Velocity Rx8

What is the best lowering suspension that i atleast can lower 1.5 inches and dosent screw up the handling.

Thanks

Razz1

I think 1/2 inch is the best way to go. That's what RB recomends.

I suppose you could go a little lower but no one makes a 3/4" lower spring.

At an 1 1/2 you will bottom out. You can't have both worlds. Either it's looks or track. Make up your mind.

demob05

Was also contemplating lowering, but increasingly bad roads I've been traveling on lately made me think twice... Stock, the 8 seems pretty low already with the standard suspension, and can really feel the bad surfaces when I hit them, esp. the growing Potholes and neglected concrete my wheels come in contact with..
With those still on stock suspension, how's your ride around town, and do you also have badly paved roads, damaged surface, potholes, etc. to deal with??? Not exactly the best conditions for sport suspension models like the rx8.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Coilovers if you want to go that low.....

DPE

iTrader: (1)

You'll have to define 'not screw up the handling' a little better, as it depends on if you are tracking the car and driving mountain roads, or if you are just driving around town with a little extra kick.

It would also be good to know if you want to go a minimum of 1.5" lower front AND rear, given most springs for the RX-8 seem to lower the front a bit more than the rear. For example, Tanabe GF springs are -1.4" Front, and -1.2" Rear. Tein S-Tech are -1.4" Front and -.7" Rear. I believe both have been used to decent effect with the OEM shocks, though if you ARE going to track the car or you drive it hard in the twisties you'll want a set of Konis to keep things under control. I think it's common knowledge that the car is underdamped in the rear from the factory, and that's with the OEM springs. Going to a lower/stiffer spring only makes the rear shocks feel more inadequate.

Otherwise, as dannobre said, coilovers are the way to go if you want that much drop. With Tein Basics you can go as much as -2.3" Front and -1.3" Rear, and because it's a matched spring and shock you won't screw up the handling by going that low. I'm not sure of exactly how they feel at maximum drop, but ours is sitting at about -1.8" front and -1.2" rear on Tein Basics and works quite well. We'll be on track with it today in fact (last time on track we were at -1.6 and -1.0), so we'll have an even better idea of how it likes the lower setting by this evening .

Regards,

mahuna

mazdaspeed springs will get you down 3/4 " and they have shocks to go with the springs as well....... from what i`ve heard...they are pretty stiff.