Lowering TC?

[TAP]

Hello Team,

I am re-joining the team after many years of absence as I neglected my cars to sort out property and family priorities.

I have TC 8932. I see other TCs and I think they look so rakish... while TC8932 seems to sit a tad high and prissy. I'd love to lower the car 1 inch. Looking under the car, it seems like it would be a simple task with some 1" blocks. Has anyone done this and are there any consequences to beware of?

Looking forward to the discussion to follow!
Tom
Shingle Springs CA

[Steve Simmons]

A lot of new springs are too stiff and eventually settle in, although it can take a while. Lowering blocks would work but my only concern is that the towers have a tendency to crack and break from torsional stresses after so many years and a spacer would increase the leverage on them. I would carefully inspect the towers and ideally weld in some gussets as reinforcements before putting in the spacer. Even without the spacer I recommend doing this because the towers weren't meant to last for so long and many have failed.

I wrote an article on repair and prevention of this issue a while back. Here's the link:
http://www.tcmotoringguild.org/techinfo ... repair.pdf

Another option would be to have your springs re-arced. There aren't a lot of spring shops left but a truck shop might be able to do it.

[TAP]

Thank you Steve. Great article. And, your member photo really hits me, as your car sits correctly. My springs age are unknown, but likely on the car at least 20 years - so waiting for them to settle is not a solution. I will see if any truck shops can address the arc. And, I will inspect for stress issues per your article. Thanks again. Tom

[EdCallo]

Just a little info. Almost everyone that races a TC has lowering blocks on the front with no known issues. Once you remove the front fenders and bonnet sides you will need 1/4" blocks min just to get back to normal right height.

[TAP]

Thanks @edCallo, good to know. Coincidentally, Steve Simmons' user photo makes me envious - his TC sits so nice with the wheels tucked properly up into the fenders/wings. I'm going to call around to spring/truck shops first, but not until I get back from Goodwood in September. Heck, maybe I'll learn something more from the Goodwood vendors!

Truth be told, I want to get this right for the TC. But, the TC is up and running... while I worked all day on the MGA, the MG-M is disassembled, and the E-Type needs a front main seal... So I am not going to tear into the TC until I know I have a quick path to completion - I'm tired of having so many things that simultaneously don't work!

Thanks! Tom

[Steve Simmons]

The springs on my car are original factory springs, so nice and worn in. They sit pretty flat when the car is fully weighted.

I broke a main leaf a couple years ago and put another original on.

[dezwartj]

I made aluminum blocks on my front springs therefore lowering it by 1 "
It appears to corner a lot better and the look is also good (but that is just my opinion)
I did not notice any negative chance.

Josh de Zwart,
Calgary

[Will]

Well, always in for a bit of putzing so I fashioned and installed 20mm (3/4") lowering blocks as penned by Mr. Sherrell.
Now find that the drop arm kisses the tie rod in the straight ahead position. I have a BC steering box.
What have people, including the race crowd, done to get around this?
Maybe are there variations in the crank of drop arms?
Thanks.

[Ray White]

I am a bit out of my depth with this subject so please forgive me if what I am suggesting makes no sense.... but what tyres do you have fitted?

I believe the ride height is lowered if you were to fit radial ply tyres - as recommended by Sherrell.

I imagine radials would help with the appearance of your car and improve handling at the same time.

...or not, as the case may be.

[Will]

Thanks Ray. Radials would indeed be nice to try but my present 19 x4.40 tires are in good shape, plus by reducing the circumference I might be looking at a diff change.
Btw, the drop arm is touching the track rod, not the tie rod as I wrote above.

[Duncan M]

Will, not sure what your problem might be. Pictures are always helpful to determine what you are dealing with. Use lower resolution settings to be able to load onto this website.

TC with BC box and all the correct and standard plumbing should give you right around 7/8" clearance. Note the blue ear plug showing gap at straight ahead. The earplug just compressed a small amount, just enough to hold it in there. Maybe you have a different box or the steering drop arm designed for use with one of the other boxes?

[Will]

IMG_7699.JPG (23.52 KiB) Viewed 9229 times

I hope this pic comes through. Another discovery today on this TC. A PO has replaced the normal drag rod end assembly with a ball joint. This ball joint is contacting the tie rod.
With the correct rod end assy there might be clearance so time to pull the drop arm, get it nde tested, and try the correct joint, but the prices are nuts!
Center to center distance of my drop arm is about 5 1/4" so if anyone can check theirs I can compare.
Sorry if the pic comes through upside down. Don,t know why that happens bur the car did come from Oz.
And ignore the welded on sump fins as that might be another story.
Looking at parts list drawings seems to show the drag link on top of the drop arm rather than suspended underneath.
What is correct?
Thanks.

[Rob Reilly]

I remember I first put my drop arm on upside down. This is right.