questions about city driving with an 2016 17 ACR

[SimonC G5ACR]

Hey everyone im brand new to the Viper game and cant wait to drive my new ACR just waiting on the car to get built and all the goods.
So i was wondering how is the acr with the full Xtreme kit drive around the city. I live in San Francisco CA and its full of big hills, speed bumps, and bad roads lol. Does anyone have trouble driving their vipers in the city like SF and should i remove the front lip so i wont scrape that much. I don't really want to do that since well you i wanna have the full kit on while i drive it around the city haha. I know how to drive lowered cars and how to get up and down hills without scraping but from what i seen and hear the ACR pretty low plus the kit. So would like some advice or anything from the pros out there

Thanks in advance
SimonC

[Bruce H.]

My advice...if you drive around SF like Steve McQueen in Bullitt you might want to raise the ride height slightly!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31JgMAHVeg0

[Snorman]

I would strongly recommend NOT going to the track spec ride height. See how the car is where you drive and go from there. Nobody here knows what driveway aprons, speedbumps, etc. you have to deal with regularly. I drive my ACR-E at track spec height on the streets of Florida and it's pretty flat. I've only rubbed the splitter a couple of times, but I'm sure if I was in a hilly area it would be somewhat challenging. At the current height with the E stuff on it, the car would crash into even a parking curb.
S.

[Hemibob]

I'm in LA, at factory ride height and scrape the front splitter all the time. In a cramped working environment, it's tough to hit driveways at the proper angle!

[The_Ruski_Driver]

I can't imagine you'd go over 30s without scraping

[Arizona Vipers]

At track ride height with full extreme aero installed in San Francisco you'd be scraping the rear strakes all day long and would have to CRAWL around town, hitting every bump/curb/incline at extreme sideways angles for your $10,000 front splitter to survive. Keep the splitter extenstion and rear strakes off and ride height set at street setting and you'll be fine if you are very careful.

[slitherv10]

At track ride height with full extreme aero installed in San Francisco you'd be scraping the rear strakes all day long and would have to CRAWL around town, hitting every bump/curb/incline at extreme sideways angles for your $10,000 front splitter to survive. Keep the splitter extenstion and rear strakes off and ride height set at street setting and you'll be fine if you are very careful.

Sp he basically bought an ACR extreme with no splitter and diffuser to drive around town. Might as well have gotten a TA or a GTS for that matter. Not sure how an ACR would look without the splitter and diffuser on it but im sure not as aggressive as it does with what it was dressed with.

[SimonC G5ACR]

thanks guys
Man reading these post got me kinda bummed out haha. I really dont want to take those 2 parts off i mean thats the main reason why i wanted teh ACr E, but i understand where everyone is coming from.

Like what Snorman said i will see how it goes by driving it around the area i live at which is a big goddamn hill, but ive got neighbors around me that owns Aventadors and P1s and other super cars that are very low to and they seem alright going up and down my hill all the time doing the side ways going up and down lol. Maybe if i just adjust the springs higher up it might work.

LOL yea Slither your right i should of thought about this better when i bought the car but all of you guys know if you want the car your gonna get it thats just how it is for us guys.

[ViperJon]

Sp he basically bought an ACR extreme with no splitter and diffuser to drive around town. Might as well have gotten a TA or a GTS for that matter. Not sure how an ACR would look without the splitter and diffuser on it but im sure not as aggressive as it does with what it was dressed with.

It would look like the non extreme ACR with hood vents and a bigger wing. What's the problem?
I've never once scraped the rear diffusers driving around Long Island, not one time. The front splitter extends out further but is no lower than the stock one. They only take an hour to put on or take off, see how it goes.

[SSGNRDZ_28]

Hard to know, SF for sure has a lot of hills. Speed bumps would be your worst enemy. I would keep stock ride height to start. Worst case, try it out and be careful. The plastic extensions are replaceable so as long as you don't hit really hard and damage the carbon you'll be able to replace the plastic parts as needed relatively easily (I will have them in stock soon).

I've personally had no issues, I have some hills in the area but I'd avoid speedbumps or sudden transitions like curbs at all costs.

Doug

[ViperJon]

At factory delivered stock height there is 3-1/4" clearance with the Extreme diffusers attached (just measured).
Of course that measurement will rise and fall with the rear tires as they cross a bump since the diffuser lowest point is almost even with the rear tires.

[ViperTony]

ACR Steve drives his ACR-E fully dressed in NY without issue and his is lowered. Just drive it and have fun.

[Bill Pemberton]

Frankly , most of the owners we have do not drive around town with the splitter and diffuser extentions attached. They are recommended for install at the track and with the heights diminished by the vanes extended , and the splitter sticking way out , most owners recognized that it would not be easy to drive on the street. Some areas of the Country ( with high quality roads and no speed bumps ) will possibly be easier to add said options on a daily basis , but not an issue for someone ( like the OP above ) to acknowledge they will likely not drive with them attached except when at the race course.

[Dave292]

No problems here.

[wum]

I say leave it at factory height with splitter extension and diffuser strakes OR lower to track height without extension/strakes BUT not both.

[Martin]

Since the car comes with the stuff uninstalled, see how you like it that way. I'm a bit in the same boat - really crappy roads/driveways and I'm going to spend some "get to know it" time with the car before installing all the go-fast bits. On my Gen IV ACR, I had to cringe every time I exited some driveways - and ignore the people that stopped and pointed when I was being super anal about trying to not scrape anything. It got to the point where I'd choose my route really carefully - and that was with a Gen IV ACR, which didn't have anywhere near the issues a Gen V ACR-E will have with the diffuser extension.

The reality is that the car will look just as cool with or without the aero stuff installed, and you won't put yourself into a stress hangup by leaving them off except for special occasions. I tried driving in the city once with my ACR, and that was the last time I ever want to do that :)

[City]

As my site handle would indicate, I have extensive experience in this regard. My ride is at standard factory height with the front factor spoiler installed (without the front tooth). You WILL scrape at the standard height. Where and when will depend on your mood that day (calm, angry, exuberant and/or spirited) and where you chose to drive in virtually any large city (especially one where the temps dive below freezing in winter). Over time however, you should begin to memorize the roads you commonly drive and will learn what roads to avoid completely, which lanes to avoid on most roads and/or where in each lane to be to lesson vertical loads.

All linear mounds need to be considered at a slow speed and taken at a 45 degree angle in order to have one front tire lifted while crossing. Same with driveways. Sometimes it's simply impossible and you will crawl forward enduring the migraine producing scraping while cars behind you worsen the effect with a berating horn due to your slow speed.

REGARDLESS, IT'S STILL ALL WORTH IT!

[ACR Steve]

"ACR Steve drives his ACR-E fully dressed in NY without issue and his is lowered. Just drive it and have fun. "

I do and I take it to NYC as well . I am like 2 centimeters above track height

Doesn't scrape much but that's what the pieces were designed for. They are plastic no issues

Drive the car the way it was intended you cant see a scrape on the underside of the splitter.


P.S. my rear diffusers strips rub more then my front splitter I think its lower

[BlueAdder]

ACR Steve drives his ACR-E fully dressed in NY without issue and his is lowered. Just drive it and have fun.

NY is not SF.
If you've ever driven in SF you will have noticed that the hills are crazy steep. The scraping of a lowered car are on thing but when you're on top of a hill, for example as you got up Lombard street just to go in the twisty little bit, as you crest, you can't see what is in front of you because the hood is too damn long. Had the same thing happen on my 1990 Camaro, you basically go downhill completely blind!

As much as I love to drive in SF, I have to admit that driving a manual transmission in there is just insane. If there's no traffic (that would be a miracle), no big deal, but then stop and go while driving uphill, your clutch ain't too happy after a while.

@OP, the stock ride height is 5" front and 6" rear so you have a margin for error. I wouldn't be too worried about the splitter but the diffuser extensions will most likely scrape and eventually break the diffuser which you'll have to replace, at that point, you may want to go by Safeway and buy a box of Kleenex.

[Arizona Vipers]

P.S. my rear diffusers strips rub more then my front splitter I think its lower

Yes this is definitely the case at both street height and track height settings in my experience. The rear will rub a bit on most long entry ramps going into shopping centers etc.

[MK2_Viper]

@OP, the stock ride height is 5" front and 6" rear .

My height on my GTS is 4" in the front , what am I missing ? The ACR is 5" in front?

[ViperJon]

Factory delivered height.

http://i.imgur.com/Bpn690l.jpg?2

[Bill Pemberton]

Part of the issue is height , but the concern for many is angle of approach. Hilly areas like San Francisco will have their own unique concerns, but don't feel like the Lone Ranger if you choose not to install, there are plenty that have removed the front splitter after attempting to drive in their area. Do as advised and install upon arrival and decide if it works where you are, since all the conjecture of what works from various parts of the Country ( even your State ) likely can not duplicate what actual conditions you will run into. Best of luck and nice touch ViperJon showing the height many will run at.

[City]

Factory delivered height.

http://i.imgur.com/Bpn690l.jpg?2

But Jon, you didn't adjust for the height of the diamond plate ridge. :D

[ACR Steve]

City - spoken like you have knowledge about adding every little bit you can when you measure :) ( sorry couldn't pass it up )

[Dman]

Factory delivered height.

http://i.imgur.com/Bpn690l.jpg?2

Do we have a pic just like this but without the extension on ?

That's awesome help for us trying to understand the clearance, thanks.

[SSGNRDZ_28]

Do we have a pic just like this but without the extension on ?

That's awesome help for us trying to understand the clearance, thanks.

The extension is basically parallel, maybe even raises a bit if you have the supports tightened. So with the rub strip on it would be about the same height just not extended as far from the car so easier to manage for a straight-on approach angle.

[BlueAdder]

My height on my GTS is 4" in the front , what am I missing ? The ACR is 5" in front?

From the ACR booklet:

Ride Height Adjustment
The factory ride height of your ACR is approximately:
Front: 5.0 inches (126 mm)
Rear: 6.0 inches (154 mm)

[City]

City - spoken like you have knowledge about adding every little bit you can when you measure :) ( sorry couldn't pass it up )

Hey that was Jon ... but I'll take it wherever I can. :p

[VENOM V]

I'll throw in my $.02.

I'd lower it to track height, to me it looks silly way up in the air.

However leave the extreme splitter and diffuser extensions off as Bill suggested. The car still looks bad ass without them, no one will notice that they aren't in place except for another Viper owner, lol. They are the problem much more than ride height. You can actually high-center on a speed bump with the diffuser extensions, I've scraped it hard.

I have both of my Vipers lowered, in fact my 2013 GTS is lower than my ACR and I have no issues with driveways, speed bumps, Etc.

[LABrit]

I've not bothered attaching them...car has been lowered and set to an aggressive road alignment so if it was on it wouldn't be usable.

I've only done about 850 miles but it's not been an issue unless i'm not being careful. With the splitter on and the original height being left stock it would be about the same as it is now i suppose but due to the shape it wouldn't have the same clearance.

[ACR Steve]

Just a not if you are going to rub its better to rub the plastic splitter and diffuser extensions then the actual carbon fiber before the extensions. Acts like a skid plate to protect the rest

[Snorman]

Thinking about this thread I had to laugh...last night I got back to Florida from a short trip up to my house in Jersey and decided to take the car out to pick up a few things at the store. I scraped the front splitter twice and bottomed out the rear diffuser extensions on a speed bump in a parking lot.
S.

[ek1]

My car is set up for 4.5" front and 6" rear height. I was also shitting bricks regarding driving in NYC, but it turned out to be fine (although I only drive to/from the track, with an occasional show/cruise in between). Just watch where you are going as far as potholes and go slow enough so you have time to drive around anything that can rip your front or rear splitters off.

I drove the car from Woodhouse (Nebraska) to NYC (1,500+ miles) without Extreme extensions and have not scraped anything even once.

Before the car arrived, I had this grand idea of installing front splitter extensions and rear diffuser strakes at the track and taking them off for street use, but after a single 90-minute install I changed my mind and just left the damn things on. Once you do it, you will know what I mean.

Here is what my front clearance looks like (make sure you zoom in all the way and see clearly because the front edge of the front splitter and my garage floor are the same color):

21294

Here is what rear clearance looks like (you can see my rear strakes had some use):

21296

The rear scrapes a lot more than the front. You WILL slice all roadkill into pieces once you drive over it. Overall though, I have not had a lot of issues. I do scrape both front and rear while using my driveway (even sideways), but remember that these extensions are meant to scrape. Another forum member already offers them for much less than OEM Price and they are just pieces of recycled plastic.

I definitely would not have front or rear Extreme extensions permanently installed for street-only use. They look cool, but not cool enough to justify the cost of new Carbon Fiber splitters (many thousands of dollars and most likely many weeks of waiting).

Overall though, just get the car, enjoy it tremendously and dont sweat over the extensions. You'll be fine.

[ViperJon]

Thinking about this thread I had to laugh...last night I got back to Florida from a short trip up to my house in Jersey and decided to take the car out to pick up a few things at the store. I scraped the front splitter twice and bottomed out the rear diffuser extensions on a speed bump in a parking lot.
S.

Gas station entrances and exits.....they'll get you too.

[Snorman]

Gas station entrances and exits.....they'll get you too.Yep. The splitter scraped on a hill exiting the plaza even though I approached on an angle and the other time was pulling out of 7-11 as the tire dropped into the drainage channel along the curb.
S.