Slammed/narrowed 1968 devon tin-top (frank)
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ant
Well-known member
nice pic grazy do you know what your 15" came off?
ant
Well-known member
Had an eventful day yesterday, took the van off the drive and about 30 metres down the road and the suspension collapsed :shock:
scared the sh~t out of me, fortunately i was in the bus on my own.
The inner adjuster boss on the bottom tube spat the bolt out which sent the frt end crashing down on on to the tyres.
Now this happened before on the top tube but last time the other spring took the weight enough for me to limp the van home.Since then i've fitted dropped spindles thats why the van came down so far, shit if i was running 14" wheels the frt would of bottomed out.
Its not nice when it happens you loose all steering, fortunately i was only going down our road to turn around so was not traveling very fast.
But i was left with no way of getting the bus back on the drive for repairs.The frt bumper was an inch off the floor(looked awesome). It was that low we had to work 2 trolley jacks around the van to finally get the front back in the air. My neighbour had one of those trolleys with plastic wheels that bread is delivered to supermarkets in. so that with a blanket on top went under the frt end to take the weight which was high enough to get the inner arches off the tyres and we reversed it uber slow back up the road, to the amusement of most of the street
Getting it back on the drive wasn't fun either.
So that leaves me a broken van again!.....now because i've had this happen before i've been so careful not to thread or over-tighten the nuts/bolt on the adjuster. IMHO the metal/alloy used to make the inner adjuster boss isn't up to the job if it can be threaded so easily.
I sat down with Emma and we discussed what we should do next. Now after this happening twice my confidence in that component is shot. So we started to try and think of an alternative solution.
Now because the ride on the narrowed beam still wasn't good even with it adjusted to full height and 2.5 dropped spindles i'd been thinking about the red9 kit again. But that would mean creative narrowed beam £450 plus dropped spindles £350 plus red9 kit £345..... i was starting to think this must be the most expensive way to have a lowered frt on a bay ever!
Neverless i phoned Simon at red9 who very willing to chat with me even though it was bank holiday Monday.
i couldn't believe what happened next
After discussing with simon if there would be any clearance issues the the red9 kit and a weedeater i decided to place an order.
Then to my surprise Simon informed me that we would be their 1000th customer and as part of them celebrating their 1000th sale i would receive the kit for FREE,... yes free!!!!
I was blown away, after the day i was having to be told this just put a huge smile on face, cheers si
The kit should be here for next weekend, so no doubt i'll post some pics, and it will be very interesting to see how the combination of a weedeater,dropped spindles and coil-overs go together.
nice end to sh#tty day!
scared the sh~t out of me, fortunately i was in the bus on my own.
The inner adjuster boss on the bottom tube spat the bolt out which sent the frt end crashing down on on to the tyres.
Now this happened before on the top tube but last time the other spring took the weight enough for me to limp the van home.Since then i've fitted dropped spindles thats why the van came down so far, shit if i was running 14" wheels the frt would of bottomed out.
Its not nice when it happens you loose all steering, fortunately i was only going down our road to turn around so was not traveling very fast.
But i was left with no way of getting the bus back on the drive for repairs.The frt bumper was an inch off the floor(looked awesome). It was that low we had to work 2 trolley jacks around the van to finally get the front back in the air. My neighbour had one of those trolleys with plastic wheels that bread is delivered to supermarkets in. so that with a blanket on top went under the frt end to take the weight which was high enough to get the inner arches off the tyres and we reversed it uber slow back up the road, to the amusement of most of the street
Getting it back on the drive wasn't fun either.So that leaves me a broken van again!.....now because i've had this happen before i've been so careful not to thread or over-tighten the nuts/bolt on the adjuster. IMHO the metal/alloy used to make the inner adjuster boss isn't up to the job if it can be threaded so easily.
I sat down with Emma and we discussed what we should do next. Now after this happening twice my confidence in that component is shot. So we started to try and think of an alternative solution.
Now because the ride on the narrowed beam still wasn't good even with it adjusted to full height and 2.5 dropped spindles i'd been thinking about the red9 kit again. But that would mean creative narrowed beam £450 plus dropped spindles £350 plus red9 kit £345..... i was starting to think this must be the most expensive way to have a lowered frt on a bay ever!
Neverless i phoned Simon at red9 who very willing to chat with me even though it was bank holiday Monday.
i couldn't believe what happened next
After discussing with simon if there would be any clearance issues the the red9 kit and a weedeater i decided to place an order.
Then to my surprise Simon informed me that we would be their 1000th customer and as part of them celebrating their 1000th sale i would receive the kit for FREE,... yes free!!!!
I was blown away, after the day i was having to be told this just put a huge smile on face, cheers si
The kit should be here for next weekend, so no doubt i'll post some pics, and it will be very interesting to see how the combination of a weedeater,dropped spindles and coil-overs go together.
nice end to sh#tty day!
panchocrossover
Well-known member
Jesus dude, thats a bit of bad luck your having with the adjusters! But congrats on the kit ya jammy bugger! Better luck with red 9!
faux
Well-known member
Man that is real scary, to happen to you and Grazy, with 2 different beams (CE and CB) it does make you wonder.
I hope it doesn't knock your confidence too much, it would be a shame not to enjoy such a cool bus.
I hope it doesn't knock your confidence too much, it would be a shame not to enjoy such a cool bus.
:shock: :shock: Fook dude twice :shock: :shock:
Seriously though i know what you mean about being nervous about driving it ,i was big time , but nowI feel very happy annnd confident in the feel and drive of my van . Hope you get it sorted soon . You going vanfest Ant ?
Seriously though i know what you mean about being nervous about driving it ,i was big time , but nowI feel very happy annnd confident in the feel and drive of my van . Hope you get it sorted soon . You going vanfest Ant ?
bloody hell, now that doesnt sound good, all of a sudden a cut and welded beam sounds like a better option! I really dont fancy this happening to me with my family on board.
glad you are getting it sorted dude, also with all the bad press the red9 kit is having, it will be nice to have a first hand look at how you get on with it.
glad you are getting it sorted dude, also with all the bad press the red9 kit is having, it will be nice to have a first hand look at how you get on with it.
ant
Well-known member
will be at vanfest grazy in EB camping .....
This morning i stripped the front suspension again, and now just waiting for the new parts...
I've spent a good few hours in the past researching all the opinions about red9 stuff and i can't seem to find anyone who has sheared/snapped a shocker bolt etc etc now my frt end has slammed on me twice! i know which i think is safer. Also to get the same out come with coilovers you would need both sides to let go at the same time.
Like i said when the kit comes i'll post plenty of pics and findings (likes me pics).
and if your reading this and you've got dropped spindles, no frt bump stops with adjusters, go easy when tightning them for gods sake!!!
.....This morning i stripped the front suspension again, and now just waiting for the new parts...
I've spent a good few hours in the past researching all the opinions about red9 stuff and i can't seem to find anyone who has sheared/snapped a shocker bolt etc etc now my frt end has slammed on me twice! i know which i think is safer. Also to get the same out come with coilovers you would need both sides to let go at the same time.
Like i said when the kit comes i'll post plenty of pics and findings (likes me pics).
and if your reading this and you've got dropped spindles, no frt bump stops with adjusters, go easy when tightning them for gods sake!!!
two benders steve
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yo dude bad s*"t ! i was going to lower my van with the red 9 kit but after buying it and doing alot of thinking a gave it them back (at a loss) but i did keep their bump stops as mine had been cut off as most are when lowered , in the end i couldn't convince myself that the little 40year old stud on the trailing arm was up to a job it was never designed for , i even sent an email to spax asking them what sort of testing had gone into this product that they where making shocks for (i never go a relpy ) but on the other had simon and his dad realy seem to know their stuff it just wasn't for me , see my post on vzi about it .everybody has some thing to say about it ! Giz a call when you've got it and i'll pop round .Steve p.s well done getting it for free tho
G
Guest
Guest
Joval has red9 on his van and its running well, one good story at least.
oh! and if you have a narrowed beam they will shorten the bars for £30
oh! and if you have a narrowed beam they will shorten the bars for £30
Airtime
Well-known member
This is definately not funny anymore dude! :evil:
Hopefully the Red9 kit will work better for you. At least you got it for free!
A guy over here (with a late bay) also had the same problem with one of his adjuster bolts coming off... :?
Hopefully the Red9 kit will work better for you. At least you got it for free!
A guy over here (with a late bay) also had the same problem with one of his adjuster bolts coming off... :?
faux
Well-known member
Just a quick qestion:
Are you just buying coil overs or are you buying the complete kit?
I would think the safest option would be to leave the torsions in place and add coil overs, this would then allow the coil overs to act as a safety stop if the torsions gave way.
After this thread I may go down this route, if they will fit.
Are you just buying coil overs or are you buying the complete kit?
I would think the safest option would be to leave the torsions in place and add coil overs, this would then allow the coil overs to act as a safety stop if the torsions gave way.
After this thread I may go down this route, if they will fit.
ant
Well-known member
airtime your right it wasn't funny, the first time was bad but now with the addition of the dropped spindles it was decidely worse,
I see what your saying faux, i'm getting the whole kit for free and i think they have altered the bar that goed through beam a little since the early ones, will post pics when its here...... i'm thinking of welding some bump stops on to the weedeater as a fail safe but we will see.
I see what your saying faux, i'm getting the whole kit for free and i think they have altered the bar that goed through beam a little since the early ones, will post pics when its here...... i'm thinking of welding some bump stops on to the weedeater as a fail safe but we will see.
ant
Well-known member
my new rims have arrived so here is a sneak preview.
early bug 4.5" frt and 7.5" banded rears 8)
To be honest i wasn't sure if they would fit on the rear and its close, very close, infact to close... they clear the arch but by about 1mm!!!!
a little tickle of the rear arches and everything will be fine i'm sure. Hoping that i get chance to paint fit them before vanfest.
i reckon they look pretty rad
i left a wheel bolt on the wheel so you can see how much dish will tuck on the rear
bit close eh?
early bug 4.5" frt and 7.5" banded rears 8)
To be honest i wasn't sure if they would fit on the rear and its close, very close, infact to close... they clear the arch but by about 1mm!!!!
a little tickle of the rear arches and everything will be fine i'm sure. Hoping that i get chance to paint fit them before vanfest.
i reckon they look pretty rad
i left a wheel bolt on the wheel so you can see how much dish will tuck on the rear
bit close eh?
Big T
Active member
Wow!!! Awards, Stag Do's, Near death experiences, Engine failures, More near death experiences and Weddings!!! Who needs TV, been gripped to the drama in this thread!!! :lol:
It seems like you've had a tough year but I'm sure once sorted you'll end the year with a cooler bus than you started it with (and believe me it was cool enough!! 8) ). Top bus and it's really nice to see you just getting stuck in there and doing it on your drive way, an inspiration for us all!!
Thanks for sharing this with us all, for a newbie like myself all the pics and explanantions are really well recieved.
It seems like you've had a tough year but I'm sure once sorted you'll end the year with a cooler bus than you started it with (and believe me it was cool enough!! 8) ). Top bus and it's really nice to see you just getting stuck in there and doing it on your drive way, an inspiration for us all!!
Thanks for sharing this with us all, for a newbie like myself all the pics and explanantions are really well recieved.
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