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wah... dang you TC... my wallet might be cursing you soon, if I keep reading threads like this!

must... refrain... from... spending.

it's almost a good thing that lowering the car would cause issues with my driveway... cause it's helping NOT blow my money on this.

btw, Jim2bFit, I am curious about those same things too... Swift + 205s + maybe new wheels.

WAIT, what am I talking about... mustn't talk about it... might end up doing it...

WAHHHHH *runs away in terror*

 

Just cut back on stuff like fast food, cold drinks, cigarettes, energy drinks, bottled water, alcoholic beverages, Starbucks etc. I don't think the GEs have as much of a problem with the front lip dragging as the GDs do.... I had the same feelings as you and didn't change out my stock springs until my car was almost 3 years old.... It would still have stock springs if I hadn't checked out what was being said about the Swift Machs... When I saw that Tohatsu made them I flashed back to the 60s and recalled going crazy on a minibike that had a Tohatsu motor and 5 speed transmission and knew I had to get them.

 

Looks right. Should be fine. Others have run this exact setup on swifts within 3mm on the outside and no problems to report. Tire design might play into it some.

I was surprised to see the inside line up exactly. I am wondering how much clearance we have there for going even wider on the tires?

215/45/16s anyone? Unless there is some problem on the inside, I'm almost positive these won't rub on the outside at swift height especially since they are a smaller diameter overall than stock, and the 205s, but is not as small in diameter as the 205/40/17s lots of people have on their ride.

 

At stock height... it feels like it's about to scrap the ground everytime i pull out of my driveway. and for sure, there's two driveways I've scraped on already (deliveries).

but all this increased handling and feeling more planted is getting tempting.

 

I have real big problem with scraping the front lip too... I don't guess it is a big enough thing to warrant going back to using the stock springs or I surely would have done so by now.... It's hard to imagine the ride control of a European sedan on a Japanese B car with stock shocks but that's the only way I know of to explain the feel.

 

Not sure if this thread will help; the GE's were are little forgiving from what I understand. GD's have a stock +55 offset to the GE's +53

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...el-thread.html

 

I decided to see just how much room there is when pulling out of my driveway.

I pulled up to the end of the drive way and let my front tires sit (settle) on the lowest point. And so, with the car NOT moving, I have what looks to be an inch of room before it hits the ground (at least that black strip that's under the bumper, is that really a "spoiler"?). So, I would guess it gets a little closer while I am moving, from the bump/inertia.

that being said... it is a guarantee that it will always hit if I lower it.

of course, there's the option of coilovers with their adjustable heights (and I think a few can be adjusted from in the cabin?!?)... but man, $1k just to play with the basic versions.

 

If you are talking about a strip of rubber that is behind the bumper there may not be a problem.. If it is like mine that can be easily removed or it will just get worn off in time... It is the front lip that gets to the slope before the wheels get to it that is a problem... If you have 2" or more clearance at the lip at the point just before the tires reach the bottom of the incline you shouldn't scrape with the springs...I have had to lay a 2"X6" board down in front of my garage entrance to prevent trashing the lip anymore than it already was before I installed the springs.

 

I thought about doing something like you did with the 2x6... but I'd probably get complaints or even a ticket from the city (village)! At least I don't need city stickers all over my windshield.

*sigh* I guess if I do get the springs, I might as well suck it up... the scraping that is... afterall, it's just the rubber of the bumper shell... not the metal of a subframe.

man... i'm torn... on one hand, I'd love to know what better handling feels like.

on the other... can I justify it vs costs? Not to mention the fact that I just bought the Fit, so I have quite some time (miles too) on my factory warranty... which goes out the window if I do this (on suspension parts anyway).

 

Well just bring the 2 x 6 in all the time. A way back when I had my Austin Healey Sprite I lived in a place with 4 - 5 inch curb. I built ramps to get in and out. I would have to get out and either put them away or place them to get in drive( actually an alley between a couple of houses.

I doubt you would have warranty problem with Swifts if installed properly. We broke an ABS sensor installing mine. I went to dealer and said light was on. My dealer replaced under warranty after they checked to see if the springs were the problem.

 

Hey Goobers, That old guy black3sr is another old crazy that has put Swifts on his car... I don't think that the GE owners have near the problem with front end clearance that the GD owners have to put up with.... To get the desired handling Swift aims for when engineering their springs they had to use less drop on the rear on the GD and it being higher in the rear with the springs contributes to the reduced clearance in the front but the resulting improvement in handling they attained in doing it the way they did is hard to believe. The ride comfort isn't at all jolting as with lowering springs that that have more windings weigh more and have less travel.

 

According to their pdf, it's the same "drop" on the GDs and GEs (1.2/1.0). But the spring rates are listed as different though, making them the lowest compared to all the other cars on the pdf. Maybe that explains Black3sr's comment about it riding just like stock (the taffy thread).

put it down and pick it up everytime I come and go? *sigh*... That conflicts with my lazy nature.

aside from my lazy nature... I'll just think about it some more. I practically dreamt about it (not so much using them, but getting and installing them in a Chicago winter *brrr*).

speaking of Black3sr... I'm still waiting for an opportunity to get myself a pair of JDM tails. It'll probably be my only other exterior cosmetic change, unless I find a set of light weight wheels that I actually like looking at. The only exterior one was my headlights. I can just hop the border to buy a pair next time I visit San Diego (gotta visit my little nieces one of these days, maybe drive there?). Just a question of when.

 

Goobers, You make me laugh all of the time.. When I see one of your post I always jump to see what you have posted, hell of a lot more interesting than TV.

 

Who you calling old there Wily?

Yes Goob the ride is pretty much the same - choppy and rough depending on the road - lol. I scraped a front corner on a parking block/curb thing I think. Didn't feel a thing. It was easy to touchup with spray can. Other than that just use some common sense and you will not have a problem scraping.

Get your tails from Danny Pal and you can look like this - nice eh.



Or this


or this



Jealous yet?

 

Oh, I've BEEN jealous... But you know that phrase, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorn"?

Well, I have no woman at the moment, but the vengeance if a wallet can really mess up your week (when you're broke). Maybe it's a good thing I dun have me a woman, double trouble. *shivers*

I thought about doing the whole trade thing through Danny.Pal, but I'm not a fan of getting things "used". I know, they're all supposed to be very well kept, it just a bias of mine. Plus, I'm shy (sharing info is difficult for me). Not to mention, as long as I have to wait for my next visit to SD, it means that little bit of cash stays in my wallet ever so slightly longer.

Oh, and I've scraped my front end a few times already. The black strip when leaving one driveway and then again when entering a different driveway (steep!). I scraped the corner pretty hard when I was turning, the road dipped forcing that corner to hit the road ("brick" road). It actually carved a chunk out of that part of the bumper. I lightly scraped that same corner when I parked (bumper just rested on the curb).

 

I found out that my springs are 1.4" lower in front and 0.9" in the rear.. They must have changed them from the original springs but more than likely are selling the same set for both models... The GE length springs would work better for me the way and where I drive plus removing the back seats increased the hight in the rear and the front seems to scrape worse since The seat was removed.

 

Well Danny Pal has a great rep here. My tails looked like new and so well packed. Everyone here agrees. Shy about sharing info?? Do not understand that one.

You better slow down and save that lip.

bill

ps Wily you need a heavier GF in the back to hold it down or put the seats back in.

 

I, is liking keeping myself anonymous.

I keep an eye out for any place that might cause trouble and make a note to handle it differently. But, I was caught off guard on those. 1 driveway, I entered at an angle, but exited rather straight... scraped even though I literally crawled out in an attempt not to. At the second driveway, I mistakenly assuming the second part of it (from sidewalk to house) was the same as the first part (between road and sidewalk).

For the turn, it was only as I started turning was I able to see that the road dipped in that corner... I had hoped I would "magically" clear it. No dice.

TC,

I wonder if that has something to do with the "Mach" in the name of the springs you bring up... when I go to Swift's site, they don't list Mach Sport Springs... just "Sport Springs."

edit: crap... I think I just passed the point of no return. My wallet is going to hate me now. >.>

 

Not sure what buying tails has to do with being anonymous? Get a rich GF and let her buy them then.

I guess there is always that dip that will catch us. I have one good one I know I will bottom out if I take it at normal speed. It is a nice smooth one and is fun to go through quick but I would pay the price.