So I'm looking to lower the rear suspension buy keep ride quality. Since i'm wanting to match the back to the front, I'm going to have to customise a bit. So I was thinking about fabricating some drop plates to bring the stub axle up a bit in relation to it's current mounting points. My plan is to make a plate with holes drilled and tapped, and bolt them to where the current axle mounting pointsnon the axle. And then brace it all with a bit of Joe mangle (angle) welded to the rear axle. Essentially this will lower the trailing arms in relation to the middle of the wheel.

Any input is appreciated

Edited 28 November, 201015 yr by prankstar2003

So I'm looking to lower the rear suspension buy keep ride quality. Since i'm wanting to match the back to the front, I'm going to have to customise a bit. So I was thinking about fabricating some drop plates to bring the stub axle up a bit in relation to it's current mounting points. My plan is to make a plate with holes drilled and tapped, and bolt them to where the current axle mounting pointsnon the axle. And then brace it all with a bit of Joe mangle (angle) welded to the rear axle. Essentially this will lower the trailing arms in relation to the middle of the wheel.

Any input is appreciated

I'm picking mine up from the engineering firm tomorrow. Can wait to bolt them on.

So I'm looking to lower the rear suspension buy keep ride quality. Since i'm wanting to match the back to the front, I'm going to have to customise a bit. So I was thinking about fabricating some drop plates to bring the stub axle up a bit in relation to it's current mounting points. My plan is to make a plate with holes drilled and tapped, and bolt them to where the current axle mounting pointsnon the axle. And then brace it all with a bit of Joe mangle (angle) welded to the rear axle. Essentially this will lower the trailing arms in relation to the middle of the wheel.

Any input is appreciated

I'm picking mine up from the engineering firm tomorrow. Can wait to bolt them on.

You got some drop plates made up? Would you mind posting some pics up when you have them? What are you putting them on?

Sounds a stupid idea to me, just get some shocks and springs...

drop plates will lower the wheel without affecting the geometry. better than shocks and springs if you can be bothered to go to the effort.

Sounds a stupid idea to me, just get some shocks and springs...

And your justification for this comment is? (No I'm not being an arse, I'm genuinely interested in the pros/cons of this)

By using drop plates I will also be able to maintain the ride quality of standard set up. I have the kit and people to help, so it's not too much if an issue.

It can't be a too stupid idea since a lot if lowered caddy rely on the method iirc

What a wicked idea.

Will probably have to be pretty beefy though to stop them flexing.

You could maybe incorporate an extra ARB or brace that links the two plates together.

This will also act as axle spacers as well. Dropping you closer to floor and widening your track. Its a win-win situation, that's pretty cheap.

The only thing I can think of that might be a draw back, Is the fact that your no doubt going to have to have the new mounting point for the stub axle a full size above the original mounting place, which leaves your axle pretty close to the floor , no?

May have to steal this idea, Will make a good use of the 20mm stainless 316 sheet i've got laying about at work.

As said, the piece of angle should act as a brace, and using a nice thick piece of plate, as you say, will act as a spacer. Well the axle will be closer to the ground yes, but as I'm not going silly low, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. It could be used with shocks and springs as well to really slam a polo!

Still have the same problems though.

Will look forward to seeing this, Will be doing it when I get my 2f back on the road.

The reason that lower suspension set ups are firmer is that they have to be to stop you from the wheel bottoming out which is easier to do the lower the car is. All your doing by doing this is increasing the chances of the wheel hitting the inside of the arch before it hits the bump stops there for making bump stops redundant.

Personally I would just buy a decent lowering suspension kit not one of these £100 jobbies!

Yeah, I'm aware of the reason behind the firmer suspension, but frankly I can't live with the stiff ride I've got ATM, and I don't have the money/time to find the softest option. I'm not going to go too low, and may well team it with the current stiff rears I have. I have never bottomed out with my current set up, and I'm sure there's a few mil left before I scrub the arches on the inside!

Thanks for then input though. Maybe I'll pop up to Leam when it's done, show you how it went. or you can tell me how i've bollocksed it up!!

I'd be with mark on this one... plus if the worst happened and it snapped/bent under load and caused an accident, would you be insured? as it's a non e-marked product that you're putting on there.

I'm always playing the safe option, it'd probably be fine, but personally i'd buy an H&R cup kit.

I take your point. I didn't consider the insurance issue. I'd love to go for the h&r, but I just cant afford it. Just trying to think of other ways of getting comfy lows!!

I'm probably being over cautious! but there's other things you'd have to take into consideration also, such as brake lines etc. Could be alot of work for cheap lows, so might work out cheaper to get a second hand decent lowering kit?

Sounds a stupid idea to me, just get some shocks and springs...

And your justification for this comment is? (No I'm not being an arse, I'm genuinely interested in the pros/cons of this)

I dunno if I'm honest, just the whole idea seems pikey in my mind I dont personally like the idea of mounting the hub away from the axle, it just has twice the chance of shearing off then (if you get me) and what if the thing bends, your fucked then

Up to you tbh, just i personally wouldnt be going down that route....

even if you did do this your still going to have to use a lowering kit on the front if you want to match the rear, which means you would have a mismatch in stiffness front and back, not good for handling.

btw, most caddys rely on a flipped axle and if need be, lowering blocks to lower the back. i have never heard of drop plates being used?

Edited 28 November, 201015 yr by McLOVIN

even if you did do this your still going to have to use a lowering kit on the front if you want to match the rear, which means you would have a mismatch in stiffness front and back, not good for handling.

btw, most caddys rely on a flipped axle and if need be, lowering blocks to lower the back. i have never heard of drop plates being used?

Lowering blocks, not plates. My bad

And as for the front, I shall hopefully be using Saxo inserts. Shorter, but maintaining a comfy ride. Then team them with lowering springs.

Tbh, I'm aware it's not a conventional route to take, just throwing Andes ideas around. it basically comes down to being able to tailor my rear height to the front, as I'm not sure how much shorter the saxo inserts are, yet to get my hands on a set. Rear adjustable coils are the best option regarding tailored height, but a shocking ride

Even thought I don't like the idea I would cut a few coils of a standard spring and fit them before what you describe. But doing that you just have to be careful about bottoming out on the bump stops.

By using drop plates I will also be able to maintain the ride quality of standard set up. I have the kit and people to help, so it's not too much if an issue.

It can't be a too stupid idea since a lot if lowered caddy rely on the method iirc

They use it to space the axle above the leaf springs. Polos have coil springs, so it's a toally different thing.

Personally, I'd say this sounds like a really bad idea.

I dont like it. Id simply mount the spring platforms further down the damper for cheap soft-ride rear lowering,possibly using shorter dampers to avoid a loose spring.

I had considered your idea mikey, and i much prefer it tbh. Does any other car use a similar set up to the rear of a polo but shorter (in standard form)?

I'm not sying my idea was best, and I'm not definitely going to do it. I was hoping for responses from experienced individuals, and I'v got it. Thanks

Another idea I had was to cut the rear dampe down, and then re-thread it. Essentially having a shorter shock. Obviously riding the bumps might be a problem again here though

there was a lad on here that shortend his shocks on his mk3. Can't think of his user name but he had a smothed silver mk3. I'm not sure if he did a thread on it but he put photos in his for sale add, although that will be long gone now.

For some reason i'm thinking 'polo-minion' but that could just be me getting confused

i would imagine that if you have or know people with the tools and know how, this would be a much better route to take. The bump stops wouldn't be an issue because you shorten the body of the damper as well, which moves the bump stop down with it, effectivly you are just removing the excess bit of the shock that you don't use. You would also need to move the spring mounting plate down to suit. Athough without the added stiffnes of a lowering kit, tire scrubbing may become an issue, I guess that would depend on how much you take out of it and the spec's of your wheels and tires.

I had considered your idea mikey, and i much prefer it tbh. Does any other car use a similar set up to the rear of a polo but shorter (in standard form)?

I'm not sying my idea was best, and I'm not definitely going to do it. I was hoping for responses from experienced individuals, and I'v got it. Thanks

Another idea I had was to cut the rear dampe down, and then re-thread it. Essentially having a shorter shock. Obviously riding the bumps might be a problem again here though

The problem there is I think the piston in a damper is chrome-van steel (like a socket) tapping a thread on that's going to be impossible by hand, and you'll need a bloody good tool in a lathe to do it.

I have access to a lathe, and a friend who works with stainless for a living, so he has all the threading tools. But i'm aware that its not an easy option, hence the consideration of other routes.

How would you remove the additional part of the damper body? The rubber seal is at the top, so surely removing this would cause it to leak everywhere and become useless?

I have a spare to chop around with, so may have a go. Time is of the essence however. I need a job