Galo

Cleaning up my garage this weekend, re-packaging & storing the OEM front struts & springs that came off my car when I installed my Toks & springs, I got an idea that I was wondering if anyone has tried, something which could result in the ability to drop a car in the front without losing that much suspension travel hence maintaining a reasonably good ride even after lowering.

The idea is simple: either re-drill the strut mounting holes higher on the lower mounting brackets -the ones that use the two large bolts to attach to the spindle assembly- and/or fabricate a special adapter that allows the whole front strut/spring assembly to be mounted lower on the spindle.

If you can reposition those two mounting holes one inch higher on their mounting flanges, you will get a one inch drop -without changing springs or anything like that -and you''ll retain all the suspension travel.

Or, you could fit a 'minimal drop' spring like an H&R, Maxspeed, etc but get a Tein drop.

N E one tried anything like this?

spirilis

iTrader: (2)

Does the strut bracket really have that much vertical space?

Also, it may stretch the brake hoses a bit too much...

blueeyce

I would tend to think that even if this were possible you'd end up bottoming out a lot because of the stock spring rate. IMO

Ironlord

wouldn't this also radiacally change the suspension geometry since now you're changing attachment points? at least instead of just the spring rate or whatnot...

Galo

No....that's in fact exactly what I'm trying to avoid.

Bottoming happens more often when u install a shorter spring as the way to achieve a lowered stance. All aftermarket springs are shorter -that's why the cars ride lower.

To then prevent completely ridiculous bottoming, the shorter springs have a nomininally higher spring rate -hence the stiffer ride.

If you could mount the whole axle/spindle assembly higher on the strut, you will lower the ride height without having to resort to shortening & stiffening the spring -as all aftermarket lowering springs are.

If you re-drill the holes right, this will have the impact on geometry as a lowering of equal amount via a new spring, BTW.

soundmike

iTrader: (24)

That makes sense, this is exactly like what i used to do with my ballpen's back in college.

When i run out of ink on one of those push-in/push-out pens (with springs surrounding the ink cartridge) i tend to replace it with whatever i could find - some cartridges are long, others are short. So i adjust the spring stopper accordingly.

Anyway, I haven't seen the spring mounts up-close, but wouldn't drilling new holes and whatnot bring in some possible weakness in the whole assembly?

blueeyce

OK...so how would this prevent bottoming. You are basically lowering the car and reducing the available travel of the suspension arm by ~1in but the strut will still have the same range of motion. Unless you increase the size of the bumpstop i don't see how this would not cause the car to bottom out. And if you don't increase the bumpstop the wheel would undoubtedly bottom on large bumps. I understand what you're saying but i think your theory is flawed.

2k1seae

iTrader: (1)

Maybe talk to a suspension technician. Get his professional/expert opinion. It sounds logical, but I'm not certain if you would somehow change the geometry in some way and have problems with an alignment. You might wind up installing the other two H&R's. I'm thinking about that myself.

Mick Max

Galo,
This could be right up there with my tire siping idea. For those tight on bucks and wanting the RE92's to be better in the snow and rain. No, yours is better.
I see no reason why this would not work. I will have to go out and look if the lower spring perch looks like it will clear the tire being an inch lower. You run a lesser offset than me.
Nice! no structural changes, no loss in spring travel.
This could be a cheap win win!

Galo

Mike...you got it. This is something that does not change the wheel travel because it does not shorten the distance between the top of the strut and the bump stop, whereas all other shorter springs do.

Yes, if you go too far you might have a situation where a large or wide wheel could maybe rub the inner fender liners at maximum deflection because the wheel & tire assembly is up further into the fender -just as it would be with a shorter spring- but now with full wheel travel to contend with.

That would be a minor problem to solve, could be fixed by adding a really soft rubber bump stop in addition to the hard rubber bump stops which are there already...

Anyhow, it's obvious u can 'see' where I'm going. Could be the perfect answer for those who want to fix the 'nose up' attitude of the car without having to either replace all the springs and suffer the ride consequences of that....

In my case, where I'm going with this would be to replace the front Eibachs with maybe the stock SE springs to get the ride height of the Eibachs but with the ride comfort of the stock springs....interesting thought, eh?

On another note, my special 12mm spacers are waiting for me at home....I'll get to them in about one hour....we'll see how they fit!