I recently completed a comprehensive guide on the Tesla Model 3 suspension, and one of the key components that it included was lowering springs.
They are critical when it comes to modifying the suspension, and any mistakes in selecting suitable springs may cost you a lot of money.
Given this, I decided to create a buying guide for the best Model 3 lowering springs to help out Model 3 owners.
Other "bloggers" and "influencers" will push the product that pays the most, not the one that help you the most. We find what has worked best for the Tesla community -- and recommend it. We may get compensated (and that keeps the lights on)... but if we don't, WHO CARES? If every Tesla owner is recommending it, we will too!
After a daylong research, I listed here the top products as voted on by the Tesla community.
Let’s get into the details.
At A Glance: Our Top 4 Picks for Model 3 Lowering Springs to Boost Performance
- Best Overall: H&R
- Runner-Up: Eibach
- Notable Mention: T Sportline
- Unplugged Performance Body Kit
What Effects Does Lowering Have on the Model 3’s Range?
Experiments have shown that lowering the Model 3 significantly improves range.
Nextmove, one of Germany’s major electric car rental firms, developed a test to confirm this. They recorded the entire procedure and posted it on their YouTube channel.
Lowering the Model 3 resulted in a 7% boost in efficiency over the standard height Model 3. This impact is even stronger than the effect of the aero wheels.
What Effects Does Lowering Have On The Fitment Of The Model 3’s Wheels?
The Model 3’s front wheels are supported by an A-arm suspension, while the rear wheels are supported by a multi-link suspension.
When the Model 3 is lowered, the geometry of the suspension forces the wheel to shift inboard. As a result, there is greater space between the wheel and the fender.
You may have to remove 4 to 5 mm from the offset on the arrangement you had in mind.
Many Model 3 owners can be seen driving about with badly placed aftermarket wheels on their lowered Model 3. Either they have the improper wheel/tire combo, or the offset is incorrect, ruining the overall flush appearance of the car.
IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
---|---|---|
Best Overall | H&R
| CHECK BEST PRICE → |
Runner-Up | Eibach
| CHECK BEST PRICE → |
Notable Mention | T Sportline
| CHECK BEST PRICE → |
Unplugged Performance Body Kit
| CHECK BEST PRICE → |
To learn all about the Model 3 rims fitment, aftermarket rims, and setup suggestions for a flush look, visit this article.
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Best Model 3 Lowering Springs Overall:
H&R
The overall impression of H&R lowering springs for the Model 3 among the Tesla community is quite awesome. Most of the owners rank them above Eibach’s and T Sportline’s lowering springs, so I did the same.
First and foremost, how much will they lower your Model 3?
The LR-AWD will be lowered by around 40 mm, while the Performance model will be lowered by around 30 mm.
When compared with Eibach and T Sportline, H&R lowers the Model 3 the most. If this is your only parameter, don’t read further and hit that buy button already.
Be cautious, though. If you live in a snowy area, you might end up scraping the floor of your car.
When it comes to performance, I found all Model 3 owners to be awe-inspired by this product—better handling, better ride quality, better cornering, better stance, and above all, awesome aesthetics.
Remy from the FrostyFingers YouTube channel DIY-installed the lowering springs (He isn’t a mechanic! Take some inspiration, you lazy…) and walked us through his overall impressions.
Remy is all praise just like the other Model 3 owners who invested in H&R lowering springs.
One of the owners, though, got a bit confused while purchasing these lowering springs for his Stealth Model 3. Here’s what he shared:
AWD LR (STEALTH) uses Tesla Spring part number “A” while the AWD Performance uses Tesla Spring part number “B”. Different part numbers because they are NOT the same springs. Yet, H&R AWD LR and Performance spring part numbers are exactly the same. Please tell me you understand what I’m trying to point out. I’m concerned that H&R uses the same part number on these 2 different cars but Tesla does not.
DC813
He quickly got the answer from a fellow Model 3 owner:
The clear cut answer to your question is if you decide to go for H&R your part number is 28659-1.
Yes, Tesla has 2 different part numbers for AWD and PERFORMANCE. The spring coil is different but the same shock dampers are used on both models. The battery pack (weight) and shock are the same so that’s why H&R developed the same spring for both vehicles.
boostftw
To summarize, you can’t go wrong with H&R lowering springs for your Model 3. They perfectly fit the bill in every aspect.
Pros
Cons
✅ Improve ride quality
✅ More forgiving than stock lowering springs
✅ Lower the car more than any other spring brand
✅ Powder-coated for better corrosion resistance and aesthetics
❌ Not suitable for snowy areas
Runner-Up Model 3 Lowering Springs:
Eibach
As I hinted earlier, owners are constantly debating the viability of H&R versus Eibach lowering springs.
The prevailing thought is that both are excellent, but the majority of the owners choose H&R—partially because H&R lowering springs lower the car 1/4″ more than Eibach lowering springs.
Looks, handling, ride quality, cornering… Whatever quality you can think of improving, it will be really improved with Eibach lowering springs. Here’s an owner’s detailed review that he posted on the TMC forum:
As for the springs- the ride quality is as smooth as stock despite being on 20’s – a testament to the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires and the perfect daily drop of the Pro-Kit.
The car feels much more planted, confident, eager to turn in with less body roll – it is a night and day difference.
On poor quality roads you will feel much more but that is to be expected. Bumps are handled with poise and the car regains composure very quickly as opposed to the stock suspension where you bounce around.
The drop itself is about even, slight front rake. The only con I’ve experienced is that over 60mph you start to hear some light noise out of the frunk area, almost like wind passing through. Will have to look into what is causing it.
Motron3030
The pros are exactly what you’d expect from high-quality springs. Let me now discuss the disadvantage.
While browsing YouTube reviews, I came across one owner discussing the same issue. He installed Eibach springs, and as he exceeded 60 mph, he began to hear rattling noises coming from the trunk.
He discovered that he had aftermarket wheels installed, which had aerodynamic qualities that caused air pressure to cause rattling at high speeds.
Motron3030 also has the Vorsteiner V-FF 107—a quality aftermarket rim indeed—installed, so it may be the reason he is experiencing the same issue. However, nothing can be said with confidence.
Here’s the YouTube review from DragTimes I was talking about:
Overall, considering the response of the Tesla community, I’d say these springs are a great deal to have.
Pros
Cons
✅ Improve ride quality
✅ Aggressive aesthetics
✅ Better handling
✅ Improve cornering
❌ A few owners have complained about the rattling noise that occurs when the car exceeds 60 mph.
Notable Mention:
T Sportline
My car has Tsportline springs, 1 inch lower. Makes the ride more smooth vs the stock ones.
Chancellor32
+1 for Tsportline springs. The 1-inch drop rides very smooth and makes the look of the car overall wheel gap look really sport compared to Lexus/Mercedes/BMW stock stance.
follow.johnny
T Sportline lowering springs have quite a following in the community; the above two comments are only a glimpse of it.
Owners tested them on highways, regular commuter roads, and even unpaved roads.
Per the general sentiment, not only do these lowering springs improve aesthetics, but also they make the ride quality better and more forgiving.
In the words of an owner, “it feels more compliant yet more together.”
But it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.
Following the installation of T Sportline lowering springs, a few customers experienced issues with reduced fender space. Some even claimed that the tire began to grind against the fenders.
This can happen right after installation; however, springs require at least a few weeks to settle, so give them time.
However, in the case of certain owners, the settlement did not occur even after a month.
T Sportline took a firm position in response to their complaints. According to them, the issue was caused by improper installation, and dissatisfied owners should contact their personnel or hire a T Sportline-trained mechanic to fix it.
In the end, with all things considered, T Sportline lowering springs are a good choice if you want higher ride quality at a reasonable price. They are available for all trims of the Model 3 (with a maximum lowering limit of 1 inch).
Pros
Cons
✅ Available for all trims of the Model 3
✅ Propagate good aesthetics
✅ Improve the ride quality
✅ Improve handling
✅ Don’t mess up the steering feel
❌ Take a few weeks to settle
❌ Some owners expressed dissatisfaction with the fender gap, which was drastically decreased following the installation.
Hey, I Don’t See Unplugged Performance! Why?
Whoa, easy there, tiger… It’s not like I have some personal issues with Unplugged Performance.
In fact, I think it’s one of the most trustworthy brands in Tesla’s aftermarket industry.
“Okay, then where are UP’s lowering springs?”
Good question! Per my research, most Model 3 owners aren’t very happy with UP’s lowering springs.
Not because of their performance, though. In fact, UP’s lowering springs definitely improve ride quality, cornering, and of course, aesthetics with a 1.5″ drop.
The actual problem lies in sound… UP’s lowering springs develop a kind of a creaking sound after installation.
So many owners faced this issue that whenever someone talks about UP’s springs, the first question is always “Did you have the noise issue?”
If not 100%, at least 75% of the Model 3 owners faced this issue with UP’s lowering springs.
Another common problem associated with UP is its unresponsive team and late delivery times.
Many owners faced back-order issues, and some, annoyed by the wait, switched to some other brand.
So courtesy of these two problems, UP didn’t make it to the list. If you decide to go with them, do let me know about your experience in the comments section.
Alternative Products to Improve Efficiency
Unplugged Performance Body Kit
Unplugged Performance is the only company that publicly claims that their body kit improves the efficiency of the Model 3, and they have conducted studies to back up this claim.
At low speeds, drag is less important than mechanical losses with regards to kWh efficiency. However, as speeds increase above 30mph and approach typical “highway speeds,” the relationship between percentage drag reduction and percentage kWh efficiency gain approaches a 1:1 ratio.
Based on this model, we estimate that utilizing the front lip, rear wing, and lowering springs will produce 43 miles of additional range (13.33%) at a steady speed of 70 miles per hour, on top of the Model 3’s expected efficiency.
Unplugged Performance
Interestingly, many Tesla owners also noticed an increase in range after installing UP’s body kit. The front lip spoiler specifically is the most sought-after component of the entire body package.
One of the reasons for the appreciation was the greater efficiency on the highway while traveling at speeds of more than 50 miles per hour. Here’s what one of the owners said:
It’s the only lip that has data from the manufacturer to show its efficiency gains due to increased aerodynamics.
I noticed an efficiency gain on highway speeds. For anything below 50mph, I couldn’t tell a difference. This is with 15k miles driven.
Personally, I think it’s the best-looking lip that complements the lines of the bumper and the car overall. So it’s more of a mod to give the car an OEM+ look, which is exactly what I was going for. The fact it could potentially increase range was merely a bonus.
P-Lo801
Final Thoughts
Both H&R and Eibach are awesome choices for your Model 3. The only differentiating factor is the lowered height, so you can make your decision based on this factor.
I’m not against Unplugged Performance’s lowering springs; the performance they show is great. If you decide to go with them, just be prepared for some potential issues that’ll take time to rectify.
To conclude, I’ve shared every bit of detail about the Model 3 lowering springs. I hope this makes it much easier for you to decide which way to go.
If you have any suggestions or queries, feel free to comment down below.
Muhammad Hassan
Engineer by trade and writer by passion, Hassan is an automotive enthusiast who thinks EVs are the future. At TTU, he discusses the coolest features and products Model 3 owners look for -- so they can better experience their cars. In his free time, he enjoys tea, reading, and listening to podcasts.These 5 rare tips can save you so much time and stress – and few owners know about them (even after years of ownership). Sign up below to learn more. It's free!