Rumblin_Ron
New Member
I think BeveryM at Leda is the person to ask. Have Leda developed a kit ?
Lowering The front - Again!
- Thread starter alimorg
- Start date
My wrist is well and truly slapped 
Well, not much I can tell you apart from the fact the workshop are cursing me for ever having got this car in !!!!!
We are waiting for our third set of springs so far. Because of the set-up of the spring and damper (particulalry the front), its been extremely difficult to design a spring that will lower the car enough. We're looking at around a 2.5" drop for this one, but it is a circuit race car.
The dampers themselves are easy enough, and they will cost £125 each plus VAT. They will be adjustable for bump/rebound.
We have another customer who has worked on a few of the P6's, and his solution (my preferred one too) is to convert the fronts to a strut set-up. The turrets will need strengthening to accomodate them, but the set-up is so much easier, and spring choices would then be enormous.
Struts would cost £270each plus the VAT.
I'll keep you informed as to how we're getting on with the race car, and hopefully post some pictures.
Feel free to give me another nudge if I don't post anything in hte next couple of weeks
:laugh:
Well, not much I can tell you apart from the fact the workshop are cursing me for ever having got this car in !!!!!
We are waiting for our third set of springs so far. Because of the set-up of the spring and damper (particulalry the front), its been extremely difficult to design a spring that will lower the car enough. We're looking at around a 2.5" drop for this one, but it is a circuit race car.
The dampers themselves are easy enough, and they will cost £125 each plus VAT. They will be adjustable for bump/rebound.
We have another customer who has worked on a few of the P6's, and his solution (my preferred one too) is to convert the fronts to a strut set-up. The turrets will need strengthening to accomodate them, but the set-up is so much easier, and spring choices would then be enormous.
Struts would cost £270each plus the VAT.
I'll keep you informed as to how we're getting on with the race car, and hopefully post some pictures.
Feel free to give me another nudge if I don't post anything in hte next couple of weeks
:laugh:
I also visit both fora...Johnny said:Beverley.
So I am not the only one who visits both MG and the P6 forum.
I am Johnny with the Spectre ZT??
I paid a trip to Leda last Friday with my MG ZS180 - its now somewhat lower and handles a lot better than it did before. Can't wait to try it on track! I can thoroughly recommend Leda.
Whilst there, Beverley offered me some springs for the front of my P6. I didn't need them, so didn't take her up on the offer. If you're quick you might be able to pick up a bargain.
Hello does anybody know if there are any drawbacks to using stardard shocks with the lowering springs that are mentioned on this link from sheffield coilsprings?
On the J R Wadhams website you can buy new standard shocks for £25 each.
So for £245 job done and lowered, or will someone burst my bubble?
Cheers
On the J R Wadhams website you can buy new standard shocks for £25 each.
So for £245 job done and lowered, or will someone burst my bubble?
Cheers
Can't decide whether I'm about to be a pedant or not (chorus's of "Surely Not"). If you put stiff springs on then the damper rate will need to be changed too. Basically the damper is tuned, "attuned" would probabaly be better, to the natural frequency of the body spring combination. If you change the spring stiffness you change this natural frequency. Think of the last time you saw something soft with no dampers lollup down the road and you'll begin to understand "natural frequency". Ford famously produced a real dog by ignoring this rule - the Escort Mexico - AVO had given it some nice stiff springs and then the marketing department had had a fit about the ride quality and insisted on softer dampers. The result was very peculiar, it sort of did a vey rapid "jig" everywhere (anyone got any better adjectives please). Of course, punters being punters, not many of them noticed...
My advice would be to try the stiff springs first and worry about matching the dampers after. Our cars don't have to be "right first time" do they? And thats part of the charm, having something to play around with!
Regards
Chris York
My advice would be to try the stiff springs first and worry about matching the dampers after. Our cars don't have to be "right first time" do they? And thats part of the charm, having something to play around with!
Regards
Chris York
I see where you are coming from chrisyork and i think you have a point, but!
I will only be using my p6 to cruise around and not hanging the back end out, so maybe i can get away with it. I dont know, its a gamble. And like you said we like to fiddle with our cars, thats the whole point.
Thanks again, anyone else like to comment? It would be good to hear from someone who may have gone down this route.
One things for sure it cant be worse than 30 year old springs and dampers.
Also has anybody gone so far as to do away with the whole front suspension set up and welded a set up from another car?
I will only be using my p6 to cruise around and not hanging the back end out, so maybe i can get away with it. I dont know, its a gamble. And like you said we like to fiddle with our cars, thats the whole point.
Thanks again, anyone else like to comment? It would be good to hear from someone who may have gone down this route.
One things for sure it cant be worse than 30 year old springs and dampers.
Also has anybody gone so far as to do away with the whole front suspension set up and welded a set up from another car?
webmaster
New Member
Just had an interesting thought on the whole front lowering subject... How about shortening the whole strut i.e. reduce the length between top and bottom balljoints, this would lower the car without affecting spring length or shock mounting point etc, hence the car wouldn't be any stiffer ( although personally I would want it to be stiffer )
I guess this method would effect toe and castor / camber settings, but these could be corrected with adjustable bottom links.
I'm sure a decent engineering shop could chop the strut and re-weld it correctly.
Of course the ultimate would be to replace this strut with hydraulic ram so you could raise or lower the front as you wish, to clear speed bumps etc, but without getting the harsh ride associated with normal hydraulic setups.
Any thoughts ?
Richard
I guess this method would effect toe and castor / camber settings, but these could be corrected with adjustable bottom links.
I'm sure a decent engineering shop could chop the strut and re-weld it correctly.
Of course the ultimate would be to replace this strut with hydraulic ram so you could raise or lower the front as you wish, to clear speed bumps etc, but without getting the harsh ride associated with normal hydraulic setups.
Any thoughts ?
Richard
Blueman
Member
Hi
Have anyone ordered springs from Sheffield Coilsprings?
I have done it now but have not recieved them yet.
I ordered them stiffered and lowered 25mm, then I guess they will be as high/low as the ones fitted on the car now as they are more than 30 years old. ::
I will try with standard shockers, but I am afraid that the springs will need some stiffer ones.
Infornately they will not be mounted before spring because the car has been parked in a garage 200miles away for the winter.
Well
Happy rovering
Have anyone ordered springs from Sheffield Coilsprings?
I have done it now but have not recieved them yet.
I ordered them stiffered and lowered 25mm, then I guess they will be as high/low as the ones fitted on the car now as they are more than 30 years old. :
: I will try with standard shockers, but I am afraid that the springs will need some stiffer ones.
Infornately they will not be mounted before spring because the car has been parked in a garage 200miles away for the winter.
Well
Happy rovering
Hi there........I need some help.......I have a 1976 Rover 3500 P6 here in Sydney which I would very much like to lower around 25mm in the rear and 35 - 50mm in the front.
I have sent the car to a Rover specialist here in Sydney who has now advised me that he cannot safely lower the front by inserting new 'lowered' coils because he is worried that the decreased height will result in the car having little travel before the front suspension hits the bumpstop.
He says lowering the back is easy (and safe!!) but he cannot do the front safely.
Can anyone help me provide him with technical help from someone who has successfully and safely lowered the fron of the V8 P6.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated as I would really like to be able to modify the suspension on the car via lowering and fitting upgraded shocks (Koni etc).
Thanks
GULLY (in Sydney)
I have sent the car to a Rover specialist here in Sydney who has now advised me that he cannot safely lower the front by inserting new 'lowered' coils because he is worried that the decreased height will result in the car having little travel before the front suspension hits the bumpstop.
He says lowering the back is easy (and safe!!) but he cannot do the front safely.
Can anyone help me provide him with technical help from someone who has successfully and safely lowered the fron of the V8 P6.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated as I would really like to be able to modify the suspension on the car via lowering and fitting upgraded shocks (Koni etc).
Thanks
GULLY (in Sydney)
Guy Engelsman
New Member
Gully
Saw your car at Sam's the other day. Sweet as mate! but I have to agree with Sam, to lower much more will leave you with no suspension movement at all! ???
I have a set of springs from King Springs and they are 125% stiffer than standard and 10mm lower. This in conjunction with 16x7 wheels gives a pretty good look to the car, but if you want to go lower then serious modification will be required. Perhaps a set of air springs all round? At least that way you can dump it for display and still be able to get over potholes.
Cheers
GUY.
Saw your car at Sam's the other day. Sweet as mate! but I have to agree with Sam, to lower much more will leave you with no suspension movement at all! ???
I have a set of springs from King Springs and they are 125% stiffer than standard and 10mm lower. This in conjunction with 16x7 wheels gives a pretty good look to the car, but if you want to go lower then serious modification will be required. Perhaps a set of air springs all round? At least that way you can dump it for display and still be able to get over potholes.
Cheers
GUY.
Hi
To be a kill-joy but I think that cutting the manufacturer's components & then re-welding them together is potentially very dangerous and is probably a MoT fail point.
Any alteration to the car may invalidate the insurance so before any works are undertaken you should discuss these with your insurer.
Any change to the car should be rigerously tested to ensure absolute safety - you could jeopardise your life, your passengers & other road users - is it worth it?
Good luck.
Gary
To be a kill-joy but I think that cutting the manufacturer's components & then re-welding them together is potentially very dangerous and is probably a MoT fail point.
Any alteration to the car may invalidate the insurance so before any works are undertaken you should discuss these with your insurer.
Any change to the car should be rigerously tested to ensure absolute safety - you could jeopardise your life, your passengers & other road users - is it worth it?
Good luck.
Gary
If the above was indeed the case any car that had had its sills replaced would fail an MOTGary said:
Most components on most cars are welded together, I cant see what the problem would be! simply cut along an old weld and then re-weld it. I know I would trust a strut that had been inspected, shortened and re-welded over a strut that had never been inspected in its up to 40 year life!
If welding wasnt safe it wouldn't be used on nearly every car ever made
Cheers
AL