lowering questions

TimR · Post by **TimR** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 9:31 pm

Just after some more info about lowering (2inch) , hopefully it hasn't been covered before.
Why are dropped stub axles better/prefered over lowered springs?
It is best to get and decide on the wheels before lowering isn't it?

How do you tell if the current leaf springs are no good, can you measure the deflection or similar?
Is there a disadvantage of blocks compared to getting leafs reset?
Thanks a lot

FB MAD · Post by **FB MAD** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 10:34 pm

Lowered stub axles are preferred as they still allow for legal lowering of the car and still maintain the original suspension travel in full.Lowered springs ,whilst still legal (depending on the amount of lowering ) decrease the amount of original suspension travel on bump and are frowned upon in general by the rego authorities because the rego authorities like to frown a lot!!

Lower the car to where you want it first and then see if the wheels you want will fit and doesn't foul suspension components or front guard during full lock steering and full suspension movement.

Lowering blocks for rear springs are cheaper and easier to do than reset springs if you want it that way.Reset springs are also another avenue or a combination of reset springs and lowering blocks can also be used.

To check if your rear springs are sagged the general way to do it is the measure the distance between the rear bump rubber and the diff housing whilst the car is at normal loading and on a level floor and compare that to the factory specs.

Most cars will have sagged a bit in ride height over the years compared to the factory specs, some more than others.

Devilrod · Post by **Devilrod** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:08 am

What Terry said, but I'll whatever you do "get your rim/tyre combo first!!!". This will dictate more than anything else how much you can lower your car.

mrs ratbox · Post by **mrs ratbox** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:16 am

and if useing drop stubbs this does cause more issues re:wheel tyre combo
there is other issues with the drop stubbs, because yor car is lower but still has full suspension travel in some situations this causes front cross member and or steering components to bottom out on the road and tyre fouling on guard issues, i'm telling you this from experiance

i'm not saying don't use them if i ever stumble across some for the right price i'de use them again

does anybody have 1 drop stubb as i have 1

FB MAD · Post by **FB MAD** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:31 pm

" because yor car is lower but still has full suspension travel in some situations this causes front cross member and or steering components to bottom out on the road and tyre fouling on guard issues, i'm telling you this from experiance"

Thats was the problem I had with my UC Torana with CRS dropped stubs a few years ago.

The crossmember would hit the road before the bottom wishbone hit the bump rubbers.

Solved the problem by extending the bump rubbers up 1 inch ( they are bolt on rubbers in UC Torana ) via a spacer block and stopped the crossmember hitting the road.

oldnek · Post by **oldnek** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:49 pm

If you use drop stubs you have to change your springs to HDuty ones, or you'll scrape guards, and fit firmer shocks. So with that! cheaper just to go HD lowered coils, and good shocks.

TimR · Post by **TimR** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:14 pm

Thats great thanks for the detailed responses.
Just planning ahead right now so i'll sort out what wheels i can get.

ekdave1962 · Post by **ekdave1962** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 7:40 am

one other question re lowering blocks .. my little girl is near ready for rego . and plan to lower it after its registered ..

.. was looking at lowering blocks on evil bay $65 bucks but which ones as car has EK springs and a HR diff ? so do i get EK or HR blocks if there is a difference ?

mrs ratbox · Post by **mrs ratbox** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 2:14 pm

J · Post by J » Fri Apr 03, 2009 3:22 pm

mine has HR diff, and the blocks didnt quite fit properly.