Hey there, just wondering how I could go about lowering my brat. I have very little exp. with cars, but I have worked as a fabricator, and have a lot of rc hobby experience. I'm going into it like any other chassis, and looking to shorten the springs, or replace with shorter ones. and the shock and strut length shorter too?

Are there any other issues I'm going to run into?

 

Chime in if you have experience here, or can recommend a set up. Thanks!

 

 

 

From this .................................... to this.

Edited April 7, 201312 yr by Flipside7

Pardon my curiosity but why do you want to lower it?

I want to lower mine and did a lot of research last year.  Basically you can re-clock the rear torsion bars to drop the rear.  The fronts are a problem as your only real option is to cut some coils.  I am opposed to cutting coils so I have been looking for any other option but found none so far.

 

Maybe you could cut the spring perch on the strut and re-weld it lower as well?  But then you run the risk of boiling the oil?

Well you weld the spring perch on the body itself higher and just remove the strut before you weld if you're worried about damaging anything. But yeah im planning on doing the same thing to mine, reclocking the rear and cutting the bump stops. Just take your strut and sping to a parts store and find a replacement thats a little shorter. If you do go that route be sure to share the part numbers on here for future reference. I will be doing it but going to be a few monts before I have time.

Edited April 8, 201312 yr by BlindSight

I also want to lower my car 2 inches all around. It looks clumsy right now, I also think you would get a better ride out of it. Keep us posted

So all of us are needing someone to do it so we can follow?  lol  I just have no $ and time lately.

What is the diameter of the gen 1 front coils?  I've ran accross a few different options searching for my supra a few might work for these old guys too.

So all of us are needing someone to do it so we can follow?  lol  I just have no $ and time lately.

Yeah, haha pretty much. I will eventualy do it but I am out of country right now. I know a lot of struts are interchangable and springs and so on will fit. It just takes a trip to a parts warehouse for comparison. will most definatly have to do some kind of slight modification though

Okay so after some research on here.

Get the gen1 2wd struts as they are shorter and cut out 1/2 to 1 coil. or possibly swap the springs from a xt since they are the same diameter and a bit shorter.

Reclock the rear torsion bars 1spline, lowest setting will ride the bump stops. I've heard of people removing the bump stops but its up to you.

its up to you, do your research and compair it to what i've listed... I will continue researching today.

This guy says his wagon is 4wd so,,,, we need to get ahold of him and ask him what mods he made to his wagon. Im sure he is or was a member.
Could have done what i listed above?


Username on japanesenostalgiccar.com
te37jake

Edited May 5, 201312 yr by Reza

here is the thread,
http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/85842-1st-gen-lowering/



Lots of tips on lowering in this thread!

Edited May 6, 201312 yr by Reza

He sold that wagon a long time ago though and I believe he has been inactive for some time.  I have read that thread many times and sought him out.

 

But - Last Active Dec 08 2009 10:03 PM

 

For some reason I think he sold it to someone here who then flipped it?  If that is the case I hope they see this part of the thread and can respond as to how it was done.

 

Anyone know more about that lip spoiler - thread jack, lol.

Edited May 6, 201312 yr by O.C.D.

hmmmm, more research is needed then. will be working on it

Edited May 6, 201312 yr by Reza

um... its not a VW, lift the damn thing! I couldnt imagine how bad a lowered 80s subaru would ride, not to mention all the rust would get knocked off!

I had my 87 hatch lowered as seen in my avitar pic.  Road and handled really well.  I personally hate the notion that all these things should be lifted. 

I drove an xt6 with blown air shocks, sitting solely on the bump stops(till they broke off) for 6 hundred miles, most of that from milwaukee to minneapolis, my kidneys are still pissed at me.

the only way to have a lowered old timey subaru is to stuff modern ej stuff under it and go high performance style. bump stops are so Honda...

oh hell, its nothing near that bad, my 88 gl xt had blown air struts when i bought it. definitely not comparable  

I drove an xt6 with blown air shocks, sitting solely on the bump stops(till they broke off) for 6 hundred miles, most of that from milwaukee to minneapolis, my kidneys are still pissed at me.

the only way to have a lowered old timey subaru is to stuff modern ej stuff under it and go high performance style. bump stops are so Honda...

 

I have to build this car,

 

 

 

I have to build this car,

 

 

 

Wow, off topic but hey, I can lend a hand with this as I have both models needed to do this.  AMT Brat Model and a WRX/STI model in any Tamiya flavor.  Or a Fujimi model as well?  Fairly simple conversion if you are into modeling.  But the AMT Brats usually go for $50-$70 on ebay.

 

Now, back to the lowering!!!

Edited May 17, 201312 yr by O.C.D.

that brown wagon is now this wagon

the current owners name is mike appel. but he didnt lower it to begin with and i know he has reworked the suspension some but he still might know somthing about it.

The spoiler is off of a Volvo and has been cut in half then shortened and finally riveted back together.

 

 

 

He sold that wagon a long time ago though and I believe he has been inactive for some time.  I have read that thread many times and sought him out.

 

But - Last Active Dec 08 2009 10:03 PM

 

For some reason I think he sold it to someone here who then flipped it?  If that is the case I hope they see this part of the thread and can respond as to how it was done.

 

Anyone know more about that lip spoiler - thread jack, lol.