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Feb 11, 2015 21:07:21 GMT
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So I've been pondering on changes to my 924 and lowering is one of them. The back is easy (well, cheap at least) as it's just a case of changing the spline position on the rear arms. The front requires either shorter springs or coilovers. I currently have 1 coil chopped off my standard springs, it's fine but I'd like to fine tune the ride height and eventually spring rates. I have 2 spare 924 shock bodies, 2 Golf MK4 front coilovers (sans dampers as they are shot) and i'm good with a welder (MIG). The Golf bodies are shorter than the Porsches therefore swapping the mountings would not be possible. Full height  Lowered height  If I cut my spare 924 struts near the hub mounting and welded the threaded section of the Golf struts to them (chopping off the bottom beforehand to allow a full length 924 damper), I could quite easily create some budget coilovers. The top mount fits to the top spring plate nicely and that lowers the overall assembly by about an inch which is what my current ride height is lowered by. This should mean I have a nice range of suspension height to choose from. Is there anything wrong with doing it this way? I want to make sure they are safe of course so presumably it would also be wise to sleeve the welded section afterward just for that extra bit of security. The bodies both have similar sized tubing (the Golf one looks to be slightly larger in OD but I don't have my calipers here to give an exact measurement and the rust needs cleaning off anyway). Any help would be greatly appreciated. |
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Last Edit: Feb 11, 2015 21:08:50 GMT by pauloliver
'73 Commer Campervan under full restoration, '83 VW T25 Doka under partial restoration to become rolling project, '04 Saab 9-3 Vector Sport modified and certainly not finished...
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Jun 30, 2015 16:56:00 GMT
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Bump of an old thread, my insurance now allows me to lower the car, so is this option viable or am I being sketchy?
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'73 Commer Campervan under full restoration, '83 VW T25 Doka under partial restoration to become rolling project, '04 Saab 9-3 Vector Sport modified and certainly not finished...
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Bump of an old thread, my insurance now allows me to lower the car, so is this option viable or am I being sketchy? You say they will allow you to lower it but have you asked about if you are cutting and welding shocks yourself is acceptable to them? Usually an Insurance Co will accept OEM or mods approved by a club or specialist. |
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Cheers for your response. I have ordered sleeves as I have decided I should stop being so tight, I didn't realise how low cost they were! Is welding sleeves on going to be an issue do you think? The structure of the strut would not be interfered with this way
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'73 Commer Campervan under full restoration, '83 VW T25 Doka under partial restoration to become rolling project, '04 Saab 9-3 Vector Sport modified and certainly not finished...
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Its okay for you to say the structure wont be effected but how have you tested that, I'm not saying it won't be more just playing devils advocate as I see a lot of modified cars and the driver will always says its safe and legal even after a part has failed and put the car into a ditch.
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Rich
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,341 
Club RR Member Number: 160
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Hi Paul, if you are planning on remove the oe spring perch and welding on coilover sleeves, that should be fine, just make sure the sleeves are a nice tight fit and welded well, obviously. The only other consideration is to shock absorber length, can you fit a shorter insert into the damper leg to allow a more suitable range of travel once it's lowered?
Awful lot of boring 'but I saw a man in a ditch because he had an unauthorised air freshener once' in this thread.
Provided you or someone who is competent enough to weld it all up is present and you then inform your insurance (yadda yadda), get that motor low. Shocks and struts are welded together when they are built. They don't grow on trees. Done properly by someone in a garage is more likely to end up with something that will last longer than some of the 'aftermarket' oe fitment parts ECP sell, so go figure.
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1300Dolly I do see where you are coming from but it's no different to somebody welding their car for an MOT surely? The difference being I would create nice strong welds and not cover a burnt through patch in filler to cover up sketchyness and drive around!
Rich, I would ensure the sleeves are tight, due to the buldge at the top I had to have 50mm sleeves, therefore I will have to pack out between the sleeves and struts to make up for difference in size, I believe a 1mm shim is what I require (I'll double check when I receive the sleeves).
I have some new pattern MK2 Golf inserts that fit in, they are shorter than the 924 ones so I'll lower a small amount until I can afford some decent quality adjustable inserts and then go lower.
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'73 Commer Campervan under full restoration, '83 VW T25 Doka under partial restoration to become rolling project, '04 Saab 9-3 Vector Sport modified and certainly not finished...
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Rich
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,341
Club RR Member Number: 160
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1300Dolly I do see where you are coming from but it's no different to somebody welding their car for an MOT surely? The difference being I would create nice strong welds and not cover a burnt through patch in filler to cover up sketchyness and drive around! Rich, I would ensure the sleeves are tight, due to the buldge at the top I had to have 50mm sleeves, therefore I will have to pack out between the sleeves and struts to make up for difference in size, I believe a 1mm shim is what I require (I'll double check when I receive the sleeves). I have some new pattern MK2 Golf inserts that fit in, they are shorter than the 924 ones so I'll lower a small amount until I can afford some decent quality adjustable inserts and then go lower. Sounds very much like you know what you are doing, so yea. Crack on, be safe, have fun  |
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Jul 13, 2015 22:03:21 GMT
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1300Dolly I do see where you are coming from but it's no different to somebody welding their car for an MOT surely? The difference being I would create nice strong welds and not cover a burnt through patch in filler to cover up sketchyness and drive around! It is no different which is why I said playing devils advocate I spend a lot of my time attending incidents where cars are in a real ditch/ wall/ serious injured and one this past week that was a fatality, driver error but it was a modified car which is what the press and public see. Done properly I have no issues with it, it is the minority that bodge their cars that give our hobby a bad name. |
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Jul 13, 2015 22:15:16 GMT
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Awful lot of boring 'but I saw a man in a ditch because he had an unauthorised air freshener once' in this thread. . who said that, it appears that post has been deleted? I have seen a dead biker laid in the road because the car drivers view was obscured due to a large air freshener dangling from the rear view mirror and the car wasn't even modified, does that count. I have also seen cars in ditches/ gardens/ walls/ upside down because of badly made modifications and bad car maintenance although most of the time its due to the car is being driven by a buffoon. |
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Jul 29, 2015 23:10:28 GMT
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Built them  Cheers for the help and advice fellas! |
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'73 Commer Campervan under full restoration, '83 VW T25 Doka under partial restoration to become rolling project, '04 Saab 9-3 Vector Sport modified and certainly not finished...
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