lowering a 1986 340 1.4

Post by **foggyjames** » 29 Nov 2004 10:45 pm

Oversteer is rear-end slide, understeer is front-end.....you *were* right

cheers

James

Post by **Ali** » 29 Nov 2004 10:48 pm

Nope, unfortunately i didnt know i required them so didnt manage to nab them from the guy breaking the 440. Got my hands on the spoiler though in exactly the right colour, only problem being the bolts fall right inline with the edge of the boot

Had the wheels on and off numerous times but havent noticed any damage yet, ive got the wide 5spoke version, dont know if that makes any difference
Ali

Post by **SteveP** » 29 Nov 2004 10:48 pm

foggyjames wrote: Off or on throttle? Up to a point, the 300s are designed to understeer...with decent rear tyres you've pretty much gotta be at WOT to get the back to step out.

It was on throttle.. but not trying too hard, my rear tyres are quite a fair bit better than the front, so I'd expect the front to slide easier. I guess you know you're pushing it when it starts to understeer (I was deliberately) and then are expected to calm it down, I guess built into the handling design?

The extra weight over the front end will be the exact reason why the 360s understeer more than the 340s (by the sounds of things here). Ali you'll have to give me a spin in the 340 when its lowered

I'd also be interested in what shocks Al had on that black 360

Steve

Post by **foggyjames** » 29 Nov 2004 10:53 pm

He never fitted them. One of the reasons he sold the car was how vague and floaty the rear end got at speed - 145k on original shocks. You can get a pair of standard shocks for £10...the prat!

The 440 ones are no good, as they're bolts, not nuts. You need the ones from a 300 with alloys. It may not be the same for all the alloys, but when I trial-fitted my alloys (my avatar pic comes from that session) with the steel nuts, there were a few ally scrapings on the floor when I was done...!!

cheers

James

Post by **Ali** » 29 Nov 2004 10:54 pm

I thought the weight would help to pin the front down but suppose more mass more momentum in the direction of the front. Yeah i'll have to give you a spin when we go back to uni after christmas, only spotted your car there the once, very nice and shiny! Usually park mine out the front though so guess i wouldnt see yours much, got my spot by the civic about 2mm off the floor with no bodykit

god knows what thats been dropped by!
Ali

Post by **SteveP** » 29 Nov 2004 11:00 pm

I don't park in TIC car park.. too fooking expensive. I park 5mins walk away opposite Proffesional Music Tech for free

. I only parked in the car park once to pick up some camera gear, when it had a dodgy rear bumper on. Suprised you saw it then!

I wouldn't normally like things like that Civic, but for once it actually doesn't look too bad.. not for me, but its tasteful-ish.

Steve

Post by **Ali** » 29 Nov 2004 11:05 pm

can imagine it scrapes a bit on full lock though! I do like the way its been done, not too over the top with a massive jap bodykit! Not to sure about the logo's down the side, not sure if he could actually have all those makes! I wondered why id never seen your car about, luckily i didnt actually see the rear as you had reverse bay parked it, thought hang on a minute im sure ive seen that car before somewhere, looked as good as your camera with auto flater mode captured it!
Ali

Post by **Janitor** » 29 Nov 2004 11:10 pm

yeah even on fwd cars the new ones should go on back !! not front as 99.9% of people will tell you !!
as for the understeer,i always get a little then massive over.....its even worse on the loose !! on loose i use a 155 or at most 175 13 on front with 185 on back. this helps it turn in better.

Post by **5lab** » 29 Nov 2004 11:11 pm

13" rims HELP turn-in? surely not? they felt aweful on nessy..

Post by **SteveP** » 29 Nov 2004 11:11 pm

Ali wrote:looked as good as your camera with auto flater mode captured it!

Sure you're talking about the same car

.. you haven't seen it close up, but it still looks pretty smart when washed and polished! Suprised you pay for parking at TIC, isn't it like £4.50 per day? All the money I've saved I can buy a nice front valance kit.

Steve

Post by **foggyjames** » 29 Nov 2004 11:20 pm

Was it this low?...

Turbobricks representin'...

cheers

James

Post by **Ali** » 29 Nov 2004 11:21 pm

lol, yeah it is £4.50 a day but i only drive it on a monday and friday and it costs me about £4 on those days so its not too bad. Although at £8 a week the £80 could build up easily! Just rather wait for the whole kit and concentrate on lowering it first, don't want to me riding high with just a front valance

Post by **Ali** » 29 Nov 2004 11:27 pm

wel the civic is riding on 16s i think but id say ground clearance is the same as the front all round, looks like you'd be lying down to drive it!

Post by **SteveP** » 29 Nov 2004 11:31 pm

Have to get a picture of it.. Alot of work done to it really, but it is all rippled down the sides from small car park dents if you're being picky and the smoothing isn't the greatest. God only knows what happens when the guy gets to a speedbump. Wonder who's it is, I've never seen anyone around it, but it's there most days!

Steve

Post by **foggyjames** » 29 Nov 2004 11:32 pm

Bear in mind that a lot of the Civics lowness probably comes from a bodykit. You can't get much lower without frenching than that 262c - you can only turn the steering about 10 degrees before the wheels lock solid in the arches. There is about 1cm of suspension travel there - in effect no suspension at all - it's riding on the bumpstop.

cheers

James