Ke10 Front Suspension?

[Ke20nut]

hi am just wondering about lowering the front end of my ke10. it has a macpherson strut set up with a tranverse leaf spring. I have been told different things about lowering it. question is do i need to get a new transverse leaf spring made up or will it go low enough if i just change the coils to 40 mm lowered. i was told the transverse may not allow the front to rest down enough , hence meaning the coils maybe loose on the macpherson strut where they seat .

 

is this true and has anyone out there lowered theres.

 

And i don't mean lowering it by chopping the springs or removing the leaf spring and throwing it away . i lost a mate in a car with chopped springs was the main cause of the accident.

 

your help will be appreciated

[camerondownunder88]

First thing to do is remove the leaf spring. It is really an old school sway bar. Whiteline make one for a KE1X range $206 at super cheap a few weeks back.

 

Then you can lower it by fitting KE20 strut tops. That will get it lower and handle WAY better.

 

Also can fill the shocks in the front struts if there the original oil and valve type ones still with a heavier weight oil will give a harder ride. Old tunning trick was to put engine on in them.

 

Cheers

Cameron

[ScottKE1X]

Tom has done a write up on this here

http://www.rollaclub.com/faq/index.php?tit...sing_KE2x_parts

 

Also, he hasnt mentioned it in there but depending on the year of you're ke10 you can

remove the leaf and seperate the second leaf from it and them replace it, which will

help lower it a little without removing it completely.

 

I did this in my old red ke11 in my signiture pic. (although i did cut 1 coil out)

 

Cam is spot on about the swaybar though, I wouldnt drive another ke1x without one!

Must have.

 

Cheers

 

Scott.

[philbey]

Leaf spring is still a spring, it just has a swaybar effect as well.

 

Start with the KE20 strut tops, then chop a coil, then if you really need lower start fiddling with the leaf.

[Ke20nut]

the after market sway bar how would i mount it, do i have to drill anything or weld brackets etc , pics would be nice

[Felix]

I have whiteline front swaybars on both my ke15 and ke16. Makes a MASSIVE difference to handling. I agree totally with Scott, I'd never drive a ke1x without one.

 

They are easy to fit. You have to drill 2 holes in each chassis rail and a couple of holes in your suspension arms.

 

As for the front end lowering, you really don't need to drop them much. Remove the leaves, fit upper ke20 spring seats, and either cut ke20 coils (still captive) or super low ke20 coils. Fit a set of decent 185/60r13 tyres on 13" rims and ke30/55 discs you will be amazed at the handling and safety difference.

 

I wouldn't bother with removing a leaf from a twin front leaf. It will lower the car, but it will have a very soft front end and will dive excessively under braking and will screw with the handling.

 

Doug

Edited June 26, 2008 by Felix

[Ke20nut]

do u need to leave the leaf spring in or take it out completely? u say remove then u say it will dive excessively under braking if u remove a leaf or two? do u need heavier coils from a ke20?

[Felix]

I was actually referring to two different approaches.

 

The best way is to remove the leaves and replace the thin ke1x coils with the heavier ke20 ones.

 

When I was talking about excessive dive, it was a response to the earlier mention of lowering the front by removing a leaf from a twin leaf front end, and retaining the original thin coils.

 

Hope I've cleared up any confusion.

Edited June 26, 2008 by Felix