HELP, how has my 66 been lowered

roastysprouts · Post by **roastysprouts** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 3:12 pm

I brought my 66 as a rookie around 4 months or so ago already lowered, its ride hight looks good (not too decked). The problem is as soon as I ride with a passenger it bottoms out on very little bumps in the road, its so bad that IF I BRAKE TO HARD WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER THE FRONT DROPS ENOUGH TO GRIND ALONG THE ROAD. The beam has got a tow hitch attached to the bottom that is the part slamming the ground as it hangs a good 2 inch or so below the beam, Do I cut off the tow hitch and hope that gives clearance but risk hitting something more vital? Do I put some coil overs on to stiffen it up?

But more to the point, How has it been lowered? I can see that it is not an adjustable beam, but cant work out if it has drop spindles, even if it was to have drop spindles should the front suspension have that much travel at a lower stance or is there a possibility a torsion beam has snapped or something???

Please help anyone!!

fatalifeaten · Post by **fatalifeaten** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:41 pm

Those sure look like drop spindles to me.

How springy is your suspension? Can you step on the bumper and bounce it pretty easily? With no adjusters in the beam I'd guess someone's pulled torsion leaves out leaving your spring pack weakened to get it lower. Very common old school trick, and dangerous.

I have exactly 2" of clearance from the bottom of my lower torsion tube to the ground and 1.5" clearance from the bottom of the vertical uprights on the beam. My suspension is firm and handles amazingly well. I do scrape on occasion if I'm not paying attention on cruddy roads or if I go through dips too fast, but it's very infrequent, and never the result of extra weight or hard braking. Soft suspension isn't the direct result of lowering, it's the result of someone taking shortcuts in your beam when they lowered it.

Hack that tow hitch off. Putting it at the lowest point of the car is just asking for trouble.

roastysprouts · Post by **roastysprouts** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 10:47 am

cheers fatalifeaten!

, that sounds like you may have just found the problem. It does bounce a hell of an amount when you jump on the bumper so it sounds maybe like someone has pulled the torsion leaves out. What would you suggest I should do? I want it around the same hight (maybe I little lower if I change my mind) but naturally I want it safe and not to drive it clenching my ass when I go over a slight bump!!

Now I know its got the drop spindles do I just go for it and put an adjustable beam on it, will that make a proper job of it and give it a new lease of life!!!