Why I thought stance was something completely different
Why I thought stance was something completely different, but with a little education and showing some appreciation it has completely opened my eyes to a thriving community.
Motorworx_Market
Join Our Facebook Group, Give Our Facebook Page a Like, and Follow us on Instagram
These Photographs are supplied by and owned by the Photographer named.
!!! Please Order Your Monthly Printed Magazine From HERE !!!
More images are in the slider above
What is Stance?
I used to hear the word stance quite a lot and thought this word was bound to those in close nit communities whose cars sat with offensive-looking camber angles by modifying their suspension components way beyond their design limits. I had a narrow view of the word stance. There is a much broader outlook, mainly about how the car sits, but there is a lot more to it.
It wasn’t until I realised this originated from motorsport (my general area of interest) I perked up a little bit. This then gave it a whole new purpose. The strive to achieve a better stance could then result in a more effective and purposeful car to drive, and I will touch on that a bit further down.
When I reached out to learn more about it completely changed my viewpoint, it's the visual appeal from filling the wheel arch gaps, it's the looks, how tight the rim sits to the arch, does it have the right proportions, it's actually a very personal touch which should be respected.
An Awkward Dilemma
I have to confess something here, and there is a chance it might ruffle a few feathers. The term 'Stance' receives a lot of bad press, and I had fallen into this trap too. In the past, most of this bad press comes in the form of judging the technicalities with overstretched tyres and questioning the camber angle which reduces the size of the tyre contact patch to a size of a matchbox. “Why?” I ask, “What's the point?” There are some extreme examples out there that are crying out for attention, and if that is what they seek, then so be it.
The lengths people go to
What I have been most impressed with is the effort and length these owners will go to, to achieve sometimes what looks like unattainable levels of stance. The engineering boundaries and design parameters that were created by some of these car manufacturers proved no match for those who wanted to achieve the perfect stance look. What could start off as simply lowering your car with a set of coil overs, can soon turn into fitting wider wheels..which in turn requires you to consider modifying your wheel arches…
Then there is the usual negative camber that's required to tuck the wheel in at the top...Wheel spacers and the extra load this applies to the wheel bearings. This then provokes some thought into full lock steering clearances against the inner wheel arches and driveshaft clearances. Non-structural chassis parts will end up surrendering their space for clearance. The list goes on
Getting the clearance right between the wheel rim and the arches in full bump is nothing short of dark art. It all has to work in harmony. The rule book is literally thrown out the window, and I love that.>
But with each and every challenge these mods bring, there seems to be an abundance of knowledge, literature, and how-to guides from a community I didn’t even know existed.
It doesn’t matter what car you own, there will be a forum filled with helpful owners willing to reach out and help others. Not to mention the number of small businesses that have popped up into this space offering custom tunable parts. It has become a thriving ecosystem of stance lovers! Effects of ride height
The desire to achieve what had originated from motorsport has created a set of natural benefits. It’s not just the looks, there is a resulting performance gain to match. Just take the centre of gravity, an area constantly scrutinised in the motorsport world.
Slamming the car can feel fantastic if you are driving around on silky smooth roads in Switzerland all day, but some suspension types will be working at the end of their ranges, so back here in “road works ahead Britain” can be a little tricky and create some nervous handling if running to the extreme.
Form over function
Unfortunately, Britain is not blessed with a high-quality road network, instead, we put up with this crumbling state of ruin that we are happy to patch up every winter. Like most enthusiasts who want to soak up the best roads, it keeps you on edge, and you end up playing pothole roulette with the oncoming traffic. So hats off to those who persevere with form over function, as they overcome a wave of engineering challenges, and then lap up the atmosphere to and from their car meets.
Author: Sean Matthews
Instagram: @motorworx_market
Website: www.motorworxmarket.com www.motorworxmarket.com/blog
Please leave your comments in the comments section at the bottom of the page
'The future is bright as long as we can still Smell the Fumes'
Stay Up to Date Check Out Our Google News and give us a Follow
All of our Magazines can be found on Amazon, they Print and Deliver worldwide, Stance Auto can not be held responsible for the final print, and all complaints and returns must be directed to Amazon.
UKTM no: UK00003572459
