Fordmods Logo

Lowering the EF 

 

Page 1 of 2 [ 19 posts ] Go to page 1, 2  Next

 
 Post subject: Lowering the EF
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 4:49 pm 
Getting Side Ways
Offline
User avatar

Age: 39

Posts: 445

Joined: 8th Jul 2009

Gallery: 2 images

Ride: BA MKII XR6

Location: Waikato
New Zealand

Hi everybody

I have an EF Fairmont which is lowered. I also have an EF Falcon, which is not. Can I just swap the shocks from the Fairmont into the Falcon to lower it, or do I have to worry about camber bolts and things?
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: Lowering the EF
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 6:08 pm 
Technical Contributor
Offline

Age: 67

Posts: 6815

Joined: 22nd Jun 2005

Gallery: 8 images

Ride: EF Fairmont

Location: Campbelltown
NSW, Australia

Is it on Lows or superlows?

All parts are interchangeable with Fairmont and Falcon.
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: Lowering the EF
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 6:11 pm 
Getting Side Ways
Offline
User avatar

Age: 39

Posts: 445

Joined: 8th Jul 2009

Gallery: 2 images

Ride: BA MKII XR6

Location: Waikato
New Zealand

Not sure - was lowered before I acquired it, I think it's only on lows, as even though it seems very low to me, I am assured by boy-racer type people that it is still not very low :lol:

Attachment:
IMAG0058.jpg
IMAG0058.jpg [ 96.37 KiB | Viewed 235 times ]
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: Lowering the EF
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 7:21 pm 
Technical Contributor
Offline

Age: 67

Posts: 6815

Joined: 22nd Jun 2005

Gallery: 8 images

Ride: EF Fairmont

Location: Campbelltown
NSW, Australia

Looks like lows in the pic.

You should be able to change everything over with no issues.

Factory camber kit should be able to handle the adjustments needed in the wheel alignment.
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: Lowering the EF
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:12 pm 
Getting Side Ways
Offline
User avatar

Age: 39

Posts: 445

Joined: 8th Jul 2009

Gallery: 2 images

Ride: BA MKII XR6

Location: Waikato
New Zealand

Sweet, cheers. So just the shocks that need to be swapped then?
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: Lowering the EF
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:59 pm 
Fordmods Junkie
Offline
User avatar

Posts: 3972

Joined: 22nd Jan 2009

Ride: '03 BA & '06 BF Wagooons

Location: Geeelong
VIC, Australia

{USERNAME} wrote:
Sweet, cheers. So just the shocks that need to be swapped then?



and springs
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: Lowering the EF
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 9:11 pm 
Getting Side Ways
Offline
User avatar

Age: 39

Posts: 445

Joined: 8th Jul 2009

Gallery: 2 images

Ride: BA MKII XR6

Location: Waikato
New Zealand

Yes, which will be attached to the shocks
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: Lowering the EF
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 1:19 pm 
Getting Side Ways
Offline
User avatar

Age: 39

Posts: 445

Joined: 8th Jul 2009

Gallery: 2 images

Ride: BA MKII XR6

Location: Waikato
New Zealand

Ok, so it does seem an easy job - however, I notice that with both vehicles on stands and the rear shocks / springs removed, there is more of a space between the upper and lower spring locations on the car that wasn't lowered, than there is on the car that was.

Now I assume this would be due to one sitting on stiffer springs all these years, but my question is do I have to loosen off a control arm somewhere with the car raised, and then tighten it once it's off the stands, or do I just leave it alone and let it self adjust as it sits on the new springs?
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: Lowering the EF
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 4:03 pm 
Getting Side Ways
Offline
User avatar

Age: 39

Posts: 445

Joined: 8th Jul 2009

Gallery: 2 images

Ride: BA MKII XR6

Location: Waikato
New Zealand

Also, when it comes to the fronts, there appear to be a whole stack of shims between the body of the car and the upper control arm - I assume these are camber things and that I will need to swap them into the other car?
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: Lowering the EF
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 2:10 pm 
Technical Contributor
Offline

Age: 67

Posts: 6815

Joined: 22nd Jun 2005

Gallery: 8 images

Ride: EF Fairmont

Location: Campbelltown
NSW, Australia

Fit the same shims that came from the doner car, this should give you an approx alignment, then get a proper wheel alignment done ASAP.

You will be suprised how quickly you will chop out tyres with a bad alignment.
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: Lowering the EF
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 7:16 pm 
Getting Side Ways
Offline
User avatar

Age: 39

Posts: 445

Joined: 8th Jul 2009

Gallery: 2 images

Ride: BA MKII XR6

Location: Waikato
New Zealand

Is it normal that there would be so many shims, especially on just lows? The car at standard height has no shims, and the lowered one has about 6 per bolt on each side, so it's spaced out about 12mm - that's what concerns me, it seems excessive
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: Lowering the EF
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 7:35 pm 
Technical Contributor
Offline

Age: 67

Posts: 6815

Joined: 22nd Jun 2005

Gallery: 8 images

Ride: EF Fairmont

Location: Campbelltown
NSW, Australia

And when you use Superlows there usually is not enough bolt length to add the required shims to get it right which is why you need a camber kit.

All cars (same model) vary slightly from each other which is why there are different thickness shims.

You WILL still need a wheel alignment after you do the springs.
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: Lowering the EF
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 7:37 pm 
Technical Contributor
Offline

Age: 67

Posts: 6815

Joined: 22nd Jun 2005

Gallery: 8 images

Ride: EF Fairmont

Location: Campbelltown
NSW, Australia

{USERNAME} wrote:
Ok, so it does seem an easy job - however, I notice that with both vehicles on stands and the rear shocks / springs removed, there is more of a space between the upper and lower spring locations on the car that wasn't lowered, than there is on the car that was.

Now I assume this would be due to one sitting on stiffer springs all these years, but my question is do I have to loosen off a control arm somewhere with the car raised, and then tighten it once it's off the stands, or do I just leave it alone and let it self adjust as it sits on the new springs?


Don't worry about it. They will settle after a short drive.
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: Lowering the EF
Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 6:46 pm 
Getting Side Ways
Offline
User avatar

Age: 39

Posts: 445

Joined: 8th Jul 2009

Gallery: 2 images

Ride: BA MKII XR6

Location: Waikato
New Zealand

Thanks mate, I'll take her in for an alignment when I get a day off work
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: Lowering the EF
Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 2:07 pm 
Getting Side Ways
Offline
User avatar

Age: 39

Posts: 445

Joined: 8th Jul 2009

Gallery: 2 images

Ride: BA MKII XR6

Location: Waikato
New Zealand

{USERNAME} wrote:
Fit the same shims that came from the doner car, this should give you an approx alignment, then get a proper wheel alignment done ASAP.

You will be suprised how quickly you will chop out tyres with a bad alignment.


I didn't end up putting any shims in when I swapped the shocks over, seemed far too many in the donor car, so I just left it.

Had some time this afternoon, so took her in for an alignment, and the camber was fine without them. Toe-in was a fair way out, so they fixed that, and apparently it's all good to go.
Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:
Sort by  
 Page 1 of 2  [ 19 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 46 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

 

 

It is currently Mon Dec 23, 2024 5:15 am All times are UTC + 11 hours

 

 

(c)2014 Total Web Solutions Australia - Australian Web Hosting and Domain Names