Jeff:
Yes, the 1/2 inch comes from 1/2 inch worth of spacers (collar or washers).
Chris K. has a good point, the bolts of choice should be a good grade, and
the nuts should be new, not used nylock style nuts, so that they don't back
off. The main point is, you can make this kit yourself from locally aquired
parts.
The alignment part is alittle harder to explain. By lowering the spring
plate in relation to the lower A arm, you are changing the arc that the
lower and upper end links follow as the suspension moves up and down. At
normal height, when the suspension compresses, the camber changes, becoming
more and more negative. This is because in a corner, the weight transfer
would naturally compress the outside suspension, and if the suspension
didn't become increasingly negative, the tire contact patch would no longer
be parallel to the road surface.
Toe in could change, because the height of the tie rod end in relation to
the steering rack creates its own arc. The steering links usually are higher
than the tie rod ball joints. When the car is lowered significantly, the
steering links will be closer to level with the tie rod ball joints. This
would result in subtle toe-out.
This is what I observed when I lowered my car. I am not a professional
alignment mechanic (or a professional mechanic for that matter). YMMV
David Riker
74 Midget
78 Midget
63 Falcon
----- Original Message -----
From: Jeff Boatright <jboatri@emory.edu>
To: David Riker <davidr@sunset.net>
Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 1999 9:36 AM
Subject: Re: lowering kit
> David,
>
> Thanks for the input. Have you done this on your car? I am 3-D challenged,
> so please bear with me. I am wondering why the kit uses collars - are they
> 1/2 long and is that where the 1/2 inch comes from? From your description
> of using washers, I don't understand where the 1/2 inch would be gained
> unless I'm stacking 1/2 inch worth of washers per bolt. Finally, I must be
> really slow today, because I can jsut barely imagine that this helps
> camber, but how does it affect toe-in?
>
> Thanks a lot in advance,
>
> Jeff
>
> At 11:48 AM -0400 9/7/99, David Riker wrote:
> > Jeff:
> > Save the shipping and handling. Go to your junk drawer and find 8
longer
> > bolts, and 4 flat washers per bolt. Acomplishes the same thing for
free.
> > Lowers the car about 1/2 inch. More washers, the lower the front of the
> > car. Also changes camber slightly, for the better. Check toe-in when
done.
> >
> > David Riker
> > 74 Midget
> > 78 Midget
> > 63 Falcon
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Jeff Boatright <jboatri@emory.edu>
> > To: <spridgets@autox.team.net>
> > Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 1999 6:02 AM
> > Subject: lowering kit
> >
> >
> > > Spridgeteers,
> > >
> > > Has anyone tried the front lowering kit from Moss? This kit appears to
> > > lower the front by about 1/2 inch using long bolts with collars in the
> > > spring seat (witch's hat). I think it lowers the witch's hat in
relation
> > to
> > > the A-arm.
> > >
> > > Any thoughts on this? Would there be a wear problem or a handling
problem?
> > >
> > > Jeff
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Jeffrey H. Boatright, PhD
> > > Senior Editor, Molecular Vision
> > > http://www.molvis.org/molvis
> > > Mailto:jboatri@emory.edu
> > > 404-778-4113
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>
> _____________________________________________________MV
>
> Jeffrey H. Boatright, PhD
> Senior Editor, Molecular Vision
> http://www.molvis.org/molvis
> Mailto:jboatri@emory.edu
> 404-778-4113
>
>
>
|