So I read somewhere on these forums that VMAXX recently changed their design to accomodate stock front swaybar droplinks...and I was on the market for coilovers so I decided it was as good a time as any to buy...
I received my coilovers yesterday and promptly began the installation, I did the rear first and everything was going smoothly. I then installed the front coilovers and set them to what I figured would be a good ride height (slammed). Then I encountered my one and only problem with these coilovers...my front tires were rubbing the lower spring perch and lockring...luckily I was able to raise them all the way and the tire clears...barely. I'm running stock 17" S-Lites and 205/45R17 tires...and everywhere I read said that there were no modifications neccessary when installing VMAXX coilovers on the R53...anyway now I guess I need wheel spacers so I can get the stance I was craving. Since I didnt find a a whole lot of information on VMAXX before I decided to purchase, I figured I would just post this up to let anyone else on the market know about this potential issue (albeit most likely a simple fix).

On the bright side, the car looks good and rides great. I am completely satisfied with my purchase.

 

I bought mine last august roughly and the same thing happened to me. The car just sat there while spacers AND longer lug bolts were ordered. But when they got put on I actually liked the look with the spacers more anyway. I got different wheels since then so I dont have any need for the spacers now but I am putting my stock wheels back on for a while soon for winter and I am thinking about getting a fat spacer for the rear so it sits flush just like the front.

 

Luckily I have clearance in the front with the coilovers set at nearly max height. It is mildly annoying, though, since the whole reason I bought coilovers was to get the stance I've always wanted

Im considering getting 5mm spacers for the back and 12 for the front. Im not sure if the rears will rub even with 5mm spacers, though. I dont have much clearance between the tire and plastic trim at the moment..

 

I had the same issue which makes wonder if this is something that the vendors should announce as they are sellin this suspension. I bought a 20mm spacer to compensate my setup which is a 17.5 width rim ET42.

Aside from that, I wanted to ask you guys if you have had some clanking noises in the rear setup? Do you guys have detailed pics of what pieces you used from the stock suspension on the rear and front? Since I changed from Megan's to Vmaxx, I had to re-purchase all of the stock pieces just to make this work.

Any and all feedback is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

I feel the same about the vendors...

As for the noise: when I had the back dumped, I could hear a slight amount of noise. When I jacked the car up, I noticed that the spring was no under compression without the weight of the car on it...and I ended up having to raise the back due to rubbing and the sound is gone. It could be something like that or could be something loose.

 

I have my rears almost completely maxed out and I haven't had any noise problems.? My fronts make a clunking noise but thats just from the springs binding because there is no rubber piece between the spring and perch. It doesn't happen often enough to bother me though. I love my Vmaxx I just wish they were a little stiffer or had damper adjustment.

 

Same on that last part. Wish my rears werent rubbing when I hit bumps

 

How much is everyone paying and where did you get em?

 

I got mine from Stramosphere performance and paid $660 with shipping. It was the cheapest I found them. But I can't find the website anywhere. Maybe they went out of business. Check outmotoring.com They have them for $600 something and they come with the "required" drop links.

 

The drop links are no longer required. The OEM ones fit fine now as VMAXX slightly changed their design earlier this year. I got mine at outmotoring for somewhere around $640 shipped using the monthly NAM discount code.

 

Do you feel like stiffer springs would improve handling, or are the shocks too soft for it? I'm assuming they use a rubber bumpstop?

 

I'm sure it would help a little bit but if I were to spend that kind of money to do that I would buy some BC Racing coilovers instead.... Go even lower and have 2.5" springs WITH front camber plates for $900-$1000. Great quality too.

 

Yeah don't buy VMAXX if you want race quality handling. Its just not there. It is noticeably better than stock, however. And I think the bump stops are some sort of poly. Theyre white and don't feel like rubber. The VMAXX spring/shock combo is fairly soft as far as coilovers go. I actually think they improved my ride quality when I had them at a reasonable height...now...not so much since I've only got about 1/2" travel before hitting the bump stops. Those still don't stop the rubbing though I've got a nice wear line in the rear rubber.

 

Post pics of your set up? I want to see this tire wear.

 

You can see a little half inch wide line in the tread in the picture I posted in my last message.

 

oh i didnt even see that picture. Hahaha. Not too bad. Nothing to worry about.

 

Haha not too worried about it. Does the picture show up right? I sent it from the app and have been using that recently. Just wondering.

 

Especially because of the $$$ being spent on this particular item!
I'm looking for a setup too, and would want to know all details.

 

Thats why I felt the need to post this thread

All in all I'm still happy with my decision to purchase the VMAXX coils. The added bonus of running the spacers up front is the car really has that "bulldog" stance now, as well as having no wheel gap up front and about an inch of tuck in the rear

 

what is the minimum offset wheel that can be paired with the VMAXX coils?

with my stock wheels on my 07 the front tires were hit the lower spring perch and the car will not move. i didnt think the stock wheels would not work with these coilovers but i guess i was wrong.

i have 17x8 et 20 wheels that are waiting to go on. i also have 205/45/17 tires that are going to be mounted on the wheels. do you guys think it will be okay?

i figured et20 wheels would clear the front VMAXX spring perch but i havnt tried installing them yet so i dont know for sure...

 

I dont know the offset of stock wheels but I'm running 12mm spacers in the front with stock 17s. Ive got plenty of space this way. If you feel like doing some calculations you can figure out what offset that is, if you can find the stock offset.

 

Isn't stock around 48? Depends on wheel I'm sure, but the 17s are ET48 from what I recall in my research...

 

Can you post a pic of your stance on the stock 17s? Also what is the spacer on the rear? I'm looking at doing a similar setup.

 

I dont have any pics that I havent uploaded here (can't post duplicates) but I'll take a few in a bit. I don't have any spacers in the rear because my RL rubs over bumps thanks to, for some reason I can't quite figure, the RL inner fender trim seems closer to the tire than the RR even though my ride height is balanced. I'd need more camber (or thinner tires) to allow the rear to run spacers. It doesn't look like the front track width is noticeably wider (to me) other than a slight exaggeration of the "bulldog" stance.

 

If the app shrinks these photos....

Fronts are about 1/2 way through the adjustment...any lower and I can't make it over the speedbumps to get to my apt and rears are a little under an inch from slammed...any lower and I'd have some decent rubs nearly all the time.