Ride height confusion.......

[pickle2000]

Alright, I am mega confused about how much to lower my 1.2 Nova Merit by.

I have currently got 6.5x15" wheels with 195/45 tyres. The distance between the top of the front tyre to the arch is just over 75mm.
Looking at that figure, it would appear that a 60mm drop would make it look sweet (:D) leaving enough room to play with....... correct??

What is this measurement for all you lot, what model have you got (GTi, SR, etc), what wheel/trye size, and how much is it dropped........?

Pickle

[paulrobo]

GTi???

[GR]

lol think e means GTE

Vauxhall Nova - Defined in Spain
REFINED IN ENGLAND.

novagrant@talk21.com

""Formally Novaheat 612""

[pickle2000]

LOL - 2 replies, and both are about my spelling error..... :'>

[blondie]

the 1.2 sits 25mm higher than the gsi's and sr's so a sixty drop for you should be the same ride height as a 35mm drop on my sr (which I have). This looks fine and you wont have any worries with clearance. I have the same wheel and tyre size as you

SNOOOTCHIE POOCHIES.........BOOOONNNNNG

[Rich Dale]

Confusion indeed.......I'm still not convinced that SR's are lower than standard models.

Wisewood......come and tell peeps about how your SR is EXACTLY the same ride height as a normal Nova......and, I'll tell them about how my GTE was also the same height as a standard Nova. (at the front anyway....right wisewood!)

My point being....it seams that NOT ALL SR's and GTE's are lower.....

oh....and a GSi I went to look at last year was parked next to a standard 1.2L and was exactly the same ride height.

I'll measure the gap on my GTE tomorrow out of interest.

[wisewood]

rich is right...
my sr, parked at the side of my 1.2 merit is exactly the same height... and yes, the wheels and tyres were the same size at the time of checking and the ground was flat.

I even got a tape measure and measured the gap fromthe ground to the boddom of the car... guess what... exactly the same!!
and the 5 door i have was the same height as rich's GTE, although the back of his car was lower than the front... wierd. (mind you it had them wheels in by then didn't it rich?)


TunaFish is the way forward... you mark my words. :D

[blondie]

I have sat my sr (when it was standard height) next to a merit or something and it was definately lower. even now I see standard nova's that look mad high, alot higher than mine ever looked. But like rich and the wise one says its not the same with all novas we will probably never have a definitive answer on the matter.

SNOOOTCHIE POOCHIES.........BOOOONNNNNG

[pickle2000]

Something is definately strange with this....... I don't think that I have ever seen any SR's that are as high as my Merit. But since most of you have lowered it anyway it doesn't really matter what the start ride height was....... just what the ride height is now.

So, for all of those who have lowered there Nova, be it a GTE, SR, Merit, etc. get your tape measures out and measure the distance between the top of the front wheel to the arch........ this will at least give an idea as to what sort of ride height is good for both ride handling and looks.
e.g. mine is currently 75mm, and if I drop it 60mm then it will have a final front wheel gap of approx 15mm.....

[blondie]

different wheel and tyre sizes will give different results though. It may be better to measure from the bottom of the sill to the floor.

I will try and measure mine tonight and Ill post l8r

SNOOOTCHIE POOCHIES.........BOOOONNNNNG

[blondie]

duh ...wait a minute that will also effect the distance from sill to floor too.

[wisewood]

derrrr...
hahah
:D:D

TunaFish is the way forward... you mark my words. :D

[Rich Dale]

One other thing is....I've seen lots of standard Novas that are higher than other standard Novas......e.g....my Antibes was noticeably lower as standard than my 1.2L, even with EXACTLY the same wheels and tyres fitted. Weird.

I've also seen plenty of standard SR's and GTE's that looked very high...in fact, I've recently started seeing a MINT White GTE locally (totally standard...looks concourse condition, inc. 14" wheel trims!) and it looks fantastic but it sits as high as a normal Nova...well...it looks like it.
Also, I had a Mt Grey GTE following me today....looked high...then again, I've got used to looking at mine!

I think the thing is that the difference is only supposed to be 10mm anyway, which is hardly noticeable really.....just having old tyres compared to new ones can make over 5mm difference in height.

Wisewood.....the wheels were in the boot by that time, but the back was a bit lower than the front anyway for some reason.
I wondered at first if the front springs had been replaced with standard Nova ones (maybe to save cash), but when I lowered it, I kept meaning to compared the springs to my old standard ones from the Antibes.....they look the same length but the GTE ones are a lot fatter and stiffer.....I'll compare them properly tomorrow (If I remember!)

[blondie]

yeah ur probably right

[pickle2000]

...... haven't any of you got 15" wheels with 195/45 tyres on? If you have, and have lowered your Nova what is the gap under the front arch?

I am looking for some figures here peeps...

[blondie]

yes I have. sorry i forgot to do it. I will do .

[sketch1.2i]

my 1.2i is lowered 60mm and i had to have the fronts rolled coz i was on near negative clearence on the front and i desperately need the backs doin before i lose a tire....

[Rich Dale]

lol.....I finally got round to comparing my standard GTE springs to my old standard ones off the Antibes.......the front ones are 3" shorter and the rear ones almost 2" shorter!

Obviously they are a higher rate so they don't compress as much so the actual difference on the car is not as large, but still......it proves how much difference there is with the GTE springs over standard ones!