Technical For those with lowered Bravos

[buck-egit]

Hi

I have my bravo lowered by 40-50 mm BY APEX lowering spring kit

I now feel the car tram lines fairly badly and anyone I have gave a drive in the car has also noticed it without me even mentioning it to them

Now the car doesnt pull to the left ot the right like when the car needs the tracking fixed. it runs dead straight it is only when on bumpy roads you notice it tramlining

does anyone out there have any ideas as to make the problem better. I guy I was chatting to the other day was thinking the camber may be wrong now because the car has been lowered so much?????

 

[BRAV-OH!!]

Hi

I have my bravo lowered by 40-50 mm BY APEX lowering spring kit

I now feel the car tram lines fairly badly and anyone I have gave a drive in the car has also noticed it without me even mentioning it to them

Now the car doesnt pull to the left ot the right like when the car needs the tracking fixed. it runs dead straight it is only when on bumpy roads you notice it tramlining

does anyone out there have any ideas as to make the problem better. I guy I was chatting to the other day was thinking the camber may be wrong now because the car has been lowered so much?????

Shouldn't your car go in a straight line anyway

If your car is pulling to the left or right then there's something wrong, like you say tracking etc? I would say it was a good thing the car was keeping a straight line?

I'd probably say the car is empahsising the straightness more now you've lowered as it'll be more rigid. It won't be as wobbly on bumpy roads. It'll give the feeling of 'going through the bumps' on the lowered set up than a 'gliding over the bumps' on the normal suspension set up?

I may be wrong but that's what I'd expect from a car lowered.

 

[buck-egit]

Shouldn't your car go in a straight line anyway

If your car is pulling to the left or right then there's something wrong, like you say tracking etc? I would say it was a good thing the car was keeping a straight line?

I'd probably say the car is empahsising the straightness more now you've lowered as it'll be more rigid. It won't be as wobbly on bumpy roads. It'll give the feeling of 'going through the bumps' on the lowered set up than a 'gliding over the bumps' on the normal suspension set up?

I may be wrong but that's what I'd expect from a car lowered.

LOL I said it doesnt pull to the left or right like it wouild if the trackin was off

Instead it tram lines like your stuck in a rutt .. when on bumpy surfaces country roads like where i live......It never did it before the lowering.... And like it has been said before in here the bravo`s steering is a bit scary at high speeds normally Now it is 3 times worse lol... suppose will have to driver slower .....like I said as well does anyone think it maybe the camber of the wheels now ????/ as it has been lowered so much

 

[Tad-bravo]

those springs probably need a different kind of dampers to work normally, the standard dampers are not designed for 5cm lowering.

my brother had an accident and could have died with a lowered car with the same symptoms. I wouldn't take the risk If I were you.

wheel extensions only add to the problem in case you have them.

 

[buck-egit]

those springs probably need a different kind of dampers to work normally, the standard dampers are not designed for 5cm lowering.

my brother had an accident and could have died with a lowered car with the same symptoms. I wouldn't take the risk If I were you.

wheel extensions only add to the problem in case you have them.

I was going to put in spacers but went against it for that very reason... didnt wana make a problem worse....I am by no means a boyracer come rally driver... but it does keep me on egde at times....

 

[nebrog23]

Have you got standard width tyres? My BMW used to do it, combination of having 225/45/17 on the front and run-flats. Reverted back to 205/55/17 and was much improved. Then had non-runflats and even better. Think its because there is less give.

 

[buck-egit]

Have you got standard width tyres? My BMW used to do it, combination of having 225/45/17 on the front and run-flats. Reverted back to 205/55/17 and was much improved. Then had non-runflats and even better. Think its because there is less give.

Na when I put on the 18"s the tyres where wider 225 when the standards where 205`s you maybe right i might stick on the original wheels and see how that makes any differance... thanks for the idea

 

[BRAV-OH!!]

Na when I put on the 18"s the tyres where wider 225 when the standards where 205`s you maybe right i might stick on the original wheels and see how that makes any differance... thanks for the idea

It's 225/45/17's that are on as standard on my car and I haven't had any problem like yours. Having your car lowered so much the tyre size may have effected it but I can't see it being that.

I think it's due to dropping the car 50mm without changing anything else to suit. 50mm is a huge drop to do on any car and not to upgrade other suspension parts at the same time.

 

[Big Black Stilo]

ive noticed mine tramlining on certain parts of the M6 where the stilo never did

it is freaky

i havent modified my suspension though

 

[MarkRacoon]

I think it sounds like the suspension geometry as well... but... are you noticing the tramlining at the same place on the same road each time?... im just wandering whether its the road it self that actually "helps" this effect? there might be a slight "valley" in the road?

cheers.

 

[špeljac]

after lowering the car you should get the car's geometry re-alignment. Serial dampers can handle -30 mm ( so they say ) but you should reconsider sport dampers

 

[Tad-bravo]

his problem is a combination of many things.

first it's the dampers that aren't designed for very low springs.
second, it's the "rubber band" (very low profile) wheels that are unpractical and will always give an erratic response to road irregularities.
and last, it's the car's electric steering that doesn't understand what's going on and can magnify the problem.

I had heard that standard 18" wheels do not go into a standard car without modifications, you should look into those modifications and what the specs of the standard 18" tires are to compare with yours.

 

[colinurquhart]

has anyone attempted to lower there car there self or put it into the garage and if so is there much in it?

 

[buck-egit]

has anyone attempted to lower there car there self or put it into the garage and if so is there much in it?

the mechanic that did mine said it was very easy he did in in an hour or so and he also said it was the same setup as the new astras

 

[Munkul]

lowering your car on stock dampers means that the geometry will change both with tracking, and with camber.

Now the camber may have changed for the better or worse, depending on the angle of the lower arm when at rest. But this shouldnt affect straight line handling, only affect grip in corners.

The tracking is more of an issue, though.

More toe out = more cornering grip, less straight line stability
More toe in = less cornering grip, more straight line stability

My bet is that the height drop has changed the tracking to toe out excessively, so that every little bump will pull the wheels one way or the other, and the slight off-centreness of the steering will cause it to tramline.

So, as others have said, this is your first port of call.

Make sure that they get it well into spec; a small track change (less than 0.5 degree) makes a huge difference to handling, in my experience.

 

[SeiSporting]

If cars steering self centering gone to cock it will most likely be the king-pin inclination that has been altered by lowring car.
get it 4 wheel aligned.