Geeze
Well-known member
andyh said:
Going on ours, would say that bumpstops are needed with the dropped spindles. Chalked the rubbers and they're definitely in use! If someone has hacked them off then Red9 does something to reinstate them.
NO MORE! - Tyres Rubbing the Arches
- Thread starter Cali_bay
- Start date
Help Support Early Bay Forum:
Going on ours, would say that bumpstops are needed with the dropped spindles. Chalked the rubbers and they're definitely in use! If someone has hacked them off then Red9 does something to reinstate them.
Geeze
Well-known member
67westy said:
Not used them but others on here have, they're basically a round peg to fit the round hole that's left
from:
http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11571&start=30" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
doesn't look that hard to knock up something similar using to stock rubber snubbers if you wanted to :?
Our bus has been off the road for a bit as the engine went south, but nowback on the road and have got a few hundred miles in with no rubbing issues to report. Still running bump stops with a slight mod and do catch them from time to time so I'm glad they are there.
The ride feels good and doesn't feel too underdamped. Get a few knocks on the rear though, so may go for some adjustable spring plates when finances allows.
The ride feels good and doesn't feel too underdamped. Get a few knocks on the rear though, so may go for some adjustable spring plates when finances allows.
Hi Chaps,
I have been reading this article with great interest. I think from you guys` great input I have ALMOST made my mind up!
I currently run a weedeater 2 beam (no bump stops) set as high as I can get without the bottom adjuster stopping the gear linkage working - I did run it lower but rode so harsh (often carry a young family around with me so cant have it too hard!) I have SPAX adjustables and after much shock adjustemtn I still find the ride so choppy over manhole overs and pot holes (in the fens most roads then!) -
At the end of year I wil have some money for dropped spindles - My plan is to raise the weedeater up to say a couple of teeth from max raise - modify the gear linkage so it doesnt rub and then fit some Dropped spindlels (prob T2D as they are just up the road).
I will then probably raise the back up 1 spline to standard and put some horseshoe plates on thus restoring rear suspension to stock "feel".
I am already running 185/60 14 on the front (stock rear) -
Surely the point of spindles is to give stock ride quality with 3.5" drop- (i.e not preloading the torsion bars like you would with adjusters) then it seems the necessity of coil overs to stop rub - does this not then destroy the ride again?
How would you describe the ride with spindles and coil overs compared to say stock? Its a lot of money to shell out for all the bits and pieces if the ride is still compromised? I wonder if I try it with the Spax ajustables 1st before shelling out for coil overs, I just want my bus to sit nice and ride nice - not after extreme slamming or anything like that - after all she does handle a lot better since lowereing!!!
Any feedback would be apreciated!!
I have been reading this article with great interest. I think from you guys` great input I have ALMOST made my mind up!
I currently run a weedeater 2 beam (no bump stops) set as high as I can get without the bottom adjuster stopping the gear linkage working - I did run it lower but rode so harsh (often carry a young family around with me so cant have it too hard!) I have SPAX adjustables and after much shock adjustemtn I still find the ride so choppy over manhole overs and pot holes (in the fens most roads then!) -
At the end of year I wil have some money for dropped spindles - My plan is to raise the weedeater up to say a couple of teeth from max raise - modify the gear linkage so it doesnt rub and then fit some Dropped spindlels (prob T2D as they are just up the road).
I will then probably raise the back up 1 spline to standard and put some horseshoe plates on thus restoring rear suspension to stock "feel".
I am already running 185/60 14 on the front (stock rear) -
Surely the point of spindles is to give stock ride quality with 3.5" drop- (i.e not preloading the torsion bars like you would with adjusters) then it seems the necessity of coil overs to stop rub - does this not then destroy the ride again?
How would you describe the ride with spindles and coil overs compared to say stock? Its a lot of money to shell out for all the bits and pieces if the ride is still compromised? I wonder if I try it with the Spax ajustables 1st before shelling out for coil overs, I just want my bus to sit nice and ride nice - not after extreme slamming or anything like that - after all she does handle a lot better since lowereing!!!
Any feedback would be apreciated!!
TransporterHaus
Well-known member
jimbope said:Hi Chaps,
I have been reading this article with great interest. I think from you guys` great input I have ALMOST made my mind up!
I currently run a weedeater 2 beam (no bump stops) set as high as I can get without the bottom adjuster stopping the gear linkage working - I did run it lower but rode so harsh (often carry a young family around with me so cant have it too hard!) I have SPAX adjustables and after much shock adjustemtn I still find the ride so choppy over manhole overs and pot holes (in the fens most roads then!) -
At the end of year I wil have some money for dropped spindles - My plan is to raise the weedeater up to say a couple of teeth from max raise - modify the gear linkage so it doesnt rub and then fit some Dropped spindlels (prob T2D as they are just up the road).
I will then probably raise the back up 1 spline to standard and put some horseshoe plates on thus restoring rear suspension to stock "feel".
I am already running 185/60 14 on the front (stock rear) -
Surely the point of spindles is to give stock ride quality with 3.5" drop- (i.e not preloading the torsion bars like you would with adjusters) then it seems the necessity of coil overs to stop rub - does this not then destroy the ride again?
How would you describe the ride with spindles and coil overs compared to say stock? Its a lot of money to shell out for all the bits and pieces if the ride is still compromised? I wonder if I try it with the Spax ajustables 1st before shelling out for coil overs, I just want my bus to sit nice and ride nice - not after extreme slamming or anything like that - after all she does handle a lot better since lowereing!!!
Any feedback would be apreciated!!
The ride quality is incomparable to beam adjusters, far far better and the best lowered ride quality you can currently get. The unknown is the amount of spring left in your torsion bars. The coilover shocks sort this but do not affect the ride quality at all.
I'm sure t2d will be able to dial your ride in with some drop spindles. We're not keen on the weedeater beams coz they are 2" lower than stock at their top height which is why we are developing our own beams matched to our spindles.
coil overs do effect the ride quality - they are massively under damped. its still a lot better than a beam on adjusters and perfectly acceptable - just not as good as st, makes me feel a bit car sick, boing, boing!! Alex I think it was you that reccomended air shocks as the best ride with dropped spindles??? its something i will probably stretch to if its a proven improvement, or theres grahams developements (waiting feedback)
OK dudes
Thanks for the input, Cheers Alex for letting me know that The Weedeater is still 2" lower at higher setting - I guess then that even with the DS then the ride will still not be as good as a stock height beem as I will effectively getting a 5.5" drop (+ effect of low profiles!)
I think I will look into the air shocks -(are these active - do they require and on board compressor ro do you just set the pressure?) and think about re-positioning the adjusters in the beam before DS fitment.
The "ride quality on coil overs" issue seems to divide opinion. I will try and blag a ride in a bus and experience it for myself I think!
Cheers again.
Thanks for the input, Cheers Alex for letting me know that The Weedeater is still 2" lower at higher setting - I guess then that even with the DS then the ride will still not be as good as a stock height beem as I will effectively getting a 5.5" drop (+ effect of low profiles!)
I think I will look into the air shocks -(are these active - do they require and on board compressor ro do you just set the pressure?) and think about re-positioning the adjusters in the beam before DS fitment.
The "ride quality on coil overs" issue seems to divide opinion. I will try and blag a ride in a bus and experience it for myself I think!
Cheers again.
Geeze
Well-known member
TransporterHaus said:
intrigued! Will these still have bumpstops but be narrowed etc?
Well I've had a few more problems than most with this due to the adjuster being too far round and torsion bars that are probably on the weak side but I think I now have a solution
After a week of banging beams and rubbing tyres whilst we were away recently I was desperate for a better solution. Graham at Midland Early Bay has lent me a set of his new adjustable coilovers to try and see if they helped with my issues. They have vastly improved the ride, I haven't had any rubbing issues since trying them and the beam hasn't caught either. The ride is better and more comfortable, it is less bouncy than the previous coilovers and the handling feels sharper as it doesn't wallow so much in corners now.
These improvements are after 2 weeks use and I think I can fine tune it more still. I intend to fit some larger tyres which will give me more clearance on the beam and will allow me to use a higher load index.
So if anyone is still having problems or wants an even better ride I'd highly recommend them. Also if people want to try the setup and are near Lincoln or our paths cross at a show I'm more than happy to show you.
After a week of banging beams and rubbing tyres whilst we were away recently I was desperate for a better solution. Graham at Midland Early Bay has lent me a set of his new adjustable coilovers to try and see if they helped with my issues. They have vastly improved the ride, I haven't had any rubbing issues since trying them and the beam hasn't caught either. The ride is better and more comfortable, it is less bouncy than the previous coilovers and the handling feels sharper as it doesn't wallow so much in corners now.
These improvements are after 2 weeks use and I think I can fine tune it more still. I intend to fit some larger tyres which will give me more clearance on the beam and will allow me to use a higher load index.
So if anyone is still having problems or wants an even better ride I'd highly recommend them. Also if people want to try the setup and are near Lincoln or our paths cross at a show I'm more than happy to show you.
A quick update from me as we finally picked our bus up last week. It's got Slamwerks dropped spindles and adjustable spring plates with standard shocks. Front tyres are 175/65 14s. Driven solo it was just about ok, with just the occasional rub of the tyres on the arches, but once loaded up any sort of unevenness in the road surface, (ie anything except A-road and motorway), led to lots of rubbing and a couple of whacks on the beam as well. Tonight I fitted the GSF shocks and all is vastly improved. I'll save a final verdict until we've gone out fully laden again, but a quick run up the (bumpy) road reveals no rubbage, no nasty clunks or crashes, and the front still seems pretty well damped. A couple of points of note are that even for a fairly basic mechanic it only took 30 mins a side, and also that the shocks are now just shy of £80 from GSF with the VAT. Thanks to all who have given advice and shared experiences, thanks to you all is now sweetness and light in the household!
I'll save a final verdict until we've gone out fully laden again, but a quick run up the (bumpy) road reveals no rubbage, no nasty clunks or crashes, and the front still seems pretty well damped. A couple of points of note are that even for a fairly basic mechanic it only took 30 mins a side, and also that the shocks are now just shy of £80 from GSF with the VAT. Thanks to all who have given advice and shared experiences, thanks to you all is now sweetness and light in the household!
I have to admit I have a little chuckle when I read a thread like this.
Thing is we expect a guy running a small engineering company to come up with a fool-proof system that will safely lower a bus to look as cool as fook as they say and still be able to go camping with 8 kids and the grandparents and the kitchen sink. We want the top of the wheels within 2" of the arch, comfortable original suspension and fantastic handling preferably for less trhan £500. It's too much. :lol:
I had a very fat wife, 2 6' 3" kids and everything poss inside, turned beam (2.5") 1 spline, standard commercials on standard 14" with KYB shocks for 5 years never rubbed. Stiff shocks and 2.5" max is the way forward for campers. Us single people want looks and TH dropped spindles for my empty bus with 185/60/14 and pissy "gas-adjust" shocks is fine for me with no rubbage.
Thing is we expect a guy running a small engineering company to come up with a fool-proof system that will safely lower a bus to look as cool as fook as they say and still be able to go camping with 8 kids and the grandparents and the kitchen sink. We want the top of the wheels within 2" of the arch, comfortable original suspension and fantastic handling preferably for less trhan £500. It's too much. :lol:
I had a very fat wife, 2 6' 3" kids and everything poss inside, turned beam (2.5") 1 spline, standard commercials on standard 14" with KYB shocks for 5 years never rubbed. Stiff shocks and 2.5" max is the way forward for campers. Us single people want looks and TH dropped spindles for my empty bus with 185/60/14 and pissy "gas-adjust" shocks is fine for me with no rubbage.
:lol:andyh said:Next monster thread, "What size wife can I run on standard shocks?" :lol:
Or possibly advice on "How to shed an unwanted fat wife and kids..?"
Just the wife. Kids are all mine dude.
She did have a fit once when we hit a mega pot-hole though so you might be on to something. Then again apparently everythng bad was my fault and everything good hers. You know how it goes... :lol:Platinum Will
Member
Hi folks,
I bought and fitted a set of 3.5" dropped spindles from Transporterhaus to my '74 bus, after doing a lot of research into the different ways of lowering a kombi. I have to say, I am not impressed!
Before purchasing these spindles I emailed Alex and asked him what I would need to fit them onto my bus, his response was adjustable track rod and eccentric nuts which I could use my existing ones and nothing else was needed. On their website there is no mention of any of the issues you guys have encountered giving the impression that the spindles are a straight swap lowering job.
After getting around the small problem of the brake RH disc binding on the lower arm the spindles were on and I lowered the hoist to find the tires virtually on the guards - 3/4" clearance. Thats when my heart had that familar sinking feeling and shortly after was scouring the web to find this forum - wish I had read this first and saved myself the heartache..!
165 tires, coilover shocks, remounted bumpstops.. no thanks
After a few emails to Alex he has decided my springs are weak, but surely the bus would have sagged in the front already?? On the flat it was 1" higher at the front. Now, after fitting 185/65/14s to the front (in a vain attempt at more clearance) and lowering the rear 2" on the splines it sits exactly 80mm lower in the front, this doesn't add up to 3.5" drop! The beam only 80mm from the road and severe rubbage.. Alex basically said "now you need to fit coilover shocks to get your bus to work again" Thats great, but not part of the budget that I allowed for my lowering job!! I finally said to him I want my money back and haven't heard from him since..
Not recommended.
I bought and fitted a set of 3.5" dropped spindles from Transporterhaus to my '74 bus, after doing a lot of research into the different ways of lowering a kombi. I have to say, I am not impressed!
Before purchasing these spindles I emailed Alex and asked him what I would need to fit them onto my bus, his response was adjustable track rod and eccentric nuts which I could use my existing ones and nothing else was needed. On their website there is no mention of any of the issues you guys have encountered giving the impression that the spindles are a straight swap lowering job.
After getting around the small problem of the brake RH disc binding on the lower arm the spindles were on and I lowered the hoist to find the tires virtually on the guards - 3/4" clearance. Thats when my heart had that familar sinking feeling and shortly after was scouring the web to find this forum - wish I had read this first and saved myself the heartache..!
165 tires, coilover shocks, remounted bumpstops.. no thanks
After a few emails to Alex he has decided my springs are weak, but surely the bus would have sagged in the front already?? On the flat it was 1" higher at the front. Now, after fitting 185/65/14s to the front (in a vain attempt at more clearance) and lowering the rear 2" on the splines it sits exactly 80mm lower in the front, this doesn't add up to 3.5" drop! The beam only 80mm from the road and severe rubbage.. Alex basically said "now you need to fit coilover shocks to get your bus to work again" Thats great, but not part of the budget that I allowed for my lowering job!! I finally said to him I want my money back and haven't heard from him since..
Not recommended.
Sorry to hear of the troubles you've had. I know it doesn't help you but I've found Alex very helpful on the occasions I needed dome advice.
Anyway back to your issue. It sounds as if you may hace already been lowered at the front. Are you sure that your beam hasn't already got adjusters fitted? This would probably cause some of the problems you describe as you would have a lower starting point. If it has you need to raise the bus back up on the adjuster to fine tune the height. If there is no adjuster your beam may have been cut and turned in which case no adjustment is possible.
If its neither of those and it is just weak springs I would highly recommend Midland early bays adjustable coilovers as they allow you to fine tune the ride far more than the usual coilovers. They are more expensive but in my opinion they are worth it if you wish to stick with the drop spindles.
Adam
Anyway back to your issue. It sounds as if you may hace already been lowered at the front. Are you sure that your beam hasn't already got adjusters fitted? This would probably cause some of the problems you describe as you would have a lower starting point. If it has you need to raise the bus back up on the adjuster to fine tune the height. If there is no adjuster your beam may have been cut and turned in which case no adjustment is possible.
If its neither of those and it is just weak springs I would highly recommend Midland early bays adjustable coilovers as they allow you to fine tune the ride far more than the usual coilovers. They are more expensive but in my opinion they are worth it if you wish to stick with the drop spindles.
Adam
I think its fair to say that these dropped spindles will only work with coilovers and smaller profile tyres. When I fitted mine, I had an adjuster that was set at top stock height and theres not a chance would it work without lo pro tyres and coilovers. The 3.5" drop people expect is always more generous
When people ask how lower a van a 'little bit' I still will reccomend adjusters/beam adjustment as dropped spindles are the gateway to slamming, not lowering
When people ask how lower a van a 'little bit' I still will reccomend adjusters/beam adjustment as dropped spindles are the gateway to slamming, not lowering
the_troupster
Well-known member
When I welded in my adjusters I made sure I could adjust them UP as well as down to take account of the slightly excessive 3.5" inch drop of the flipped spindles. This, Spax adjustables and 175/50 profile tyres means a nice ride and no rubbage. I could go a smidge lower, but I have slammed the beam down hard on a VERY big dip in the road on some shitty back road. Not something I want to happen often so i'll leave it where it is. I'll measure my beam clearance tonight and edit this post...
If I did it all again, I'd go for a slightly bigger sidewall for more comfort and trim/weld the bottom of side plates of the beam for extra clearance.
Jim
If I did it all again, I'd go for a slightly bigger sidewall for more comfort and trim/weld the bottom of side plates of the beam for extra clearance.
Jim
the_troupster said:
In hindsight I would have done this for sure.
