Yet another LOWERING thread!

[CWA]

Hahaha yes, just have a few queries regarding 340 lowerage.

I currently have a totally stock 340 which I would like to set up slightly better for a bit of tramp driftage. Nothing serious, mostly in the wet only (Have a 1.4 and sure as heck don't have enough power for dry drifting!) but sometimes find some nice gravel spots too.

As I'm sure you all know, that inside wheel loves to spin.. and does so at every attempt to whack the back out. Can't really afford to have the car off the road for long atm so must postpone a welded diff (although it is on the cards) so I think I need to toughen up the suspension and cut down on the body roll. These things handle like boats!

From the general gist of things, 340s commonly go down by about 2" (50mm) on the front, and 40mm on the rear I've heard?

I am planning to use Defender 90 Front Shocks - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT(these give 2" drop?) with some kind of lowered springs (don't really want to cut my originals).
Any ideas on what springs I can use? I'm assuming I will need tougher springs with a slightly stronger spring rate?

For the rear I was going to use Defender 90 Rear Shocks - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT along with some 40mm lowering blocks.. any idea where I can get these with the extended bolts? Are there 50mm blocks available, or is that too low?
Also, would I need to double up the rear leaf springs for this amount of lowerage? If so, can anyone link me up to a decent 'how to' thread or something?

Thanks alot in advance,

Chris

[volvodspec]

wow, it's a good thing you started up this topic before buying cause i'm afraid that's not gonna work!

the landrover front dampers, are a fit on the rear of a 300.
we'r all still looking for an easy alternative/stiffer shock for the front that might be identical to another cars damper. Dai does excellent front/rear 300 shocks allready though (he does springs too)

you don't need to go double leafspring for that lowering, that will stiff the rear up even further though

[CWA]

wow, it's a good thing you started up this topic before buying cause i'm afraid that's not gonna work!

the landrover front dampers, are a fit on the rear of a 300.
we'r all still looking for an easy alternative/stiffer shock for the front that might be identical to another cars damper. Dai does excellent front/rear 300 shocks allready though (he does springs too)

you don't need to go double leafspring for that lowering, that will stiff the rear up even further though

Ah phew. Got that a bit wrong didn't I haha!

So, if I chucked some Landy Front shocks onto the rear without doing anything else, would this change the ride height?

Or would I need to add in the lowering blocks to lower the rear? If so, I might just chuck the Landy shocks on and keep the whole ride height as it was.
I'm guessing I would need to stiffen the fronts if I am doing the backs aswell? What's all this about filling standard shocks with engine oil to stiffen them up? This would reduce body roll muchos?

I will probs just stiffen the car up for now, then look into buying some lowering gear a little later. Is there a thread on here that shows what lowerage people are running, and maybe with different sized wheels aswell? Would be interesting to have a gander at..

[volvodspec]

the shock won't lower the rear, you do need blocks for that.
i personally am definatly not a fan of refilling shocks with thicker oil because the seals kan fail due to a factory-incalcullated overload duo to the thicker oil, especially if you refill old shocks, where the seals are mostlikely worn.

my car has been stiffed up quite very well, but i'm gonna redo it all to get it a bit lower and even stiffer. http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... =13&t=7946 on the front i have red koni's and intraxx 360 lowering springs, on the 340 this resulted in 1cm lowering. on the rear i have yellow koni, double leaf spring and 6cm lowering blocks, due to the double leafspring i ended up 1cm higher than original. not too much bodyroll actually, but i'm far from happy considering my personal standards

[magnumpi]

Here's a thread i started a while ago when i was asking the same quetions as you, still am TBH but thats just my laziness


http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... he+lowered

[Joe]

If you can get hold off some box section cut to bits out off that, i have dropped mine 3 inch at the back and nothing at the front yet till i save enough money for springs and it goes ok sideways in the wet takes alot off clutch kicking mind. Joe

[CWA]

If you can get hold off some box section cut to bits out off that, i have dropped mine 3 inch at the back and nothing at the front yet till i save enough money for springs and it goes ok sideways in the wet takes alot off clutch kicking mind. Joe

Cool beanz man, might do that temporarily. But I don't think that will actually reduce the body roll at all will it? Just be visual.. ?

Might do it anyway though, what did you use.. just chunks of steel or aluminium?

Also, what bolts did you use, did you get hold of some longer ones of your own from somewhere? I'm guessing you couldn't just use the original ones..




Magnumpi, nice thread dude.. some good looking cars in there.

I think I will just go with 2" drop all round for now, until I can find me some 13" Minilites, then maybe go some more if only my 340 was gloss black.. mmmmmmmm...

What drop are you currently runnning?

[Joe]

I just got some box section from work think it was 75mm (3inch) square and cut it about the same length you can get the bolts from your local steel stock holders or engineering shop, it feels better to drive but i dont think it has got rid off the role thats why you would need landy dampners hope that helps

[Chris_C]

You may want to make sure the stuff you use isn't going to collapse on you. That would be quite upsetting.

Or, for the pittance the real things cost, you could just buy those. Look at Mk2 escort ones and do the small amount of modding, else Dai does ready fits.

[CWA]

Cool, thanks for the info Chris C.

How much modding is involved with the Escort blocks? I might be able to get hold of a set from an RS2000 for cheap, but wondering if it's just worth getting a set from Dai for the hastle it is?

[volvosneverdie]

Cool, thanks for the info Chris C.

How much modding is involved with the Escort blocks? I might be able to get hold of a set from an RS2000 for cheap, but wondering if it's just worth getting a set from Dai for the hastle it is?

Grind the locating peg off the top and get some straight bolts.
For the mess on, Id be tempted just to buy some.
But im a VERY lazy boy.

[CWA]

But im a VERY lazy boy.

Hahaha same here. But I am skint more than I am lazy!

Hmm I think I might just leave the RS2000 ones and buy some off Dai.

Would feel quite bad about destroying something off an RS2000 for use on a Volvo, shall leave them to the Ford lot!

[mat 91]

ive just fitted 50mm lowering blocks to the back off mine and 40mm to the front
its just not low enough but i dont want to fit any bigger lowering blocks as it just dont look safe
and i wouldnt trust it so im thinking off other methods
as for the front coilovers are on my to do list
and as for modding the lowering blocks i used mk1 escort blocks and just filled downthe locating peg a little bit to
make the lowering pin fit in the hole wouldnt fancy just cutting it off all together