Suspension lowered???

ScumLord

Whats involved in lowering the suspension of a car? Is it something that can be done with a spanner and a lump hammer or do you need to buy a new suspension to get the car any lower?

I have a C4 van and it seems very high at the back compared to the ordinary version I figure they've raised it a bit so it can be loaded up and was just wondering if there's a easy way to drop it down to the car height, it's never really used as a van. I don't want to go for a lowrider type thing I still want the car to be useable on these country roads.

Kimbot

Generally you buy Lowering springs in place of your existing springs if you want to lower it!!
I would imagine that its standard for you ride height to be like that, did you buy it new??

bazz26

The easiest thing to do is to get a new set of springs.

Eibach are about the best type you can get buy imo. They are not cheap though, your probably looking at around €400. They should improve the handling though as the van's centre of gravity is closer to the ground.

If you have any future intentions of using the C4 van for transporting heavy goods or equipment in the rear then I would leave it as it is. More than likely the existing springs in the van are different to car version and are designed for carrying heavy loads.

darragh o meara

Be careful when lowering a van Most of them have a load sensing valve underneath the varies the amount of pressure applied to the back brakes proportionate to the load carried. It works by sensing how low the back of the van is and lowering it may cause your back brakes to lock up inadvertantly. Lowering the van would fool the van into thinking there was a load onboard. I could be wrong on the citroen but I have seen it happen on other vans

ScumLord

She's brand new so she is Jonny. It's been a bit twitchy at the back but it just went in for a recall yesterday the back brakes on them had some sort of problem and it's seems allot better now. I think I'll just leave it as it is then.

Might get the back spoiler for it though, that might help it stick to the road.

peasant

ScumLord wrote:

Might get the back spoiler for it though, that might help it stick to the road.

that ...or two bags of cement in the boot

Kimbot

Well Brand new I deffo wouldn't change it!!

MercMad

As far as I know those C4's use torsion bar rear suspension, which needs removing and relocating on a different spine to drop them. Thats how the 106/206/Saxo and Clio are all done !

Otherwise its a spring change !

ScumLord

The two bags of cement method sounds like the way to go. I could probably send in how I did it to that Max power magazine, I might loss some straight line speed and get killed by them if I break to hard but that's what car modifications all about, living dangerously... :cool:

I had a look under the back of the car I'm no expert on cars but it doesn't look like it's all that adustable (no second mounting holes for anything from the look of it) I recon I'll just leave it the way it is.

mloc123

Not sure if the new citroens use torsion bars but if they do its an easy job to do with a bit of know how. Search for torsion bar lowering guides on google, there are a few on different sites. Should be a hour job max.

rabbitinlights

A mate used to have a VW Caddy, it was like a kite on a windy day as the back was always empty and there was no weight, 3 bags of cement sorted it out, but it did effect his MPG somewhat.

S.

colm_mcm

The Caddy had beefed up rear suspension to cope with heavy loads. The C4 is just a car type van, Should be sorted by adjusting the suspension down, DOn't think it needs any extra weight on the back

mloc123

http://www.zedsplace.co.uk/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.9

Heres a torsion bar guide based on a clio, should be the same principal on the C4.