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trying to lower my 89 retta 2 inches?

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:42 pm
by sebschin
i have a 89 beretta base 2 dr coupe with the 2.0 4 banger that i have reccently put 17" enkei rims onto and have been trying to fix up and have to come to realizew i am putting a lot of money into this car for new parts and next was my suspension is shot i def need new rear shock absorbers and im sure new front struts wouldnt kill it lol....however i figured with everything i would lower it about 2 inches when i do the suspension but i cant find lowering springs or anything that iwll lower it and i dont want to cut the springs...also i know that adjustable coil overs exist does anyone know how i can turn the rear suspension into coilovers and then just get a set of full coilovers that are adjustable....any suggestions for lowering or help on where to look for parts owuld be helpful thanks

Re: trying to lower my 89 retta 2 inches?

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:02 pm
by Money pit Beretta
There are only two brands out there and none of them will lower the car 2 inches.
http://canuckmotorsports.com/cat_car_do ... #Chevrolet
The other is Eibach, but they don't make springs for our cars anymore so they will be tough to find.

Re: trying to lower my 89 retta 2 inches?

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 5:47 pm
by Gtzman
How much will those canucks lower it? Anyone know?

Re: trying to lower my 89 retta 2 inches?

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 6:05 pm
by Money pit Beretta
Check the link.

Re: trying to lower my 89 retta 2 inches?

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 6:51 pm
by berry
you don't need to buy new springs or to cut the old ones. but you can let press them. my brother did the same with the springs of his pontiac firebird trans am 1991.

Re: trying to lower my 89 retta 2 inches?

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 7:39 pm
by Gtzman
I did it says 1.6. I'm sorry I meant has anyone used these and noticed a difference? I am looking into lowering my car also

Re: trying to lower my 89 retta 2 inches?

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 10:08 pm
by sebschin
yea ive found most springs i find are only about 1.6 inch and wats let pressing...i did find a kit where it basically looks spring compressors to remove them from the strut only u tighten it down until it sits where u want it but i didnt know if that would cause to much stress on the springs or if it would be a good idea plus it only showed enough to do one per spring thus compressing only one side unless u had to ordeer a kit for each spring

Re: trying to lower my 89 retta 2 inches?

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 8:11 am
by 3X00-Modified
Sprint springs will lower it 1.7 and 1.6 front/rear. That's probably about as far as you can go before you have to do something completely custom such as coilovers. Any lower and your just killing any use of the struts and shocks, there is not enough travel for what they are designed to damper... You would have to get much stiffer struts and shocks to support lowering it that low and since those don't exist for our cars either then you need to build something.

I wouldn't "let press" them either... it doesn't sound like an appropriate way to lower a car. If you want low bottom line you gotta pay for it and make it up as you go on this car.

Re: trying to lower my 89 retta 2 inches?

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:26 am
by berettaboi
most that have them installed are saying they have settled further than rated (rated at 1.6-1.7" drop, dropping more like 2" once settled)... some food for thought.

Re: trying to lower my 89 retta 2 inches?

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:30 am
by Asylum
I had Canucks on the 3500 and they are about as low as you are going to go, but they are also VERY stiff and will punish you on bad roads.

Re: trying to lower my 89 retta 2 inches?

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:58 am
by sebschin
ok thanks alot and yea i considered coil overs but couldnt find anything for the beretta and i didnt even think about the fact that they will end up settling in plus i was out there do some measurements and im thinking that the 1.7/1.6 drop will satisfy me plus i figure if i ever fulfill my hopes to the car then they will def settle a bit more maybe even need higher rated springs but that will come in time i found a set of sprint springs but the page said they were out of stock anyone know where i can get those or kno wich springs are better cannucks or sprints im wanting cannucks cuz theyre a little cheaper but i dont know what color they come in thank for the help i at least have a better understanding and idea of what i need now

Re: trying to lower my 89 retta 2 inches?

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:27 am
by 3X00-Modified
Bottom line just remember you will hardly find aftermarket parts for this car... The market is just not out there and no one cares so you are most of the time left to coming up with making something work. Just wait till I post up my pictures and info on how I'm getting Koni shocks in my car.

Re: trying to lower my 89 retta 2 inches?

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:57 am
by whiteretta
I have the Canucks on mine, definitely get some GOOD struts on the front end if you go with these. They say 1.6", but they seem more like 2" once they settle in. I won't lie though, I definitely love the way it sets. However, you'll quickly learn to hate bumps and avoid parking blocks.

Re: trying to lower my 89 retta 2 inches?

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 11:51 am
by Money pit Beretta
3X00-Modified wrote:Bottom line just remember you will hardly find aftermarket parts for this car... The market is just not out there and no one cares so you are most of the time left to coming up with making something work. Just wait till I post up my pictures and info on how I'm getting Koni shocks in my car.
A guy on another site did a write up on Koni's for a newer Cavy. I can't post the link, but I could PM it if needed.

Re: trying to lower my 89 retta 2 inches?

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 1:21 pm
by 3X00-Modified
Newer Cavi Koni's are a drop in, they are application specific or at least drop in when it comes to doing a McPherson insert... that's what I'm using BUT the issue is our strut cylinder is much larger than the J-body one so you need to bush the insert in the strut housing.

I have the general info already in the Koni PN thread... Just missing images of doing it with a Beretta Strut and what I'm using for a bushing/spacer.