I'm looking at lowering my 1978 bay, any information on the best way to do this, and what products are rated the best, would be great thanks.
I'm going to sound like a broken record here but I'll get this over with first. You can't have your cake and eat it. If you want to go over speed bumps ok, leave it full height. If you lower it you have by default to cut down the suspension travel. Less travel = bumpier ride. The lower you go the less room there is for suspension so the bumpier it gets. People tend to lower by the spline and one spline is approx 60mm or2 1/2". For a one spline drop, you must fit adjusters to the front beam or have it permanently lowered by turning the springs. You have to cut off the bump-stop mounts at the front and cut down the rubber stops on the rear but with decent shocks you can run full size tyres and change the rear wheels without a crowbar. You should be able to run standard length shocks. For 2 spline drop, if you turn the front springs, you'll be getting dangerously near the limit of the ball joint travel + the tie-rods will hit the chassis. At the rear you'll have virtually no bump stop rubber left and you won't be able to change the wheel without severe trouble. You'll need smaller tyres on the front and new shorter shocks all round. So the solution is to fit flipped spindles at the front, which also fit the tie-rods upside down avoiding hitting the chassis and retain full length shocks. Another upside is it's a bolt on system with now permanent changes to the vehicle so easy to go back to how you were if you decide to. Then the wheel will hit the underside of the arch you you can either adjust the bump stops, or fit stronger coil-over shocks. The rear you fit adjustable spring plates which avoid having to mod the springplate carrier and drop down so you can remove the rear wheel. You need shorter shocks still. Any lower and you will need to tub the front and notch the chassis for tie-rods, rear diagonal arms and drive shafts.
There are also bolt on replacement lowered front axles available. Someone else will be along to tell you how wonderful/rubbish they are.
Two words...... can, worms. Now opened, again ! Yes exactly what zed sed. I have the adjustable spring plates at the back and the 3.5" dropped spindles at the front. Even with the plates adjusted to the max the back sat higher than the front, so ended up dropping one spline as well, but yes they are great when changing wheels as the wheel just swings down on the hinged part of the spring plate. Front end is obviously a lot firmer, and you do feel the pot holes and bumps a lot more. I could probably have a got taller profile front tyres to reduce the effect, as there is still loads of clearance in the arches though. Love it to be lower, but prefer it to remain driveable, and it does now handle much better .
