What´s your opinion on lowering caps?

[Stahlhart]

Hi there,

what´s your opinion on lowering caps? Are there any problems?

Just thought about lowering my 1994 RT/10 a little bit, but I´m not sure if this is a good idea doing it by lowering caps?

Thanks and have a nice weekend.

Jürgen

 

[bluesrt]

they are great for cruseing, dangerous for high speed driveing,makes the car too loose

 

[Dom426h]

Blue, How would thinner caps make a car any looser than stock?

-Ride height a tad lower
-more aerodynamic from less air going under
-Lower center of gravity
-Alignment can still be adjusted to whatever you want

what am i missing?

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I personally woud prefer to lower with shorter stiffer springs and adjust the koni's a bit stiffer to match them for a more performance oriented setup.

 

[Indy]

I`m installing caps this weekend. I did quite a bit of research before and have never heard of this being dangerous, but then again I don`t have any personal experience with this setup as of yet. You are only lowering the suspension by about 0.75 inches and lowering the center of gravity (which will logically make it more stable). Maybe Blue can shed some light on his statement - some new insight is always helpful. Cheers.

 

[LifeIsGood]

I have them on my GEN II and love the stance much better over the stock setup. I haven't noticed any high speed issues, but then again I don't get my viper over the speed limit.

My opinion is JUST DO IT!

 

[bluesrt]

it changes the tension on the springs, i first did just lowering springs, drove ok, but rode like hell and dropped it to much in front verses rear, then went back to stock springs and lowering caps, this made the car very loose at high speed cornering. so unless you like a loose feel to the car, dont do it.. or do it if you only cruise. iv done it all , the only secure feel i got was kw-2 or something like that.. ( the loose feel felt like the ass wanted to pass me up ) long high speed sweeper

 

[Timnineside]

I did springs and caps on my 99 GTS. Rode like a dream. No issues at all. Handles better, tracked good, didn't rub, and took away that flight feeling around 140+.

Do both. Great bang for the buck.

-Tim

 

[Dom426h]

it changes the tension on the springs,

Blue, Please explain how.


and,
Picture this basic example:
You weigh 200 lbs.
You are sitting on top of a 10" tall spring with a 2" thick Book under your @$$.
You are currently 11" above the ground because your weight is compressing the spring exactly 1 inch

You then stand up, Remove the Book, and sit back down.
You are now 9" off of the ground with your same exact weight compressing the spring 1 inch



The moral of this story is that the book IS the lowering cap. lol

 

[bluesrt]

i just explained it- lol, its just my exsperiace, i have been in and out of a ton of hp cars, when i put on kw2 susp. the whole car felt like a ton of handleing security verses the band-aid ways, think about it- make sense? all that band aid stuff is fine for lolly gagging down the road and thats all folks!! you get what you pay for, this is just me though

 

[bluesrt]

and the book thing makes sense but it doesnt work like that in reality.. no worky- nascar? how do they change during a race on tight and loose feel? answer the question student(kidding)

 

[Brian GTS]

Did just the caps on my 01 GTS a few months back just to drop her down a little and love them. I'd do it all over again. Go for it!

 

[Viper98912]

Bluesrt the math doesn't add up. It only works when the length of the spring is restricted by something in tension (the shock absorber). In this case, the weight of the car forces the minimum of the spring to go past that length (the spring compressing down as you lower the jack). The book analogy is correct.

 

[LifeIsGood]

I don't remember the last time I saw a viper in a NASCAR race...maybe a different animal.

 

[bluesrt]

ok guys, its just what i felt, im just trying to maybe save a problem,but maybe its just me. i tried all differant ways, and thats what i felt... so maybe you try it and its good for you. lowering and raising a car does change suspension, so thats why you have compression and rebound adjustments to make up for the change to make it driveable for your style.. and handle correctly

 

[bluesrt]

I don't remember the last time I saw a viper in a NASCAR race...maybe a different animal.

your right it is a differant animal, but same concept in any suspension

 

[LifeIsGood]

I will always defer to those that are track rats, especially about suspension issues. These cars are so low to the ground, I'm sure track and general road conditions can vary hugely.

 

[ViperGTS]

Jürgen,
go for a full suspension setup like KW or leave it alone....it is a Viper not a rabbit and do not go the north Bavarian route....