Lowering a daily driver 1LE, advice please

[MBaseman]

Originally Posted by jeff657756

I sent MBaseman this already, but here is mine with BMR 1.25. I love them.

Thanks Jeff!

This is the 2014 1LE that I was referring to when I mentioned a nice, low front drop but not as low in the rear, which I like. However, then I read someone else (2010 SS) got a lower rear and a high front when he did the 1.25" BMR's. His rear was so low compared to his front, that he decided to swap the rears out for the 1" BMR's to level it out a bit. His front did not look anywhere as low as this 2014 1LE though, but his rear was much, much lower. In fact, the rear on this 1LE seems pretty high for a 1.25" drop. Not that the car doesn't look good, just trying to figure out the reasons for the different drops.

I am wondering if it has to do with any of the following:

1) 2010 vs 2014
2) SS vs 1LE
3) Pre "redesign" vs Post "redesign" (BMR says the redesigned their springs, at least the 1", to work better with the 14/15. They were having issues seating properly I think)
4) Long shot, but did BMR/vendor get springs mixed up on either car (doubtful...but you never know)
5) A combination of some of these factors?

Inconsistency is not helpful when you are on the fence about a possible choice! lol

[Pushrod Pete]

Originally Posted by jeff657756

I sent MBaseman this already, but here is mine with BMR 1.25. I love them.

this looks perfect.

i want to go with DSE coils, but that 1.5" drop is a little too aggressive.

1.25" would be perfect. i think i remember reading pfadt used a 1le to engineer their lowering springs. not sure how accurate that is, tho.

[MBaseman]

Originally Posted by Pushrod Pete

this looks perfect.

i want to go with DSE coils, but that 1.5" drop is a little too aggressive.

1.25" would be perfect. i think i remember reading pfadt used a 1le to engineer their lowering springs. not sure how accurate that is, tho.

I agree about DSE coils, if they were advertising 1" - 1.25", then I think I would have jumped on them.

Regarding the pfadt statement, I don't think this is true (but I could be wrong) as I think their springs have been out since before the 1LE's were introduced. Right? Wrong?

[BMR Sales]

Originally Posted by MBaseman

Thanks Jeff!

This is the 2014 1LE that I was referring to when I mentioned a nice, low front drop but not as low in the rear, which I like. However, then I read someone else (2010 SS) got a lower rear and a high front when he did the 1.25" BMR's. His rear was so low compared to his front, that he decided to swap the rears out for the 1" BMR's to level it out a bit. His front did not look anywhere as low as this 2014 1LE though, but his rear was much, much lower. In fact, the rear on this 1LE seems pretty high for a 1.25" drop. Not that the car doesn't look good, just trying to figure out the reasons for the different drops.

I am wondering if it has to do with any of the following:

1) 2010 vs 2014
2) SS vs 1LE
3) Pre "redesign" vs Post "redesign" (BMR says the redesigned their springs, at least the 1", to work better with the 14/15. They were having issues seating properly I think)
4) Long shot, but did BMR/vendor get springs mixed up on either car (doubtful...but you never know)
5) A combination of some of these factors?

Inconsistency is not helpful when you are on the fence about a possible choice! lol

We've had a couple of good eMails.

Not a difference between 2010 - 14

Valving on the 1LE Struts/Shocks is different so the ride will be slightly different

There were only isolated cases of Springs not seating properly to a new GM Isolator Pad. These were Front Springs only and we did a redesign on all Drop Levels

There are Part Numbers on all of our Springs. Since we are Human, so there is a slight chance of mix-ups, but highly unlikely as the Guys Box up 1 Part Number at a time. Always a good idea to check your Parts & Part Numbers before you start to Install.

TC

[MBaseman]

^^^ Thanks TC! Yes, we have exchanged a few good emails. I really appreciate the support that BMR has offered thus far.

[Mbyars]

I went with the BMR 1" a few days ago. I enjoy the fact that the ride did not suffer at all, but it still has a little more wheel gap than I prefer. If I could go back and do it again I think I would go with the 1.25 and see if there was any difference.

[LoneCynic]

Originally Posted by CreeperRS

You're better off with an SS, why waste money on a 1LE? Your car, I wouldn't do that, that's just me.

Some of us purchased a 1LE for the handling characteristics, but live in a rural area, sometimes drive on mountain roads, and some of those roads aren't really conducive to track wheels and tires.

If you live in an urban area with all well maintained roads, and everything is flat as far as the eye can see, and you don't ever have to clear uneven roads, or go up sharp inclines often, then you don't need a setup like mine. If you live in a region that rarely sees harsh weather, you also probably don't need to consider it then either.

I'm glad you seemed so amused by the photo I shared, but you obviously have never had to be concerned with some of the obstacles and potential road hazards other people have to be concerned about in different regions. That's a fairly narrow view that you have.

I never said I permanently switched to this setup, I still have the stock wheels and tires, and can switch to them when the situation calls for it. I never understood the hive mind "one solution fits all" mentality.

[MBaseman]

I decided to go conservative (?) and ordered the Hotchkis 1" springs today. I hope I made a good choice.

[Firefighter]

Originally Posted by MBaseman

I decided to go conservative (?) and ordered the Hotchkis 1" springs today. I hope I made a good choice.

You'll Ike them I've been running mine for a little bit now and I'm pleased.

[MBaseman]

Had the springs installed the other day. Unfortunately, one of my struts got damaged when the installer was putting the top nut back on. The threaded piece literally snapped cleanly off somehow. Lucky me.

Thankfully, they happened to have a used SS strut that they installed as a temporary solution while we wait for a new 1LE strut to be delivered. I am not being charged any extra, but it's an inconvenience.

So I have to wait on the alignment and I also was planning on doing new tires. All of that is now on pause. Hopefully the new strut arrives today...

I haven't had a chance to really test out the car with the new springs. I have been driving somewhat gingerly. I'll post some pictures eventually. I do like the choice so far. The front height seems perfect for me. The rear sits a bit higher but overall it resembles the stock raked look, just a bit lower all around. I'll try to take some measurements as well, but stupid me forgot to do the before measurements.

As far as ride quality goes, I honestly have not noticed anything negative to report. But again, my car is riding on 1 used SS strut, so not sure what effect that is having right now. I do feel like my normal drive, which includes a lot of highway, has either been somewhat unchanged or even rides a little bit smoother somehow? Maybe I got lucky and had one bad 1LE strut like others have reported, and maybe that was the strut they broke? That would be a lucky break...

I'll update further once I have the new strut installed, and then hopefully tires + alignment sooner than later.

Oh, lastly...the rear tires seem to leave very little room on the inside. I'm worried that I won't be able to go with wider tires like I wanted to. But maybe that's normal without the alignment?

[cabbe]

BMR 1.4's all around.

[MBaseman]

^^^ Looks good, but too low for my taste and what I need from my car. However, if I wasn't daily driving, then I may have considered those.

I need to get some pics soon. I feel like the Hotchkis gave a similar looking drop in the front, probably not quite as deep, but the rear is definitely a lot lower on yours. I really like the raked look, as long as it's not too extreme. I am hoping that a slightly larger tire, height and width, will help make my rear look a bit better. I think the stretched rear tire plays a huge role in the rear looking higher for me.

P.S. - shop that did my spring finally got my new 1LE strut, but I won't be able to make it down to them until Monday. So I'll have to wait a few more days, and then I'll have to decide on the tires and get the alignment done. At least I am giving the springs plenty of time to settle...By the time I get the alignment, I bet I'll have put 500+ miles on the springs. Gotta love daily driving 70+ miles per day. (it really is good and bad at the same time...love driving the car, hate watching the odometer grow what feels like exponentially!)

[Billy10mm]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

I can't be the only person who thinks that lowering can be overdone - sometimes badly - even when appearance is the only reason for doing it. Gap at the top of the tire is really only part of the story, and once the center of the wheel gets much more than an inch above the center of the opening it starts looking like the car is overloaded (bodies in the trunk? iron big-block up front that the builder was too lazy to compensate for?). Look how big the gap is down at the lower edges of the bodywork, and realize that with further lowering those gaps only get bigger and the fender opening starts looking like the tires really don't fit right.

This happens to be my car, so a 5th gen Camaro may look either more or less uncentered at the same 1" lowering, but the concept remains. BTW, the springs are BMR, about double the OE spring rate up front and about 50% stiffer than the OE rear springs. Those are both bigger stiffness increases than what Pete has found the DSE springs to give over the OE Camaro springs, and my point here is that the ride quality is only a little different from OE and not at all harsh. Entirely daily-drivable. Not hitting the bump stops all the time has to be part of that.


FWIW, I ended up shimmed the static ride height back up 1/2" from there for a variety of reasons mostly not involving appearance. Though for me, a more uniform gap all the way around the opening makes it look like the wheels and the tires actually belong on the car.





Norm

Here here!! Where's the +1 button when you need it?

[SS PANTHER]

Originally Posted by MBaseman

I decided to go conservative (?) and ordered the Hotchkis 1" springs today. I hope I made a good choice.

I have had my Hotchkis springs for over three years now and love the ride and look. It doesn't change the rear axle angles much and getting in and out of most driveways, etc. is acceptable. I have full suspension mods and run a ILE setup with 285's all around and love it. Ride quality is very good, although I'm running stock SS struts and do not have a splitter unlike your 1LE.