lowered suspension and brace.

I have a T.5.850 estate 1996,Any ideas on lowering it and fitting a brace?ON my annual trip to centre parks and i have 5 people in the car plus baggage and bikes on the roof,will the wheels foul the bodywork?

[Simon Linton]

It depends how far you want to lower it - most performance parts suppliers will have shorter, stiffer spring/strut kits that will drop the car down to R ride height levels, investigate those and check out responses to these kits on the Performance forum.

Of course, if you want the "low rider" look, all bets are off regarding practicality.

Check the many comments on strut braces in the Performance forum - in my view it's a no-brainer upgrade.

[sholtby]

I have never had a problem with my lowered car. Most kits drop the ride height by 35mm.
My car already had lowering springs on when I bought it which I didnt realise for the first few months until I noticed they were red.
Since then I have bought a Koni kit which came with adjustable dampers and another set of springs. Total cost was about £380.
The car has an improved sportier look when lowered and better handling.

Simon

[enrm6]

Simon, how have you found the Konis compared to the old setup?

I'm thinking about this replacement as my shocks and springs are about shot.

[sholtby]

Russ,

I'm very pleased with the Koni suspension kit. I have no experience of a T5 with standard springs as my car already had lowering springs fitted.
The Konis adjust from a ride similar to that with standard Boge shocks to 'feel every bump' hard. On its stiffest setting if you press hard on the front wing the only deflection seems to come from the rubber in the top strut mounts. Handling is awesome like this but the ride get tireing very quickly.
When I had the standard alloys fitted I had front and rear shocks set to the 'mid' setting. Having now fitted 17" wheels with lower profile tyres I have set the dampers as soft as they will go. Even like this it rides as comfortably as it did originally did but seems to corner much flatter.
I dont think you can beat them for the price. For the money they are worth it without the lowering springs so you could always fit standard springs again.
To me adjustables take away the gamble of how hard the ride is going to be with a new set of shocks as you can adjust the ride to what suits you and make further adjustments for track days etc.

Simon

[enrm6]

Simon,

Brilliant. I think you have just confirmed this purchase for me. Would you still recommend the mid setting with 16" wheels and tyres?

Cheers,

[sholtby]

Russ,

The front dampers are top adjustable. As they are so easy to adjust set them to say 180 degrees (mid setting) and adjust to taste.
To adjust the rear dampers involves unbolting the bottom mounting point. Then pushing the damper fully up where it will turn an adjuster. It isnt too difficult but obviously harder than the fronts so you could do with getting the setting right first time. Try about 120 degrees (just under the mid setting). The rear dampers are much stiffer than the stock ones.
A word of warning on fitting the rear dampers. The lower mounting nuts are very tight. Apply release oil the day before and heat the nut up with a blow lamp before you try and remove it as the stud can snap off the rear suspension arm.
Do you plan to buy the suspension kit from Larkspeed like Nigel and I did?

Simon

[enrm6]

Thanks for the info. I realised the rears would be harder to adjust so that is why I was asking for a good starting point.

I do plan on getting them from Larkspeed as they seem to be the best deal around.