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Lowering the Model 3

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Ah fair point, that makes more sense that they were correcting their price after Eibach changed prices. Thought they were pulling a airline price increase based on popularity and search hits....lol... but a correction makes much more sense.

I'm with you Atlas310, leaning towards the Tsportline springs due to the bump stop trim requirement for the Eibachs. Unless of course reviews start coming in for the Eibachs and they are over the top effusive.

As far as cutting bumpstops... it’s not required for any spring however it is a really good idea to do when fitting shorter springs to preserve the shock absorber travel. If you don’t cut it you’ll have a bumpy ride since you’ll be more likely to compress into the bump stops over rough terrain & hard cornering.
 
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Reactions: Rlee21
So which are the preferred lowering springs right now? and which offer the best ride, looks, reliability?
  1. Unplugged Performance (Mild/Moderate/Low) Dual Rates $365
  2. T Sportline Sports $350
  3. Eibach Pro-Kit $292
I think it's all a matter of preference. I'm leaning towards the T-Sports because they offer a fair drop, but not as dramatic as the others. I'm not really looking for a slammed look.

I guess my order of preference would be

1. T-Sports
2. Eibach's
3. Unplugged (the rear rake issue concerned me and the mild's don't look much different compared to the moderates)
 
Regarding bump stops, I asked my mechanic about this who has done lots of aftermarket work. He said the bump stops on this car are progressive, which means there is a first portion which adds to the spring rate to slow down compression and then the second part is the hard bump stop.
He said this is similar to the style BMW uses and he didn’t recommend trimming them.

This morning I took a few speed bumps at a faster speed than I normally would to see if I noticed any rub or hitting bump stops and everything seemed fine. I’ll report back if anything changes.
 
dgaultiere, it appears you hit the jackpot with your spring and spacer combination. I think it looks perfect. I can't help but be a bit disappointed that we need to spend over $1,000 (inc labor) to modify the Model 3 to a state at which I feel it should have been delivered. But, modifying cars over time, I have come to expect that.

Other than the rotor bolt, were any other issues encountered when installing the spacers? ie, is there enough of a recess in the backside of the wheel to accept the original studs without shaving to install the wheel? I assume yes, but confirmation at the 15mm level would be great.

Thanks for posting your experience and pictures. Again, I think it looks great!
 
I would highly recommend Unplugged Performance's springs. Not only do you get the look, but I honestly think the ride comfort is better than stock. I have had lowered cars before in the past, but i would always sacrifice ride comfort for looks. With these springs, there is no compromise, in fact, its better IMO.

My car (couldn't upload pics - kept giving me errors)
Tesla Model 3 Gets ADV.1 Wheels - ADV.1 Wheels
 
Other than the rotor bolt, were any other issues encountered when installing the spacers? ie, is there enough of a recess in the backside of the wheel to accept the original studs without shaving to install the wheel? I assume yes, but confirmation at the 15mm level would be great.

Please disregard this question, as I was able to find the answer with some subtle guidance from @mpt, thanks!

I do have a followup (and I did try to search and review the thread first), are the Motorsport-Tech spacers the same diameter as the stock rotor hat? It is hard to tell for sure, but the BLOX version appears to be slightly smaller in overall diameter, but I don't have a reference for the Motorsport-Tech version.
 
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Done. I’m really happy with the TSportline springs. Picked her up at Vibe in Burbank and had to take it down the canyon to get to work in Century City.
Keep in mind that these are daily driver comfort springs and they feel very similar to the 2nd gen stock springs. Feels nice and tight on the turns.
I think they look perfect on the 20” and doesn’t give it a slammed look. Maybe lower the front by 1/2 an inch would make it perfect.
In regards to the UP moderate springs, I cancelled my order a couple of days ago and just received an email that they are now in stock. So people waiting on those should get theirs soon. Just a couple days too late Unplugged Performance.
I think the moderate would have been too slammed for me.

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Who did your chrome delete?


They forgot to do the mirror and door handles...
 
So which are the preferred lowering springs right now? and which offer the best ride, looks, reliability?
  1. Unplugged Performance (Mild/Moderate/Low) Dual Rates $365
  2. T Sportline Sports $350
  3. Eibach Pro-Kit $292

Just noticed that the Unplugged Mild springs are now advertised as providing a 0.9" drop (used to be described as 0.7"), which makes it pretty damn close to the Tsportline drop of 1.0". That said, looks like UP mild springs are back in contention.

Think I'm leaning towards Tsport or UP Mild springs now since they are pretty close in drop and don't require you to trim the bump stops. Wish there was a way to get a direct real world comparison of the two.

Any early adopters install the UP milds yet and want to share their thoughts or more pics?
 
I would highly recommend Unplugged Performance's springs. Not only do you get the look, but I honestly think the ride comfort is better than stock. I have had lowered cars before in the past, but i would always sacrifice ride comfort for looks. With these springs, there is no compromise, in fact, its better IMO.

My car (couldn't upload pics - kept giving me errors)
Tesla Model 3 Gets ADV.1 Wheels - ADV.1 Wheels
I think your car looks really good but it’s the wheels and the color combo that makes this look. The UP moderate springs are just too low for my taste. It looks great though and i love the concavity of your wheels! The choice between more or less drop is ultimately personal preference.

Please disregard this question, as I was able to find the answer with some subtle guidance from @mpt, thanks!

I do have a followup (and I did try to search and review the thread first), are the Motorsport-Tech spacers the same diameter as the stock rotor hat? It is hard to tell for sure, but the BLOX version appears to be slightly smaller in overall diameter, but I don't have a reference for the Motorsport-Tech version.
Glad you got your answer. In case anyone else missed it – the stock Model 3 wheels have cavities on the back side of the wheel where it contacts the hub. There is plenty of room for the hub studs to go through the spacer and into the wheel cavities.

On the second question, the diameter of the M Tech spacers is slightly less than the Model 3 hub, but I don’t find it noticeable or bothersome. A wider spacer would just add weight anyway, so it’s arguably better this way. Here is a picture:
06BBA103-583B-4BE6-A0A6-9AB339B78D52.jpeg
 
Ok here are some before and after pictures of the wheel gaps and ground clearance for the T Sportline springs. These aren't the best photos, but it's sort of hard to hold a phone camera in one hand and measuring tape in the other while trying to line them both up properly with the car.

Anyway, here are the measurements I'm coming up with...

Before (stock springs, gen 2 from Apr 2018 delivery)
Wheel Gap:
  • Front: 2.75"
  • Rear: 2.5"
Ground Clearance:
  • Front: 5.75"
  • Rear: 5.5"

After
(T Sportline springs + 15mm front / 20mm rear spacers)
Wheel Gap:
  • Front: 1.5"
  • Rear: 1.25"
Ground Clearance:
  • Front: 4.5"
  • Rear: 4.25"

I would appear the effective lowering of these springs is actually closer to 1.25" rather than the advertised 1". I'm fine with this, as I think the car looks really good, and there is still a two-finger gap above the tires. This is after about 48 hours of settling on the springs, which I would think is more than enough to get to final ride height.

I also think the addition of spacers add to the perceived effect of lowering since the tire is more flush with the outside of the wheel well.

before-gap-front.jpg before-gap-rear.jpg before-ground-front.jpg before-ground-rear.jpg after-gap-front.JPG after-gap-rear.JPG after-ground-front.JPG after-ground-rear.JPG
 
I think your car looks really good but it’s the wheels and the color combo that makes this look. The UP moderate springs are just too low for my taste. It looks great though and i love the concavity of your wheels! The choice between more or less drop is ultimately personal preference.

You are absolutely right, it comes down to personal preference. But i do want to note that I did not change my driving style by going lower and I have never bottomed out. I know this is always the deterrent for lowering (as it was my main sticking point before pulling the trigger) so its just something i want to share.