Lowering Advice

[BARKING MARK]

Calling all you Tech heads and Masters of drop,
I want to lower my Bus without notching or tubbing.I would like to keep the comfort of the standard set up if poss.
Ive seen people use Ball joint Drop Spindles Are these any good? Has anyone had any problems with them?
Also theres the Link pin Beam and split dropped spindles. i would love to know the pros and cons of the various set ups available.
Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[rallye dale]

I think your best doing a search, its been done to death lately, hth

 

[curly head]

I have adjusters on my beam with spax adjustable shocks from creative. It rides ok but if I had my time again I would leave the beam as standard and run drop spindles, I understand this is a much more comfortable ride.

I have adjustable spring plates on the rear, which work a treat.

Whatever you do buy decent shocks and don't waste your money with T2D slam items, too soft in my opinion.

Good luck

 

[BARKING MARK]

I have adjusters on my beam with spax adjustable shocks from creative. It rides ok but if I had my time again I would leave the beam as standard and run drop spindles, I understand this is a much more comfortable ride.

I have adjustable spring plates on the rear, which work a treat.

Whatever you do buy decent shocks and don't waste your money with T2D slam items, too soft in my opinion.

Good luck

Thanks Curly Head thats helpful advice.

 

[68oldskool]

4 inch narrowed beam....dropped spindles....horseshoes on the rear...runs sweet as...all transporterhouse

 

[BARKING MARK]

4 inch narrowed beam....dropped spindles....horseshoes on the rear...runs sweet as...all transporterhouse

Question is that a link pin beam or balljoint beam?
Thanks
Mark

 

[r73]

i had dropped spindles on my westy - now i dont :roll: wouldnt bother if i was you. mind you they seem to work better with an adjustable beam.
if you want a tried a tested simple and cheap drop upto about 3-4 inches put adjusters in the beam
if you want to go lower than that fit a king and link beam.
if you dont mind being able to go everywhere vw intended and like to crawl under your bus without a jack and want a comfortable and quiet but slightly wallowy ride leave it stock
another option to look at is a red 9 wishbone set up.
make sure you do your homework and speak to the guys that really know and care and decide exactly what you need from your bus.

as previously said theres loads of reading to do on this subject on here - good luck

 

[BARKING MARK]

i had dropped spindles on my westy - now i dont :roll: wouldnt bother if i was you. mind you they seem to work better with an adjustable beam.
if you want a tried a tested simple and cheap drop upto about 3-4 inches put adjusters in the beam
if you want to go lower than that fit a king and link beam.
if you dont mind being able to go everywhere vw intended and like to crawl under your bus without a jack and want a comfortable and quiet but slightly wallowy ride leave it stock
another option to look at is a red 9 wishbone set up.
make sure you do your homework and speak to the guys that really know and care and decide exactly what you need from your bus.

as previously said theres loads of reading to do on this subject on here - good luck

Thanks for that
Mark

 

[Madvdub]

Twin wishbone from red9 perfect ride at whatever height rides the same and steering awesome too well worth the money

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[superfunkyfresh]

Enjoy the pain! haha..My Knuckles still haven't recovered.. the skins still weeping off them..

 

[Clem]

Key questions really are how low do you want to go, how much work will/can you do yourself and importantly - whats your budget?

 

[BARKING MARK]

Just want to say a big thank you to all who took time to reply.
I am hoping to lower the Bus as much as poss "without"Notching the chasis or Tubbing the arches as the bodywork is all original and totally rot free. It would be a shame to mess with it. I dont want to do anything to the bus that cant be reversed if needed.
I have not decided if i am going to do the work myself or farm it out, depends on how much overtime is going at work.!

 

[flynster]

i have adjusters in front beam and its been dropped a spline at rear.....mild lowering without the costs of the slammed dudes looks better than stock imo and still totally useable on roads and off roads sites etc.....i`d go for dropped splindles and upgrade front shock next when funds allow....that`ll do for this bus 8)

steve

 

[AndyO]

This is a real minefield imho. For me 2 step forward, 1 back - still not there but damn close....No tubs or notches:

Are you running std wheels or alloys?

If standard, I reckon:

Drop Spindles
Coilovers (see recent thread on here, as above avoid T2D one's)
Adjustable Spring Plates on Rear

My Pains:

Drop Spindles
Too Low without Coilovers
Added T2D Coilovers = Gash
Lowered Rear on Splines = too much Camber
Added Horseshoes = Less Camber
Less Camber = Wheels (alloys) Hitting Arch
Grind Arch, All is good.
Ahh, cant get rear wheel off, grind lip off torsion bar housing, works!
Arrhh, is that drive shaft hitting the chassis, right, grind a bit out then (mini notch)

Put different Coilovers on, hitting one of the beam bolts, grind said bolts all is good, (Well this was at the weekend, so reserve real comment but so far much better than before)

Narrow beam? **** it, why not?

Actually that went OK until I took it for 4 wheel alignment, no chance of getting the equipment on, got round that in the end......which took a week......camber nuts and such - so grief, and with after market Foosh alloys with big offset, cant really tell - standard rims on their way for this and a couple of other reasons...

Sooooo, still want to lower, punk, well do ya?

 

[Madvdub]

Yes above too true and cost a bit too and very frustring too

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[r73]

Yup to AndyO. You see why I got rid of my flipped spindles. Add to that the fact that I really don't like the idea of running balljoints upside down only held in with a circlip. And the wrong load tyres as well which definately ain't ideal.
Don't get me wrong i know how many peeps ain't had a problem with these things but I've got three kids a heavy westy poptop with a remade oak interior loads of camping gear, and slight paranoid tendencies!!

 

[creationblue]

This is a real minefield imho. For me 2 step forward, 1 back - still not there but damn close....No tubs or notches:

Are you running std wheels or alloys?

If standard, I reckon:

Drop Spindles
Coilovers (see recent thread on here, as above avoid T2D one's)
Adjustable Spring Plates on Rear

My Pains:

Drop Spindles
Too Low without Coilovers
Added T2D Coilovers = Gash
Lowered Rear on Splines = too much Camber
Added Horseshoes = Less Camber
Less Camber = Wheels (alloys) Hitting Arch
Grind Arch, All is good.
Ahh, cant get rear wheel off, grind lip off torsion bar housing, works!
Arrhh, is that drive shaft hitting the chassis, right, grind a bit out then (mini notch)

Put different Coilovers on, hitting one of the beam bolts, grind said bolts all is good, (Well this was at the weekend, so reserve real comment but so far much better than before)

Narrow beam? **** it, why not?

Actually that went OK until I took it for 4 wheel alignment, no chance of getting the equipment on, got round that in the end......which took a week......camber nuts and such - so grief, and with after market Foosh alloys with big offset, cant really tell - standard rims on their way for this and a couple of other reasons...

Sooooo, still want to lower, punk, well do ya?

But you had fun right You would have only wasted all that money otherwise!

 

[r73]

I must admit I did enjoy the whole process it was just the driving it afterwards I didn't enjoy which is why it's stock again for now - not ideal but a proven benchmark

 

[Clem]

Just want to say a big thank you to all who took time to reply.
I am hoping to lower the Bus as much as poss "without"Notching the chasis or Tubbing the arches as the bodywork is all original and totally rot free. It would be a shame to mess with it. I dont want to do anything to the bus that cant be reversed if needed.
I have not decided if i am going to do the work myself or farm it out, depends on how much overtime is going at work.!

Then for the front end you'll want either reversed ball joint spindles and an adjustable/narrowed beam with the appropriate shocks/dampers/coilovers OR a link pin beam from, or designed for, a split screen bus. There are benefits/drawbacks to either but the link pin will go lowest at the end of the day but at that point youre verging on chassis mods.

The rear end is just adjustable spring plates and new dampers and just adjusted down as far as youre happy with.

 

[creationblue]

Or red9 Wishbone, then you will have proper steering too