New member - looking for 0.5" drop springs, do they exist?

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

Hey all,
I'm a new member here because I'm a new 2025 ITL owner. I find the ride height to be decent, but might want to lower it verrrrry slightly, like 0.5". I don't want any more than that. Do such springs exist for this platform? So far, I'm seeing the typical drop is in the 1" range and that's more than I want for my use case.

Thanks!
-Ash

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[Tw1stedlog1k]

I think H&R is your best bet; 0.75" Front and 0.6" Rear drop. Still lower than what you're looking for but it's the most conservative of all the drops.

 

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

Thanks. Do we know the comparative springs rates vs OE?

 

[Tw1stedlog1k]

We do not, however, from experience, it feels like stock.

 

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

Much appreciated

 

[slowcountry]

The spoon ones are about .75 as well

 

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

Nice, thank you!

Has anyone tried the Fortune Auto HAS springs here?

 

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

I just came across Spoon springs, and I think they fit the bill. I like the modest lowering, and the relative spring rates front to rear match the ratio of the OE springs perfectly. I guess it's not a surprise that Spoon got the tuning right.

 

[Unity Performance]

+1 for H&R and Spoon. Similar drops, OE-like ride comfort and handling

 

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

Thanks fellas! Maybe you can give me your subjective view on this: my one concern with the H&R springs is the weird lower front relative rate vs the rear - the opposite of stock. I'm concerned this will upset the mid-corner bump balance of the car. What's your experience relative to the spoon springs, which retain the front-rear rate ration but are overall stiffer and lower?

 

[illidelph]

Can't speak to spring rates between the 2, but I've had H&R for a while and feels great in corners. you can see what the drop looks like here: https://www.integraforums.com/forum/threads/start-of-something-new.56630/

 

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

I wrote to H&R and asked them about the spring rates, and while they would not tell me the actual rates they did kindly confirm the following:
1) The rates are slightly higher than OEM
2) The front spring rate is *higher* than the rear spring rate, just like OEM. That also means that the list that's floating out there highlighting the various lowering spring options for the FL5/DE5 is showing incorrect spring rates for the H&R springs.

I am now certain that if i end up lowering my car, it will be with H&R springs for the OEM+ drop and rate increase.

 

[elh0102]

I wrote to H&R and asked them about the spring rates, and while they would not tell me the actual rates they did kindly confirm the following:
1) The rates are slightly higher than OEM
2) The front spring rate is *higher* than the rear spring rate, just like OEM. That also means that the list that's floating out there highlighting the various lowering spring options for the FL5/DE5 is showing incorrect spring rates for the H&R springs.

I am now certain that if i end up lowering my car, it will be with H&R springs for the OEM+ drop and rate increase.

I used H&R sport springs and sway bars on a BMW M3 and was very pleased with them. If you use them, I believe you will be satisfied. The shorter springs will introduce a bit of negative camber, which the BMW needed anyway, but not enough to cause any wear issues for street use.

 

[ABPDE5]

I know some people have complained of fairly significant impacts to over/understeer characteristics after lowering their DE5.

@optronix didn't you have to install ball joints or camber plates to correct the suspension geometry?

 

[optronix]

I know some people have complained of fairly significant impacts to over/understeer characteristics after lowering their DE5.

@optronix didn't you have to install ball joints or camber plates to correct the suspension geometry?

Yes, as @elh0102 mentions above, the springs will introduce negative camber- but significantly more so to the rear than the front. Expect -~1.5 degrees in the front, and ~-2.5 in the rear. If you look closely in pictures of lowered cars there is a visible difference.

For me, this wasn't noticeable on the street. It wasn't until I got it out to the first autocross where I noticed an immediate difference in that the car was much more prone to push through corners, i.e., understeer.

I installed adjustable lower ball joints in spring and set the front to -3.5, and it made a world of difference. I think for most people I'd recommend either sticking to -2.5 in the front with the ball joints, or installing the rear control arm camber correction kit to bring the rear back in line with the front at ~1.5. I like it for how I use my car, but -3.5 is pretty aggressive for a street car.

There's also the option of doing the "pin trick", removing the strut tower alignment pins and "pushing" the top of the struts inward as far as they'll go. Most people who've done this report they can gain another half a degree or so of negative camber, which is probably ok for most use cases after lowering the car, especially if you're not doing track/auto-x stuff.

Obviously coilovers with adjustable camber plates will do the trick as well.

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