E46 cant go lower HELP!!!

[INDOMI]

hey guys, i ditched my 19s for some 17s thinking that the car is gonna sit pretty much on the ground. But i was wrong. I asked a workshop to lower the suspension as low as its possible but when i picked up the car today its still not as low as some of the e46s i see here. They said the suspension can still go a lot lower but im at the point where my tie rod and other susp components are hitting each other so i cant get it to sit lower. Is this true? Need all the help i can get guys.

ps oh and im not sure if this will help or not but my current wheel spec is 17x8.5 205/45/17 and 17x10 225/45/17

Cheers
Ray

[Jorge]

Are you using shortened drop links? I'm using some hyundai coupe 2005 model rear drop links, they are like 15cm rather than 25cm.

Still got the adjuster in the back?

[INDOMI]

sorry Jorge forgot to mention that im only having trouble at the front. rear is fine. Ive got adjustable front swaybar links installed. I dont think my mechanic touched that today. Do you reckon if i lower the swaybar link i could go lower at the front?

Also, ive got air suspension on my car, thats why im really disappointed i cant go lower, no point in having the air sus on then

[Anonymoose]

Why would you take it to a shop to wind the coilovers down? Genuine question

[macleanshaun]

Remove said components that are touching.

[Jorge]

Maybe? I'm not sure as I didn't fit mine with the original length links at all only shorter ones.

I did try some 10cm ones though and it made the steering very tight and creaked.

[INDOMI]

Why would you take it to a shop to wind the coilovers down? Genuine question

Full time work + family = absolutely no time at all lol

Remove said components that are touching.

haha if i do that i wont be able to steer the car

Maybe? I'm not sure as I didn't fit mine with the original length links at all only shorter ones.

I did try some 10cm ones though and it made the steering very tight and creaked.

ic, i really dont know what to do now

[Jorge]

Spener doesn't run the links at all on his E46...

[Anonymoose]

Have a look and see what parts are actually touching, there really isn't anything near the tie rods that would touch unless it's something to do with your bags. I had a problem of my brake line bracket touching my drop links which I slightly moved to clear when turning, although I've got thicker drop links than usual. I rekon the shop was jelly and just didn't lower it

[stinkinrich]

Full time work + family = absolutely no time at all lol


but you said you're on air.

CONFUSED.

[INDOMI]

my air suspension works like coilovers, if the bags dont go enough i can adjust the body of the shock to go lower.

[stinkinrich]

Ah i see!

[Francois Dillinger]

ask luckyboy on here. his car is bagged in the front and could have some pointers. there are a couple others i believe, but don't know the usernames...

[Joshbm]

Are you using shortened drop links? I'm using some hyundai coupe 2005 model rear drop links, they are like 15cm rather than 25cm.

Still got the adjuster in the back?

Would you suggest this on mine too? as pretty sure my rear is all the way down :(

[Anonymoose]

Take em out or put your oem rubber ones in if you don't like the idea of spring on perch, you'll get 20mm ish

[Joshbm]

Im prety sure mine are the oem as i havnt changed them, neither did the previous owner as far as i know.

[RoByNeT]

Hi. Can you please post a picture of your front ? from the side and the front ? I have the same problem, my front doesen't go low enought. :(

[SceneBM]

You say your tie rod and other suspension components are hitting but this doesnt sound right.
mine lays atm, and i still have about 20mm more to drop [i popped blocks under the wheels and dropped the car] and nothing hits in terms of moving parts, brake lines etc
only thing i can suggest is different top mounts? i had some made which dropped the car another 30mm or so

[Johnny_Coleslaw]

I dont have air but I have adjustable sway bar links on my e46 and i had the same problem. when i lowered my car it didn't go any lower. so i thought maybe the sway bar links were too long, so i adjusted them shorter. which ended up lowering the car another 1/4 which is what I wanted. the only problem i'm having now is my brake lines rub my sway bar a good bit. so once i go lower i feel like theyll rub it even more.

[JonP28]

2004 chevy impala ss rear sway links fit on the front. for now just remove your sway bar if your not concerned with performance and you can go a bit lower.

[Anonymoose]

You say your tie rod and other suspension components are hitting but this doesnt sound right.
mine lays atm, and i still have about 20mm more to drop [i popped blocks under the wheels and dropped the car] and nothing hits in terms of moving parts, brake lines etc
only thing i can suggest is different top mounts? i had some made which dropped the car another 30mm or so

Holy shit, please come to a meet, park on blocks then lay frame again :eyebrows

[booogs]

all e46s on air have this problem. the strut mounts sit too high for e46's to fully take advantage of air suspension. the bag bracket needs to be mounted lower and the struts need to be revalved in order to take advantage of the air suspension OR buy a set of air struts designed specifically for the e46.

[SceneBM]

What booogs said really. My bag perches are around 15mm above my tyres, so I'm restricted to 17s, but it gets me laying. However i couldn't lay before i got my custom top mounts. I can get you in touch with the guys at Havair who made my struts. They spec them to your wheel and tyre size and then get Gaz to make them. They could then ship them over to you no problem. Just send me a pm and i can pass you over to the guys

[BreakMyWallet]

need shorter strut hats. there were replacement ones but i cant seem to find them.

[userix]

Is the shorter drop links only required for the front with slammed e46s? Would I need to switch out anything in the rear for sitting the car on the ground?