lowering question

[69billy]

im starting to strip our 68 hightop, and im going to lower him..not sure best way to go,i want the ride so are dropped spindles the way? I don't want it crazy low but low! any ideas or peoples views that live with the low bus would be good.cheers and thanks

 

[lard]

Hi - the first question to ask is .. what is your budget?

This will determine the best solution - as example I've got a cut and turned beam, sensible low and handling is fine and a budget way to get slightly lower, at the other end of the scale, my brother had a red9 setup on his and steering/handling/stance was supreme but at a price - £££'s vs ££££'s with other options in between

 

[69billy]

your right, I was hoping £1000 most ish really..

 

[Resto-raider]

Get some dropped spindles for £500, lower the rear by two splines and get new stiffer shocks and you're good to go for well under £1000 pounds.

 

[*Sam*]

Below are just what I have experienced.

T2D dropped spindles, these give 3.5" of drop, with this much drop and non coilovers shocks you will get you beam hitting the floor and the tyres hitting the arches when cornering over bumps or on very bumpy roads.

Resolve the tyre rubbing by fitting Coilovers however it will raise the bus a little.

keep the standard dampers and get a narrowed adjustable beam, this will stop the rubbing because it tucks the wheels in taking them away from dog leg section of the arch, the ride will also be slightly stiffer because the torsion leafs are shorter making them stiffer you can also stiffen the ride further by lowering the bus slightly on the beam adjusters.

You are gonna struggle to get brand new dropped spindles and a beam for £1000 pulse you then need to address the rear of the van.

So to keep it inside £1000 and a good ride using band new parts you will need dropped spindles, 1x adjustable track rod, and a decent set of coilovers such as Gaz coilovers.

Or look into the red 9 easy rider kits, I have no knowledge on these.

Here is a pic of my bus on T2D spindles and shorter non coilover dampers.

 

[Davydomes]

Just to jump on to this thread :| what would be the cheapest way of just slightly lowering front & rear without compromising the mechanical integrity/performance and keeping stock tyres.

Mega budget drop I s'pose.

 

[ozziedog]

Adjusters in the front beam and one spline at the rear, is the most practical on the budget side. The very cheapest version is a bit on the iffy side :msn4:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Just let all the tyres down :mrgreen:

 

[69billy]

that's a good look but I don't know if i could go that low, what is your ride like?

 

[*Sam*]

My ride is lovely apart from it bottoming out and I little bit of rubbing, I am hope to change to a narrowed beam soon to stop all the rubbing.
Clem from this sight has the same setup plus the narrowed beam and reports back with a good ride and no rubbing.

 

[*Sam*]

Get some dropped spindles for £500, lower the rear by two splines and get new stiffer shocks and you're good to go for well under £1000 pounds.

I'm not sure you can get spindles for £500 new anymore. (Nothing wrong with secondhand, just account for possible ball joint replacement)

T2D raised there price last year to over £700 inc the refundable core charge.
Paul Medhurst is normally good at doing a bit of discount if you ask nicely.

 

[john the horse]

Adjusters in the front beam and one spline at the rear, is the most practical on the budget side. The very cheapest version is a bit on the iffy side :msn4:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Just let all the tyres down :mrgreen:

Agree ozz, dont really get fitting dropped splindles and then putting hard shocks on , doesnt this defeat the idea of the dropped spindle without narrowing?

 

[john the horse]

Paul Medhurst is normally good at doing a bit of discount if you ask nicely.[/quote] :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[*Sam*]

Paul Medhurst is normally good at doing a bit of discount if you ask nicely.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:[/quote]

Must just be me then :wink:

 

[Davydomes]

Adjusters in the front beam and one spline at the rear, is the most practical on the budget side. The very cheapest version is a bit on the iffy side

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Just let all the tyres down

Very approximately :? - if known (as I know there will be factors like weight of van interior etc) how much drop could be expected? Without letting the tyres down

 

[lard]

Adjusters in the front beam and one spline at the rear, is the most practical on the budget side. The very cheapest version is a bit on the iffy side

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Just let all the tyres down

Very approximately :? - if known (as I know there will be factors like weight of van interior etc) how much drop could be expected? Without letting the tyres down

This is mine with adjuster and (i think) 2 splines on rear - before and after

Before:

After:

Also - here we have stock, mine in the middle on sensible adjusters and my brothers on max setting on adjusters (this was the point where he found that even with his smart car tyres e.t.c. he was still rubbing on bumps so then went to a red9 setup which was just slightly lower with more to go but no issues on handling e.t.c.):

another view - showing stock vs max drop on adjusters - the drop on mine I think is a sensible height to go down, any more and you do compromise the ride

 

[69billy]

I do still want to do around 5000 miles a year and camp ,but your setup Lard is looking good.do you think its ok for loading up and nipping off for weekends etc.?thanks all for help/replies, the wife thinks he needs to sit on the floor if we are going to the trouble and time :roll:

 

[lard]

Hi - it's fine for travel e.t.c. - I have travelled france and back with a full load and no issues with grounding out e.t.c. at all - to be honest though I'd like it lower for the stance, it can still be slightly wallowey (if that's a word!) - no where near as bad in a cross wind as stock height, but would go for a different setup as any more lower than it is and it seems the best advise is to go for the dropped spindles, I'm no expert but think that suspension geometry on dropped spindles is better than adjuster on the beam - perhaps some piccies of peoples dropped spindles are in order to see the comparison and some feedback on handling?

 

[Davydomes]

This is mine with adjuster and (i think) 2 splines on rear - before and after

LARD - Thank you for taking the time to do that - it explained it perfectly. Much appreciated and now I know which route to take. Cheers.

 

[Graham L]

After being a dropped spindle convert for a few years our latest bus runs King n Link and I have to say the ride is far superior even though its older technology, I'm currently running a 4" Narrowed beam with adjusters and its nowhere near as bouncy as dropped spindles and I get no rubbing at all so thats the best route.

I've had buses with adjusters, cut and turned beams and dropped spindles but KnL wins the day for me.

We do a lot of shows including into Europe and the ride is so good (steerings another matter at the moment but thats being resolved :lol: :lol: )

Picture below shows Ollies SC running very low KnL, stock Late Bay and our bus running mild lowering on a KnL, it will go lower if I run smaller tyres.

 

[lard]

your welcome - any excuse to post piccies of my brothers bus next to mine (it was called turtle) - inspired me to sell my triumph and get a camper, he recently sold it and got a T5 ( :roll: ) ... and I miss it!






I think my bus does too