Suspension modification, advice needed

DomF9 · Unread post by **DomF9** » 14 Jul 2004, 04:28

Hi all,
As mentioned in above post, I am converting this:

into this -

Now, I need to raise the suspension. Not a difficult problem regarding the rear - just realign the splines of the torsion bars.
What I'm not sure of is the front suspension, which are McPherson struts. Obviously I need longer springs, but I'd be here for ever and a day trying to find springs that will give me an extra 3 or 4 inches ride height. I'm wondering about one of those large plastic rings that caravanners use to stiffen their rear coils. If I put them on the top end of the springs, that would make the body sit higher up, wouldn't it?
I'm trying to do this the easy way, without having to resort to longer track rod ends, wider steering rack, longer lower wishbones etc etc. Other than the respray, I'm looking for a non-permanent option, for ease of re-conversion just in case it is deemed non road legal.
Any of you engineers out there able to give me any advice please?
Thanks
Dom

NiSk · Unread post by **NiSk** » 14 Jul 2004, 18:56

Hmm - quite a project - why not ask Kennet Hansson if he's got any old shells he doesn't need?
One of the troubles you're going to get if you just raise it 3-4 inches is that you will run out of upward shock absorber travel - in fact the shocks may even prevent you raising it that far.
Now, about this 650hp motor you going to shoe-horn under your bonnet . . .
//NiSk

bxbodger · Unread post by **bxbodger** » 14 Jul 2004, 21:33

Theres no way in the world you will be able to do this on the cheap!!!3 to 4 inches of ride height increase is an enormous amount!!
The spring assistors caravanners use are designed to fit inside the coil, not on the end of it-if you put them on the ends it will make it downright dangerous to drive- you will have basically unlocated spring ends floating loose around the damper rods- one big bump and they will be out!!!
My experience of adjusting torsion bars stems from years ago attempting to lower Marina coupe's[:I]-torsion bars front, leaf springs rear- they handled appalingly to start with and fiddling with the front bars never seemed to do much other than make it worse.....
Even if you do manage to get 3 to 4 more inches your shocks will be at the limit of or beyond their travel range so you will need new longer ones- face it; you are going to have to go to an off-road specialist and this is going to cost!!!!
The other alternative, of course, is to buy a BX, Xantia, etc, and just run around on the high setting........ [:D]

Robin · Unread post by **Robin** » 15 Jul 2004, 00:29

Dom, this brings back memories of playing with Fords in the 60's when Mc Phersons were king of the circuit. They do not like being run at the limit of their travel on the top end. This is because it is the way they are assembled and the tops pop off if the spring is not retained properly. You then lose the whole system, usually up through the wing or inner wing panel.
The rubber spring assisters that caravanners use are intended to stop the suspension bottoming out, not to raise the car.
Specialist tuners can supply longer rods for existing Mc Pherson bodies and the rod components are (or were!) remarkably interchangeable. So look around at other models and measure the rods and reassemble if you can find longer ones.
No cheap option here and I suspect you will find it difficult to keep it road legal plus geometry, toe in and camber are going to be difficult to get acceptable.
However good luck, I had great fun with my poor old Ford Anglia in competition. Robin

DomF9 · Unread post by **DomF9** » 15 Jul 2004, 04:45

Thanks for your input guys. What I thought would be the least headache is now the biggest - the rear. I thought maybe dropping the torsion bars would be easy, but maybe not... I may have to rethink about perhaps just a gain of a couple of inches.
The fronts, I would have thought, would be fairly easy now as long as I can find long enough struts. Obviously damper length will have a bearing on front and rear. Perhaps a damper mount welded a couple of inches lower than the original?
It's not a bodyshell I need, just an easy way out with the suspension! I was hoping an increase of a few inches wouldn't make toooo much difference to toe-in and camber. When I had the wheels changed yesterday, jacked up just a bit on a trolley jack made such a difference. Now, if I could just replicate that look...... !