Magneride and Lowering Springs??? | FerrariChat

Magneride and Lowering Springs???

Discussion in 'California/Portofino/Roma' started by Randy R, Feb 27, 2014.

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  1. Randy R

    Randy R Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 23, 2011
    334
    SF Bay Area
    Full Name:
    '14 Cal 30 TDF/Tan
    I'm going to be looking at a Cal 30 next week which ticks off all of my requirements, but one: it does not have the Special Handling Package, however it does have the Magneride shocks.

    My questions are: Can I swap the stock springs for slightly shorter springs to lower the vehicle an inch or so, and possibly stiffen the ride a bit? Will the Magneride shocks work with shorter springs?

    I can't imagine why they wouldn't work, but I thought I would ask, so I know my options going forward.

    Thanks in advance,
    Randy...
     
  2. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    37,984
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    Randy- You can safely lower your California about 15 mm (0.6") with the stock springs without any problems with alignment or shock. Lowering springs should work fine with the Magneride shocks. Better than trying to lower a car too much on OEM springs and getting the shocks out of their optimum operating range.
     
  3. Peter P

    Peter P Karting

    Dec 22, 2011
    129
    Boston area
    I have a California 30 with the special handling package and magneride shocks and lowered it 7/8" (initially more -- too much), and have had no alignment issues. Makes all the difference in appearance and the ride does not seem noticably different. I've posted pictures in the past. Take a look!
     
  4. Randy R

    Randy R Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 23, 2011
    334
    SF Bay Area
    Full Name:
    '14 Cal 30 TDF/Tan
  5. osu_s2k

    osu_s2k Karting

    Jun 22, 2013
    193
    Midwest
    does the special handling package include magneride?
     
  6. Ron4pro

    Ron4pro Karting

    Oct 21, 2013
    180
    Arizona
    Yes it does. With different software that claims 50% higher response time
     
  7. R.Torres

    R.Torres Rookie

    Feb 21, 2014
    11
    New York
    Full Name:
    Rodrigo
    Peter P: did you lower it using the stock springs (i.e. cutting them) or did you buy aftermarket springs? H&R springs lower the car 1.0" in front and 1.8" in the rear IIRC.
     
  8. Need4Spd

    Need4Spd F1 Veteran

    Feb 24, 2007
    6,644
    Silicon Valley
    #8 Need4Spd, Mar 15, 2014
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2014
    You don't have to cut the OEM springs to lower the car. There is an adjustment collar. Keep in mind that the Magneride system is integrated with its software, and there's no way to predict how changing to shorter springs might affect that calibration. It may be fine. It may not be. As Terry noted, you can lower the car some with just the OEM springs. Note that the lowered car will look better, but become a bit of a pain in that you will need to look after curbs and inclined driveways, etc. to take care not to hit the front splitter. At the stock height, you pretty much don't have to worry about that.

    The HS package also has a different steering rack (slightly quicker), but I think the non-HS rack is plenty quick enough.
     
  9. R.Torres

    R.Torres Rookie

    Feb 21, 2014
    11
    New York
    Full Name:
    Rodrigo
    Ah got it. Thanks Need4Spd
     
  10. Peter P

    Peter P Karting

    Dec 22, 2011
    129
    Boston area
    Sorry, away for awhile. As stated by Need4Speed, I was able to have the dealer adjust the factory springs lower. You can go as much as down 1 3/8 - 1 1/2" versus factory, and still have an appropriate set-up, but I found that I was able to get the look I was seeking, with more acceptable ground clearance with down just 7/8". It takes a fair amount of labor -- my dealer charged $1500. I also just ordered wheel spacers from Ricambi. Hill Engineering is the manufacturer -- 11mm for the front, 15mm for the rear. They are being installed in the next week. I'll post some pictures when that is done.
     
  11. Gofast430

    Gofast430 Karting

    Jun 2, 2013
    205
    Overland Park, KS
    Full Name:
    Don Dearmore
    You are very limited on lowering a 2013 or 2014 Cali. There is a piece of support steel
    less than a 1/4 " Under the bottom of the Coil-over. I have to use H&R Sport Springs.
     
  12. Need4Spd

    Need4Spd F1 Veteran

    Feb 24, 2007
    6,644
    Silicon Valley

    We are still waiting for the pics!
     
  13. Gofast430

    Gofast430 Karting

    Jun 2, 2013
    205
    Overland Park, KS
    Full Name:
    Don Dearmore
    As a correction to my earlier post, the reason you are limited to lowering
    a 2013 or 2014 Cali using the coil-over shocks is that the sway bar is under
    the coil-over shock in back and there is only about 1/4 - 1/2"clearance.
    I had to use H&R "Sport" springs.
     
  14. Peter P

    Peter P Karting

    Dec 22, 2011
    129
    Boston area
    #14 Peter P, Apr 16, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  15. vinuneuro

    vinuneuro F1 Rookie

    May 6, 2007
    2,574
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Vig
    The Magneride shock calibration is based on shock position. It's calibrated for x amount of travel before you run into the bumpstops. When you are into the bumpstops the system spring rate rises significantly, and by lowering you will hit them sooner than the calibration accounts for. The suspension will be underdamped for the amount of travel that you've lowered by and isn't acounted for in the calibration.
     
  16. Gofast430

    Gofast430 Karting

    Jun 2, 2013
    205
    Overland Park, KS
    Full Name:
    Don Dearmore
    Would this situation be the same if you use new H&R lowering springs and leave the
    Coil-over at factory settings?
    Thanks,
    Don
     
  17. vinuneuro

    vinuneuro F1 Rookie

    May 6, 2007
    2,574
    Chicago
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    Vig
    Don, as long as the ride height is lowered without shortening the shocks this will be the case. That being said I'm sure you could lower the car a small amount without running into shock calibration issues.

    The problem with lowering springs is that they will often increase the spring rate to help keep the car off the bumpstops as a result of reduced shock travel, and this will make the system underdamped over the entire range of travel. And if they don't, the suspension suffers from less shock travel.
     
  18. DK308

    DK308 F1 Rookie

    Aug 13, 2013
    2,738
    Europe, way north.
    Full Name:
    AB
    AfaIk, Novitec uses a progressive spring rate as opposed to the linear spring rate of the OE springs. This should make for an "as-soft-as-stock" ride without the chance of hitting the stops if only lowered moderately i.e, 15-30 mm. At least, that's what I've been told.
     
  19. Need4Spd

    Need4Spd F1 Veteran

    Feb 24, 2007
    6,644
    Silicon Valley
    Cars with linear spring rates vs progressive handle better and are easier to drive hard. I put progressive springs into a past car and hated what it did to the handling.
     
  20. Peter P

    Peter P Karting

    Dec 22, 2011
    129
    Boston area
    In the whatever it's worth category, when I lowered my Cal30 (with Magneride) by 7/8" on the OEM/stock springs, I found that handling, ride quality and predictability has been as I experienced before changing the set-up. In terms of aesthetics, I think that 7/8" lower is plenty to fill the fender gaps (see pics above), without looking crunched, with wheels up into wheel wells. But I haven't driven in a car lowered with non-OEM springs, so no valid comparison.
     
  21. chris2k2

    chris2k2 Rookie

    Jan 29, 2007
    2
    Peter,
    Your car looks good with lowering of 7/8" and spacers . Did you encounter any problems with the Magnaride after lowering ?
     
  22. Peter P

    Peter P Karting

    Dec 22, 2011
    129
    Boston area
    None, whatsoever. Everyday driving comfort is excellent (even in sport mode, my usual) and when driven hard, I haven't noticed bottoming or harsh suspension issues at -7/8". When I initially lowered the car by 1 3/8 to -1 1/2 on the OEM HS springs, I didn't note ride or handling problems under normal driving conditions, but I did scrape/bottom out once or twice in some undulations on a certain local on-ramp at speed with a passenger. I believe that I was simply too low for the mixed road surface conditions in NE at -1 3/8" +, and I had also installed some sacrificial plastic guards underneath the front, making the tolerance even less. So between potholes, driveway ramps and undulations, I decided to bring it back to the dealer and have them target -7/8", which has been a good balance between improved appearance and very acceptable clearance.
     
  23. Louggle

    Louggle Rookie

    Feb 2, 2020
    1
    Full Name:
    JAson Trabakoolas
    Hi,
    I know this thread is old but I just bought a 2013 Claifornia and am looking to lower it (without ponying up for coil overs). I went to the site and looked at the spacers that you sited, however, the 11 is saying specifically not for the Claifornia and the 15 does not include the California in their drop down menu. Can you help me out with a little more information? Thanks!
     
  24. Il Co-Pilota

    Il Co-Pilota F1 Veteran

    May 29, 2019
    6,023
    Hopefully some place nice.
    Full Name:
    A.B
    For spacers, this is what you need.

    1mm + longer bolts
    https://www.hillengineering.co.uk/ws011-114

    15mm + longer bolts.
    https://www.hillengineering.co.uk/ws015-114

    Spacers needs to be right to be safe. Hill spacers and bolts is about as good as it gets.
     
  25. Peter P

    Peter P Karting

    Dec 22, 2011
    129
    Boston area
    It looks like Il Co-Pilota tagged the Hill Engineering spacers and longer bolts I bought. Thanks. I still own the car and have had no issues with it lowered -7/8" area vs stock. I've heard of some people using slightly wider spacers but I believe that 11mm and 15mm was sufficient to give the car a better look without going too extreme. I did read years ago that another owner thought that lowering on factory springs, as I did, works best on a HSE - perhaps bcs they come with firmer springs to begin with? If yours is not an HSE, you may want to follow up on that question. Good luck!
     

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