• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

240 Preparing the car for a lower ride height.

petiww

petiww

Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2011
Location
Hungary
Hello!

Problem is, I don't want this cars suspension to be too stiff, but i want it to be low and still have a decent wheel travel, just as the older american cars in the sixties.
So as I measured the rear axle still can move upwards in the chassis approx 10cm to hit the safety rubber limiter. Is that really the maximum of the safe wheel travel at the back? Or is there a way to enlarge this by cutting from that rubber?
Any help or advice would be appreciated! :)
 
State how much $$ you're willing to spend.............
 
What I'm doing is

2 coils off stock rear spring
New rear shocks
Half bump stop cut.

It should virtually never hit the bump stop in that configuration, will likely bottom out shock first.
 
Mungulz said:
What I'm doing is

2 coils off stock rear spring
New rear shocks
Half bump stop cut.

It should virtually never hit the bump stop in that configuration, will likely bottom out shock first.
Click to expand...

That has to be the worst mod idea I've read today (might tie with the 740 rear end in a 240 thread)

Why would you want to risk damaging a $50 shock instead of a getting a better durometer or correct sized $5 bumpstop?
 
badvlvo said:
Since when were 60's cars low?
Click to expand...

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Pontiac-Grand_Prix_1963-crop.jpg
http://www.allpar.com/images/plymouth/1962/wagon.jpg
http://s.hswstatic.com/gif/1960-edsel-villager-wagons.jpg

They aren't that low really if you ask. And what makes these cars look low is the lowered arches. The rear arch of the 240 has a little spirit of these, which i really like. :nod:
Of course you cant achieve this with a 240, because the arch is not as low as it is on the older american cars, but it gives you the possibility to make the car look still good with the tyres behind the wheelarch at the back, like Josh's 242. Imagine this with a 740...



So i hope you guys got my point.

But! I don't want my 244 as low as Josh's 242. I want to use it on regular roads. :rofl:

This is the height I'm aiming for
Red_Volvo_240_BBS_RS_01.jpg


And what I want, a comfy ride at this height w/o rubbing or any problem. I don't know exactly how much more wheel travel was left on this, but I'm pretty sure the suspension on this one is stiff.
 
Λ picture above. Peter this is my current ride height. i bought a set of lesjofors lowering springs (they are available in 2dimensions: -35mm/ -40mm) i have those -40mm and costs me like 180 euros. i did not cut my bump stops yet. dont cut your stocks springs, save some money a buy a proper lowering kit..;-)
 
John V said:
Peti, why make the car low? Why not make it good at near original height. Wheel travel is a good thing, lowering is a silly fashion statement, a fad.. Why ruin the car just for a immature goofy look?
Click to expand...

mr. John V i got your point. but lowering aint really a bad thing when done properly.. i mean lowered decently, it looks good and i believe the car handles better,its not saggy that much...
to be honest i really hate all those hella flush cars.. all those insanely wide rims and stretched tires.. :wtf::nono:
 
Mueller said:
That has to be the worst mod idea I've read today (might tie with the 740 rear end in a 240 thread)

Why would you want to risk damaging a $50 shock instead of a getting a better durometer or correct sized $5 bumpstop?
Click to expand...

Obviously I haven't done it yet. I will cut the bumpstop according to how much shock travel is left over.

Will jack up a side with no spring and see how much shock travel I have left.. Actually I can check now since the car is more or less on bump stops as it sits (on blown oems)

edit:

just tried to check but couldn't, cars too low to get under.
will mark the shock where it is now and see how much travel it has left when i do the spring/shock changeover.
 
Last edited:
So I still need ideas to make my desired comfy lower ride height safe.
The ones I think I'll do:
-Whole exhaust will be modified to not hang lower than the chassis. Of course just after I put new engine and trans mounts in. I may add a third mount to reduce the ugly engine movement at low rpm idle.
-Rear inner arch modified to not be a cone shaped ugliness, to make wheel travel possible for more wide tyres without rubbing.
 
I wish I could do this but Florida road engineering plus the sheer amount of speed bumps and tables would rip everything off the bottom into a nice gloss of shiny and gone. XP

Road contacts my muffler every single day.
 
reduction by 1 3/4" up front and 1.5" in rear is about as low as you'dwant to go and be able to drive the car as a DD on the roads in most places. Unless you go with coil overs that allow height adjustment.

I went with the new style IPD Sport Springs. Lowers frt by 1 3/4" and rear by 1.5" Low enough and I would not want it any lower for my purposes,.

I'd suggest the 242 GT shock tower brace plates while you're at it as well as IPD sways and adjustable panhard rod of some type.

Also plan on rebuilding the suspension and steering pieces (IE replace all the bushings , tie rod ends, lower ball joints and upper strut mounts to name a few) if you haven't done so already.

Lowering a car on 22+ year old rotted out/crapped out susp bushings and steering componentsis *not the way to go*............and can be unsafe.

You need a "good foundation" to start with before doing further susp mods such as lowering.
 
Last edited:
smokeyfan1000 said:
reduction by 1 3/4" up front and 1.5" in rear is about as low as you'dwant to go and be able to drive the car as a DD on the roads in most places. Unless you go with coil overs that allow height adjustment.

I went with the new style IPD Sport Springs. Lowers frt by 1 3/4" and rear by 1.5" Low enough and I would not want it any lower for my purposes,.

I'd suggest the 242 GT shock tower brace plates while you're at it as well as IPD sways and adjustable panhard rod of some type.

Also plan on rebuilding the suspension and steering pieces (IE replace all the bushings , tie rod ends, lower ball joints and upper strut mounts to name a few) if you haven't done so already.

Lowering a car on 22+ year old rotted out/crapped out susp bushings and steering componentsis *not the way to go*............and can be unsafe.

You need a "good foundation" to start with before doing further susp mods such as lowering.
Click to expand...
Λ true..also: adjustable panhard may be a must..i had to fabricate one because after i lowered the car, the rear axle went more into the right side.
 
smokeyfan1000 said:
reduction by 1 3/4" up front and 1.5" in rear is about as low as you'dwant to go and be able to drive the car as a DD on the roads in most places. Unless you go with coil overs that allow height adjustment.

I went with the new style IPD Sport Springs. Lowers frt by 1 3/4" and rear by 1.5" Low enough and I would not want it any lower for my purposes,.

I'd suggest the 242 GT shock tower brace plates while you're at it as well as IPD sways and adjustable panhard rod of some type.

Also plan on rebuilding the suspension and steering pieces (IE replace all the bushings , tie rod ends, lower ball joints and upper strut mounts to name a few) if you haven't done so already.

Lowering a car on 22+ year old rotted out/crapped out susp bushings and steering componentsis *not the way to go*............and can be unsafe.

You need a "good foundation" to start with before doing further susp mods such as lowering.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply!

Yes, i thought about the same, ~40mm lowering springs, probably Lesj?fors.

And a bright idea came to my mind yesterday night. My car can carry 5 people, has a big trunk and a trailer hitch. When fully loaded, i don't think that the lowering springs will hold up well. A pneumatic cylinder next to the shock absorber would do the trick pretty well in the rear. What do you think? :)

I was against any strut tower brace for a DD, because in a side accident not only one tower will move drastically, but two. :-(
But if you guys really recommend it because the towers are not that strong i may do it.

For the sways I think I'll do the ghetto double sway mod, because the IPD ones are hard to find here and it is too expensive to ship here.
Stiffer sways (double mod) are really needed, the car rolls really bad...

I can make adjustable panhard and torque rods myself, but I don't know how the guys will tolerate that at MOT. I have to make them factory looking. :-P

Is strenghtening the lower control arms and trailing arms required for a safe DD? I can do this myself, not a big job.
 
I'd concentrate on making sure the existing suspension bushings are up to the job *first*. Have they've ever been replaced recently?

Air suspension isn't cheap and requires re working a lot of other parts . If modded panhard and torque rods are a problem I imagine air bags will be hard to get by within your country?

If you prefer 4 passengers , lots of storage items in trunk.. and towing trailers...maybe just keep stock ride height and add better shocks and sways?
 
smokeyfan1000 said:
I'd concentrate on making sure the existing suspension bushings are up to the job *first*. Have they've ever been replaced recently?

Air suspension isn't cheap and requires re working a lot of other parts . If modded panhard and torque rods are a problem I imagine air bags will be hard to get by within your country?

If you prefer 4 passengers , lots of storage items in trunk.. and towing trailers...maybe just keep stock ride height and add better shocks and sways?
Click to expand...

Bushings will be changed when I get to the mechanical bits after body repairs... I'm just collecting ideas for now. :nod:

For the pneumatic cylinder (not bags) i think the easiest way is to modify a shock absorber, which shouldn't cost too much. I just have to do a little research about this.
 
petiww said:
Bushings will be changed when I get to the mechanical bits after body repairs... I'm just collecting ideas for now. :nod:

For the pneumatic cylinder (not bags) i think the easiest way is to modify a shock absorber, which shouldn't cost too much. I just have to do a little research about this.
Click to expand...

And i forget to add this, these pneumatic cylinders would serve as adjustable helper springs next to the lowering coilsprings for tougher times.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top