Ride Height - Standard Vs Lowered?

[Guest midlife-pug]

Hi all,

 

My 205 1.9 Gti currently has -25mm springs on the front and the rear is lowered to suit.

 

I'm fairly happy with this however as I'm a bit of an old fart I quite like my ride comfort... by 205 standards at least!!

 

I have a set of almost new standard front springs in the garage and was toying with the idea of putting the car back to standard.

 

I'm just looking for opinions of anyone who has done this or come from standard to slightly lowered and what they think the difference has been, if any, to the ride / handling.

My car is basically just a toy which is used for fun and back road blasts so doesn't have to handle like a skateboard.

 

Any thoughts appreciated thanks.

[Normski 1]

It will be more comfy ride at the std height.

Not the same thing, but my 205 had a 60mm drop at the front. It looked great but fast driving was not possible on bumpy B-roads due to it hitting the bump stops, it was dangerous.

I replaced them with -30mm springs and that was far better.

[daveyboyblack 1]

For what it's worth i've got 50mm springs on mine and will be going up to 30mm or 25mm soon as the car has lost a bit of it's character.

 

It's really down to personal opinion tho I guess. I'd find a standard car a little too soft, but it also depends on what springs you've got on? 25mm isn't a big drop so maybe the springs you've got are just too stiff, and this is the problem rather than the ride height itself?

 

Dave

[danpug 1]

What make are the springs? I had eibachs on mine before and they gave a good ride with great performance, alot more pricey than other springs though.

Edited January 24, 2008 by danpug

[McPikie 0]

Also, dont forget, most are riding on 195/50's by now. Get it back on 185/55's as there IS a difference

[James_R 3]

I've got a 1600 on totally std sus and 185/60R14 tyres, and it's so much more fun to drive than my full on track 205 (on the roads to work this is)

 

Also if you're not making the rear spring rate stiffer (bigger bars) then changing just the front will upset the balance the car has as std, hence leaving mine along.

 

You can compensate with just a bigger ARB in the tail and lower front springs, but it spoils the charm of the 205 I think.

[SimonJ 2]

What James said. And the answer is very dependent on your local roads. I'm in the sticks and standard is the only way to go - can go faster in a straight line without getting pitched into a ditch and more adjustable when you come across a tractor, a tightening bend or some mud on the road.

[DaveW 6]

I wish my cj had standard ride hight its horriable on the rough fen roads

[Jrod 7]

Mines standard height but feels like a lowered car with its stiffness.

[Guest midlife-pug]

Thanks for all your opinions lads.

 

Its not that I find it particularly hard riding.

In the past I had a 1989 205 XS ex-demo , then a 1990 1.6 GTI both as standard but that was so long ago I can't remember what they rode like as I've been pampered by more modern machinery.

 

Its probably more to do with having the standard springs and also as I'm trying to return it to completely original condition thought I'd be as well doing the suspension as well.

 

Anyway I'm sure Peugeot had half an idea what they were doing with the handling in the first place... unlike everything else on the bloody thing!!!

[paul_portsmouth 3]

this may sound odd but mine seems to handle very well it has -50 206 gti springs ( they fit and are a very simular shape to the 205 originals but a tad stiffer )

[joey 0]

ive fitted -30mm eibach springs to the front of mine and set the rear to match. I find them a bit choppy and make the front a bit less predictable on rough corners,, quite nice though i have to say on smooth corners.

 

all depends on the kind of roads you gonna be on i guess..

[pacey205 2]

Yup Id say it all depends on the roads. Most of the roads round my parents house arent too bad but are generally quite choppy. Having gone from standard suspension to 309 stuff all round with sprintline front shocks and eibach springs and grpn billies on the rear, all lowered about 30/35mm it still handles the majority really well but the really rough stuff becomes a bit more of a challenge. Having said that I dont find it much of a problem as they were never roads you could drive absolutely flat out down anyway, and regardless of lowered/standard the oldm mans Octavia would dissapear into the distance with its long travel and decent damping, but I dont have near as much fun in that

 

Michael

[luggy 13]

Standard ride height at the rear and a pair of gravel spec springs stiffens the front end up without lowering without being harsh but definatly an upgrade over standard springs.