My Lowering Experience

[digitalfiend]

Operation Altitude Check

When I started planning here's what I wanted to accomplish:

1. Go as low as possible without regularly bottoming out, killing the turning radius, or reducing reliability. Handling and looks are much less important to me than this.
2. Maintain comfortable ride as much as possible.
3. Improve handling. This isn't a sports car, but I want to handle as close to one as possible within a reasonable budget.
4. Look cool.

Stage 1 (stock BORING soccer mom) 6/21/2013:



Stage 2 (tippy toe tahoe) 9/4/2013:

• Rims: Enkei RT6
• Tires: 255/45R18
• Front: stock
• Rear: stock springs

My last ride was a medium-dropped Toyota Tacoma. It held my wife and two kids just fine. Among other things, I put some Enkei 18x8.5 RT6 rims on it that have a Chevrolet 6-lug bolt pattern. The tires are Kumho 255/45R18. With a growing family and the need for a third-row seat I had to kiss the Tacoma goodbye. I wasn't going to get any more money out of the Tacoma with the rims, so I kept these rims to resell or reuse on my Tahoe.

One problem with this rim/tire combination is that the backspacing is too little (4.72") so the tires won't tuck. This limits my suspension travel significantly, so I'm going to be targeting a gap between the fender and tire of 3-4".



Stage 3 (looking better) 10/20/2013:

• Rims: Enkei RT6
• Tires: 255/45R18
• Front: mcgaughys 2" lowering spindles + decranked keys
• Rear: 3" djm lowering springs

Stage 4 (almost there) 10/29/2013:

• Enkei RT6
• 255/45R18
• mcgaughys 2" lowering spindles + decranked keys
• Belltech 4957 Camber Kit
• stock springs with 2.5 coils cut off

Stage 5 (DONE!) 12/11/2013:

• Enkei RT6
• Kumho 255/45R18
• McGaughys 2" lowering spindles + Ebay 2" Lowering Keys
• Tony's 6" Drop Springs
• Belltech 4957 Camber Kit

 

[Blazed]

Your gaps look stock..
That takes the purpose of lowering away for me. All you're accomplishing is no clearance. Your wheels and tires are much too small for my taste.
IMO

 

[Goodinblack]

Wheels and tire combination looks horrible.

Sorry that's the truth.

Also, you cut the stock rear springs?

 

[07Burb]

Stance would be perfect with a different tire/wheel combo. Both wheels and tires are too small all the way around.

 

[WHITEOUT]

Man, you guys are killing this poor guy. But I fully agree Needs bigger wheels. Or at least, bigger tires to fill the gap.

 

[07Burb]

ha! no bashing intended. Bigger tires would definitely help out if he wants to keep the rims. I do love how low it is.

 

[WHITEOUT]

Haha, I know, that's why I angled it, whilst agreeing. No doubt tho, ride looks dumped, but at the same time lifted. That's a hard thing to accomplish. Jk with ya. Wheel/tire combo is killing the whole look tho. Bigger tires would really help tie ut all together.

 

[yukondoit]

Meatier tires would help in filling in the gap, but other than that looks good.

 

[Goodinblack]

Haha, I know, that's why I angled it, whilst agreeing. .

You a lawyer or a politician?

 

[WHITEOUT]

I will neither confirm nor deny... but I didn't enhale and you can trust me.