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Lowering Links

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lolachampcar

Well-Known Member
Nov 26, 2012
6,469
9,368
WPB Florida
This is part of a response I posted in another thread. Given the interest in lowering MS, here is a very cost effective do it yourself approach.


Oh, and here is mine lowered.
2015 P85D

Quick search on McMaster for Ball Sockets
McMaster-Carr Click on Gas Spring End fittings and brackets
Add threaded rod and two nuts to two of the above and you are there. The nylon ones would be a home run as there is near zero load on these links (the potentiometers swing very freely). Had I seen this before I bought my links, I would have gone Nylon.


If there is interest, I can oder the Nylon version, set them up to the exact same length as my current lowering links and post exact measurements versus lowering heights. Every car will differ just a bit and will need fine adjustment but at least it will be a start (this is because every car's ride height is calibrated and not all potentiometers will be at the same angle thus the need for calibration).
 
It would be great if you could actually list the McM part numbers (we have a work account, so I could easily snag a few that way hehe!). But seriously, to know the hardware setup specifically that you'd spec out would be great. And the length to achieve desired settings would be nice, too. I don't have air suspension yet, but my next MS most likely will.

Also you had talked about changes needed to the rear upper arms to accommodate the new hardware/geometry. Pics and "how to" for that would be super sweet! :)

Question for you-- when you've done your alignment, have you done so at Normal setting? I'd assume that is typically how the S/C offers it up. However, as others (see artsci thread) run around in Low setting all the time, do you think there would be any harm having the alignment done in that mode? Obviously it would add positive camber when you lift/raise the car. But how much and how that might hurt handling, well, thats my question :)
 
I'd also be interested in any of the details and the mcmaster items on this, lola. I finally have +.210 rear upper links and would be interested in going back to the pre-update ride heights, or even lower. Between your info and artsci's latest post this would be a nice fix.
 
I just ordered the parts to make myself a set of links, here are the links if anyone is interested:

Stainless steel threaded rod (1m length, cut to size). They have different precut lengths, but cheaper and more flexible to cut yourself:
McMaster-Carr

Stainless steel hex nuts:
McMaster-Carr

Stainless Ball Socket:

Ameritool 625 & 750 End Fittings - Ameritool EFSS-10H Stainless Steel 10mm Ball Socket - Maxum Hardware (I orderded from here because the length was shorter than the ones at McMaster and they're cheaper, but McMaster does carry a slightly longer version)


IMG_3544.JPG
 
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Reactions: benjiejr
Thoughts about doing links like those... you have to pop off one end of the link for each adjustment cycle - granted it's easy to do with those pin retainer clip-style rod end ball joints.. but also, the finest granularity adjustment is one whole revolution of an end (giving one thread pitch o/all length change).

I was concerned about wanting a fine granularity and fractional turns to bring all corners into closest possible range of one another. Turnbuckle style (threads in different directions on each end of the rod and a reverse threaded ball on one end) allows "micro adjustment". Or, one free-wheeling end with the other end common thread direction (like I made) allows micro adjustment.

I never did figure out what the resolution of "one turn" of that thread pitch you used would yield as a fender height change, can you give us some insight? If it yields about 1/4" or less... then I'd say there's "no concern" of having to adjust in whole-turn rotations. I think 1/4" is about the error margin of the overall system of air adjustability, from what I observed... that kind of variance of height is to be expected at any corner at any given time.