Did you know that the lowrider car culture we see today started in Los Angeles in the mid to late 1940s during the post-war prosperity of the 1950s? This phenomenon then took a grip on the rest of the world and transformed into the billion-dollar industry that it is today!
Do you want to properly stance your car and make it a total sleeper? Here’s the complete guide that makes lowering a car simple!
Best Cars To Lower
Not every vehicle is created equally, and some are better at doing certain things than others, and with lowering a car this is no different. Some vehicles scream out to be lowered, while others simply don’t do the modification justice, it really depends on your vehicle ownership.
So what are some of the best vehicles in the automotive industry to lower? These examples below will give you a good idea of what your next purchase should be to have the best-looking lowered car.
- Chevrolet Impala Coupe SS 1957
- 1990 Chevrolet Caprice
- Chevrolet Monte Carlo 1972
- 1947 Cadillac Series 62
- Pontiac Torpedo 1941
- Buick Riviera 1964
- 1958 Chevrolet Del Ray Delivery
- Cadillac Coupe De Ville 1984
- 1979 Lincoln Mark 5
- Chevrolet Bel Air 1957
Lowering A Car: How To
Lowering a car can bring you many benefits from improved handling to better road traction but lowering a car these days is mostly about looking good and standing out from the crowd. For me, there is nothing better than a slammed down vehicle accompanied with a set of mags like you can find at saviniwheels.com.
There are various methods that you can employ, ranging in a variety of costs. No one method is superior to the other but there are several advantages and disadvantages to each one.
Method 1: Replacing The Springs And Shocks
Springs and shocks are what give your suspension height and by removing them both you can either add height or lower your vehicle. Usually, these items can be changed with a little bit of motoring knowledge but the springs need to be compressed onto the shock which is done using a spring compression tool.
The use of this tool can be quite dangerous as compressing the spring causes force, and if the spring should slip off the device, it can severely injure the user. If this is the method you plan on using, it would be better to buy the shocks and springs and pay your local workshop or tire fitment center to change them for you.
Method 2: Lowering The Torsion Bar
A torsion bar allows the vehicle ride height to be adjusted at the factory when the vehicle is built. Manufacturers set up the torsion in terms of their specifications and the way they want the vehicle to sit on the road.
Adjusting the height of the torsion bar is a simple process and can be adjusted at home with a hand wrench. By adjusting it, your vehicle will then sit a few extra inches closer to the ground. This is in no way a method that will get your car slammed right to the ground and will only give you a couple of inches.
Method 3: Lowering Your Leaf Springs
If your vehicle is older, the chance is that it will be fitted with leaf spring suspension on the rear of the vehicle. What this means is that it will have springs and shocks like the front of the vehicle but have an extra-long piece of metal supporting the suspension. Most newer vehicles don’t have this and rather have independent suspension all around.
Not to worry, there are solutions for this setup and the easiest way to go about lowering this type of suspension is to buy a universal lowering kit that has been made specifically for your brand of vehicle. Once again this setup can be replaced in your own garage, but some mechanical knowledge will be needed.
You will be lifting the vehicle off the ground so a strong jack is a must with jack stands strong enough to support the weight of your vehicle. Having this kit changed onto your vehicle is quite a lot of work so it might be better left to the professionals.
Method 4: Air Ride Suspension
An air suspension system is a style of vehicle suspension that’s powered by an electrical pump or compressor that pumps air into flexible rubber hoses, who in turn inflate or deflate bags to a certain pressure in order to behave like springs.
Removing your shocks and springs and adding this system is by far the best way to get a car completely slammed to the ground and raise it again while driving normally on the road.
Having an air ride suspension on your vehicle greatly enhances the ride comfortably, there will be less wear and tear on your suspension, High-speed cornering is more effective, and a reduction in road noise.
There are a few drawbacks such as the initial cost of the system, fuel efficiency can suffer because the suspension is now heavier than before, expensive repair costs over time, and moisture build-up can severely affect the system so living in high humidity areas will cause failures more often.
The whole air ride suspension industry is worth about 4 million dollars annually so there are quite a few places that can give you competitive prices. Being such a complex system it is advisable for an experienced technician to install this system and not be done at home without any prior knowledge.
Slammed Down Low
Lowering a car has come a long way since it was first done all those years ago and with so many options available, there is no excuse not to pimp your ride and make your vehicle one of a kind.
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