Eibach Prokits & Winter Driving...

[Shotta-KB]

I've been fighting with the thought of dropping about an inch (with my 18's I can only go as low as 1.5" lower). Here is my dilemma I have a front lip as well and there have been some inclines where I hear a lil rub on my lip once or twice already :complain

So taking into consideration that on a flat I have about 4-6 inches clearance maybe less...How much trouble will I have in the winter if I choose not to take off the front lip?

Has anyone on here have prokits (with body kits or lips) in the winter and are you helping out the snowplows or is it good no issues with clearance? :whoa

[JordanAndrew]

Why don't you take off the lip during winter then? It's not that hard to take it off you know. For sure there will be issues with clearance especially during winter.

[fini]

The only reason why my car doesn't have a front lip is because clearance at some parts of my daily driving is already close or small rubs if I am careless. (lowered on prokits). This is in summer, nevermind winter.

I've touched the ground on a few condo parking garages too when i'm only a little careless so that tells you how close the clearance is without anything else sticking out of the front. Particularly the ones downtown where they seem to be steeper. It will only get worse with a lip. Don't want something that costs me 250 bucks or more to be gone or ruined so fast.

PS. I help snow plows all the time :)
depends a lot on where and when you drive.

[bunchi]

how about speed bumps? any problems with those? and I have the speedline splitter, but don't have the pro-kits installed yet

[Hives]

Im worried about all these issues as well. I don't want to have to swap springs out back and fourth. I drive in toronto 95% of the time, so everyone knows how the roads and plaza's are. I plan on going with Apex springs though.

Just mainly look at where u find urself driving I guess. If u find ur in these new suburban areas where the roads are super smooth, then I guess u can get away with it.

[Donutz]

I'm on prokits. I take my lip off in the winter. The fact is even without a drop the snow can still tear your lip off. Not to mention the blocks of ice that fall from other cars wheel wells.

Also, you shouldn't be scraping too much if you take ramps / driveways, etc at an angle.

[Shotta-KB]

I'm on prokits. I take my lip off in the winter. The fact is even without a drop the snow can still tear your lip off. Not to mention the blocks of ice that fall from other cars wheel wells.

Also, you shouldn't be scraping too much if you take ramps / driveways, etc at an angle.

I hear that one Jason but its kinda hard to go down into my condo parking at an angle...cause when you hit the bottom it kinda sinks into a lil ditch like a bowl shape or something...Good thing is I am moving into a townhouse sometime within the next 6 mths, still iffy even if I consider to remove my front lip

[Shotta-KB]

Why don't you take off the lip during winter then? It's not that hard to take it off you know. For sure there will be issues with clearance especially during winter.

My front lip adds only like 1/2 to maybe an inch lower so with or without it being lowered would be a problem...true??

[JordanAndrew]

My front lip adds only like 1/2 to maybe an inch lower so with or without it being lowered would be a problem...true??


Well how much clearance do you have between your lip and a flat road surface? It doesn't matter if it add 1 inch, hell add 2, 3 or 4 inches if you want as long as you have enough decent clearance between the lip and the road. Remember in winter the roads aren't always flat, there's snow that you will encounter that can be as much as a foot or two. having a lip at that point wouldn't be a good thing, I mean sure you might survive it but why risk it altogether? It's a few bolts and tape, it's not all hard to take it off to save your $250 investments. Put it away just like you would with your summer tires.

[JordanAndrew]

I forgot to add that lips are usually shape almost similar to a snow plow/snow shovel. If snow comes near it, instead of just going under your car it has a higher risk of having it come up to your bumper adding weight to your lip, slowly making the paint dull, etc.

It's all pretty common sense really. Unless you're ballin' and you have a winter lip and a separate summer lip, than why risk it?

[Dave_The_BMXER]

I have sport lines which are lower, I took my lip off and have not had any issues in the winter.

Member Steven gets buy ok even with the lip on:

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q27/steven_mzd3/DSC07646.jpg

You should be fine. Just have to remember you are lowered thats all.

[fini]

how about speed bumps? any problems with those? and I have the speedline splitter, but don't have the pro-kits installed yet

as long as they aren't speed mountains you should be ok. i've never had issues with speed bumps. go slower!

on regular driveways and stuff you can take it at an angle. but typically for condo parking garages, it's too tight.

[bunchi]

as long as they aren't speed mountains you should be ok. i've never had issues with speed bumps. go slower!

on regular driveways and stuff you can take it at an angle. but typically for condo parking garages, it's too tight.

thanks fini :) lol of course i'll go slow on speed bumps. no not speed mountains like you said, just those speed bumps you see on some subdivisions and near schools. I was checking my driveway too, there's plenty of clearance there :)

I'd just like to say that lowered cars aren't for everyone. you should really know how to drive properly first and know how you approach an incline on the road. i've read some people's posts saying they're lowered, and then they messed up their cars. some are experienced drivers but accidents just happen. so for new drivers, i don't advise it... yet. Like Steven as Dave pointed out, he's as low as a snow plow but still has the set up during winter, and he's ok.

[Shotta-KB]

Everyone is focusing on the lip, I am fine with taking it off my concern was how it will be driving through a foot of snow when lowered. How's the handling in the snow when dropped? I guess Dave makes a good point as sportline is a lot lower than prokits. I guess that means I should research my 09' mods :chuckle

P.S. I'm pretty good at navigating inclines and bumps so that would be no problem for me.

[Shotta-KB]

Well how much clearance do you have between your lip and a flat road surface? It doesn't matter if it add 1 inch, hell add 2, 3 or 4 inches if you want as long as you have enough decent clearance between the lip and the road. Remember in winter the roads aren't always flat, there's snow that you will encounter that can be as much as a foot or two. having a lip at that point wouldn't be a good thing, I mean sure you might survive it but why risk it altogether? It's a few bolts and tape, it's not all hard to take it off to save your $250 investments. Put it away just like you would with your summer tires.

Once again...taking off the lip is not a problem for me, all I am trying to figure out is how much clearance would be "safe" with or without my lip on, i.e. lowering another 2-4 inches versus 1-2 inches. Currently from the ground (flat) I'm sitting at about 4 inches (with the lip on).

[Thrizzl3]

IMO i'd take my lip off regardless of how high or low my car is from the ground

[x_o_k_x]

how about speed bumps? any problems with those? and I have the speedline splitter, but don't have the pro-kits installed yet

well i dont have problems with speed bumps, only if they are really high raised then i go at an angle very slowly. Mostly its getting off the gast stations onto public roads, where inlcined deeply.
As for lip in winter, You will be plowing with it..

[bluemazda3]

i'd take off the lip also.. im on pro kit and even a little pile of snow i plow.

[JordanAndrew]

4 inches clearance with the lip on? That's fairly low already, and given the fact that you said the lip only adds 1/2 inch, which means without a lip your car sits around 4.5 inches from the ground. I would personally not lower the car any lower unless you want your car to be a huge pain in the ass to drive during winter times, driving through inclines, driving through speed bumps.. it all adds up man. I had a 2001 Prelude that had about the same clearance and as much as I love the look, in the end I disliked the inconvenience it gave me when I drove it. The hype of driving a lowered car really wears out fast.

[Flagrum_3]

Once again...taking off the lip is not a problem for me, all I am trying to figure out is how much clearance would be "safe" with or without my lip on, i.e. lowering another 2-4 inches versus 1-2 inches. Currently from the ground (flat) I'm sitting at about 4 inches (with the lip on).


Lowered on Pro-kits, I've plowed snow a couple of times this winter and last winter...It's not bad really but when you get heavy snow and it hasn't been plowed! ...Oh well, no damage as I can see so far.But it sure sounds friggen scary sometimes scraping the under pan :chuckle


_3

[bluemazda3]

ive gotten stuck twice cuz the snow was a foot high... terrible experience!!!

[Dave_The_BMXER]

For me personally the look of being lowered out weighs the cons. All of my cars have been dropped and all daily driven and not a problem. I am more used to driving a lowered car than stock height.

Like I said before its not for everyone. Being in a hurry dropped on roads/driveways you don't know is asking for it. You can't go to all service shops, and if your tires are the wrong size (like my winters) you rub a bit.

However, I have never got stuck and the only time I notice a handling difference in the snow is when there is a lot of snow and it builds up and you kind of float. I tend to try and avoid such mounds of snow.

Oh and my under tray is missing. But it wasn't there when I bought the car so I didn't do that. :chuckle

I got one of these yesterday also.
http://www.88speed.com/catalog/images/ihatespeedbumps.jpg

[bunchi]

i was thinkiing of getting those too :chuckle when I have my springs installed I'll get it :chuckle

[Tokic_o]

i have prokits and a pretty fat lip, lol no problems just the occasional lil scrape on the bottom of my lip but thats about it. winter time both are still on btw

[bunchi]

i have prokits and a pretty fat lip, lol no problems just the occasional lil scrape on the bottom of my lip but thats about it. winter time both are still on btw

woah if you're ok, then I'll be ok :chuckle and hope all issues you have with your baby will be over with.. :)

[Shotta-KB]

I suspect an inch more dropped would be fine for me, I can't imagine that much more headache than what I am already plagued by...That will be summer or fall though...Gotta do my exhaust first in the spring :)

[bunchi]

dammit i want my springs installed now! should i or should i wait?

[Soyabean]

dammit i want my springs installed now! should i or should i wait?

It doesnt matter. If you dont have a lip, the drop wont affect your car. But u will notice better handling when doing turns at faster speeds but i highly recommend you test out the handling AFTER the snow is gone

[bunchi]

It doesnt matter. If you dont have a lip, the drop wont affect your car. But u will notice better handling when doing turns at faster speeds but i highly recommend you test out the handling AFTER the snow is gone


this one is have on... not that big... so.. not waiting then! lol

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/R_J_3/Audio%20Heaven%20Meet%20and%20Greet%20Reno%20Rando ms/AH%20pt3/IMG_1586.jpg

[Soyabean]

this one is have on... not that big... so.. not waiting then! lol

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/R_J_3/Audio%20Heaven%20Meet%20and%20Greet%20Reno%20Rando ms/AH%20pt3/IMG_1586.jpg

i dunno, if u do have a lip, i'd wait then. Even though your lip isn't that low. Sometimes when i drive, chunks of snow that fall off wheel well of cars hit something under my car when i drive over it. Like i dont think they are that big but sometimes it hits. So i'd suggest u keep it off until the spring

[bunchi]

i dunno, if u do have a lip, i'd wait then. Even though your lip isn't that low. Sometimes when i drive, chunks of snow that fall off wheel well of cars hit something under my car when i drive over it. Like i dont think they are that big but sometimes it hits. So i'd suggest u keep it off until the spring

thanks... hmm... something to think about :chuckle or install springs and remove lip for now

[S.F.W.]

thanks... hmm... something to think about :chuckle or install springs and remove lip for now
that's what I do, remove the lip for winter.

[bunchi]

that's what I do, remove the lip for winter.

thanks!

[3GFX]

I live in a rural area of Kitchener, and half the time I regret being lowered on the pro kits. I do plow the snow a decent amount of the time. My exhaust got pulled apart (easy fix, just bolted it back together where it fell out).

Being lowered is fine and not that detrimental. You just have to change your driving style. You've got to be aware of pot holes and large dips and bumps. You've got be aware of the height (clearance) of the car and what you have to drive around and what you can drive over.

[Shotta-KB]

My exhaust got pulled apart (easy fix, just bolted it back together where it fell out).

Wow, never knew that could happen...good thing its an easy fix


You've got be aware of the height (clearance) of the car and what you have to drive around and what you can drive over.

Ya for sure you can't be tryna race through every street, especially ones you are not too familiar with.

[3GFX]

Exactly, its all about knowing the road and knowing how to drive.

[bunchi]

Exactly, its all about knowing the road and knowing how to drive.

yup I think you got more snow there too... roads here are cleared up pretty fast, and I know where every potholes are :chuckle

[Tokic_o]

i'd say do it, you'll hate waiting :chuckle

[bunchi]

yeah I know!!! every time I walk to my car I can picture it already lol

[JohnyGT]

i'd say do it, you'll hate waiting :chuckle

+1. That also applies to me, i cant just resist installing right away no matter

what part i get. jhaha

[Scotticus]

I'm a little nervous about lowering on the prokits as well; I have to drive up north to Barrie in the winters, so I'm wondering if it's going to be worth the extra $100 to switch back to stock springs in November....

Does anyone find any difficulties with the Prokits during normal summer driving? Just parking garages and speed bumps, I'm assuming?

Thanks (lowering newbie here)

[Gizzmo_jr]

I haven't had any issues with being on Pro-Kits and winter. I say that now with confidence because I used winter tires this year, which was I was lacking last winter.

Summer time issues are rounded curbs, some are particularly high and high grade inclines. Oh and the sand blasting effect behind my wheels, I'm looking into a mudguard solution.