Adam C
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Jan 07
Location: Cornwall UK Drives:Arden Blue Gsi T
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As the story goes, i bought a Suspension kit with a 50mm drop, its going to arrive this friday/saturday.
The plan was to do it in a day, and i have the tools to do so.
Problem being my Dad has been against the idea ever since i have mentioned suspension.
He is a trained mechanic so when he normally says something hes normally right and i normally go with what he says.
But hes now saying to do the suspension the brakes and ball joints have to come off, and he says only a garage can do it.
Is he right? or is he just making crap to put me off of doing it.
Ive gone through the tutorial on how to do it and i reckon i could do it.
Also any advice, or anything i should look at for?
Help Appreciated
Thanks
Adam
My Arden Blue Astra GSi MK4 on BBS LM's Project Thread
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pdwhelan
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Registered: 25th Sep 06
Location: Wigan
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hes chatting bollocks
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Adam C
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Jan 07
Location: Cornwall UK Drives:Arden Blue Gsi T
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quote:
Originally posted by pdwhelan
hes chatting bollocks
thanks, i just needed to make sure, the blokes normally always right lol
My Arden Blue Astra GSi MK4 on BBS LM's Project Thread
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ChrisBoom
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Registered: 6th Dec 06
Location: Highland
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quote:
Originally posted by pdwhelan
hes chatting bollocks
What he said
Hardest part will be getting the topmount off the standard strut, right bastard to get it off, I had to go to a garage to get it loosened off.
Rears are simple to do.
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Adam C
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Jan 07
Location: Cornwall UK Drives:Arden Blue Gsi T
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Thanks chris for the advice, really looking forward to doing it, just dont really need him putting me down over it.
Also would i need the camber adjusting, and is it adjustable?
My Dad says you cannot adjust it?
My Arden Blue Astra GSi MK4 on BBS LM's Project Thread
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pdwhelan
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Registered: 25th Sep 06
Location: Wigan
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It might be worth having it tracked after you lower it.. £15 - £20. its a 1hour job doing it if you have never done it before.. just dont overtighten the top mount nuts incase you snap them like i did 
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pdwhelan
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Registered: 25th Sep 06
Location: Wigan
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I also had alot of help off a mate
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Adam C
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Jan 07
Location: Cornwall UK Drives:Arden Blue Gsi T
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quote:
Originally posted by pdwhelan
It might be worth having it tracked after you lower it.. £15 - £20. its a 1hour job doing it if you have never done it before.. just dont overtighten the top mount nuts incase you snap them like i did
ive got a habit of overtightening things, will keep that in mind, so the camber is adjustable then lol.
Thanks for the advice guys, now looking forward to getting it lowered.
My Arden Blue Astra GSi MK4 on BBS LM's Project Thread
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Adam C
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Jan 07
Location: Cornwall UK Drives:Arden Blue Gsi T
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quote:
Originally posted by pdwhelan
I also had alot of help off a mate
thankfully one of my mates said he wants to help me, as he wants to get an idea on how to lower his car next.
When you do the front dampers and springs, do you do one side at a time?
And where do you jack it up on the front, on the bottom arms?
My Arden Blue Astra GSi MK4 on BBS LM's Project Thread
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ChrisBoom
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Registered: 6th Dec 06
Location: Highland
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quote:
Originally posted by Green Thing
quote:
Originally posted by pdwhelan
I also had alot of help off a mate
thankfully one of my mates said he wants to help me, as he wants to get an idea on how to lower his car next.
When you do the front dampers and springs, do you do one side at a time?
And where do you jack it up on the front, on the bottom arms?
I did my fronts one at a time, just jacked the car up on the normal jacking point, put an axle stand on the chassis lag. Stuck a few bits of wood under there too, incase it fell off.
Then just loosened off the bottom two bolts on the wheel hub (Tight fuckers of things), and then the two on the top of the strut, then popped it down to the garage to get the spring changed.
Rears are really, really easy though.
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craig_s
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Registered: 5th Mar 06
Location: Birmingham Drives: mk4 astra gsi
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the camber is not adjustable.aslong as your wheels are not too big you shouldnt have a problem.but as said before get the tracking done after you have lowered it.
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Adam C
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Jan 07
Location: Cornwall UK Drives:Arden Blue Gsi T
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quote:
Originally posted by sri power
the camber is not adjustable.aslong as your wheels are not too big you shouldnt have a problem.but as said before get the tracking done after you have lowered it.
ok, must have been the tracking that he was on about, i can get that done by a garage near me no problem
My Arden Blue Astra GSi MK4 on BBS LM's Project Thread
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csweatherston
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Registered: 16th Jan 06
Location: Devon
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lowering will not effect the tracking...it Will effect the camber.
however, unless its lower than 40mm you wont notice it.
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Dave A
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Registered: 10th Dec 03
Location: County Durham
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quote:
Originally posted by csweatherston
lowering will not effect the tracking...
yes it will. any change to the geometry of the front suspension in heigh will affect camber, which in turn affects tracking 
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Adam C
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Jan 07
Location: Cornwall UK Drives:Arden Blue Gsi T
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the kits arrived, much earlier than expected.
Going to attempt it today, will let you know how it goes.
My Arden Blue Astra GSi MK4 on BBS LM's Project Thread
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gavin18787
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Registered: 22nd Feb 05
Location: Basildon, Essex
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There is a quick guide here
http://www.corsasport.co.uk/board/viewthread.php?tid=205259
Just make sure you have all the tools before you start including spring compressors 
He may have been refering to when you remove the front struts the hub carrier thing that has the brake on it has to be removed. But this just simply drops down when the bolts are removed
[Edited on 21-08-2007 by gavin18787]
Drives supercharged Tec with torque  
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csweatherston
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Registered: 16th Jan 06
Location: Devon
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave A
quote:
Originally posted by csweatherston
lowering will not effect the tracking...
yes it will. any change to the geometry of the front suspension in heigh will affect camber, which in turn affects tracking
if you have a rediculous caster angle yes....
although, changing the camber wont effect the tracking.
changing the strut position (ie camber bolts/ topmounts) ....will increase the track width... which can put the tracking out tho...
^^ but this isnt lowering
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Will_Sport
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Registered: 28th Jun 04
Location: Notts
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when i did mine, we took the front struts with springs on with the new ones to the garage and slipped them a couple of quid to swap em.
....better than risking losing limbs etc from crazy springs flying all over the place!
although wasn't a problem when i fitted suspension to new one as i got a shocks and springs kit.
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