TR4/4A Lowering my TR4a - ideas?

[tdskip]

Hi guys - hope everyone is doing well.

My '67 TR4a IRS sits too high - she has stock front springs and TR6 rear springs with newly re-bushed suspension using poly bushings.

This is the stance I want to get to:

Anyone have experience with a specific vendor springs to get there? I have Goodparts springs on my TR6 and they are a bit more firm that I am looking for, and not sure they would work well with the lighter TR4a.

 

[Darrell_Walker]

Here is my car on springs from BPNW. Perhaps a bit higher than the one you are showing, but much better than the springs I got from TRF. All of this was 10-15 years ago, though, so my info may be out of date.

 

[tdskip]

Hi Darrell - thanks for the picture. I have the adjustable trailing arms, so maybe the BPNW springs with the trailing arm adjustment and flipping the front wishbones upside down might get me there?

Cutting springs a no-no?

 

[sail]

Well, best of luck. It started for me with a saggy rear end.

This is with the first set of short heavy springs from TRF.

Nice huh.

And currently with the exchanged TRF Competition / Goodparts 1" lower stiffer springs and no spacers.

Rear seems pretty good for me and a tad under stock height. Front suffers from knock knee's and looks low with my bike tires. I'm putting in a small spacer one of these days to raise it 1/2" or so to what will be about stock height. The front is closer to what your looking for, don't know why the rear didn't sit down more.

 

[tdskip]

Hi Richard - I went through the raised spring height issue with my TR6. Not huge fun.

How firm is the ride with those springs?

 

[sail]

Tom, good to see you back lately.

The ride is great on the road, not too stiff. On our bad city streets not so good.

 

[tdskip]

Good to be back, it's been a challenging couple of years. Enough said about that.

Those springs on the TR6 do work well on the open road, just wondering how the lighter front-end in the TR4a would work with these.

 

[trrdster2000]

TDSkip, Back in the day, when you had to make do, our trick was to heat the second from the bottom coil until the car started dropping, then stop and measure top stud to wheel well top of the curve. I can't remember the measurement but 1 and a 1/4 inch from the top of the tire comes to mind and we were running 195's. Don't heat at the center or top as it will tend to bow the spring. You will be amazed how well you can control the lowering.
All this was done for Autocross. Oh, be careful of the brake lines, don't ask. One weekend we put the TR4A springs in a TR6 and it could lift the inside wheel off the ground a inch or two. Rode really bad on the road and the bump stops took a beating.

Wayne

 

[tdskip]

Wow - how hot did you have to get that spring?

 

[sail]

wondering how the lighter front-end in the TR4a would work with these.

They seem fine to me but I've never driven another TR. If do overs I'd just put new stock 4A front springs and new stock 6 rears, I never was trying to lower it just firm up the butt.

 

[trrdster2000]

First off Richard, we put the TRF rear TR6 springs on the TR6 and they were a little too high and we checked everything twice and they were the same height setting on the ground as the old ones. Never did figure what the problem was, just took them out.
TDSkip, They had to be pretty hot, with a welding torch, by the color slightly over red, not sure but 1000 degrees would be a guess. We heated about a 1/4 of the coil and it drops real slow and you can regulate it with the flame. Don't help it cool or you will make it bridle. If you set the suspension on stands out as far as you can get them, then measure each one from a top stud to center curve. Try one inch on each side front and rear. If you have a set of old springs, I would go with them, either front or back, just to get a feel for it. Be mindful of the rubber seats on the bottom of the spring.

Wayne

 

[JerryVV]

I just did this on my 66 4A IRS. Goodparts springs front and back, no spacers, adjustable rear mounts. I have 205/60/15 tires and the ride height is just right. Front is slightly lower than back. Keep in mind that front negative camber will be excessive unless you come up with a way to adjust the upper A-Arms. There is not enough adjustment on the bottom A-Arms to bring the bottom in. I was able to have some upper A-Arms fabricated that are adjustable in order to move the top out. The ride is OK, I don't notice any difference; these cars were never known for a soft ride. I decided on 1/2 negative camber front and back and 1/16 toe in front and back. Works for me.

 

[tdskip]

Hi Jerry - any pictures of the stance?

 

[Got_All_4]

What about cutting the springs? I watch a lot of those cable TV cars shows and they are always cutting springs to lower the car. I would be concerned to heat a spring and loose the metallurgy and cause a week spot that will eventually brake and that can be disastrous.

 

[Got_All_4]

I used Good Parts springs on my TR250. I wanted a lower stance for looks and autocross. I did not like how close the wheels were in the front to the edge of the fender so I added a spacer only in the front. Very happy with the look and the ride. I drive it 3 hours to TRF summer party and all weekend and enjoy the ride.

 

[tdskip]

Thanks for all the responses, seems like Richard's springs may be the way to go.

 

[JerryVV]

Hi Jerry - any pictures of the stance?

I don't have any good photos but it looks very much like "sail" 2nd photo above. I do have a good close up of the front that I can send your way, there maybe a few more as well. Send me your e-mail address to jerryvv at roadrunner dot com

 

[tdskip]

Thanks Jerry

 

[tdskip]

Here is how she sits today (remember, this car sat in a side yard for 20+ years and still has original paint etc...)