My Fabia has a sports suspension & 16" alloys, but one thing that still bothers me about its appearance is the arch gap on the rear side.

 

The car looks really good in the front where it's considerably lower than in the rear, so I wish I could lower it 2-3 cm in the back. Is that possible or would I need to buy new springs?

 

If possible, could it in any way have an adverse effect on my car in the long run? Also, would it make my ride even stiffer? (Sports suspension already makes it rather stiff.)

 

P.S.: if I lowered the suspension in the back, would it affect aerodynamics and thus fuel consumption?

Edited 27 November, 20169 yr by jon15

Cut the springs or force then to compress with cable ties/ gaffer tape.

 

Do NOT do that ^^^

Store a 100 kilo sandbag in the luggage compartment?

100kg in the boot makes little difference, unless there are also 3 x 100kg passengers in the rear seat.

Cut the springs or force then to compress with cable ties/ gaffer tape.

Do NOT do that ^^^

Both MOT fails too :s

Yes bad idea, but you know how many cars are on UK roads with a MOT and cut springs.

Also some in Compounds after being taken off the road as well though after a roadside stop.

Just get an Eibach lowering kit:

 

http://www.eibachshop.co.uk/info-part-list?make=SKODA&model=FABIA%20(NJ3)&spec=1.2%20TSI%2001%2F08%2F2014

Just get an Eibach lowering kit:

 

http://www.eibachshop.co.uk/info-part-list?make=SKODA&model=FABIA%20(NJ3)&spec=1.2%20TSI%2001%2F08%2F2014

 

I see, thanks. Could I use this to lower just the rear suspension, or would I need to replace the springs in the front as well?

 

Would it make the ride even stiffer if I lowered the rear part for, say, 2 cm?

only problem with buying lowering springs is that the stated drop will for a standard car not a car with 'sports suspension' (what an overstatement that is!). So you might not see much of a difference.

 

Does anybody actually know how much drop there is with the oem lowering springs? 

 

It does make me laugh, people who opt for sports suspension will want low suspension so why bother offering a half arsed attempt, if they don't want to go lower because they deem it unsafe then dont bother at all, the rear of our fabias look ridiculous up on stilts

only problem with buying lowering springs is that the stated drop will for a standard car not a car with 'sports suspension' (what an overstatement that is!). So you might not see much of a difference.

 

Does anybody actually know how much drop there is with the oem lowering springs? 

 

It does make me laugh, people who opt for sports suspension will want low suspension so why bother offering a half arsed attempt, if they don't want to go lower because they deem it unsafe then dont bother at all, the rear of our fabias look ridiculous up on stilts

 

Exactly! The sports suspension is only 15 mm lower than regular suspension as far as I know, which is pretty much a joke indeed. Should've gone at least 25 mm with it. It looks good in the front but if you look from the back it's just too high from the ground ("up on stilts" - yes, that's a good way of putting it, hah).

 

P.S.: I see that you have a Monte Carlo so I'm assuming 17", which probably makes the arch gap less apparent.

Edited 30 November, 20169 yr by jon15

Exactly! The sports suspension is only 15 mm lower than regular suspension as far as I know, which is pretty much a joke indeed. Should've gone at least 25 mm with it. It looks good in the front but if you look from the back it's just too high from the ground ("up on stilts" - yes, that's a good way of putting it, hah).

 

P.S.: I see that you have a Monte Carlo so I'm assuming 17", which probably makes the arch gap less apparent.

The monte carlo comes with 16" wheels as standard, I try not to think about the 17" I wish I had gone for them... but its just a car to drag the family about in so I shouldn't be too hung up about it. 

Edited 30 November, 20169 yr by Jeffchiz

Eibach's back springs lower car for 2.9 cm, front for 2.2 cm in my case. (had a Sport Suspension before)

If you put only back springs car will look like overweighted.

Here is my car with Eibach's.

Edited 17 December, 20169 yr by Markkoni

Exactly! The sports suspension is only 15 mm lower than regular suspension as far as I know, which is pretty much a joke indeed.

 

P.S.: I see that you have a Monte Carlo so I'm assuming 17", which probably makes the arch gap less apparent.

 

 

If you fit the correct tyres for 15", 16" or 17" wheels, the circumference will stay almost exactly the same, so the arch gap will remain the same.

^^^ Nail on head.

http://kouki.co.uk/utilities/visual-tyre-size-calculator

Eibach's back springs lower car for 2.9 cm, front for 2.2 cm in my case. (had a Sport Suspension before)

If you put only back springs car will look like overweighted.

Here is my car with Eibach's.

 

Nice, looks really good.. (perhaps even slightly too low up front, I'd be a bit anxious when it comes to pavement curbs  :) )

So I'm assuming the ride is now even stiffer than it was previously on your sports suspension?

 

As far as my Fabia is concerned I'm actually OK with the front part, I'm mostly annoyed with the height in the back...

Edited 18 December, 20169 yr by jon15

I like Tail up a bit.

Nicer front end traction as well with FWD IME.

With Eibach's it is softer on sharp bumps.

But on normal bumps feels it is harder than OEM suspension.

It looks too lowered on photo, but it isn't like that in real.

I will try to find some other photo.

Jon, don't lower the back anymore without doing the front as well. You will upset the handling dynamics and yes it can affect the fuel economy. Bear in mind the front should be lower than the rear, that's how it's designed for efficiency and best handling in standard form. As you drive, the rear end of the car lowers itself anyway as you get natural rearward weight transfer, even when cruising, due to forward forces and wind effect. As you drive the rear end will lower itself by around another 12-15mm at 70mph even with your factory lowered sport suspension. If you have a passenger/s it'll be much more and you don't want to run into problems.