Low Ride Height - Lower Control Arms and Pinion Snubber

[68droptop]

I could use some help and advice on acheiving a lower ride height. 

I've had the car riding low and riding very rough.  Today I finally realized  that I basically been running with no suspension.

On the front, I've been basically bottomed out, riding very close to the lower control arm bump stops.  On the rear, I think is riding on the pinion snubber.

I raised the front some and it rides better, but now it's higher than I want it to be.  Does someone sell drop spindles or lower control arms that would allow a lower front ride height?  There is an RMS Alterkation in my future, but not until I raise the funds.  Is there a lower cost option to drop the front temporarily?  Can I move the bump stops or something?

On the rear, I have adjustable front spring mounts, so I could raise the rear, but I have it at the height I want and the mini-tub has prevented any tire rub.  I'm going to go with taller rear tires, so I need to sink the rear as much as I can.  Should I remove the snubber?  It seems like the rear might then hit the body...  Can you re-work the body where the snubber hits to raise the rear and allow lower rear ride height?

I'm embarassed that it took me so long to realize I had these issues.

Thanks for any help of advice you can offer.

John

[moparrr07]

thats ok, i drove my car for 6 months when i first got it on the bump stops, those torsion bars were just so soft,

there are a couple guys on here thats cars are slammed on the ground, im sure they can help

[Jim_Lusk]

You can remove the bumpers. This works best with very stiff bars, though.

[kawazuki8097]

Fatman Fabrication sells 2" dropped F spindles - that should help out quite a bit.

[375InStroke]

Don't remove the bumpstops!  This could happen to your frame:

The control arm moves up, hits the frame, which is not a fulcrum, and pulls the pivot in the K-frame down, cracking the frame at the attach points.  Unmodified lower bumpstops will crack and fall out on a very low car.  This happened to a friends Dart.  The bumpstops fell out, and then the frame developed cracks.  I cut my lower stops to about 3/8" thick.  I could then set a slight rake with 2" blocks in the back.  The K-frame was about 3" off the ground, so with 2" dropped spindles, that would give me 1" off the ground.  I would be scooping up those reflectors on the road with the K-frame.

[68droptop]

Thanks.

Do those drop spindles change the goemetry?  I have the '73 A-body spindles on it now.  Would my Doctor Diff SVT brakes mount up the same?  Would I still use the drop spindles if (when) I go to the Alterkation or will that give me the travel I want without the drop spindles?

How about that pinion snubber?  I have room in the wheel wells, but the snubber is sitting on the stop.  This must be a common problem?

I appreciate the help.

John

[west]

i set up my new susp. and it's sitting too high,even when i put the motor in i don't think it will come down much.
When i installed the torsion bars it appeared they could only go one way,is it possible because the bars are new i have to remove the stops in order for the torsion bars to be moved one more flat in the lca?I dont think i have room to move it with the bumpstops in place and i dont want to run without them.

[Jim_Lusk]

Get the drivetrain installed first. The car will drop quite a bit.

Oh, and you won't hit the frame with the LCA IF you are running big bars and still have about an inch of clearance.

[west]

thanks jim,i'll take your word for it.approx how much distance should be between my lca's and the frame with no motor or tranny?
i'll post pics tonite,it just does'nt seem right.

[andyf]

Firm Feel has a dropped lower control arm setup that looks pretty cool.  It uses the stock knuckle so your existing brakes will fit.  I think it moves the wheel out a bit though so you'll want to double check that detail with them.

[68droptop]

Andy,
I could be wrong, but those Firm Feel LCA's seem to be stock units with the reinforcements (like I have done to mine).  I didn't see a "dropped" LCA.  Did I miss something?
Thanks,
John

[68droptop]

Jim,
I have the 0.87" 340 torsion bars.  Are those stiff enough to remove the bump stops or are you talking about something bigger?
Thanks,
John

[Jim_Lusk]

.870's would be marginal. I don't even plan on putting them back in my 340 GTS when I re-do it next time. In my opinion .920's are the minimum for a good street handler, although we do have a factory original low-mile set of .890s in Jeff's Dart convertible and it handles well. Then again, when I bought those with 900 miles on them NOBODY was selling new torsion bars. Either way, if you have an inch between the LCA (bumper or not) and the frame you should be ok.

With no engine installed the car will sit several inches higher.

[fasttcars]

ok so   when i first built my 67 valiant[8 years ago]....i wanted my car as low as possible on the budget$$...[and against my dad's view  of keeping stock ride height]....so i basically just lowered the t bars all the way   and i did have the thicker one's for 340-383 cars[not sure the diameter.....  i was in the exact same predicament as yourself   no suspension.....so i then got some tubular control arms and adjustable billet shoks[tubular control arms are needed for clearence].........i put them in as instructed  but that raised my car big time....so as you can see in the photos...  i  made new mounting spots[top and lower].......at this time i also removed the t bars....the car sat   how i wanted it to...but  the suspension was bouncy as ever......so i then put  the t- bars back in   and  took the adjuster bolts all the way off[   so theirs only  slight tension.......now the car sit's  as low as possible for a driven street car...and has a really nice and tight suspension.......the only thing now is clearence for the wheel  to upper wheel well  will have to be addressed....

[68droptop]

Okay, I think I'll buy some of those FFI 1.06" bars, cut down or remove the bumpers and I should be in business on the front.  Does the alterkation solve all of this or do you still need those dropped spindles?

How about the snubber and stop in the back?  Big hammer  ?

Thanks for posting fasttcars.  I was wondering how you got that Valiant so slammed.  What did you do in the back?

Thanks,
John

[fasttcars]

i contiplated blocks..but i still wanted a good working suspension....so i put in ladder bars using the stock frame rails...and mounted the  shock tower as high as possible....also i removed my stops in the front as well.....after all these years still haven't had and problem's

[CashA10]

I bought the lowering spindles.... pricey but the geometry of the front suspension can be set more closely to the factory settings, and the car just sits 2" lower.  I too have the .93torsion bars, but thought the car sat too high, even with the motor in the car.

They are the same as the F bodys, and have the larger upper ball joint fittings, and the b-body discs fit right on there too.

Mark

[73swinger]

I love a low car....but my oilpan is already waaaay too close to the ground

[west]

my k frame is 10" off the ground.also notice the adjusting bolts are sticking out,they are hitting the stops already so even if the car comes down,would'nt that just push the bolt out further?.this just does'nt seem right

[Jim_Lusk]

It'll drop big time when you drop the engine in. You'll have to adjust up.

[68droptop]

73swinger - Yeah, I just had to swap out my smashed and cracked deep pan for a shallow MP pan.

Well I odered the Firm Feel torsion bars today.  They didn't have the 1.06" in stock, so I stepped all the way up to the 1.12".  That should give it a "firm feel".  I think I'll cut the bumpers way down, but leave some rubber just in case.  I'll let everyone know how it works out.

I'm still wondering what to do on the rear.  Should I cut that bump stop area out of the body and weld a piece back in to postion the stop higher? 

Thanks,
John