Lowering a GTV6

[Fast Eddie]

okay,
todays GTV6 question.

How do you lower a GTV6?  is it just a matter of turning the torsion bars or do i need modified springs as well?

I need to keep it high enough for the road and maintain legality but there is plenty of room to drop an inch or so whilst still retain 15x7" rims and plenty of guard space to avoid any wheel rubbing.

[Neil Choi]

Ed,

Turning bar by 1 spline changes height by 1.5 mm.  Lower A-arm being as parallel to ground as possible, but according ride height you want.

Obviously need to match spring height, can cut one coil off, something like a horse shoe.

Hope that helps.  Oh the fun of it all.

Neil

[Fast Eddie]

thanks Neil, thought as much.

happy Group S' ing.
Very jealous

Ed

[pep105]

Hey Ed,

Totally agree with Neil

I'm in the process of lowering my Alfetta. Front will be lowered by about 17-18 notches (splines)
which results in just over 25mm (1 inch). Difference in number of splines between front and rear of
Torsion bar results in ride height change of approx 1.5 mm.

Rear springs will be cut by one coil (that's the max I would go otherwise proper lowered springs)  My Alfa guru(mechanic) Vince's method is to do the rear springs first then take measurements to get an idea for the front. (max about an inch)
Couple of things though I wouldn't go any lower than this, lower control arms relative parallelity to the ground is pretty critical to not upset the handling and still give you a respectable ride.

Seen two other GTV6s lowered this way and it leaves a gap of about 20-25mm or so from the top of the
standard tyre (195/60 15) to the guard, so there's still some suspension travel. Nicely lowered not quite dumped, your exhaust and front spoiler will thank you for it

Let us know how you go

Pep

[Neil Choi]

Here you go Ed, it has been discussed previously.

http://www.alfaclubvic.org.au/forum/index.php?topic=163.0

34/35 splines on ends of torsion bar to give you a vernier scale.

One of those jobs you will have to do a few of times to get it right and you will never want to do it again.

Important note, mark everything especially starting point otherwise you will be confused and spend a lot time underneath car.

Cheers and happy torsion barring.

Neil

[Neil Choi]

Also cutting a coil from the spring also stiffens it.  A spring is or like a torsion bar and vice versa.

At a given length it will have a given stiffness, shorten it and it will be stiffer ie more difficult to twist.

[Al Campbell]

Can confirm that there is plenty of room under the front guards. My car was lowered too far at some time in the past. i.e. the lower control slopes up towards the wheel. I raised it once to get the RWC, but still left it about 20mm too low.

Front spoiler had been whacked at some stage and wasn't attached on the wheel arch. Used to rub on the tyre on full lock. No problems since I remounted the spoiler and raised the car.

One of those jobs on the list to bring it up about another 20mm until the control arm is horizontal.

Lowest point on my car for RWC is a flange where the exhaust header joins the exhaust.

The mechanic who lowered my car put plenty of anti seize on the torsion bar splines and they slipped out real easy. Once I worked out what was going on with the spline counting and all that I did the second side in half an hour.

Good guide here:

http://www.hiperformancestore.com/AlfaSuspension.htm

If you use a 10mm bolt screwed into the end of the torsion bar to slide it out, get the hardest ones you can. I went through a couple on each bar even with lubricated splines. An I would have something like anti-seize on hand for the splines if you're thinking about doing it more than once.

Be careful though! Lots of energy in compressed springs.

AL.

[Duk]

Some good pre-work would also be to spray the spline areas with a good penetrating spray to help loosen any rust. Spray all 4 splines at least daily, for a week.

A good trick from AlfaBB. Have a rubber mallet handy as well. By hitting the TB in the middle (like you are trying to bend them) will help loosen any rust in the splines.

Make sure that there is no load on the TB. With the lower droop stop equipped cars, this will require that a ball joint being separated to get all load off of the TB's.

[Al Campbell]

I had to undo the ball joints on my 1983.

[Fast Eddie]

great info as always.  another job on the 'to do' list.

cheers

[scott.venables]

and the M10 bolt to screw into the back of the bar I think is 1mm pitch(not standard 1.5mm).

[Beatle]

It's been years since I've tackled TBs but I always found it worthwhile to remove the lower A arm from the chassis.  I think the TBs are often difficult to remove because the axes of the front and rear splines are not exactly in line.  If you have the A arm free it's much easier to manhandle the parts, particularly on your own.  And if you are playing with ride height you'll want to adjust the camber as well, so you'll be loosening the lower A arm bolts anyway