Lowering Help.....

[TrentWalker]

Hey

Help is appreciated.......
I have a 74 VJ Valiant sedan.
It has 3 inch lowering blocks in the rear and the ride is very bouncey......
I have put Gas Ryder shocks which has helped but still a little bouncey....
and scraps due to how low the car is......
It has the standard leafs in the rear.....

What are my options to get a smooth ride........

Do I need new leafs?????Or....
Should I use 2 inch lowering blocks?????and leave the original leafs???
If yes can I cut the 3 inch lowering blocks to 2 inch or purchase new ones????
Dont really want to take it to a shop......I want to do myself so I can understand more and be proud of work well done.....

Any help is much appreciated and welcome......for me and my Valiant.

Thanks
Trent

[MagicRat]

First of all, your lowering blocks probably are tapered. I believe the smaller side of the taper is supposed to face forward. Do not cut your own blocks. You would need a machine shop to precicely cut and duplicate the same contour.

Next, have a good look underneath. You should have 2 rubber bump stops in the chassis, above the axle, near the wheels. (You may have a third one above the pinion shaft).
You are probably experiencing a bounce as the axle hits the rubber bump stops.

If the rubber stops have been removed and the axle is hitting metal, you are in some trouble. Such metal-to-metal contact is harmful and you need some kind of rubber pad in there.

Lowering a car using blocks reduces your wheel travel. Therefore, you need to stiffen the springs in order to prevent the axle from smacking the bump stops on every bump.
This means your ride will be rougher... but many lowered cars have a rougher ride... there is no other way around this.

I would say take the car to a local spring shop.... the good ones usually work with leaf springs in trucks, trailers etc. They should be able to modify the springs so they are stiffer but still have the same ride height.

Alternately, you may be able to add air-adjustable shocks in the back (or air-adjustable cylinder-type helper springs), so you can raise the rear end an inch or two for normal driving, but let the air out and sink down for cruising. As for scraping... all lowered cars scrape, unless you really slow down for bumps, parking lot entrances etc. Be careful when you drive.

[TrentWalker]

Thanks for the advice Majic.........
I have got the rubber bump stops there........ Just another question for you......If thats cool.

I know I should go to the shop but....
If I put in 2 inch lowering blocks will the ride still be as bouncey?????

My theory is it will be a little less bouncey but wont touch or touch less the bump stops ????

Thanks again
Trent

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by TrentWalker

Thanks for the advice Majic.........
I have got the rubber bump stops there........ Just another question for you......If thats cool.

I know I should go to the shop but....
If I put in 2 inch lowering blocks will the ride still be as bouncey?????

My theory is it will be a little less bouncey but wont touch or touch less the bump stops ????

Thanks again
Trent

Imo it will still hit the stops and still bounce, but probably less, though.
It sounds like this is somewhat of a personal choice here. If you think a modest bounce reduction would do the trick, it may be worth a try.