| Tech
Chat |
 |
Lowering
Options
So
you want to lower your vehicle, but don't know
what your options are? This is a common question.
This month we will discuss the different options
for lowering a vehicle. If you are not sure what
options are available for your vehicle, contact
us at sales@kmwperformance.com. We will help you
choose the right option for your vehicle.
Coil Springs
 Replacing
your existing coil springs with new coil springs
is a good way to lower your vehicle. It can be
less expensive when compared to air bag systems.
A lowering coil spring is shorter than the factory
coil spring. Some lowering coil springs are also
progressively wound. This means that the spring
has the same amount of coils as the factory spring,
but the coils are wound tighter. This allows the
spring to have a higher spring rate for better
handling.
There are two type of lowering
coil springs, the adjustable and the non-adjustable.
Non-adjustable coil springs are set at a fixed
height. Most of these can be 1 to 3 inches lower
than stock. Adjustable coil springs have an adjustable
sleeve the coil fits over. The sleeve is adjustable
up and down to give height adjustments from 0
to 5 inches from the stock height. To adjust these
coil springs you would need to use a special wrench
included with the coil springs.
Leaf Springs
 There
are a few options for leaf springs. The first
is replacing the leaf springs with de-arched leaf
springs. A de-arched leaf spring is a leaf spring
that has not been "bent" as much as
a factory spring. This allows the spring to lower
the vehicle and still carry the weight. As with
coil springs, the leaf springs can be given a
higher spring rate for better handling. Another
option is the use of lower blocks or shackles.
The blocks are placed under the mounting point
to the axle. Shackles replace the leaf spring
hangers. Both options are inexpensive and use
the factory leaf springs.
 I-Beams
I-Beams are used mostly on Ford trucks except
the new models which use coil springs. Lowering
I-Breams replace the stock I-Beams.
Drop
control arms
 Drop
control arms replace the stock control arms. The
spring pocket is set lower in the control arm
to produce the drop. Drop control arms allow the
use of either the stock spring or a lowering spring
for that slammed look.
Drop
spindles
 Drop
spindles replace the factory spindles. The new
spindle is moved up to allow the tire to mount
higher. The factory control arms, springs, etc.
are still used. Drop control arms or lowering
springs can also be used to get the vehicle even
lower.
Air
Bags
 The
last option is using air bags. I am not going
to go into great detail on this because we have
already discussed this in a past issue.
These options can be combined to help get that
slammed look. One thing to keep in mind, anytime
you change the suspension on your vehicle, you
must get it realigned or you will wear out your
tires. That's it for this month, check in next
month as we try to explain some more technical
information. If you have a suggestion for a future
article, please send us an email at: sales@kmwperformance.com.
Until
next month,
Vincent Wright
sales@kmwperformance.com
http://www.kmwperformance.com
|
