On Wed, 24 Aug 2005, Andy Levy wrote:
>
> On 8/23/05, Terrible Tom <SilverEightynine@aol.com> wrote:
> >
> > James Calder wrote:
> > > I heard a Gen II 4X4 cannot be easily lowered. Is it true? What makes the
> > > 4X4's sit up higher that a 2x4? Is the rear axle under the springs? Can
> > > shorter coils be installed in the front? Just curious...
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > James
> > >
> >
> > 4x4 Daks, 87-04 - all use the same basic suspension design. Torsion
> > bars, long/short A-arms, CV axles up front... and rear axles mounted
> > over the spring packs.
> >
you mean springs *over* the axles. the 4x4 Daks are spring-over, the 4x2
Daks and all Durangos are spring-under.
> > You can lower the front end ride height by cranking the torsion bars
> > down... and if you wanted you could mount the axles [above] the spring
> > packs in the rear by either doing an axle swap with one from a 2wd truck
> > - or rewelding the perches
>
> Don't forget that the torsion bar "adjustment" to lower the front
> suspension will also mess with your spring rate horribly
If you're using the same spring, and just changing the rotation of it (as
you do when you crank a torsion bar up or down) the spring rate will not
change, only the amount of availible jounce and droop.
> and
> negatively affect handling, suspension component life, etc.
>
If there's enough adjustment in the frontend to align it back to specs
after adjusting the torsion bars the handling shouldn't be effected.
There is very little if any scrub in the stock suspension so toe should be
good, the only concern would be camber since it's a short/long design
where camber will increase with compression (meaning the tires will lean
in, which is great for cornering grip but not really for anything else)
> If you want to lower a 4x4, buy a 2WD chassis and swap over your
> drivetrain and body.
then, of course, it wouldn't be a 4x4. Depends on exactly what James's
goals are. I think a 4x4 regular cab with the torsion bars dropped 1.5"
- 2" and a spring-under conversion (I think that would leave the front a
hair high, so I'd build custom rear spring packs to have it sit at proper
attitude) with a fulltime single speed transfer case (it's not gonna wheel
so don't waste the weight on low-range. maybe adapt something out of an
astro van or similar, though GM is wrong-side drop) would clean up in
autocross and be a fantastic daily driver.
I love all wheel drive, and I'm a sucker for unique projects.
-- MikeM SAS thing. yeah, I'm still alive.
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