Lowering with 8" bolt adjustment?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 146
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From: Arlington VA
Lowering with 8" bolt adjustment?
Hi all,
I've read a bunch of posts on here about lowering and all the suspension work people do - I think I'm starting to get a handle on it all, and I've already ordered a bunch of parts from VB&P including adjustable mono springs, sway bars, smart struts and Bilstein shocks. One more question - from a photo I just looked at (not with my car for the next few days) - I noticed a LOT of remaining room on the spring bolts. At least that's what I think I'm seeing:
The ride height is annoying (looking):
Would it simply be a matter of backing out the nut at the bottom end of this bolt shown in the first pic? Does it look like those are non-stock (8") bolts? Will the mount be affected? I'm not sure how old those bushings are, but they don't look 'centered' or something - a lot of gap in the front of the bushings and squished at the rear of the car. Is that normal, or should there be some other adjustments?
I've read a bunch of posts on here about lowering and all the suspension work people do - I think I'm starting to get a handle on it all, and I've already ordered a bunch of parts from VB&P including adjustable mono springs, sway bars, smart struts and Bilstein shocks. One more question - from a photo I just looked at (not with my car for the next few days) - I noticed a LOT of remaining room on the spring bolts. At least that's what I think I'm seeing:
The ride height is annoying (looking):
Would it simply be a matter of backing out the nut at the bottom end of this bolt shown in the first pic? Does it look like those are non-stock (8") bolts? Will the mount be affected? I'm not sure how old those bushings are, but they don't look 'centered' or something - a lot of gap in the front of the bushings and squished at the rear of the car. Is that normal, or should there be some other adjustments?
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,908
Likes: 129
From: Fredericksburg Virginia
I'm guessing those are 6 inch bolts.
I replaced my bolts with 8" long Grade 8 bolts and have been VERY happy.
My nose rides pretty low and the rear was at an OK height, but the sidepipes weren't parallel to the ground. Dropped the rear end 1-1/2" and it looks pretty even now.
I note that your front end is 'perked up' a bit...you'll probably be able to get it at least even by backing the nuts off to within 1/4" of the ends of the bolts...where they should be in my opinion.
If you want to get the car much lower, though, you're going to need to figure something out with your front springs as well. I'm just running the 'regular' front springs (not the heavy duty "performance" springs) and I really like where it is sitting.
As far as the rear wheel position, as the trailing arm gets 'over-rotated', it will pull the wheel forward. That is also contributing to that really funky angle you have on those bolts. Backing them off will definitely help both issues.
I replaced my bolts with 8" long Grade 8 bolts and have been VERY happy.
My nose rides pretty low and the rear was at an OK height, but the sidepipes weren't parallel to the ground. Dropped the rear end 1-1/2" and it looks pretty even now.
I note that your front end is 'perked up' a bit...you'll probably be able to get it at least even by backing the nuts off to within 1/4" of the ends of the bolts...where they should be in my opinion.
If you want to get the car much lower, though, you're going to need to figure something out with your front springs as well. I'm just running the 'regular' front springs (not the heavy duty "performance" springs) and I really like where it is sitting.
As far as the rear wheel position, as the trailing arm gets 'over-rotated', it will pull the wheel forward. That is also contributing to that really funky angle you have on those bolts. Backing them off will definitely help both issues.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,534
Likes: 14
From: Dallas-Fort Worth TX
Keith your car looks great, esp with those side pipes, black Vettes look good.. Nice...
Dheista- tuff to say, but it looks like your bolts are aftermarket already. They might be 8 inch bolts. . They look a little to shiny in the middle compared to everything else that is old/rusty.Those nuts are up way to high, somebody wanted to make the rear end higher at one time. I think the OEM bolts are 6 or 6.5. I ended up going with 10 inch bolts as the 8's were not long enough. Lot of it depends of the tension left in your spring.
Dheista- tuff to say, but it looks like your bolts are aftermarket already. They might be 8 inch bolts. . They look a little to shiny in the middle compared to everything else that is old/rusty.Those nuts are up way to high, somebody wanted to make the rear end higher at one time. I think the OEM bolts are 6 or 6.5. I ended up going with 10 inch bolts as the 8's were not long enough. Lot of it depends of the tension left in your spring.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
The originals are 7" bolts (which is what appears to be in your photo). Just back them down near the end of travel. You may want to add a 'jamb' nut to lock the other nut in place and/or use hi-strength Loctite to assure the nut won't come off...not good, if it does.
From the ride height of your left-rear, I think there is enough adjustment in that bolt to get it down to a better position. What's the right side look like (exterior and nut/bolt position)?
From the ride height of your left-rear, I think there is enough adjustment in that bolt to get it down to a better position. What's the right side look like (exterior and nut/bolt position)?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 146
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From: Arlington VA
The originals are 7" bolts (which is what appears to be in your photo). Just back them down near the end of travel. You may want to add a 'jamb' nut to lock the other nut in place and/or use hi-strength Loctite to assure the nut won't come off...not good, if it does.
From the ride height of your left-rear, I think there is enough adjustment in that bolt to get it down to a better position. What's the right side look like (exterior and nut/bolt position)?
From the ride height of your left-rear, I think there is enough adjustment in that bolt to get it down to a better position. What's the right side look like (exterior and nut/bolt position)?
What's the effect of spring left in leafs? ie: if there's not much spring left, wouldn't you expect the car to sit lower? And a suspension question - if the spring is weak, would you expect the car to be more "wavy" over some longer bumps? This is why I'm doing all this - the ride is just not what I want...
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,995
Likes: 110
From: Garland Texas
This may not sound like it's related. You need to find out why it sits so high in the front first. A bad front spring or one not full seated will cause the issues with the uneven rear bolts.
Another issue I see is you have severe rot in your trailing arms.
Mike
Another issue I see is you have severe rot in your trailing arms.
Mike
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Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,274
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From: Westminster Maryland
Hi d,
The fact that your spring has the shipping bands still on it indicates that it's a replacement of some kind. You should remove those before you try to level/lower your car because they restrict the individual leaf's movements.
I believe the bolts are replacement too, and are both the same length; but the nut is turned on the left side bolt further than the right side bolt to level the car.
I believe the original bolts were 6 3/4" long. They really had almost no adjustment because they were drilled to receive a cotter pin that passed through the slotted nut.
Regards,
Alan
The fact that your spring has the shipping bands still on it indicates that it's a replacement of some kind. You should remove those before you try to level/lower your car because they restrict the individual leaf's movements.
I believe the bolts are replacement too, and are both the same length; but the nut is turned on the left side bolt further than the right side bolt to level the car.
I believe the original bolts were 6 3/4" long. They really had almost no adjustment because they were drilled to receive a cotter pin that passed through the slotted nut.
Regards,
Alan
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,908
Likes: 129
From: Fredericksburg Virginia
Mr. Alan 71, as usual, is awesomely correct on all counts.
And I am embarassed every time he includes a picture of his car. Just an incredible piece of machinery.
Comparing the two pictures, I'm not sure those bolts are even the same, right to left. And I'm putting my $0.25 that those are 6" long Grade 8 bolts. Just too short.
I would definitely:
A: Figure out why the nose is so high and try to settle that down
B: Replace the rear bolts with either matching Grade 8 7" long bolts or 8" long bolts, depending on where your nose ends up. And pull the shipping bands.
C: Make sure you are consistent with your 'preload' side-to-side, which it seems Bubba was not.
Of course, you can consider "proper" replacement bolts...probably the better way to go if you are OK with whatever ride-height you end up with since, As Mr. Alan 71 points out, there is zero adjustment...you just run the castle bolt up to the stop and stick the pin in.
And I am embarassed every time he includes a picture of his car. Just an incredible piece of machinery.
Comparing the two pictures, I'm not sure those bolts are even the same, right to left. And I'm putting my $0.25 that those are 6" long Grade 8 bolts. Just too short.
I would definitely:
A: Figure out why the nose is so high and try to settle that down
B: Replace the rear bolts with either matching Grade 8 7" long bolts or 8" long bolts, depending on where your nose ends up. And pull the shipping bands.
C: Make sure you are consistent with your 'preload' side-to-side, which it seems Bubba was not.
Of course, you can consider "proper" replacement bolts...probably the better way to go if you are OK with whatever ride-height you end up with since, As Mr. Alan 71 points out, there is zero adjustment...you just run the castle bolt up to the stop and stick the pin in.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
From: Arlington VA
Holy Crap! Keith - I agree. Alan71's photo is spectacular! It gives me goose bumps, and a real point to aim at as far as a finished product! Can't wait to tear into this stuff and replace, repair and repaint everything I can :-)
Bummer about the trailing arm rot - I'll have to consider new trailing arms, which I wasn't really planning on. I already ordered new wheels (17x8 and 17x9) which I might have changed if I was going with new trailing arms (mighta gotten offset to accommodate larger wheels/tires in the rear).
Again - Alan, thanks so much for the inspiration of what a car should look like! Think I'll have to go spend another 30 minutes perusing the boards for more of your photos to see what else I gotta do!
Bummer about the trailing arm rot - I'll have to consider new trailing arms, which I wasn't really planning on. I already ordered new wheels (17x8 and 17x9) which I might have changed if I was going with new trailing arms (mighta gotten offset to accommodate larger wheels/tires in the rear).
Again - Alan, thanks so much for the inspiration of what a car should look like! Think I'll have to go spend another 30 minutes perusing the boards for more of your photos to see what else I gotta do!
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 99
From: Ontario
This is a 6" bolt with cotter pin from a car that is driven.
This the same car with a mono spring and 8" bolts with NyLocks plus adjustable strut rods and tuned KYB shocks.
This the same car with a mono spring and 8" bolts with NyLocks plus adjustable strut rods and tuned KYB shocks.
Last edited by Paul L; Nov 2, 2012 at 08:51 PM.