Bringing a lowered car back to standard height, need some guidance!

I bought a 97 mx5 mrk 1 with coil-overs and I am planning on bringing back to a standard stock height, should I be wary of just swapping over because of extra parts in the way or can I just get them changed over ?!

Louis Hx!

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Hiya, not only has your car been lowered, it has a set of wheels that are wider and with a lesser offset than standard, they are also larger in diameter than standard, although can’t tell actual size from the picture. Also, the wheel arches have been modified (rolled) to accommodate both the wheels and the lowered suspension. Again not sure what has happened with the suspension? If only lowering (shorter) springs have been fitted to standard shocks, swapping the springs for standard ones, would get the ride height back, or, if aftermarket coilovers fitted then a complete change of suspension needed. Either way, it shouldn’t affect/need anything else. Problem is, it may look weird with the rolled arches and bigger/wider wheels at standard ride height? That is just my opinion though, each to their own! But yes, the suspension can be swapped out as outlined above without requiring other parts. Let us know how you get on :+1:
Barrie

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One of the problems you will have is choosing what you believe is ‘stock height’.

I would agree that your current set up is a little low for the road but professional ‘look right’ and a ‘little higher’ is what is needed to match the body you have not someone’s idea of the right measurement.

I have removed the original std suspension and fitted coil-overs to achieve a lower stance and fill the wheel arches rather than slam it to the road.

I believe the std or stock height is a little odd looking-high… for my 2007 car and my taste.

Changing height also means you need to corner weight the car for correct handling, don’t be fobbed off by garages that say its not necessary if they tell you that, they don’t have a clue and go to someone who does. So many time I hear owners say ‘feels and handles like a new car on cornering’ after just a corner weight check and adjust.

At this stage I have not even mentioned the 330mm or 365mm height measurement debate.

I have set my car to 320mm to the ctr of the wheel to inside the wheel arch, all round, ready for a professional set up and corner weight check, this is giving an 80mm road to front subframe ride height, I was looking for 100mm ride height as a suitable optimum.
As a further geometric complication for better handling/cornering the front lower outer knuckle should be 10mm lower than the inner knuckle at the subframe,(If you want to get picky it’s the ctr of the knuckle ball movement not the casing you should measure too) but this brings the wheel and tyre size into play.

My car still ‘looks’ a little low so may have it lifted a shade to make the look right to my eye but the hard work is done so the set up should be quick and less time consuming for the paid staff.

Hope this helps…

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Thank you! All this is pretty new to me so all opinions and knowledge are happily taken :slight_smile:

Thanks for being so prompt to replying to this post me and my father are new to the game so this has helped loads :slight_smile:

Hi P,

Have you checked to see if your suspension has been fitted with adjustable ride height suspension parts. You may be lucky and only have to make an ‘adjustment’.

A full alignment check and adjustment would be good practice once you have found the ride height you want.

Doing a corner weight check and adjust is probably only required if you are going to do some serious motorsport. For normal road use where a passenger and or luggage is variable you will gain very little if anything by doing the corner weights.
:heart:

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Sorry meant to add the pictures to the post. As you can see I have tried to ‘fill’ the wheel arch but the subframe is still a little low but may be acceptable dependant on the sleeping policemen in the roads.

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Probably best to get the thing 4 wheel Hunter lasered at the end of it all as well.
Fair chance it’ll be all over the shop.

Thats a good call Malc about adjustable set up? You never know, OP might be lucky :crossed_fingers:
Barrie

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We believe they are adjustable but they are very worn and look dangerous ! All part of the journey haha

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