Question for bodykit owners
#1
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Question for bodykit owners
Okay, so I just got a WIN kit on my 98 GS4 and it looks sweet (pics to come in a few days). I went by to look at it today in the bodyshop and it's great except for the fact that my clearance by both front doors is about 1" from the ground.
I think I can get over speed bumps if I go really slow, but my question for you bodykit owners is:
How do you get maintenance done on your cars with bodykits if a jack can't even get under there?
I know some mechanics use wood blocks to help make early contact with the underbody, but my clearance seems impossible to make. My side skirts also have a little flex so they might be able to be manipulated(?). How will I ever get it lifted up again?
It does look awesome though!
I think I can get over speed bumps if I go really slow, but my question for you bodykit owners is:
How do you get maintenance done on your cars with bodykits if a jack can't even get under there?
I know some mechanics use wood blocks to help make early contact with the underbody, but my clearance seems impossible to make. My side skirts also have a little flex so they might be able to be manipulated(?). How will I ever get it lifted up again?
It does look awesome though!
#2
Lexus Champion
Re: Question for bodykit owners
Originally posted by kevs
Okay, so I just got a WIN kit on my 98 GS4 and it looks sweet (pics to come in a few days). I went by to look at it today in the bodyshop and it's great except for the fact that my clearance by both front doors is about 1" from the ground.
I think I can get over speed bumps if I go really slow, but my question for you bodykit owners is:
How do you get maintenance done on your cars with bodykits if a jack can't even get under there?
I know some mechanics use wood blocks to help make early contact with the underbody, but my clearance seems impossible to make. My side skirts also have a little flex so they might be able to be manipulated(?). How will I ever get it lifted up again?
It does look awesome though!
Okay, so I just got a WIN kit on my 98 GS4 and it looks sweet (pics to come in a few days). I went by to look at it today in the bodyshop and it's great except for the fact that my clearance by both front doors is about 1" from the ground.
I think I can get over speed bumps if I go really slow, but my question for you bodykit owners is:
How do you get maintenance done on your cars with bodykits if a jack can't even get under there?
I know some mechanics use wood blocks to help make early contact with the underbody, but my clearance seems impossible to make. My side skirts also have a little flex so they might be able to be manipulated(?). How will I ever get it lifted up again?
It does look awesome though!
to my knowledge they do have jacks to lift lowered cars. As for mechanics, all they gotta do is drive your car into their shop and on top of their lift. And lift away.
remember when you now go up a hill or over a speed bump, you should go over or up them on an angle instead of straight up.
#3
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Any suggestions on where you can get a lift for a lowered car like you mentioned. I have never seen them, but would love to get one. I found a way to jack up the rear on my 94', but the front I have no way of doing it.
#5
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My car was already dropped before, but it wasn't too low. When I went to the bodyshop yesterday, the car looked slammed. But yeah, the portion of the side skirt by the front door has about 1" clearance.
CSHFLW has a pretty low clearance, too. I looked at his pics and I think it's about that low.
CSHFLW has a pretty low clearance, too. I looked at his pics and I think it's about that low.
#7
Instructor
Your jack will NOT fit under the side skirts and you will NOT be able to have your car towed (flatbed or otherwise) without serious damage and you will not be able to get serviced at shops that lift your car from the side and you will not be able to drive up on some driveways or speed bumps without damage. Everyone says that you can cross speed bumps by going sideways but that is not always an option. I broke my side skirts on speed bumps and had to have them removed. I only wish someone had told me about the drawbacks of having such low side skirts before I wasted my money and time.
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#8
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hey kevs,
u have to use wood blocks it seems.. well tahts what my friend had to do when lifting my car for a oil change! i am from VA and if u find anyone in the area that can do maintanence easily to get around the kit please inform me!! thanks!!
u have to use wood blocks it seems.. well tahts what my friend had to do when lifting my car for a oil change! i am from VA and if u find anyone in the area that can do maintanence easily to get around the kit please inform me!! thanks!!
#9
1" of clearance without adjustable suspension?!?:eek:
Make sure you keep your trunk empty, because you will have to stuff spoiler parts in there. You are just asking for trouble. 95% of even the oil change places can't accept you. Speedbumps will make you cry. Trying to cross traffic to make a left turn into the gas station is NOT happening. If you have a flat you are SEVERELY F'ed. Etc.....
You need to bring the car up for driving purposes...my suggestion is call Tein or HKS and get some coil-overs. That way when you want it low put it down, when you need to drive keep it up.
As far as jacks...I saw an inflatable bellow looking jack that I can't seem to find on the internet. It was a great thing, it was only a couple inches high and came with some pads that you could use to raise it more. I wanted to get one, but like I said I coudn't find it. I thought is was called AirJack.
Make sure you keep your trunk empty, because you will have to stuff spoiler parts in there. You are just asking for trouble. 95% of even the oil change places can't accept you. Speedbumps will make you cry. Trying to cross traffic to make a left turn into the gas station is NOT happening. If you have a flat you are SEVERELY F'ed. Etc.....
You need to bring the car up for driving purposes...my suggestion is call Tein or HKS and get some coil-overs. That way when you want it low put it down, when you need to drive keep it up.
As far as jacks...I saw an inflatable bellow looking jack that I can't seem to find on the internet. It was a great thing, it was only a couple inches high and came with some pads that you could use to raise it more. I wanted to get one, but like I said I coudn't find it. I thought is was called AirJack.
#10
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I've already got TEIN HA's, but now I have to find a way to jack the car up to lift up the car a little. It's rainy weather here in MD, so I'll have to post pics within the next few days.
I only have 18's, so it might not look right. My bodyshop guy told me that most shops, with their lifts, have replacement lifts to get under slammed cars. I'd never heard of that, but I'm going to be looking into it.
Air jacks are around, but nothing lower than 8 1/2" closed. Thanks for the continued feedback. Help!
I only have 18's, so it might not look right. My bodyshop guy told me that most shops, with their lifts, have replacement lifts to get under slammed cars. I'd never heard of that, but I'm going to be looking into it.
Air jacks are around, but nothing lower than 8 1/2" closed. Thanks for the continued feedback. Help!
#11
Damn, 1" inch off the ground is way too low. My veilside side skirts and front bumper have very good clearance, but I cant use a floor jack unless I drive on a 2x4 or use a hand jack.
#12
I agree with MRGS400nSoCali, that's way too low to be driven on the streets. Maybe in a car show but that's it. If you leave it low like that your bound to crack the hell out of you kit...
Aloha
Aloha
#13
MRGSinSoCali...thats what I have to do as well, I actually made some ramps out of 1" thick pieces of wood to raise it up about 6 inches so I can get a hydralic under it. Normal ramps are to short, mine are about 6' long.
Kev...sorry, I didn't see that you had the Teins. The air jacks that I saw were at a mini-truck show. They were circular cylinders and were only 3" (mximum) high. When I asked the guy that had them about them, he said that his bags had failed leaving his truck completely slammed to the ground and he was able to get them under the truck from the rear to lift it up to fix it with no problems.
The other thing you might be able to do is lift the car from the tow hooks in the rear. You should be able to get a hydralic to fit there.
There have only been a few places I have been to have been able to lift my car, and it is NOT completely slammed. Find one now!!
Good Luck!!
Todd
Kev...sorry, I didn't see that you had the Teins. The air jacks that I saw were at a mini-truck show. They were circular cylinders and were only 3" (mximum) high. When I asked the guy that had them about them, he said that his bags had failed leaving his truck completely slammed to the ground and he was able to get them under the truck from the rear to lift it up to fix it with no problems.
The other thing you might be able to do is lift the car from the tow hooks in the rear. You should be able to get a hydralic to fit there.
There have only been a few places I have been to have been able to lift my car, and it is NOT completely slammed. Find one now!!
Good Luck!!
Todd
#14
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Try turning your wheel full lock to the left or the right. Then use your jack (I don't know if you get a similair one to the hondas but they get really small ones that siccor up) and manovuer it through the wheel well and place it under the jack point or under the lower a arm (if you have one). Jack it up a little and once its high enough use a floor jack and raise it the rest of the way.
#15
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mayb 2 inches of the ground.. and only on the front and rear side off the side skirts... ONLY if you have like 16's or 17's.....
with 20's its higher
with 20's its higher
Last edited by CamRen; 06-25-02 at 01:32 PM.
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