TECHNICAL PAGES
Suspension

This technical page includes tips for your suspension

I recently bought a car that has lowering blocks fitted but I am not sure they have been done properly. How should they be fitted?

There are two schools of thought here, either you slip the lowering block in directly under the axle and above the metal channel piece, leaving the rubber isolators intact as per the instructions (such as they are) that come with lowering blocks. Alternatively you remove ALL the items between the axle and shocker mounting plate except the spring itself. The latter gives you full metal to metal contact keeping the spring more rigid and supposedly tightening the handling up a little (I’m assured the difference is noticeable) the trade off is slightly more road noise in the cab. Remember also that this will raise the ride by ½ inch before you fit the blocks.

Whichever way you choose please bear the following in mind:
· The axle is located by a dowel in the flat mounting plate, this originally consists of a bolt through the spring covered by a sort of cap in the rubber isolator, the resulting rubber plug is slightly less than 2 inches diameter at a guess and was originally banded with steel which will have rusted away. You should have the same at the bottom to locate the shocker mounting plate.
· If you choose to remove the rubber then you will need the steel spacing pieces included with the kit to ensure a positive location BETWEEN EACH PIECE. If you don’t have them then your axle can move about even if you get it in the right place during assembly, if you have a rear anti-roll bar this is very unlikely!
· During re-assembly remember that the wheel normally moves backwards as the spring is compressed, using one jack under the spring and a second under the axle you can line the two up without skinning too many knuckles.
· Cut off any excess U-bolts when you are finished.
· you will probably need a 16mm socket or equivelent, these are hard to find on their own and long reach ones more so.

The author cannot accept responsibility for any claims arising from matter included in this text.