CALI customs are on!

[96Q45taz]

Just got them on friday installed them yesterday on sat, wasn’t to hard except I broke a bolt for the front strut mount , I am happy but I keep wishing I had bigger rims and I really want to drop the rear more... maybe once I get bigger tires this week it will look better, TELL me what you think.

these are the rears

fronts

the front drop

the rear man I need bigger tires or rims. needs to be dropped another inch or so.

how it looks at night time

NEED bigger tires again.

I would have washed it so it looked better but phoenix doesn’t want me to hell!

[jamesmost]

looks good with a little more rubber it will look betterthey should drop a little more in a few thousand miles

[elwesso]

looks good with a little more rubber it will look betterthey should drop a little more in a few thousand miles

I agree... Give them a month before you settle on anything.. my car sat higher and then slowly settled down. I think it may sit slightly lower than it did in my pics;.

[litlchi]

While you were changing out the springs, what parts do you recommend replacing while you have the strut/springs off? I read you should replace "everything that is rubber" but other than the dust cover and upper rubber seat, is there anything else rubber down there? Also, when you switched out the rear strut/spring, how much of the rear suspension do you have to remove? The diagram in the FSM isn't really clear.

[96Q45taz]

It was very simple, just time consuming I didn’t replace anything other then the shocks, on the rear it was the bottom link and I took off the cover to get to the gas tank in the truck and un screwed then strut braces and I had to use a half inch drive to get the bottom bolt off I was scared I was going to break it. Then just used a spring compressor and put the new springs on then back in. I haven’t rubbed once yet either and the car is stable I was going over 100 today, I just need to get it aligned when I get bigger tires later this week.

[redmanfx]

I love the Low Q! Imagine the driver in front of you when they look in the rearview mirror and see your Q coming up on them. That awesome low profiled dip look from the front may cause them to stare and run off the road or something, so be carefull out there.

red

[qsiguy]

Awesome! So you did this all yourself? What kind of spring compressors did you use? Ready to help with another install? As soon as I get the money together I am getting some CC's. (assuming there are any left when I get the money)

Was checking your old post and thought i'd put before and after pics up for ya. Nice!
Modified by qsiguy at 10:08 AM 5/15/2006

[ddrumman]

Just got them on friday installed them yesterday on sat, wasn’t to hard except I broke a bolt for the front strut mount , I am happy but I keep wishing I had bigger rims and I really want to drop the rear more... maybe once I get bigger tires this week it will look better, TELL me what you think.

Yes it will look better with more tire. 255/35 96 load rating, 26" diameter same as OEM.

245/40 98 load rating, 26.6" diameter everyone here thinks no big deal with the extra .5 to .6. Also you'll be adding 1.1" worth of tire in diameter, which will definitely help your rear wells' look.

[Rex]

... 245/40 98 load rating, 26.6" diameter everyone here thinks no big deal with the extra .5 to .6. Also you'll be adding 1.1" worth of tire in diameter, which will definitely help your rear wells' look.

Huh? You lost me on that one??

[Jesda]

And -now- those wheels look perfect!

[ddrumman]

Huh? You lost me on that one??

Well, right now he's got 235/35s which are 25.5" in diameter.

If he goes with 245/40s he'll have 26.6" in diameter. So since the rims were and still are 19" the extra 1.1" in diameter will come from the tires.

[Falkdesigns]

Looks awesome! It will definitely settle down some, like 1/4" or so.

[Rex]

Well, right now he's got 235/35s which are 25.5" in diameter.

If he goes with 245/40s he'll have 26.6" in diameter. So since the rims were and still are 19" the extra 1.1" in diameter will come from the tires.

Okay, I was wondering where the other ~0.5" came from in your equation. Now that makes sense.

Sorry for the digression.

[tkd_q45]

So for those of us lowering - should we be waiting a few thousand miles before alignment (if springs will be settling)?

[3Q Jay]

Tom- did you score some springs?Edit: yes, wait for settling. camber will change. also suggest (since you'll be non-active--sigh) 1/2 tank o fuel, 150# of sandbag in drivers seat.

[tkd_q45]

Who you calling a sandbag?

Yes, I went in on the BMWKiller buy. Didn't have much choice as I don't have the time to wait for the others to reverse engineer the CA Customs. Waiting for shipment.