How do I lower my 912?

[East Coast Dave]

I've had a search through previous posts, and couldn't find this subject covered already.

Anyone got any advice?

Currently the car is standard height, I'd like a mild lowering job, retaining everyday driveability (sp).

All comments gratefully received.

[Burma-Shave]

Question is, is it the same as lowering a 356? (Which is proobably the same as lowering a Beetle, so you probably know that already..?

Anyway, Vic Skirmants said

'Lowering the front (of a 356) consists of loosening the torsionbar
center anchors, backing off the adjusters until you run out of adjustment slot,
pushing the front end of the car down while the suspension is on jack stands (that
raises the suspension) and then tightening the center anchors. You can also take
everything apart to grind out the slots for even more lowering, but be careful. Too
low, and the sway-bar bracket on the lower trailing arm will hit the shock
absorber. After lowering the front end, don’t worry about “bump-steer.” The 356
steering geometry works just fine at stock height or lowered. Don’t lengthen the
steering arm to quicken the steering ratio!'

Maybe someone can say if this works for 912 too?

My car needs her nose down a bit too...I'd love someone to explain it to me in compleat idiot style..where to find the centre anchors and adjusters, how to loosen them etc..

[East Coast Dave]

BUMP!

Anyone able to offer some help?

[Derek]

The front end has adjusters built in already and you do the back the same as a beetle by rotating the trailing arm on the torsion bar splines.

Derek

[East Coast Dave]

Ta!

Will have a go at the weekend - with pics of results.

[Gilbert '71 T]

Dave,

I have acouple of tips..

it's best if everything is nice and clean so you can mark just about everything up before you start undoing it all. If you're lucky enough to get the spring plate off of the torsion bar without the whole lot coming out (ie. outer splines stuck to springplate) then its best mark the end of the torsion bar with tipex so that you know exacly where it was before you took it out. (a pencil mark of the spring plate angle against the body before hand also helps.

This way if it all goes wrong you can at least get it back to virtually where you started. be methodical it's not that difficult to do, but can take time if the measurements arent spot on first time around as you have to take it all apart again.

Also you'll need to drive the car around the block a few times, only then will it all setlle with at new setting.

Good luck

[Mike Holloway]

Dave- the best advice anyone can give you on suspension lowering, is
DONT DO IT!!! at least, not on your own, and not without the correct tools!!

The front suspension is easy-all you need is an 11mm socket,with a substantial ratchet handle (they are pretty hard to wind back up, when you lower a bit too far). You dont even need to raise the car off the ground, so long as you dont mind lying on your back, and reaching under.
The rear is a completely different matter.
Without going into too much detail, you will need several special tools to do the job PROPERLY.,and, preferably, a helping pair of hands.
The car needs to be level in both planes, and the pressure from the torsion bar needs to be overcome to undo various things, and do them back up again. This requires special tools if you place any value on your fingers, or a Halfords £9.99 bottle jack if you do not.
Even if you overcome this problem, the torsion bar almost inevitably releases from the centre securing splines first, leaving you with the problem of removing the spring plate from the outer end. This is a task that will test your vocabulary of oaths and general invective to its limits, as it is not possible to remove the torsion bar/spring plate assembly from under the wing of the car, and there is no space to swing a hammer, let alone a cat. They are always rusted on very tight...
When the torsion bar separates from either of its splines, you have NO CHANCE of getting it back in its original position unless, as one of the other guys suggested, you mark the edge of the spring plate in relation to a mark on the immediately adjacent bodywork. This will at least get you back to a driveable condition. You should really use the correct special tool, which is an 'inclinometer' type of spirit level.
The torsion bar has different sized ends, with different numbers of splines.
The idea of this is that you can alter the relationship between the level longitudinal axis of the car, and the angle of inclination of the spring plate, to achieve increments of one degree, which translates into about 8mm of change in ride height.
Having done all this, you will then need to reset the toe and camber of the rear wheels, which is done by the two eccentric action bolts on the spring plate/hub carrier assembly. This can be done by scribing lines before dismantling, or the correct way, which involves the use of proper equipment.
This is just a rough outline of what is involved, just to make you think carefully before opening a can of worms. ( you might pull the torsion bar out, and find that the torsion bar support tube has dissolved to nothingness...)
Finally, it is all a waste of time if you are hoping to improve the dynamics of the car's handling, unless you renew all the tired out suspension components first.
If you are determined to do it yourself, by all means give me a ring, and I will give you all the help I can over the phone!
Regards
Mike Holloway
01494 776911
07709 771356

In the absence of the correct





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[Burma-Shave]

Stuff about lowering the front torsion bars being really easy

Could someone pleeeese point me in the direction of the 11mm loosening thingies, the adjusting slots or whatever, assuming zero prior knowledge? I never had beetles. (I had 2cvs, which can be easily lowered with an 8mm spanner, but that was much cleverer than torsion bars )
Anyway, I really don't know the first thing about this system..

The rear ride height is fine, but I want to lower the front for cosmetic reasons. The suspension is pretty fresh. The car is engineless at the moment - ideal time for fooling with the front end. (Err, or is it? Perhaps I'll wait..)

[Derek]

Lowering the front of your 356 is not the same as 911/912

[Burma-Shave]

Lowering the front of your 356 is not the same as 911/912

Arse. Serves me right for thread-hijacking. Still,..anyone?

[Derek]

PM Cubist, he should be able to guide you.

[East Coast Dave]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Having got totally lost in the middle of

the level longitudinal axis of the car, and the angle of inclination of the spring plate, to achieve increments of one degree

and noting Darren's comments re driving the car to bed in any adjustments, it's all on hold.

The new engine is now mid-Atlantic (in 4 boxes), so I'll wait until its back on the road. I've got a set of polished Fuchs replicas to put on, so I can re-assess the overall look of the car once it's all back together.

Cheers!