Too low for winter!!

[nammeovn]

Hi guys!! Im having an 18" rx8 rims on my mazda3. And also it's lowered when i purchased.So now my car is way too low for winter and i dun think i can just change the tire to 16". So what i have to do? I need to buy a set of adjustable shock as my friend told me ?? If its right, how much it would cost me??Thanks...

[Thrizzl3]

coilovers?? how low is your car?

[nammeovn]

Yes, i think.

[Donutz]

How low is your car?

[Dave_The_BMXER]

How low is your car?

^+1

FYI I drive at the height you see in my signature all year round.

[Junior]

The original post is a little confusing. You're currently on 18's and lowered your car. Great. Now you don't think you can put 16's on it cause it's too low?

I'm lowered 3.5" and run 18" rx8 rims in the summer, and swap to 15" steelies for winter. No issue, and I don't raise it.

I drive a protege tho, i think it would be the same on mazda3.

[dentinger]

im lowered about 2.5 inches, and my snow tires are about half an inch or so smaller in diameter than my stock tires.
i dont have much of a problem....i just try not to go out where there is excessive amounts of fresh snow.

[rajin929]

for GTA winters that don't really see TONS of snow...

traction with snow tires > ground clearance

[Gizzmo_jr]

if you get the correct sized winter tires, you won't lose any ride height. Cause the overall outside diameter of the tire remains when you switch to winters.

[DumpInfo]

I know exactly what you're saying I have the same setup (RX-8's summer / 16's winter) and I'm on prokits. Earlier this year I had my prokits installed and was still rocking my 16's but I also found it too low and didn't like it. So this year I'm considering removing my prokits and going back to my stock springs.

I guess it just boils down to preference...

[gibbons3]

coilovers are expensive from what ive seen, like over $1000, id just pick up some stock springs or a pro kit if you want a mild drop, unless you want to keep it at the height it is?

[Burner]

My MX3 had two and a half inches of ground clearance at the lowest point and I never had any issues. Just get a good set of snow tires and plow right through it.

[dentinger]

also, on the really bad days, where you get the foot of snow when your at work, and you have to drive home, avoid the bad spots. ie, deeper spots, spots where a other cars have made larger ridges.
i usually come to a crawl at stop signs. i usually dont stop.
and if your car is a 5spd, and your slipping in 1st gear, try starting in 2nd gear.

[MAZDA Kitten]

My 5th winter with STech's. No such thing as too low :P

[Flagrum_3]

My 5th winter with STech's. No such thing as too low :P

And how many engine undercovers have you replaced Kitty? :chuckle

Last winter, and understanding we had alot of snow compared too many previous years, I found I scraped the engine undercover many times and I'm running on 16" rims and pro-kits....luckily the uberundercover never got damaged!....Next year I'll be going coil-overs for sure. :)


_3

[Dave_The_BMXER]

Engine undercover is unnecessary :P

[TheWulf]

Well if you end up driving it like that you are welcome to come plow my driveway :P

[McGuyver_3]

As long as you replace the tires with a equivelant size you are compensating for the smaller rim with more tire.
EXAMPLE This is what my current car is
Summers 225/40R18
Winters..205/55R16
You are going narrower in tire width going taller in hight and smaller in rims. As long as yuou compensate the tires properly you will not have any problems

My old mazda 3
225/40R18 my last set of summers
225/45R17 my previous set of summers before my 18s
195/65R15 were winters
When i lined all 3 rims and tires next to each other they all had the same hight
I rode for 3 years lowered swapped my wheels never had a problem and my new car i wont have a problem with either.
Most important thing MAKE SURE YOUR TIRES ARE THE RIGHT SIZE