drop spindle

[Michael Neben]

I want to lower the front end on my TDr. Someone suggested using a drop spindle instead of cutting the axle beam and making it adjustable. They claim it is much less work, much less expensive and accomplishes the same goal. Any input from any of you who have gone this route?

Mike Neben

[edward ericson]

Depends. If it is riding high because the torsion tube was not cut and turned as per instructions and the spring rate is still “stock” for the Bug or whatever it was designed for, then the drop spindles will, indeed, make it look right–but it will be wrong.

The stiff springs will make the ride harsh and also keep the handling sub-par. It will tend to understeer.

Your best move with a stock beam is to take the spring packs out and remove the small leaves, then reassemble. That should put the ride height very close to where you want it and very close to what the beam designers intended. It will also make the spring rate right, so the ride will be smooth and the handling will be much better.

Best of all, the operation costs nothing but a Saturday and a pair of work gloves and some grease. Try it. You’ll probably like it.

edsnova2013-11-05 15:23:32

[Paul Mossberg]

Ditto!

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[Mike Schumacher]

Do you remove the leaves instead of cutting and rotating the tube or do you do both?

[Royal]

When I removed all of the small leaves, it changed my handling from scary dangerous to very comfortable and secure.  It also did lower my front end 1-1/2 to 2″.  It is the proper fix and result in a marked improvement in ride and control.  Ed’s comments are spot on.  

[Paul Mossberg]

Juneybug…

 

Cutting and rotating the beam adjusts the ride height by pre-loading the torsion bars. When this is done to lower a car with all the torsion bars in place, you end up stiffening the suspension to an uncomfortable and unsafe level.

 

As Ed and Roy described….

 

To soften the suspension to adjust for the lighter front end on a TD replica, when compared to the stock BW Beetle, you remove all the small leaves.

 

This may also lower the front end/ride height.

 

If, after removing the small leaves, your ride height is ok, you are done. It’s time for

 

If, after removing the small leaves, your ride height is too low, you need to rotate the tubes…BOTH tubes…to lift the front end. Never do just one. The best way is with an adjustable front beam like this.

 

But you can also cut, rotate and reweld the stock beam.

 

PMOSSBERG2013-11-05 17:23:00

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[Michael Neben]

Thanks once again to all you guru’s. I removed the half leaves from both torsion bars yesterday and it immediately dropped the front end 2 inches, which is what I wanted. It wasn’t quite as easy as all of you said it would be, but we did it without incident.

Haven’t driven it since then but I expect it will ride softer and handle better.

This is a great forum and I can’t begin to thank you enough. Here I was, prepared to spend a couple of hundred on an adjustable axle to achieve what a couple of hours provided at no cost.

Mike Neben

[edward ericson]

Another satisfied customer!:-) 

[Paul Mossberg]

We are worth the price of admission, aren’t we?

Glad to hear it worked out Mike. I am certain you will be pleased with the ride and handling!

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[sreynolds]

I was looking at my car and I think I’ll need to drop the front some, but it looks like that if I remove all the small leaves and it drops it 2″ it might be too much. Has anybody just removed some of the small leaves to get a smaller drop and if so how many and how much drop did you get?

Sam

[Paul Mossberg]

Everybody I know that has done this (mostly in the TD and Speedster replica world) has removed all the small leaves. The goal here is to soften the suspension for improved ride and handling.

 

Ride height is a separate issue. As noted earlier, if after removing the small leaves, your ride height is too low, you need to rotate the tubes…BOTH tubes…to lift the front end. Never do just one. The best way is with an adjustable front beam like this.

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

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