leave the 18's on the ride to see if those aren't adding to your problem.

Personally, I been around to know that anytime you lower anything, you will compromise something. Period no questions about it. I've learned many suspension techniques as well. I lifted and lowered trucks. One of the best engineering advancements was the aftermarket spindle. However lowered or lifted this changed the response of a stock or aftermarket shocks travel.

I currently run Bilstein HD's and stock springs and no pads. The ride handles very nice around corners and dips. Very response and I also have 18's (225/40 and 245/40). I can't compare to your car, because you have a CE and I have Sedan. My car weighs more and has a longer chassis. This is also a factor when it comes to spring travel and shock absorbing. I'm bot a physicis so I can't really detail the explanation. But trust me it has something to do with center of gravity.

Trial and error my friend, plenty of experience and advice, there's a guy in here with 20's on a 25 or 30 aspect ratio, not lowered. If he's on stock springs with HD's he may have a smooth stock ride, but I bet he hates potholes. The larger wheels with rubber bands gives you a more solid "UMPH" and shock through the chassis of the car very solid feel.

Where as there are others with the OEM or close to OEM setup, 225/55/16 or 215/45/17 with lowered springs and sport shocks. This is a median, that we all have to take account for. Although lowered, I bet these guys have a smoother ride.

But I don't understand the statement below from you, which is confusing... is this your current setup?

I think your problems are obvious, in that you changed everything from the first time you lowered it, including your tires. Trial and Error...Trial and Error.

Makahveli

I will keep the HD's on the rear since my stock shocks let my tires rub when cornering at cruising speeds and probly put all my stock springs back on with no spring pads at all. Get bigger tires all around to accomadate the gap that I won't be use to seeing. And give the bilstein sports another try at the front. For you shock experts, are these to much out of range or too high for the shock? I thought it would be cool since I won't have that bump for pad that was in the front stock whick is 23mm almost an inch.

TerryA

Makahveli,

You should not get tires that are any larger in diameter that your original stock tire size. You cannot fill the gap with larger diameter tires unless you want to screw up your ABS and Speedometer also. Stick within 1% or 2% of the original stock tire size.

I am not sure on your car (300CE tire size?) but on my now gone 300E the stock diameter was right at 25" for a 195/55 R15. I went to a 225/45x17" which is almost exactly the same 25" diameter on a 17" rim.

Take Care


[QUOTE=Makahveli;2249209] Get bigger tires all around to accomadate the gap that I won't be use to seeing.

Makahveli

I know what you mean, but bigger tires keep the mileage down on your cars, but soon I will be getting 225/40r18s all around. But I still need an answer for my question since my oem shocks are at an age of being worn out (assuming they are originals) if I can use the sport shocks with oem springs and no pads. My shocks are less than a year old with maybe 4-5k miles on them so is anybody willing to trade their comfort shocks for my sport shocks? Must be within 2-3 years at the oldest.

Bigpete123

Frankly, I really don't know the answer to that. The question is, how much do your lowering springs drop the car and how thick are your spring pads? Do that math, figure out what the height difference will be, and maybe just call a bilstein distributor. Other than that, I have no idea how you'll figure that out!

RBYCC

Mileage traveled is mileage traveled, regardless of the diameter of your tire.
Speedometer and odometer will be slightly off, but of no significance.

Bilstein Sports have the same valving as the HD's, except with about 1" less travel.
The short travel Sports with stock and probably weak springs will give a less then acceptable ride quality.
If you want a performance shock to use with stock springs then use the HD's.
I currently run HD's with H&R sport springs and 225/40-18 Falken FK-452's.
Stock feeling ride quality but with increased handling performance.
Choice of tire will be a major part of the equation

Makahveli

Well you guys sorry to sound like a spoiled little kid, its just that I'm crossing over from the world of lifted trucks and such. In that world even stock trucks 1-3 inches either way usually never will affect the travel of the shock. So changing shocks cause of a drop of 2 inches was rediculous to me. And my truck is on 22" rims and its tires are of a 40 series andit still rides smooth and its a 1992 explorer 4x4. So I was assuming that since 1-2 inches is in need of new shocks then removing bump pads should make a big difference in that direction as well.

RYBCC,

A bigger diameter tire will keep your mileage as in actual odometer down to a certain percentage. Due to the fact a bigger tire has a longer rotation and the car itself still thinks its going the same distance.

RBYCC

I believe I acknowledged that, but you may fool the odometer, but your not fooling the vehicle....once again "a mile traveled is a mile traveled" regardless of how many times your tires rotate.....doesn't make the drive train travel any less

P.S.

You're no longer driving a truck, so different suspension geometry and rules apply....learn quickly before you cause damage to your vehicle

Bigpete123

exactly.

This thread is getting really old. We have told you everything we know. Time to move on.

But to sum it up. If you want to improve your ride quality and do it correctly, you will need to spend some money. Period. So start saving up.