dropping suspensions

[slant6]

How do you guys cut the suspension, to drop the car a few "inches". I wanted to do it on my current build, but I had no idea where to even start.

[FujimiLover]

You know, I've been wondering the same thing. Some are easy, some are not. Some can be simply lowered by repositioning where the body mounts to the chassis.

When I used to build Fujimi's 89 Honda CRX SI, I wouldn't care about the steering, I just drilled new holes for the axles and mounted the wheels in the "higher" position, thus lowering the car.

Alot of other models can't do that because of where the axles line up, that, and you may want the suspension detail's. I wish somebody would make an aftermarket suspension kit specifically for models where you could cut off the stock plastic spring/shock, and install the new kit that could be adjustable. That would be a sweet upgrade for ANY model with a detailed suspension kit!

If your lucky enough to have a model with actuall springs in it, you could use washers to shorten the spring's thus lowering the car as well.

How the professional's do it, is a good question that I'd love to see answered here.

[Foxer]

There are a number of ways to lower suspensions and what you use depends on the type and characteristics of the suspension on the particular model. Also, the total amount you want to lower the car can affect how you do it.

The method presented above by FujimiLover can be used on many metal axle vehicles. Most AMT kits in the 50's and 60's used this method, even supplying reversible axle blocks or two holes for the axles!

I simple leaf spring rear can sometimes be lowered slightly by simply filing down the mounting points at the ends of the springs. Another way is to add blocks of plastic above the springs to mount the rear end to. If the axle is suspended directly off coils. you can cut the coils down.

Independent front, or rear, suspensions can sometimes be lowered by moving the wheel mount higher up on the kingpin.

Cutting the coil-strut on a MacPherson type suspension can lower the car.

These are just a few methods to get you thinking about YOUR suspension. If you give the specific kit you're working on, I'm sure someone here has lowered it an can give some specific advice. One thing to keep in mind is maintaining wheel clearance to the body when lowering.

[Chuck Most]

Another way to lower a vehicle with A-arm IFS (independent front suspension) is to cut the top coil off the spring or replace the kit spring with a shorter part (or even with an airbag for that matter), then reposition the control arms and spindle higher up by either bending them upward, or cutting them off at the pivot bolts and gluing them back on at more of an upward angle. It's not the easiest way to do it, but it's still pretty easy, and it helps to hide all those butt ugly suspension components by tucking them up into where they're blocked from view by the bumper. A MacPherson strut style suspension can be dealt with in a similar manner.

If you really want to go extreme, you could even move the front suspension X-member up higher in the chassis. This would do the trick as well, but be advised: It will almost surely cause engine (and by proxy, hood) fit problems,as well as possible inner fender fitment issues, though a custom notched oil pan can usually solve the first two problems, provided you don't go ape with the crossmember lift.

Basically, it depends on how the kit is broken down and how low you want it to sit.

[Yo Jutt]

Thank you Foxer!! Your tip on rear leaf suspensions will be most helpful as I just faced this problem with my dodge dart.

[Force]

It all depends on what type of suspension it is so there isn't a "rule of thumb" here.

You can pretty much say that you go at it as on a real car, what works there works on a car model, things like lowering blocks, shorter springs, repositioned spindles and so forth.

Edited November 21, 2014 by Force