Since I posted and then retracted a dropped spindles for sale ad, citing red9 ball joint bottoming out issues as reason for hanging on to spindles, I've had a few pm's re what I found wrong with red9 kit.
Thought I'd post a quick explanation here so I don't have to keep writing same answer to enquirers!
Basically, I was very impressed with red9 kit. Mine is the 2.5 to 4 inch drop kit. Very well made and a doddle to fit. Ride was noticeably better, especially with dampers stiffened up, handling was very much improved, although obviously you felt the bumps a bit more.
My only gripe is that when you go lower drop than 3" or so the balljoints bottom out on big bumps. To be fair, this is not the fault of red9 kit. With a few exceptions, however you lower your bus, when trailing arms get to a certain point the travel of balljoints reaches its limit as you hit bumps and you get a knock noise at this point. If you have beam adjusters, you'll get the same thing if you go lower than 3 or 4 inches, those arms were just not designed to be at that angle.
So for me dropped spindles are preferable BUT unless you're a wealthy man and go for the new T2D ones, you'll only get a 2.5" drop AND you widen your track by 12mm each side with dropped spindles. I do alot of miles in my bus and I want ride to be spot on. So its a pain but what I've decided on is to put adjusters on but only use them for a 1" drop, then I'll have the spindles for a further 2.5 inches, so 3.5" drop in total which is what height I liked with red9 kit.
So to summarise, nowt wrong with red9 - ride and handling superb, just a shame no-one has yet invented long travel ball-joints for buses - would save alot of hassle.
Thought I'd post a quick explanation here so I don't have to keep writing same answer to enquirers!
Basically, I was very impressed with red9 kit. Mine is the 2.5 to 4 inch drop kit. Very well made and a doddle to fit. Ride was noticeably better, especially with dampers stiffened up, handling was very much improved, although obviously you felt the bumps a bit more.
My only gripe is that when you go lower drop than 3" or so the balljoints bottom out on big bumps. To be fair, this is not the fault of red9 kit. With a few exceptions, however you lower your bus, when trailing arms get to a certain point the travel of balljoints reaches its limit as you hit bumps and you get a knock noise at this point. If you have beam adjusters, you'll get the same thing if you go lower than 3 or 4 inches, those arms were just not designed to be at that angle.
So for me dropped spindles are preferable BUT unless you're a wealthy man and go for the new T2D ones, you'll only get a 2.5" drop AND you widen your track by 12mm each side with dropped spindles. I do alot of miles in my bus and I want ride to be spot on. So its a pain but what I've decided on is to put adjusters on but only use them for a 1" drop, then I'll have the spindles for a further 2.5 inches, so 3.5" drop in total which is what height I liked with red9 kit.
So to summarise, nowt wrong with red9 - ride and handling superb, just a shame no-one has yet invented long travel ball-joints for buses - would save alot of hassle.
