drive slammed import-scary!help *PICS ADDED*

[Grazy]

20 inches arch lip to floor !

 

[PetrolHead]

RE: The Trade Plates - (Not trying to be your moral guardian) - But surely that's not legal and risks (as others have suggested) getting your van impounded and crushed by the Police?

I've heard the "I used Trade Plates" line so many times over the years - but does it really (and legally) negate the requirements for an MOT, insurance, and general road worthyness when picking up a vehicle?

Maybe I'm becoming too old and sensible for my own good these days.

Nice van though 8)

Missing my van loads today - need to get busy with work again to take my mind off it.

 

[dubscum]

maybe lower than grazy's .

:lol: FIiiiiGHT !!!!! :lol:

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Couldn't resist :lol: I'll measure once it's back together :mrgreen:

but if were measuring

whats the spec looks pretty low

5.5 inches at the front
5inches at the rear
measured centre of the spindle to arch lip

soon to be lower after clearance issues are sorted :mrgreen:

 

[windsurfer]

lowered buses are gay

Especially ones that have had pink wheels

 

[sparkywig]

lowered buses are gay

Except ones that have had pink wheels

 

[dubscum]

 

[sackmcgannay]

ok so managed to get a camera and take some pics of front and rear set up - looks a bit dodgy!
can anyone tell me from these pics what the hells going on here!? Drove the van around the warehouse a few times trying to loosen up the brakes which has made a noticeable difference already - the brakes on the right side must have just got stuck.

front:

rear:

stance:

 

[mattyd72]

That is a lot of scrap holding your bus up there mate......

So much wrong, where do you start ? Cable tied brake line on the track rod, dodgy welds, so unsafe mate :shock:

 

[sackmcgannay]

I got th bus for what i recon was a really good price so suspected a not so great job on the lowering to be done - but really i want some advice on where to go from here?
I'm not so sure about the suspension being welded to inner arch - whats all that about?

 

[bluebay]

First thing,do not drive it.There is so many things wrong.Shocks mounted to arches,wrong mounting bolts,brake hoses tied to steering rods,very poor welding.If you are not confident and competant as to what needs doing swallow hard and take it to a reputable mechanic,it may cost a few quid but if not it may cost you your life.It can be done right and will make a cool safe bus for you.

 

[Loxy]

Isn't that tie rod bent from where its been hitting the chassis as well???

 

[dubdubz]

can you do wheel off pics from the side and other angles of the front and the rear....??

The front isn't too bad to fix, I would get a piece of 10mm steel cut to form the top shock mount, rather than simply welding, I'd have 'legs' that extend down and use the fixing bolts holes too, plus welding. I can do a sketch but that'll be easy enough to do.

the adj tie rods are welded, mot man will not like that, so they need replacing or make some yourself using the dodgy ones as a template?
the issue may be the bottom shock mount has been welded so to clean it up and get a nut on again, as it is supposed to be maybe quite tricky - transporterhaus or slamwerks I think can remove that stud and replace?

good thing is it looks like you have all the leaves - another US trick to remove some!

I'd also check the adjusters to see how good they have been welded in and what sort, the bug ones on a split beam is common and if good quality haven't caused many issues, maybe when it's stripped down look to replace with good quality, I personally like the wagenwest beefcake ones......


the back needs further pics, it looks like the normal shock mount area has been cut out, but can't see properly.


TBH if I could I'd pay one of the bus constructors to have a look, Gadget or Slamwerks, someone like that - not necessarily to do the work but pay them an hour plus travelling maybe to assess and suggest what to do and where??
You have the issue in the fact it is undriveable as it sits and transporting is money - I'd maybe use technology and make a video [ slow, steady panning with plenty of light ] and ask if for a fee someone will have a look.

Possibly someone may do it for free , I always like to offer something anyway.....

 

[ozziedog]

I don`t know what to say, apart from repeat what the others have said. Get it to someone reputable that knows not just about mek nics, but about lowering busses too. Luckily you flagged it up straight away , as that could have been a bad news story. With those custom lowering "issues" sorted, that is a cool looking bus, so don`t beat yourself up, just get it sorted, and cruisin for summer and it`ll all be worth while,

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,, Cool ride,, 8) 8)

 

[sackmcgannay]

So normally there should be an arm off of the front beam that acts as a top mount for shock right? but this beam doesn't have that - is that cause its a splitty beam? Is it ok to weld the top shock bracket to top of inner arch if its done properly then?
I'm not in a rush to get it sorted-the bus is in storage and i dont have the money to throw at it at the moment but got a mig welder so could sort out top shock mounts on front - if that is a proper solution?
thanks guys here are the rest of the pics i took yesterday if any help?

front:

rear: couldn't get the rear wheel off so these were best i could get - how do i take rear wheels off!!?? :?

will take a video like you said dubdubz and post it up or send it to anyone who thinks they can help.

 

[dubdubz]

to get rear wheel off I'd undo shock bottom or top bolt and pry using a long bar....

this is a very rough idea for fixing the front beam end plates - granted you may want some longer bolts [10.8 hardened ones?]

other than the way the bottom shock mount will be rectified the front isn't as bad as you think, depending on the quality of the dropped spindles and beam...do you know the suppliers of either?

it's the rear that may be problematic in terms of strengthening it, but with a great deal of thought and some decent welding anything is possible but I cannot stress enough, getting a body that knows their lowered bus onions is a must to assess what is good/bad indifferent, even if they don't do the work due to cost.
We can make suggestions on what we can see only - we cannot tap and prod and get in at all angles as we only have 2D!!

 

[faux]

I won't repeat what others have said but I will put some pics up:

This is pretty much as low as you can go without tubbing and notching (could put lower profiles on):

Pics of Windsurfers bus when I put his beam on:

I'll try to get some of my bus. On a 4" narrowed beam the the strut mounting studs are removed from the lower trailing arms and they are ground down to allow the shock to fit in the standard position.

It seams like a solid bus and it won't take a huge amount to sort out (undo) the mess someone has made of this. If you want to stay that low you will need to notch the front chassis and possibly tub the arches.

It is a cool bus, get on it and you'll be surprised the difference some knowledge and a bit of UNbodging can do.

 

[Araon]

Nice solid looking bus you just need to sort out the previous bellends work........

save your pennies and do it properly looking at some of those bodges I'd say you were damned lucky you had an event free trip back

 

[sackmcgannay]

this is a very rough idea for fixing the front beam end plates - granted you may want some longer bolts [10.8 hardened ones?]

other than the way the bottom shock mount will be rectified the front isn't as bad as you think, depending on the quality of the dropped spindles and beam...do you know the suppliers of either?



the section you have drawn - is that a separate part that i bolt on - using same/longer bolts or is this something i need to weld on (like the pre made beams you see for sale)?

 

[sackmcgannay]

I only drove it a 1/4 mile down the road- then parked it up in a merc dismantling yard over night till i got it trailered back.

 

[jacks906]

hi
wont repeat much the others have said but ive circled the bits id worry about:

have the ends of the arms been cut down? an the beam looks like a replacement item.. altho it will still need a good look over to just double check.. there was a story about a company producing very poor quality beams not long ago if i remember right, was this company US based??

now the rear really concerns me:

removed rear top shock mount is because someones cut the chassis, chopped top shock mount off, moved the chassis section up and welded plate at either end..... this REALLY needs wheel off and better photos as if its not been strengthened properly this is not strong at all and will collapse!!!!

also not handbrake cable/cables fitted

an again shock mounts front an rear

all in all not too bad and easily fixed, i have seen worse UK buses MOT'd on the road, mine included before i sorted out previous bodges

plus i'll PM specs on mine to ya dubscum save clogging up thread :mrgreen: