Discussion
stevewushu said:
Yes.
Any recommendations on dropping the ride height of my vantage a tad?
I've looked at HnR springs. They drop it 20mm front and back.
£406 on a website in the UK.
Why!!!!!????
Because I don't like the gaping gap between the wheel and arch. The more Vantages i see with a tighter gap, the more inclined I am to waste more money on a mod
H&R springs were one of my first mods Steve - they work a treat, really sharpened up my DB9, but of course it was softer than a Vantage to start with. Replaced of course when I switched to the BR switchable system.Any recommendations on dropping the ride height of my vantage a tad?
I've looked at HnR springs. They drop it 20mm front and back.
£406 on a website in the UK.
Why!!!!!????
Because I don't like the gaping gap between the wheel and arch. The more Vantages i see with a tighter gap, the more inclined I am to waste more money on a mod
You will need a geo when you've done them... and once the wheels are closer to the the arches, you'll realise how far they sit inwards of the arch... so you'll need spacers to make them look great... then another geo... and so on
stevewushu said:
Yeah I remember you saying that HnR worked well, that's why I checked them first ;-)
Oh yes I know about the need for spacers. I'm currently umming and ahhhring whether to buy spacers and keep the standard shoes on or do the 20's.... All of which can be sold when I sell the car to MTFU...
Thinking just spacers...?
My DB9 was on spacers, H&Rs and 19" SP1 wheels and rode very, very nicely compared to standard. I wonder of the 20"s might be a step too far for ride comfort? Probably wouldn't make a huge difference. Oh yes I know about the need for spacers. I'm currently umming and ahhhring whether to buy spacers and keep the standard shoes on or do the 20's.... All of which can be sold when I sell the car to MTFU...
Thinking just spacers...?
What colour are your wheels? If plain silver, a bit of colour might bring them to life and change the look of the car...
stevewushu said:
Yeah I remember you saying that HnR worked well, that's why I checked them first ;-)
Oh yes I know about the need for spacers. I'm currently umming and ahhhring whether to buy spacers and keep the standard shoes on or do the 20's.... All of which can be sold when I sell the car to MTFU...
Thinking just spacers...?
Just MTFU and buy a V12V or even a V12 Vantage S Oh yes I know about the need for spacers. I'm currently umming and ahhhring whether to buy spacers and keep the standard shoes on or do the 20's.... All of which can be sold when I sell the car to MTFU...
Thinking just spacers...?
good point Mikey, but don't most Aston owners buy there cars more for the lovely timeless design/looks etc.
No Aston is gonna handle like a 997 GT3 so why not sacrifice a wee bit of ride/handling, for better looks? (by lowering, bigger wheels etc)
Just thinking out loud fellas, so please don't bite my head off.
No Aston is gonna handle like a 997 GT3 so why not sacrifice a wee bit of ride/handling, for better looks? (by lowering, bigger wheels etc)
Just thinking out loud fellas, so please don't bite my head off.
scotpak said:
good point Mikey, but don't most Aston owners buy there cars more for the lovely timeless design/looks etc.
No Aston is gonna handle like a 997 GT3 so why not sacrifice a wee bit of ride/handling, for better looks? (by lowering, bigger wheels etc)
Just thinking out loud fellas, so please don't bite my head off.
No Aston is gonna handle like a 997 GT3 so why not sacrifice a wee bit of ride/handling, for better looks? (by lowering, bigger wheels etc)
Just thinking out loud fellas, so please don't bite my head off.
each to their ownI wanted a 997 GT3 built by Aston with no roof
Also smaller lighter wheels are more "comfortable" as the suspension moves less weight and reacts quicker
Tony!Agree the car would look a bit better a touch lower, but I seem to have a lot of minor scrapes on the front splitter that would be proper whacks if it was lower for a few mm. Coming off ramps, and parking in front of curbs mostly. I don't think the sports suspension is lower than standard is it?
Maybe I just need to drive like less of a twot?
Maybe I just need to drive like less of a twot?
As Mikey (and Scotpak) intimated, big wheels look better, smaller wheels ride better
As a further note Steve, lowering the car so much for the H&Rs, although helped with handling, really did mean it was a liability over London speed humps. The BR switchable system is not as low and it was quite a relief to be able to drive relatively normally again
As a further note Steve, lowering the car so much for the H&Rs, although helped with handling, really did mean it was a liability over London speed humps. The BR switchable system is not as low and it was quite a relief to be able to drive relatively normally again
mikey k said:
I spent way too much time & money on my old cars realising why great handling cars don't have big diameter wheels 
Lowering a car though, if done right, with good quality stuff and a geo done by a knowledgeable person / team... Can revolutionise the handling. I had a punt at it on my old Maser 4200, which was very floaty. Lowered the whole car about 20mm, wow, the change in centre of gravity and the new spring rate was incredible, made the Skyhook a fantastic system.
Same with my DB9, whole car is so poised afterwards
scotpak said:
So maybe the solution is 20" wheels and lower profile tyres thus maintaining the ride height and not subseqently lowering the car.
Thus no risk of scuffing your splitter but you at least fill up the wheel arches.
Are you suggesting a 'taller' tyre? That will send you gear ratios and speedometer/mileometer all to hell. Thus no risk of scuffing your splitter but you at least fill up the wheel arches.
Rolling radius has to remain the same so a 20" wheel needs a 'thinner' tyre than a 19" which can compromise the ride. However, I switched to 20"s and there were no downsides.
Edit - re-read what you wrote, sorry, had just woken up. My point about rolling radius stays the same, but yes, of course you need a 'thinner' low profile tyre to make it work.
The actual physical mass inside the arch doesn't change; bigger wheel, thinner tyre so it's the same size. But yes, a bigger wheel will look... well, biggger in the arch. Although the actual size inside the arch should remain unchanged.
Lowering the car lowers the centre of gravity... With a correctly done geometry set-up, this can alter the handling beautifully
I can see you prioritise looks over driving/handling, but as Georgio says, why make it worse..?
Edited by yeti on Thursday 30th May 09:51
scotpak said:
No Aston is gonna handle like a 997 GT3 so why not sacrifice a wee bit of ride/handling, for better looks? (by lowering, bigger wheels etc)
Just thinking out loud fellas, so please don't bite my head off.
If it's not as good to start with, why would you want to make it worse? Just thinking out loud fellas, so please don't bite my head off.
yeti said:
mikey k said:
I spent way too much time & money on my old cars realising why great handling cars don't have big diameter wheels
Lowering a car though, if done right, with good quality stuff and a geo done by a knowledgeable person / team... Can revolutionise the handling. I had a punt at it on my old Maser 4200, which was very floaty. Lowered the whole car about 20mm, wow, the change in centre of gravity and the new spring rate was incredible, made the Skyhook a fantastic system.
Same with my DB9, whole car is so poised afterwards
my last project was 40mm lower with 3 way Nitron coil overs, anti bump steer front & rear, 1" wider forged Rays with sticky tyres, corner weighted and spot on geometry - half the weight of my Vantage and more power 
For a car that was a renowned hedge finder it was on rails! (I miss it
)Here it is at the top of an empty Stelvio and on a track day
DSCN4406 by mikey k V8VR, on Flickr
CIMG3885 by mikey k V8VR, on Flickr
84803260_FB by mikey k V8VR, on Flickr
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