Ive been completely over-analyzing every pro and con of lowering my 02 wrx wagon and Im almost ready to do it. With prodrive springs and kyb gr2 struts, what might it be like with a full car load of people? Any big problems?

I guess my main concern would be a car load full of gear/people and coming across some mud or snow...should I be concerned about getting stuck?

 

It might rub in the rear. You won't get stuck, just rubbing.

 

I've had 8 people in my 03 WRX sedan with Prodrive springs before. LOL

 

HOLY CRAP! its like a clown car! LOLOLOL

yea, rubbing would be your only concern. As far as the car being able to "handle the weight," It should be fine.

-Ted

 

dude, matt, just do it. i have prodrives on stock struts for like 60k miles now and made tons and tons of trips to tahoe, socal, vegas. and this is with full load, 6 people in the car too. i'm pretty picky with my car too so i know where youre coming from. yorue being too paranoid! just have rolled fenders if you have, like, rota's or something.

lets put it this way, if the prodrives couldnt handle the weight or whatever, how would you expect the stock struts/springs to do it any better? in fact, if you are stuck in snow, you want MORE weight on the tires to yield more friction. and if its the clearance you are concerned about, prodrives are the most conservative drop there is: 1.5 inches in front and 0.5 inch in back.

 

lmao, I know, I know, I just need to do it. You've been a great help with all my questions and I cant really think of anything else that would stop me...except maybe credit card debt

 

You only live once.

The only concern you might consider is the possibility of bottoming out on a part of the chassis that hangs low if you are carrying an excessive load that reduces ground clearance for uneven surfaces. I've seen this happen to a friend with a C5 Corvette on a camping trip. I didn't have any problems with my stock height WRX and neither did my friends' SUV, but the 'vette's mufflers caught a lot of dirt when going over an slight embankment to enter a camp site. On another car that I owned, my muffler was not tucked up underneath the chassis as close to the floor pan as it could have been and when I drove slowly across a railroad crossing, it stopped my car dead in its tracks when the muffler's bottom edge caught the top of the railroad tie.

Prodrive springs are a modest drop so unless you have a whole bunch of passengers and like to drive over neighborhood speed bumps at 40 mph, you should be okay.

EDIT: You won't bottom out on the rear diff.

--
0==WW==0
"…axles of evil…" - george w. bush

 

For another opinion-

I wouldn't do it, my undercarraige is pretty beat up at stock height, both my diff guard and my front skid plate have plenty of battle scars.

I can think of several occasions where I would have been high centered had my car been lowered even a little.

But I spend most of my time surveying pro-rally roads and exploring off the highway, so my opinion might not be relevent to your ambitions

 

No, thats pretty relevent to me, I like to do lots of idiotic things whenever I see an open field or mud pit on the side of the road! But that is like .05% of my driving, the rest of the time Im wishing I could be lowered and cool :-) A skid plate to cover the oil pan would help as the rear diff guard I guess...more $$

 

4-5 fat *** americans or regular people? Regular people is okay

 

If driving in the burbs you'll be fine. However going down something like the Mission St in SF would be harsh.

 

I had my Eibachs on my '03 WRX sedan for almost 2 years, and I never had one issue. Running 17" P1's and 225/45-17s. I lived in the Mission on shotwell between 17th and 18th off and on and never had an issue. Probably 20% of my driving was in SF. I went raging on dirt roads on a trip to Oregon, trips to Socal with 4 or 5 people in the car, etc. Track days at Laguna, Sears and Thunderhill. Never one issue. Eibachs don't lower the car a whole lot, but it was right where I wanted it. I am sure with coilovers or anything lower than 1.5" there might be issues.

 

same here...over 66k with Prodrive Springs on stock struts. Like Yin I go to Tahoe, Socal, Nevada, etc. with full loads and it's never been a problem. I've never ran tires any bigger than 215/45-17.

 

Nice pic.

ok, I have one last question, does anyone know if the prodrive/kyb gr2 combo will be bouncy? I know it will be stiffer (more nvh is ok), handle better and be a bit lower. I dont want it to be any bouncier than stock. The 2 things I want to get rid of are -- The bouncy floaty feeling on the freeway and reduce body roll.

Will this spring/strut combo do what I want it to do? I already have 16x7 wheels, f/r endlinks and a rear sedan sway bar, oh and steering rack bushings

 

It will be less bouncy than stock.