To all lowering guru's

[cyberdyne systems]

Ok so if you swap to a K & L beam, my understanding is that your torsion tubes are closer together meaning your lowest one is somewhat higher than a bay type. There by giving you greater clearance when lowered.

So having said that my van is a '71 which uses the later beam pattern so a straight forward swap is not possible? If then i'm stuck with the later beam how do you stop it hitting the floor. Do you have shocks with built in springs to stiffen it up. I like the ride I have (T2D 3.5" balljoint dropped spindles) but I think its the softness of the springs that allow it to hit the floor when i've two people up front and going over a bad road surface. I have fitted adjustable shocks and its helped a bit but not got rid of the problem.

 

[Guest]

not possible because of the stud mounting, its a different pattern on a 71 balljoint beam so you cant fit a split beam without heavy modification to the end plates, you can buy weld in elbows that do this job though.

even then im not sure you would get the added inch or so as the beam is located further down?

you could grind off the lip at the bottom of the beam but with all the scraping your probably doing already you could be there.

 

[Graham L]

Talk to Guy at Slamwerks he will be able to advise whats possible with a KNL beam

 

[dubdubz]

so the beam grounds out? over bad road? do the tyres rub on the arches?

do you have an ARB and is the current setup narrowed?

 

[cyberdyne systems]

Its the end plates that have touched the road, I've not ground them back, but they are flatter than they were! I had taller tyres which did touch the arches, but now i'm on smaller tyres they don't touch at all. Its not narrowed - which i'd imagine would stiffen the springs a little because they'd be shorter.

Whats an ARB?

From the research i've done its possible to get a scratch built k & l beam to fit a late stud pattern and use brazilian spindles which allow the use of late model brakes.

I guess i'm asking if there is anyone who has used a late style balljoint beam say 4 " lowered and doesn't have problems or is it that it bottoms out on the balljoints when using adjusters so although not hitting the floor there is still no more travel?

 

[61 stu]

Mines a 71 with K & L Slamwerks front end, the tubes are closer together giving you greater ground clearance, however as its a 71 it has different end plates to your normal K & L beam, Slamwerks make one specifically make one to fit. My anti-roll bar used to ground out on my balljoint beam, but since fitting the K & L beam ive not hit the beam or had the tyres rubbing even with 3 adults, 2 kids, a dog and loads of toys crammed in, plus it gets used every day as my daily.

Give Guy at Slamwerks a call, a nice bloke and he's uber helpful.

 

[aogrady]

Its the end plates that have touched the road, I've not ground them back, but they are flatter than they were! I had taller tyres which did touch the arches, but now i'm on smaller tyres they don't touch at all. Its not narrowed - which i'd imagine would stiffen the springs a little because they'd be shorter.

Whats an ARB?

From the research i've done its possible to get a scratch built k & l beam to fit a late stud pattern and use brazilian spindles which allow the use of late model brakes.

I guess i'm asking if there is anyone who has used a late style balljoint beam say 4 " lowered and doesn't have problems or is it that it bottoms out on the balljoints when using adjusters so although not hitting the floor there is still no more travel?

Hi!

Speak to mattp on here, he has a K N L beam for sale, brazilian, and late brakes etc, so may be what you need, as i think it will fit the later stud pattern???

Cheers!

Alistair

 

[dubdubz]

Its the end plates that have touched the road, I've not ground them back, but they are flatter than they were! I had taller tyres which did touch the arches, but now i'm on smaller tyres they don't touch at all. Its not narrowed - which i'd imagine would stiffen the springs a little because they'd be shorter.

This is the theory I'm banking on for both my 72/73 which has a 4 inch narrowed beam and adjusters [ no dropped spindles ] and my 68 which has a 60mm narrowed and Transporterhaus dropped spindles. I haven't been anywhere far in the 73 to judge , but it'll soon be finished for sale

Whats an ARB?

Anti roll bar

From the research i've done its possible to get a scratch built k & l beam to fit a late stud pattern and use brazilian spindles which allow the use of late model brakes.

I guess i'm asking if there is anyone who has used a late style balljoint beam say 4 " lowered and doesn't have problems or is it that it bottoms out on the balljoints when using adjusters so although not hitting the floor there is still no more travel?

I take it you have late bay 112 stud pattern on the early discs? yes there is a K&L spindle that is used for the late bays as imported by Danbury, they're not cheap MattP had some for sale awhile back £750 for the lot I believe.

I'm assuming that the springs are all ok and not broken? do you have your adjusters set equally ie the top and the bottom tubes in the same place - I have had luck adjsuting them differently so there is an element of acting against each other - this has stiffened things up a treat. I'm not sure if this is a horrendous no-no, but definitely works.......

 

[faux]

I assume as you have already spent a lot of money on your spindles etc you don't want to spend out on changing the lot.

I think T2D sell a coil over kit to work with the spindles you have, call them and ask the best way to solve it.

I would say that the KnL system works the best but can be quite expensive.

 

[mattp]

If your running T2d spindles then check your torsion bars as they may be damaged / brocken / missing if they are 'too' soft

You can get uprated ARB's too but I'm curious as to what the problem is? With T2d spindles and a stock beam everything is the same as factory but the wheel sit up 3.5" giving you the drop. If you lower your bus on adjusters 3.5 / 4.5" then the ride is ok so adjusters and T2d spindles should be a decent ride.

Check the leaves -as in pull them all out, clean and inspect them

Also as for K+L stuff, you would just be doing a similar thing but there isn't the travel limitations you have with baljoints.

As the others said yes, I have a fair amount of new K+L bits and some new T2d dropped spindles. I'd fix the problem but if you can't and go to K+L then I do acually have the bits you need -new arms, complete spindles for bay discs and good used leaves (just add beam and your away)

 

[cyberdyne systems]

Thanks for all the advice guys, i'll look in to it further following the suggestions. Great forum that can provide such friendly and helpful knowledge

 

[dubdubz]

Thanks for all the advice guys, i'll look in to it further following the suggestions. Great forum that can provide such friendly and helpful knowledge

you don't have a location in your avatar, I have a std set of springs, that I could take to Stanford hall if you wanted to try a different set [ ok I know that swapping the leaves is a days job really at home] but the offer is there............

or if you find that your leaves are broken - same applies.

if you wanted them forever minimal cost - as in beer type money..........

 

[61 stu]

If you're over Essex way you're welcome to come have a look at my bus and go for a ride in it

 

[retrokid]

Hi, mines a 71 with 4" narrowed beam and dropped spindles.
I had the same problem... I ended up cutting as much as I could off the bottom of the beam end plates.
Only the tyres occasionaly rub now...

 

[cyberdyne systems]

Wow thanks for the offers guys, really appreciate it. If we don't meet cause of this, have to hook up at a show for sure!