Lower suspension setting

Spider1175

Spider1175

New Member
Hi,
I recently purchased a Rover P6 3500s (1977 with power steering). Now I'm looking for springs to lower the car. Are there springs on the market or is the only alternative to press the springs?

Thanks for your help/ hints in advance.
Peter
 
Classeparts periodically do them. But anyone will make you a set to spec. There's nothing special about those on a P6.

But the place to start with P6 handling is a thicker ARB if you aren't there already. Cheap and very effective. Then perhaps gas dampers.

Trouble is once you start all you do is move the point of weakness. You'll very quickly want wider/low profile tyres if you improve the cornering much.
 
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My problem is that I don't have the spec of the springs or a second set of springs. That is why I'm looking for already lower springs. Or can someone help me with the spec?

Thanks
 
You'll have trouble lowering the ride height on the front just by changing the springs.... The rear is straightforward.


Rover3500S-FS-D.jpg


The only real way to lower the suspension is to shorten the pillar... If you are a brilliant welder and engineer its not beyond the wit of man though....
 
Just for the sake of appearance? Fair enough, it's your car.
I like the way that mine, in standard configuration, can corner as well as most modern cars while giving a far more comfortable ride. But if you're happy to compromise those qualities then that's your choice. I would suggest that you retain the parts to return it to standard if you ever change your mind - or get old and grumpy like me.
 
Why not ? Lowering a car nearly always makes the look better, more compact and especially classic English Sports Saloons benefit from a lowered suspension. Can´t see any reason, why it should not be achieved easily be shorter springs. Even the pullshock damper system works better from a lowered suspension, that´s my opinion, when I´m looking on these totally "unhealthy" damper position, when the front of the car is off the ground.
I´m sure, each 2nd BMW 2002 and each Dolomite´s suspension is lowered and if all components (see Peter´s advice) are seriously inspected or renewed, the driving experience is better. Treat the last sentence as a personal statement ....
I have to bring the car first back on the road, but I´m also one of these guys wanting a more compact (lower) look.
If the P6 would not have this funny front suspension, I would have done it earlier.
A perfect job was done by cobraboy with it´s individual adjustable suspension arms, which really makes sense. Maybe he´s working on small series soon :)
And don´t forget, almost every car manufacturer loaded his new cars with heavy weights to bring the car more to the ground, when doeing the advertising. Hmh, why ?
 
shorter springs cant be used to give anything but a very small variance in height. The only thing that really does the job is shortening the suspension turret like simon owen did, but that's a very specialist job.
 
The way Simon did it by shortening the swivel pillar is the best engineering solution as the suspension geometry is largely unaffected. I am going to contradict what you've said though Rich, in that there have been many examples of people lowering purely with springs. Remember the Lowver? That was purely shorter springs, 4" lower iirc?
Also the way Cobraboy has done it (and how I'm now doing it) with adjustable Spring seats is no different from a shorter factory size spring in the way the car is lowered. Don't forget Simon began with -2" (I think) springs before he decided to shorten the pillar to drop even further..
Jim
 
From the workshop manual, standard springs are:
Front
Free Length 413.5mm (manual steering) 434.8mm (power steering)
Rate 30.35 kg/cm (same for both)

Rear
Free Length 331.1mm (standard) 320.8mm (heavy duty)
Rate 46.44 kg/cm (standard) 53.58 kg/cm (heavy duty)

From memory, Simon's springs were -2 inches and + 25% spring rate, front and rear (presumably based off standard duty springs).
 
Thanks for all your advice. I contacted Allan from Classeparts if he can help with lowered springs.

I'll keep you posted.
Petr
 
don't forget that if your car has air cond there will be an extra spacer behind the left side spring to make up for the compressor's weight. removing either makes the car lopsided...It's either both comp and spacer or not at all
 
corazon said:
The way Simon did it by shortening the swivel pillar is the best engineering solution as the suspension geometry is largely unaffected.
Jim
Click to expand...

I'm going to disagree with this statement. Either a shorter pillar or a shorter spring still affects the camber to the same degree, forcing it more negative at the static ride height. Now that may or may not be a good thing, but given the extreme camber change the P6 suspension runs through I suspect it's not particularly desirable. The ideal situation would be also fabricating a lower link with an adjustable lower pillar location.

Yours
Vern
 
Hi, Both would have to be adjustable or the castor angle would be changed as well. Someone on here came across a full set on a car and they were presumed to be from the factory for use to find the optimum setting for production fixed length links.

Colin
 
Good point, though I was think more of a redesigned end allowing the lower pillar pivot to move left to right, rather than adjusting the length of the link itself. That would eliminate the castor change from adjustment and just leave the castor change from the upper link movement.

Actually, thinking about it now I bet making the upper pivot of the pillar adjustable might be the more practical approach.

Yours
Vern
 
I cannot remember how much I lowered my car now, I think around 2". This gave 1 degree negative camber from around zero when I started, I lessened this to 1/2 a degree negative.
I have not had time to remove a spring and check for bumpsteer throughout the new suspension range, it is something that I will do as I suspect there is some.
Having said that the car drives great, it turns in well, doesn't understeer, self centres ok, does not have any bad tyre wear going on, so I am not in a great rush to get all spannery at the moment.
 
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