Jump to content

How to lower a W-Body ( Gen 1, Gen 1.5 )


19Cutlass94
 Share

Recommended Posts

Mine are fine. I could see them wearing prematurely if they weren't tightened properly and could move slightly, then they would wear for sure... But installed correctly they shouldn't wear prematurely.

 

How tight is tight enough?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You want to take out any and all play in the bushing, at the same time you don't want to squish the fuck out of it. Your not going to get a torque spec on it because Poly is soft enough that your going to be able to continue torquing it down until its squished tight.

When I did mine, I got all the play out of it then gave it another turn - turn and a half. I'm sure there is some rule of thumb for it, but I'm not aware of it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Something to point out, because you can't get good torque on them without squishing the hell out of them, I put a dab of thread lock on the thread of the nut. (I put it on the nut to reduce the risk of getting it on the bushing) We will see how much of a pain in the ass they are to disassemble when the time comes, but I would rather have a hard time taking them apart than having them come apart on their own.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

I am down for mounts as I am wanting coilovers all around BAD. I wanna do the bigger rear brakes and do away with thes crap ones lol and I wanna take a turn fast enough to pass NASA Astronaut testing :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

19Cutlass94: Just finished reading your thread from '07 about lowering a W Body. Very informative. I have a 95 Cutlass. Brichmount out of Canada said they can custom make a transverse leaf for $225 plus shipping. Checking with JC Whitney, it appears they have claps for the front springs but not a coil spring that would lower it by 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Do you think I would be better off getting new coil springs custom made or just using the clamps or the more expensive coilovers? Now that I am learning a little more,(emphasis) on "a little", about W Body cars I still haven't seen any here in Bakersfield,Ca. I am sure they're around I just haven't noticed. Thanks in advance for any help from you or anyone else. I am new to the site.

 

Decature 31:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everything on the original post is waaay outdated. Should probably be unstickied or rewritten. The Birchmount and Flexaform rear leafs are the only items still made. Did you read all the pages? The best route if you don't want to make the custom coilovers discussed on other pages and buy the Birchmount, would just be to cut the front coils to match the drop of the Birchmount.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't know if my last post got out. Thanks for a simple answer. How much would have to be cut off the coil to drop it an inch? To answer your question, yes I read all the pages. It helped a little. I was just looking for a simple answer. I am really only interested in changing the looks of the car. Not so much in the performance.

:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the front coil, cut exactly 1 coil off the bottom, should drop between 1-2 inches. Ive dont it on my last two Cutlass's. Ride was good (I actually thought it rode better)

 

Thats the cheap way of lowing the front. For the rears, coilover would prolly be best as they are around the same cost as the Brirchmount except struts, which no matter what you will want to install a new set of KYB GR2(Now called Excel G) struts.

 

Instead of cluttering up this old thread, you should make a new one about lowing your car, your budget, and exactly what your looking to accomplish.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you BXX. I don't know about starting a new thread. I am having a Customizing Shop here in town do this for me. I know it will cost a bit. But I don't have the place or really the knowledge for that kind of job. But you did say I will need new struts correct? That's a big help. I'll buy the spring and struts and they'll put them in and I'll tell the shop to cut 1 coil off the bottom. I just hope the car will be even. You don't think the clamps from JC Whitney would be a good idea?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know about starting a new thread.

 

When you're viewing the index of a particular section on the forum(brake/suspension/steering/wheels/tires section in this case), you will see a button on the top left-hand side of the forum that says "+ Post New Thread." The same button also appears at the bottom of the index pages.:thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
  • 2 months later...
I think I had one somewhere:think: Well the most recent one.

 

You did, with links to all the parts to build them. I remember it. It must've been lost in a software upgrade or something because I can't find it searching either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I should have specified. I need info on the rears.

 

I have like 10 bookmarks for CO build threads from here and none explicitly talk about the rears, except Psych0matt's thread has some info in it...but thats a lot pages to sift through. Part numbers or an actual write-up?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...